Unparalleld varieties: or, The matchless actions and passions of mankind.: Displayed in near four hundred notable instances and examples. Discovering the transcendent effects; I. Of love, friendship, and gratitude. II. Of magnanimity, courage, and fidelity. III. Of chastity, temperance, and humility. And on the contrary the tremendous consequences, IV. Of hatred, revenge, and ingratitude. V. Of cowardice, barbarity, treachery. VI. Of unchastity, intemperance, and ambition. : Imbellished with proper figures. / By R.B. ...

IX. Staveren in Holland was the chief Town of all Friezland, rich and abounding in all wealth, the only staple for all Merchan∣dize, whither Ships came from all parts; The Inhabitants thereof through ease knew not what to do nor desire, but shewed them∣selves in all things excessive and licentious, not only in their Ap∣parel,

but also in the furniture of their Houses, gilding the Seats before their Lodgings, &c. So that they were commonly called, The debauched Children of Staveren; but observe the just punish∣ment of this their Pride. There was in this Town a Widow, who knew no end of her wealth; which made her proud and insolent; she freighted out a Ship for Dantzick, giving the Master charge to return her in exchange of her Merchandize the farest stuft he could find. The Master of the Ship finding no better Commodity than good wheat, freighted his Ship therewith, and so returned to Staveren; this did so discontent this foolish & glorious Widow, that she said to the Master; That if he had laden the Corn on the Starboard side of the Ship, he should cast it into the Sea on the Lar∣board; which was presently done, and all the wheat poured into the Sea, but the whole Town, yea, all the Province smanted for this one Womans errour, for presently in the same place where the Marriners had thrown the Corn, there grew a great Bar or Bank of Sand, wherewith the Haven was so stopt, that no great Ship could enter, and at this day the smallest Vessels that will anchor there, must be very careful, least they strike against this flat, or Sand bank, which ever since hath been called Ʋrawelandt, that is, the Womans Sand; hereby the Town losing its Traffick, in a little time declined; the Inhabitants also by reason of their Wealth and Pride grew intellerable to the Nobility, who in sumptuousness could not endure to be brayed by them, so that this Town is now become one of the poorest of that Province, though it hath the greatest Privitedges of all the Hanse Towns. Hist Netherlands.