MATRONALIA;
they were Feasts in∣stituted by Romulus, and celebrated by the Ro∣man Ladies. Ovid gives divers Reasons why they were instituted: 1st, Because the Roman Ladies interposed between their Husbands and Relations in the Battle with the Sabins, and al∣so terminated the Difference between them for having stole them; in Commemoration of which Action Romulus would have the Day of the said Pacification, which was the First of March, celebrated as a Festival. 2dly, In or∣der to pray unto Mars that he would fa∣vour them to bring forth Children as happily as Ilia, on whom he had begot Romulus. 3dly, Because in this Month the Earth began to bring forth and grow fertile. 4thly, Because on that Day a Temple had been dedicated to Juno Lucina (upon the Mount called Esquiliae) who presided over Women's Lying-in. 5thly, Because Mars was Juno's Son who presided over Marriages: This Feast was remarkable, upon Account that the Men sent Presents to the Wo∣men, as they did again to the Men at the Satur∣nalia: Sicut Saturnalibus, says Suetonius, dabat viris apophoreta, ita & Calendis Martii faeminis: And inasmuch as the Men treated their Slaves at the Saturnalian-Feasts, and made them their