At which, with a strange, & sodayne Musique they

fell into a ^pMagical Daunce, full of præposterous

change, and gesticulation, but most applying

to their property: who at their meetings, do all things

contrary to the custome of Men, dauncing back to

back, and hip to hip, their hands ioin’d, and making

their circles backward, to the left hand, with strange

phantastique motions of their heads, and bodyes. All

which were excellently imitated by the maker of the

Daunce, M.Hierome Herne, whose right it is here to

be named.

IN the heat of their Daunce, on the sodaine,

a sound of loud Musique, as if many instruments

had made one blast; with which, not onely the Haggs

themselues, but the Hell, into which they ranne, quite

vanished, and the whole face of the Scene altred, scarse

suffering the memory of such a thing: But in the place

of it, appeared a glorious, and magnificent Building,

figuring the House of Fame, in the top of which, were

discouered the twelue Masquers, sitting vpon a Throne

triumphall, erected in forme of a Pyramide, and circled

with all store of light. From whom a Person, by this

time descended, in the furniture of Perseus, and, expres-

singheroique, and masculine Vertue, began to speake.

HEre, the Throne wherein they sate, being Machi-

naversatilis, sodainly chang’d; and in the place of

it appear’d Fama Bona, as she is describ’d (in Iconolog.di

Cesare Ripa) attir’d in white, with white wings, hauing

a collar of gold about her neck, and a heart hanging at

it: which Orus Apollo, in his Hierogl. interprets the

note of a good Fame. In her right hand, she bore a

Trompet, in her left an Oliue branch: And for her

State, it was, as ^rVirgil describes her, at the full, her feet

on the ground, and her head in the cloudes. She, after

the Musique had done, which wayted on the turning of

the Machine, cal’d from thence, to Vertue, and spake

this following speech.

AT which, the loud Musique sounded, as before; to

giue the Masquers time of descending. And here,

wee cannot but take the opportunity, to make some

more particular description of their Scene; as also of the

Persons they presented; which, though they were dis-

posed rather by chance, then election, yet is it my part

to iustifie them all: And then, the Lady that will owne

her Presentation, may.

To follow, therefore the, rule of Chronologie,

which I haue obseru’d in my verse, the most vpward

in time was PENTHESILEA. She was Queene of the

Amazons, & succeeded Otrera, or (as some wil) Orithya;

she liu’d, and was present at the warre of Troy, on their

part, against the Greekes, and (as Iustine giues her te-

stimony) Inter fortissimos viros, magna eius virtutis do-

cumenta extitere. She is no where nam’d, but with the

preface of honor, and vertue; and is alwaies aduanced

in the head of the worthiest Women. ^tDiodarus Sculus

makes her the Daughter of Mars. She was ho-

nor’d in her death, to haue it the act of Achilles. Of

which ^uPropertius sings this Triumph to her beauty.

Next, followes CAMILLA, Queene of the Volscians,

celebrated by ^xVirgil, then whose verses nothing

can bee imagin’d more exquisite, or more honouring

the person they describe. They are these, where hee

reckons vp those, that came on Turnus his part, a-

gainstAeneas.

And afterward tels her attire and Armes, with the ad-

miration, that the Spectators had of her. All which if

the Poet created out of himselfe, without Nature, he

hee did but shewe, how much so diuine a Soule could

exceed her

The third liu’d in the age of Cyrus, the great Persian Mo-

narch, and made him leaue to liue. THOMYRIS, Queene

of the Scythians, or Massagets. A Heroine of a most in-

uincible, & vnbroken fortitude. VVho, when Cyrus had

inuaded her, and, taking her onely sonne (rather by

trechery, then warre, as shee obiected) had slaine him;

not touch’d with the griefe of so great a losse, in the

iuster comfort shee tooke of a greater reuenge, pursued

not onely the occasion, and honour of conquering so

potent an Enemy, with whom fell two hundred thou-

sand Souldiers: but (what was right memorable in her

victory) left not a Messenger suruiuing, of his side to

report the massacre. She is remembred both by ^yHe-

rodotus and ^zIustine, to the great renowne, and glory

of her kind: with this Elegie. Quod potentissimo Per-

sarum Monarchæ bello congressa est ipsamque & vita &

castris speliauit, ad instè vlciscendam filij eius indignissi-

mam mortem.

The fourth was honor’d to life in the time of Xerxes,

and present at his great expedition into Greece; ARTE-

MISIA, the Queene of Caria: whose vertue^aHerodotus,

not without some wonder, records. That, a VVoman,

a Queene, without a husband, her sonne a ward, and

shee administring the gouernement, occasion’d by no

necessity, but a meere excellence of spirit, should em-

barque herselfe for such a Warre; and there, so to be-

haue her, as Xerxes beholding her fight, should say:^b

Viri quidem extiterunt mihi feminæ, feminæ antem viri.

She is no lesse renowned for her chastity, and loue to

her Husband, Mausolus,^c whose bones (after hee was

dead) shee preserv’d in ashes, and drunke in wine

making her selfe his Tombe: and, yet, built to his me-

mory a Monument, deseruing a place among the seuen

wonders of the World, which could not be done by lesse

then a wonder of VVomen.

The fifth was the faire hair’d daughter of Ptolomæus

Philadelphus, by the elder Arsinoe; who maried to

her brother Ptolemæus, surnamed Euergetes, was after

Queene of Egypt. I find her written both BERONICE, &

BERENICE. This Lady, vpon an expedition of her new

wedded Lord into Assyria, vowed to Venus, if hee re-

turn’d safe, and conquerer, the offering of her haire;

which vow of hers (exacted by the successe) she after-

ward perform’d: But, her Father missing it, and there-

with displeas’d, Conon, a Mathematician, who was then in

household with Ptolomæe, and knew well to flatter him,

perswaded the king that it was ta’ne vp to heauen, and

made a Constellation; shewing him those seuen Starres,

ad caudam Leonis, which are since called Coma Beronices.

VVhich story, then presently celebrated by Callimachus,

in a most elegant Poeme, Catullus more elegantly cōuer-

ed; wherin they cal her the Magnanimous, euen from a Vir-

gin: alluding (as ^dHyginus sayes) to a rescue she made of

her Father in his flight, and restoring the courage and

honour of his army, euen to a victory. Their words are

^eCogneram à parua virgine magnanimam.

The sixth, that famous wife of Mithridates, and

Queene of Pontus, HYPSICRATEA, no lesse an exam-

ple of vertue then the rest; who so loved her husband,

as shee was assistant to him, in all labors, and hazards

of the warre, in a Masculine habite. For which cause

(as ^fValerius Maximus obserues) shee departed with a

chiefe ornament of her beauty. Lonsis enim capillis, e-

quo se et armis assuefecit, quo facilius laboribus & periculis

eius interesset. And, afterward, in his flight from Pom-

pey, accompanied his misfortune, with a minde, and bo-

dy equally vnwearied. She is solemnely registred, by

that graue Author, as a notable president of Mariage-

loyaltie, and loue : vertues, that might raise a meane

person to equality with a Queene; but a Queene to

the state, and honour of a Deity.

The seuenth, that renowne of Aethiopia, CANDA-

CE: from whose excellencie, the succeeding Queenes of

that Nation were ambitious to be called so. A woman,

of a most haughty spirit against Enemies, and a singu-

lar affection to her Subiects. I finde her celebrated by

^gDion, and ^hPlinie, inuading Egypt in the time of Augus-

tus; who, though she were enforc’d to a peace by his

Lieutenant Petronius, doth not the lesse worthily hold

her place here; when, euery where, this Elogie remaines

of her Fame: That she was Maxime animi mulier, tanti-

que in suos meriti, vt omnes deinceps Aethiopum reginæ eius

nemine fuerint appellatæ. She gouern’d in Meroe.

The eight, our owne honor, VOADICHA, or BOO-

DICIA; By some BVNDVICA, and BVNDUCA:

Queene of the Iceni. A people, that inhabited that part

of our Iland which was called East-anglia, and compre-

hended, Suffolke, Norfolke, Cambridge, and Huntington

Shires. Since she was borne here at home, we will first

honor her with a home borne testemony; from the

grave and diligent ⁱSpenser.

To which, see her Orations in story, made by ^kTa-

citus, and ^lDion: wherin is expressed all magnitude of a

spirit, breathing to the libertie and redemption of her

Country. The later of whom, doth honest her beside,

with a particular description. Bunduica, Britanica fe-

mina, orsa stirperegia, quæ non, solum eis cum magna dig-

nitate præfuit, sed etiam bellum omne administravit; cuius

animus virilis, potius qua muliebris erat. And alfterwards,

Femina, forma honestissima, valiu senero, &c. All which

doth waigh the more to her true praise, in comming

from the mouthes of Romanes, and Enemies. Shee

liv’d in the time of Nero.

The ninth, in time, but equall in same, and (the

cause of it) vertue, was the chast ZENOBIA, Queene of

the Palmyrenes, who, after the death of her husband O-

denatus, had the name to be reckoned among the xxx.

that usurped the Romane Empire, from Galienus. She con-

tinued a long and brave warre, against severall Chiefes;

and was at length triumphed on by Aurelian: but easpe-

specie, ut nihil pompabilius. P.Rom.videretur. Her Chastity

was such, Ut ne virum suum quidem scu et nisi sentatis con-

ceptionibus She liv’d in a most royall manner, and was

ador’d to the custome of the Persians. When she made

Orations to her souldiers, she had alwayes her caske

on A woman of a most divine spirit, and incredible

beautie. InmTrebellius Polli[*], reade the most noble de-

scription of a Queene, and her; that can be utter’d, with

the dignity of an Histerium.

The tenth succeeding, was that learned, and Heroi-

que AMA[ill]UNTA, Queene of the Ostrogothes, Daugh-

ter to [ill]rick, that obtained the principallity of Ra-

[ill] and almost all Italy. She draue the Burgundians,

and Alemaines out of Liguria, and appear’d in her go-

vernement rather an Example, then a Second. She was

the most eloquent of her Age, and cunning in all Lan-

guages, of any Nat[ill] that has had comerce with the Ro-

mane Empire. NIt is recorded of her, that sine venerati-

one cam vederit nemo, p[ill] intra[ill] fuerit ipsam audire be-

quentem. Tantaque illi in decernendo granitas, vt crim[*]-

nis connicts, cum plecterentur, nihil sibi scerbum pati vide-

rentur.

The eleuenth was that braue Bohemian Queene, VA-

LASCA, who for her courage, had the surname of bold:

That to redeeme her selfe and her sexe, from the tyranny

[ill] which they liv’d in, under Pri[ill]s, on a night,

& at an houre appointed, led on the womē to the slaugh-

ter of their barbarous Husbands, and Lords. And, posses-

sing themselves of their Horses, Armes, Treasure, and

places of Strength, not onely ruled the rest but liued

many yeares after, with the libertie and fortitude of A-

mazons. Celebrated by o Raphael Velaterranus, and in

an elegant tract of an Italian [ill] in Latin, (who names

himselfe Philalethes, Polytapiensis ciuss) inter prastantissimas

faminas.

The twelu’th, and worthy Soveraigne of all I make

BEL-ANNA, Royall Queene of the Ocean; of whose dig-

nity, and person the whole scope of the [ill] doth

speake throughout: which, to offer you againe here,

might but prove offence to that sacred Modesty,

which heares any testimony of others iterated, with

more delight, then her owne praise. She being plac’d

above the need of such ceremon, so safe in her Prince-

ly vertue, against the good, or ill, of any witnesse. The

Name of BEL-ANNA I devis’d, to honor hers proper

by; as adding to it, the attribute of [ill]aura: And is kept

by me, in all my Poemes, wherein I mention her Maiesty

with any shadow, or figure. Of which, some may come

forth with a longer destiny, then this Age, commonly,

gives to the best Births, if but help’d to light by her

gratious, and ripening favour.

But, here, I discerne a possible obiection, a-

rising against me; to which I must turne: As, How I can bring

Persons of so different Ages, to appeare properly toge-

ther? or, why (which is more unnaturall) with Virgil's

Mezentius, I ioyne the living with the dead? I answere

to both these, at once. Nothing is more proper. No-

thing more naturall. For these all live[ill] together, in

their Fame & to present them. Besides, if I would fly

the all-dating power of Poetry, where could I not

take Sanctuary or in whose P[ill]? For other obie-

ctions, let the lookes and noses of Iudges houer

thick; so they bring the braines: or if they do not, I care

not. When I suffer'd it to goe abroad, I departed with

my right. And now, so secure an Interpreter I am of my

chance, that neither praise, nor dispraise shal affect me.

There rests, only, that we giue the description (we

promis’d) of the Scene, which was the House of Fame,

The Structure, and Ornament of which (as is profest

below) was entirely Mr. Iones his invention, and de-

signe First, for the lower Columne, he chose the Sta-

tues of the most excellent Poets, as Homer, Virgil, Lucan,

&c. as being the substantiall supporters of Fame. For

the upper, Achilles, Aeneas, (a[ill], and those great He-

roes, which these Poets, had celebrated. All which

stood, as in massy gold, Betweene the Pillars, vnder-

neath, were figur’d Land-battayles, Sea-fights, Triumphs,

Loves, Sacrifices, and all magnificent subiects of honor:

in brasse, and heightened with silver. In which, he pro-

fest to follow that noble description, made by Chaucer,

of the place. Above were [ill]ed the Masquers, ouer

whose heads he devis’d two eminet Figures of Honor, &

Vertue, for the Arch. The Freezes, both below, & aboue,

were fill’d with several-color’d lights, like Emeralds, Ru-

bies, Saphyres, Carbuncles, &c. the reflex of which, with

other lights, placed in the Concave, upon the Masquers

habits, was full of glory. These habits had in them the

excellency of all device and riches; and were worthi-

ly varied by his invention, so the Nations, whereof they

were Queenes. Nor are these alone, his due, but diuers

other accessions to the strangenesse, and beauty of the

Spectacle: as the Hell, the going about of the Chariots,

the binding the Witches, the turning Machine, with the

presentation of Fame. All which I willingly acknow-

ledge for him: since it is a vertue, planted in good na-

tures, that what respects they wish to obtaine fruitful-

ly from others, they will giue ingenuously themselues.

By this time, imagine the Masquers descended; and

againe mounted into three triumphant Chariots, ready

to come forth. The first foure were drawne with Ea-

gles, (whereof I gave the reason, as of the rest, in Fames

speech) their foure Torchbearers, attending on the Cha-

riot sides, and foure of the Hagges, bound before them.

Then followed the second, drawne by Griffons, with

their Torch-bearers, and foure other Hagges. Then the

last, which was drawne by Lyons, and more eminent;

(wherein her Maiesty was) and had fixe Torch-bearers

more, (peculiar to her) with the like number of Haggs.

After which, a full triumphant Musique, singing this

Song, while they rode, in State, about the stage.

Here they lighted from their Chariots, and daunc’d

forth their first Daunce; then a second, immediately follo-

wing it: both right curious, and full of subtile and ex-

cellent changes, and seem’d perform’d with no lesse

spirits, then of those they personated. The first was to

the Cornets, the second to the Vyolenes. After which,

they tooke out the men, and daunc’d the Measures; en-

tertaining the time, almost to the space of an houre,

with singular variety: when, to give them rest, from the

Musique which attended the Chariots, by that most ex-

cellent tenor voyce, and exact singer (her Maiesties ser-

vant, M.Io.Allin) this Ditty was song.

After it, succeeded their third Daunce; then which,

a more numerous composition could not be seene: Gra-

phically disposed into Letters, & honouring the Name

of the most sweete and ingenious Prince, Charles, Duke

of Yorke. Wherein, beside that principall grace of per-

spicuity, the Motions were so even and apt, and their

expression so iust; as if Mathematicians had lost Proporti-

on, they might there have found it. The Author was M.

Tho.Giles. After this, they daunc’d Galliards, and Cor-

rantos. And then their last Daunce, no lesse elegant (in

the place) then the rest. with which they tooke their

Chariots againe, and triumphing about the Stage, had

their returne to the House of Fame celebrated with this

last Song; whose Notes (as the former) were the worke,

and honor of my excellent friend, Alfonso Ferrabosco.