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VENVS, which was begotten of the froth of the sea (as Poetes fame) was a common harlot, and brothel of her body, and had ma¦ny children by sundry men, as by Mars she had Harmonia, by Mercury, Hermaphroditus, by Iu¦piter, Cupido, by Anchises, Aeneas: And bycause she alone wold not seme to be an hore, she ordeyned in Cypres that women did prostitute thē selfes
for mony to al that came. And Iustine telleth, that the maner of the maides of Cypres was to get their mariage good, by suche fylthy baudry. And to helpe furth the matter, one Melāpus brought out of Egypt into Grece the rites of Bacchus sacrifices, wherein men vse to company dissolutely with women in the nyght, in suche wyse that it is shame for christen menne to speake of, muche like oure shewes or daunces called maskes in Englande & bonefyres, as they be vsed in some partes of the realme. But Spu. Post∣humius, Albinus, and Q. Martius, abolyshed those feastes, I would all maskes and bonefyres were likewise banished from among vs christians. Albeit cōmon women wer long afore Venus tyme. For it appeareth in Ge∣nesis, that Iudas sōne to Iacob med∣led wt Thamer his doughter in law, bycause he supposed she had bene an hoore by reason of her apparel. But to let that passe, yet it is pytie to se a∣mong christen men stewes & baudrye maynteyned, as though it were for a cōmon weale: & honorable matrimo∣ny so neglected & polluted without a¦ny
feare of God. This is a doctrin of the deuil, if there be any. In Moses lawes an aduontrer was stoned to death, and in Grece, in Rome and in Arabia, and diuerse other countries he was punished by deathe, & among christiēs it reigneth vnpunished: God wyl strike ones for al, therfore let the ministers of the law prouide a godly remedy. I would wishe that women would folowe the pagane Lucretia, or Hebrue Susanna, and men Ioseph, Medea found the diyng and coloryng of heare, and our women of England haue not forgotten it, and beside that make their foreheades by theyr me∣dicines broder then God made them, with other enormities, wherein some of the phisicians be greatly to blame, that teache suche thynkes to ye frayle creature. They be ashamed of Gods creacion & handy worke in thē selues or els they would nor amend it.
Barbours to shaue and roūd, were instituted by the Abantes, bycause theyr enemies in warre shoulde haue no occasion to plucke them by y• heare P. Ticinius Mena brought them in∣to Rome the .CCC.liiii. yeare of the
buildyng of the cytie afore they were vnshauen. Africanus was wonte to be shauen euery day. There be many other thynges, whose auctours for antiquitie can not be knowen, & some bicause of the negligence of men that wyl not write suche thinges.
As no man can tel who beganne cloc∣kes, belles, the shypmans compasse, the gonnes styrops, cappes or bonet∣tes, for that is but newely inuented: bycause in olde tyme men wente bare heade, water mylles, organnes, & claricymbals, talowcandels, re∣claimyng of haukes, rynges, with many other, whiche for the auncientie, or o∣uersight of men be in extreme o∣bliuion.
Venus a com¦mon woman
Stewes.
Maydes of Cypres.
Bacchanalia
Maskes. Bonefyres. Spu. Post∣humius abro∣gated Bac∣chus feastes.
Cōmon wo∣men were of long tyme.
Punishment for aduoutry▪
Lucretia. Susanna. Ioseph. Diyng of heare.
Brode fore∣heades.
Bunglyng Phisicians are blamed.
Barbours.
P. Ticinius Mena.
Thynges whose auc∣tours be not knowen.
Atheneus in the .iiii. booke sayeth that C••essebius a barboure of Alexandria foūd out the orgānes, and bringeth the testimony of Aristotle.