The second tome of the Palace of pleasure conteyning store of goodly histories, tragicall matters, and other morall argument, very requisite for delighte and profit. Chosen and selected out of diuers good and commendable authors: by William Painter, clerke of the ordinance and armarie. Anno. 1567.

Of three Amorous Dames.

¶ A notable Historie of three Amorous Gentlewomen, cal∣led LAMIA, FLORA, and LAIS: conteinyng the sutes of noble Princes and other great personages made vn∣to them, with their answeres to diuers demaundes: and the maner of their death and funerals.

The. xiiij. Nouel.

LEauyng nowe our mo∣rall discourse of a care∣full Maister, a prouident Scholer, of a vertuous Emperor, of a sacred Se∣nate, and vniforme ma∣gisterie, returne wée to the setting forth and des∣cription of. iij. arrant ho∣nest women, which for lewdnesse wer famous, and for wicked lyse wor∣thie to bée noted with a black coale, or rather their memorie raked vp in the dust and cindres of the corpses vnpure. But as all histories be full of lessons of vertue and vice, as bokes sacred & pro∣phane describe the liues of good and bad for example sake 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yelde meanes to y^e posteritie, to ensue the one & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the other, so haue I thought to intermingle amongest these Nouels the seuerall sortes of either, that eche sexe and kinde may pike out like the Bée of eche floure, honie, to store & furnishe with delightes their well dispo∣sed minde. I purpose then to vnlace the dissolute liues of

thrée amorouse dames, that with their graces 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the greatest princes that euer were: enticed the noble men, and sometimes procured the wisest and best learned to craue their acquaintance, as by the sequele hereof shall well appere. These thrée famous women, (as writers doe witnesse) were furnished with many goodly graces and giftes of nature, that is to say, great beautie offace, goodly proporcion of bodie, large and high forheads, their brestes placed in comly order, small wasted, fayre hands, of passing cunning to play vpon Instruments, a heauen∣lie voice to faine and sing: 〈◊〉〈◊〉, their qualities and beautie were more famous, than euer any y^e were borne within the coūtries of Asia and Europa. They were ne∣uer beloued of Prince which did forsake them, nor yet they made request of any thing which was denied them. They neuer mocked or flouted man (a thing rare in wo∣men of their cōdition) ne yet were mocked of any: But their speciall propreties were to allure men to loue thē: Lamia with hir pleasant looke and eye, Flora with hir eloquent tongue, and Lais with the grace & swetenesse of hir singing voyce, A straunge thing that he wich once was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the loue of any of those thrée, eyther too late or neuer was deliuered of the same. They were the richest Courtizans that euer liued in the worlde, so long as their life did last, & after their decease, great mo∣numentes were erected for their remembraunce, in place where they dyed. The most auncient of these thrée amo∣rous dames was Lamia, who was in the tyme of king Antigonus, that warfared in the seruice of Alexander the great, a valiant gentleman, although not fauored by Fortune. This king Antigonus lefte behinde hym a sonne and heire called Deinetrius, who was lesse vali∣ant, but more fortunate than his father, and had bene a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of greate estimation, if in his youth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had ac∣quired

frendes, and kept the same, and in his age had not bene giuen to so many vices. This king Demetrius was in loue with Lamia, and presented hir with riche giftes and rewardes, and loued hir to affectionatly, and in such sort, as in the loue of his Lamia, he semed rather a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 than a true louer: for forgetting the grauitie and authoritie of his person, he did not onelie gyue hir all such things as she demaunded, but bysides y^t he vsed no more the companie of his wife Euxonia. On a time king Demetrius asking Lamia, what was the thing where∣with a woman was sonest wonne. Ther is nothing (an∣swered she,) which sooner ouer commeth a woman, than whē she séeth a man to loue hir with all his hart, & to su∣steine for hir sake great paines and passions with long continuance and entier affection: for to loue men by col∣lusion, causeth afterwards that they be mocked againe. Demetrius asked hir further, tell me Lamia, why doe di∣uerse women rather hate than loue men? whervnto shée answered: The greatest cause why a woman doth hate a man, is, when the man dothe vaunte & boaste himselfe of that which he doth not, and performeth not the thing which he promiseth. Demetrius demaunded of hir. Tell me Lamia what is the thing wherwith men doe content you best: when we see him (sayde she) to be discrete in wordes, & secrete in his dedes. Demetrius asked hir fur∣ther. Tell me Lamia how chanceth it y^e men be ill mat∣ched: bicause answered Lamia, It is impossible that they be well maried, when the wife is in néede, & the husband vndiscrete. Demetrius asked hir what was y^e cause, that amity betwene two louers, was 〈◊〉〈◊〉? Ther is nothing answered she, that soner maketh colde the loue betwene two louers, than when one of them doth straye in loue, and the woman louer to importunate to craue. He de∣maunded further. Tell me Lamia, what is the thing that

most 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the louing man? Not to attaine the thing which he desireth answered she, and thinketh to lose the thing which he hopeth to enioy. Demetrius yet once againe asked hir this question. What is that Lamia which most troubleth a womans hart? Ther is nothing (answered Lamia) wherwith a woman is more grieued, and maketh hir more sad, than to be called yll fauored, or that she hath no good grace, or to vnderstand that she is dissolute of life. This ladie Lamia, was of iudgement de∣licate and subtill, although yll ymployed in hir: & therby made all the world in loue with hir: and drew all men to hir through hir faire spéech. Now before she lost the heart of king Demetrius, she haunted of long time the Uniuersities of Athenes, where she gained great store of money, and brought to destruction many yong men. Plutarch in the life of Demetrius saith, y^t the Athenians hauing presented vnto him. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. C. talents of money for a subsidie to pay his men of warre, he gaue all that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his woman Lamia. By meanes wherof, the Athenians grudged, & were offended with the king, not for the losse of their gift, but for y^t it was so euill employed. When the king Demetrius would assure any thing by oth, he swore not by his Gods, ne yet by his predecessors, but in this sort: As I may be still in the grace of my lady Lamia, and as hir life & mine may ende together, so true is this which I say & doe, in this & this sort. One yere & two monethes before the death of king Demetrius, his frend Lamia died, who sorowed so much hir death, as for the absence & death of hir, he caused the Philosophers of Athenes to entre disputation: Whether the teares and sorow, which he shed and and toke, were more to be este∣med, than the riches which he spent in hir obsequies & funerall pompes. This amorous gentlewoman Lamia was borne in Argos, a citie of Peloponnesus, by 〈◊〉〈◊〉

nes, of base parentage, who in hir first yeres haunted the countrie of Asia maior, of very wild & dissolute life, & in y^e end came into Phaenicia. And when y^t king Deme∣trius, had caused hir to be buried before a wyndow ioy∣ning to his house, his chiefest frendes asked him, wher∣fore he had entombed hir in that place. His answere was this: I loued hir so well, & she likewise me so hartily, as I knowe not which way to satisfie y^t loue which she bare me, & the duetie I haue to loue hir againe, if not to put hir in such place, as myne eyes may wepe euery daye, & mine hart still lament. Truely this loue was straunge, which so mightie a Monarch as Demetrius was, did beare vnto such a notable Curtizan, a woman vtterly voyde of grace, barren of good workes, & without any zeale or sparke of vertue as it should appere. But sith we reade & know y^t none are more giuen or bent to vnreaso∣nable loue, than mightie princes, what shuld it be demed straunge and maruellous, if Demetrius amongs the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doe come in place for the loue of that most famous wo∣man, yf fame may stretch to eyther sorts both good and euill? But let vs come to y^t second sort, of this infamous gentle woman called Lais. She was of the Isle of Bithri∣tos, which is in the confines of Graecia, & was the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of y^e great Sacrificer of Appollo his tēple at Delphos, a man greatly experienced in the magike art, wherby he prophecied the perdition of his daughter. Now this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lais was in triumph in the time of the renow∣med king Pirrhus, a prince very ambicious to acquire honor, but not very happie to kepe the same, who being yong of sixtene or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 yeres, came into Italie to make warres against the Romains. He was the first (as some say) that aranged a campe in ordre, and made the Phalanx, the maine square and battell. For before hys time, when they came to entre battell, they assailed con∣fusedly,

and out of array gaue the onset. This amo∣rous Lais, continued long time in the campe of King Pyrrhus, and went wyth hym into Italie, and wyth hym retorned from warre againe. Notwythstanding hir nature was such, as she would neuer bée maintei∣ned with one man alone. The same Lais was so amo∣rous in hir conuersation, so excellent faire, and of so comely grace, that if she would haue kept hir selfe to one, and bene 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to one lord or gentleman, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was no prince in the world but would haue yelded him∣selfe and all that he had at hir commaundement. Lais from hir retourne out of Italia into Grece, repaired to the citie of Corinth to make hir abode there, where she was pursued by many kings, lordes, and princes. Au∣lus Gellius saith (which I haue recited in my former part of the Palace of pleasure the fiftenth Nouell) that the good Philosopher Demosthenes, went from Athenes to Corinth, in disguised apparell, to sée Lais, and to haue hir company. But before the dore was opened, she sent one to demaunde. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. C. Sestercos of siluer: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Demosthenes answered: I bye not repentance so dere. And I beleue that Demosthenes spake those wordes by folowing the sentence of Diogenes, who sayth, that eue∣rie beast after such acte is heauie and sad. Some writers affirme of this amorous Lais, that thing which I ne∣uer reade or heard of woman: which is, that she ne∣uer shewed signe or token of loue to that man which was desirous to doe hir seruice: nor was neuer hated of man that knew hir. Wherby we may comprehend the happe and fortune of that amorous woman. She ne∣uer shewed semblance of great loue to any person, and yet she was beloued of all. If the amorous Lamia had a good spirite and mynde, Lais truely had no lesse. For in the art of loue, she excéeded all other women of hir

〈◊〉〈◊〉 art and science, as well in knowledge of loue, as to profite in the same. Upon a day a yong man of Corinth demaunding of hir, what hée should say to a woman whome hée long tyme had loued, and made so great sute, that therby he was like to fall into dispaire. Thou shalt say (sayd Lais) vnto hir, that sith she will not graunt thy request, yet at least wise it might please hir to suffer thée to bée hir seruant, and that she would take in good parte the seruice that thou shalt doe vnto hir. Which request if she doe graunt, then hope to at∣teine the ende of thy attempt, bycause that we women bée of such nature, as opening the mouth to gyue some myld and pleasant answere to the amorous person, it is to bée thought that we haue gyuen our heart vnto the firste suter. An other daye in the presence of Lais, one praised the Philosophers of Athenes, saying that they were very honest personages, and of greate skyll and knowledge. Whereunto Lais aunswered: I can∣not tell what greate knowledge they haue, nor what sci∣ence they studie, ne yet what bookes your Philoso∣phers doe reade, bycause that I being a woman and ne∣uer was at Athenes, I sée them repaire hither, and of Philosophers béecome amorous persons. A Theban knight demaunded of Lais, what he might doe to enioy a ladie wyth whose loue hée should bée surprised: She aunswered thus. A man that is desirous of a woman, muste followe hys sute, serue hir and suffer hir, and sometimes to séeme as though hée had forgotten hir. For after that a womans heart is moued to loue, she regar∣deth more the forgetfulnesse and negligence vsed towar∣des hir, than she doth the seruice béefore time 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto hir. An other Gentleman of Achaia asked hir what hée shoulde doe to a woman, whome hée suspected that she hadde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hir fayth. Lais aunswered, make

hir beleue that thou thinkest she is very faythfull, and take from hir the occasions wherby she hath good cause to doe the same: For if she doe perceiue that thou know∣est it, and dissemblest the matter, she will soner dye than amēd. A gētleman of Palestine at another time inquired of hir what he should doe to a woman which he serued, and did not esteme the seruice done vnto hir, ne yet gaue him thankes for the loue which he bare hir. Lais sayed vnto him: If thou be disposed to serue hir no longer, let hir not perceiue that thou hast gyuen hir ouer: For na∣turallie we women be tendre to loue, and hard to hate. Being demaunded by one of hir neighbours what she should doe to make hir daughter very wyse. She (saide Lais) that will haue hir daughter to be good and honest, she must from hir youth lerne hir to feare, and in going abrode to haunte litle companie, and that she be shame∣fast and moderate in hir talke. An other of hir neighbors inquiring of hir what she might doe to hir daughter which began to haue delight to rome in the fielde & wan∣der abrode. The remedy (saide Lais) that I finde for your daughter disposed to that condition, is, not to suffer hir to be ydle, ne yet to be braue and sumptnous in apparell. This amorous gentlewoman Lais dyed in the citie of Corinth, of the age of. lxxij. yeares, whose death was of many Matrones desired, and of a great numbre of amo∣rous persons lamented.

The third amorous gentlewoman was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Flora, which was not so aucient, ne yet of so great renoume as Lamia & Lais wer, whose coūtrie also was not so famous, For she was of Italie, and the other two of Grecia, and although that Lamia & Lais exceded Flora in antiquitie, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Flora surmounted them in lineage & generositie. For Flora was of noble house, although in life lesse than chast. She was of the countrie of Nola in Campania, issued of

certein Romans, knights very famous in facts of armes and of great industrie and gouernement in the common wealth. When the father and mother of this Flora de∣ceased, she was of the age of. xb. yeares, indued with great riches and singular beautie, and the very orphane of all hir kynne, For she had neyther brother left with whom she might soiourne, ne yet vncle to gyue hir good councell. In such wise that like as this yong maistres Flora had youth, riches, liberty and beautie, euen so ther wanted neither bauds nor Pandores to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hir to fal, and allure hir to follie. Flora seing hir selfe beset in this wise, she determined to goe into the Affrick warres, where she hazarded both hir person and hir honor. This dame florished and tryumphed in the tyme of the first Punique warres, when the Consul Mamillus was sent to Carthage, who dispended more money vpon the loue of Flora, than hée did vpon the chase and pursute of his 〈◊〉〈◊〉. This amorous ladie Flora had a writing and tytle fixed vpon hir gate, the effect wher of was thys: King, Prince, Dictator, Consul, Censor, high Bishop, and Questor may knocke and come in. In that writing Flora named neither Emperor nor Caesar, bycause those two most noble names were long tyme after created by the Romanes. This amorous Flora wold neuer abandon hir person, but wyth gentlemen of great house, or of great dignitie and riches. For she was wont to say, that a woman of passing beauty should bée so much estemed as she doth esteme and sette by hir selfe. Lais and Flora were of contrary maners & conditions. For Lais would first bée paide, before she yelded the vse of hir bodie: but Flora without any semblance of desire eyther of golde or siluer was contented to bée ruled by those with whom she committed the facte. Wherof vpon a day being de∣maunded the question, she answered: I gyue my body

to Princes and noble Barons, that they may deale with me like gentlemen. For I sweare vnto you by the Goddesse Venus, that neuer man gaue me so little, but that I had more than I loked for, and the double of that which I could demaund. This amorous lady Flora was wont many tymes to saye, that a wise woman (or more aptlie to terme hir a subtill wench) ought not to demaund reward of hir louer for the acceptable pleasure which she doth hym, but rather for the loue which she beareth him, bicause that all things in the world haue a certain price, except loue, which cannot bée paide or re∣compenced but with loue. All the Ambassadors of the worlde, which had accesse into Italie, made so great re∣port of the beauty and generositie of Flora, as they dyd of the Romane common wealth, bycause it semed to bée a monstrous thinge to sée the riches of hir house, hir trayue, hir beautie, the princes & great lordes by whom she was required, and the presents and giftes that were gyuen vnto hir. This amorous Flora had a continuall regard to the noble house wherof she came, touching the magnificence and state of hir seruice. For albeit that she was but a common woman, yet she was serued & hono∣red like a great ladie. That day wherin she rode about the citie of Rome, she gaue occasion to bée spoken of a whole month after, one inquiring of an other what gret Roman lords they were that kept hir company: Whose men they were that waighted vpon hir: And whose liue∣ry they ware? What ladies they were that rode in hir traine: the brauery of hir apparell: hir great beautie & port, and the wordes spoken by the amorous gentlemen in that troupe were not vnremembred. When this mai∣stres Flora wared olde, a yong and beautifull gentleman of Corinth, demaunded hir to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, to whome she aun∣swered: I know well that thou wilt not marie, the thrée

score yeares which Flora hath, but rather thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to haue y^e twelue hundred thousand Sestercias which she hath in hir house. Content thy selfe therfore my frende, and get thée home againe to Corinth from whence thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉. For to such as bée of myne age, great honor is borne, & reuerence done for the riches and wealth they haue, rather than for mariage. There was neuer in the Romane Empire; the like amorous woman that Flora was, indued with so many graces and quéenelike qua∣lities, for she was of noble house, of singuler beautie, of comly personage, discrete in hir affaires, and besides all other comly qualities, very liberall. This maistres Flora spent the most part of hir youth in Africa, Almaine and Gallia 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And albeit that she would not suffre any other but great lords to haue possession of hir body, yet she applied hir selfe to the spoile of those that were in place, and to the praie of those that came from the warrs. This amorous Flora died when she was of the age of 〈◊〉〈◊〉. yeares. She left for the principall heire of all hir goods and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 people, which was este∣med sufficiēt & able to make newe the walles of Rome, and to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and redeme the common welth of the same. And bicause that she was a Romaine, & had made the state thereof hir heire, the Romanes buylded in hir honor a sumptuous Temple, which in memorie of Flo∣ra, was called 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and euery yeare in the memo∣rie of hir, they celebrated hir feast vpon the daye of hir death: Suctonuis Tranquillus saieth, that the first feaste which the Emperour Galba the second celebrated with∣in Rome, was y^e feast of the amorous Flora, vpon which day it was lawfull for men & women, to doe what kinde of dishonestie they could deuise. And she was estemed to be the greater saint which that day shewed hir selfe most dissolute and wanton. And bicause that the temple Flori∣anum,

was dedicated to amorous Flora, the Romās had an opinion, that all women which vpon the same day re∣paired to the Temple in whorish apparell, should haue the graces and gifts that Flora had. These were the sond opinions and maners of the auncient, which after their owne making & deuises framed Gods and Goddesses, and bycause the proued vnshamefast and rich, a Temple must bée erected, and Sacrifices ordeined for hir whorish triumphes. But that noble men and Kings haue bene rapt and transported with the lurements of such noto∣rious strumpets, is and hath bene common in all ages. And commonly such infamous women bée indewed with greatest giftes and graces, the rather to noosell & dandle their fauorers in the lappes of their fading pleasures. But euery of them a most speciall grace, aboue the rest. As of a king not long agoe we reade that kept thrée, one the holiest, another the crastiest, & the third the 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Two of which properties méete for ho∣nest women: although the third so inci∣dent to that kinde, as heat to a liuing bodie. Cease we then of this kinde, and let vs steppe forth to be acquainted with a ladie & a Quéene the Godliest & stoutest, that is remembred in any aun. cient monument or historie.