induction00-第3章

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honestie　of　Ladies；　by　their　idle　detracting　speeches。　And

therefore；　to　the　end　that　what　each　of　them　saith；　may　be

comprehended　without　confusion；　I　purpose　to　stile　them　by　names；

wholly　agreeing；　or　（in　part）　conformable　to　their　qualities。　The

first　and　most　aged；　we　will　name　Pampinea；　the　second　Fiametta；　the

third　Philamena；　the　fourth　Aemilia；　the　fift　Lauretta；　the　sixt

Neiphila；　and　the　last　we　terme　（not　without　occasion）　Elissa；　or

Eliza。　All　of　them　being　assembled　at　a　corner　of　the　Church；　not　by

any　deliberation　formerly　appointed；　but　meerely　by　accident；　and

sitting；　as　it　were　in　a　round　ring：　after　divers　sighs　severelly

delivered；　they　conferred　on　sundry　matters　answerable　to　the　sad

qualitie　of　the　time；　and　within　a　while　after；　Madam　Pampinea　began

in　this　manner。

　　Faire　Ladies；　you　may　（no　doubt　as　well　as　I）　have　often　heard；　that

no　injury　is　offered　to　any　one；　by　such　as　make　use　but　of　their　owne

right。　It　is　a　thing　naturall　for　everie　one　which　is　borne　in　this

World；　to　aide；　conserve；　and　defend　her　life　so　long　as　shee　can；　and

this　right　hath　bene　so　powerfully　permitted；　that　although　it　hath

sometimes　happened；　that　（to　defend　themselves）　men　have　beene

slaine　without　any　offence：　yet　Lawes　have　allowed　it　to　be　so；　in

whose　solicitude　lieth　the　best　living　of　all　mortals。　How　much　more

honest　and　just　is　it　then　for　us；　and　for　every　other　well…disposed

person；　to　seeke　for　（without　wronging　any）　and　to　practise　all

remedies　that　wee　can；　for　the　conservation　of　our　lives？　When　I

well　consider；　what　we　have　heere　done　this　morning；　and　many　other

already　past　（remembring　（withall）　what　likewise　is　proper　and

convenient　for　us：）　I　conceive　（as　all　you　may　do　the　like）　that

everie　one　of　us　hath　a　due　respect　of　her　selfe；　and　then　I

mervaile　not；　but　rather　am　much　amazed　（knowing　none　of　us　to　be

deprived　of　a　Womans　best　judgement）　that　wee　seeke　not　after　some

remedies　for　our　selves；　against　that；　which　everie　one　among　us；

ought　（in　reason）　to　feare。

　　Heere　we　meete　and　remaine　（as　it　seemeth　to　mee）　in　no　other

manner；　then　as　if　we　would　or　should　be　witnesses；　to　all　the　dead

bodies　at　rest　in　their　grave；　or　else　to　listen；　when　the　religious

Sisters　heere　dwelling　（whose　number　now　are　well…neere　come　to　bee

none　at　all）　sing　Service　at　such　houres　as　they　ought　to　doe；　or　else

to　acquaint　all　commers　hither　（by　our　mourning　habits）　with　the

quality　and　quantitie　of　our　hearts　miseries。　And　when　we　part

hence；　we　meete　with　none　but　dead　bodies；　or　sicke　persons

transported　from　one　place　to　another；　or　else　we　see　running　thorow

the　City　（in　most　offensive　fury）　such　as　（by　authoritie　of　publike

Lawes）　were　banished　hence；　onely　for　their　bad　and　brutish

behaviour　in　contempt　of　those　Lawes；　because　now　they　know；　that

the　executors　of　them　are　dead　and　sicke。　And　if　not　these；　more

lamentable　spectacles　present　themselves　to　us；　by　the　base

rascality　of　the　City；　who　being　fatted　with　our　blood；　tearme

themselves　Grave…makers；　and　in　meere　contemptible　mockeries　of　us；

are　mounted　on　horsebacke；　gallopping　every　where；　reproaching　us　with

our　losses　and　misfortunes；　with　lewd　and　dishonest　songs：　so　that

we　can　heare　nothing　else　but　such　and　such　are　dead；　and　such　and

such　lie　a　dying：　here　hands　wringing；　and　every　where　most

pittifull　complaining。

　　If　we　returne　home　to　our　houses　（I　know　not　whether　your　case　be

answerable　to　mine）　when　I　can　finde　none　of　all　my　Family；　but

onely　my　poore　waiting　Chamber…maide；　so　great　are　my　feares；　that　the

very　haire　on　my　head　declareth　my　amazement；　and　wheresoever　I　go

or　sit　downe；　methinkes　I　see　the　ghostes　and　shadowes　of　deceased

friends；　not　with　such　lovely　lookes　as　I　was　wont　to　behold　them；　but

with　most　horrid　and　dreadfull　regards；　newly　stolne　upon　them　I

know　not　how。　In　these　respects；　both　heere；　else…where；　and　at　home

in　my　house；　methinkes　I　am　alwaies　ill；　and　much　more　（in　mine　owne

opinion）　then　any　other　body；　not　having　meanes　or　place　of

retirement；　as　all　we　have；　and　none　to　remaine　heere　but　onely　we。

　　Moreover；　I　have　often　heard　it　said；　that　in　tarrying　or　departing；

no　distinction　is　made　in　things　honest　or　dishonest；　onely　appetite

will　be　served；　and　be　they　alone　or　in　company；　by　day　or　night；　they

do　whatsoever　their　appetite　desireth：　not　secular　persons　onely；

but　such　as　are　recluses；　and　shut　up　within　Monasteries；　breaking　the

Lawes　of　obedience；　and　being　addicted　to　pleasures　of　the　flesh；

are　become　lascivious　and　dissolute；　making　the　world　beleeve；　that

whatsoever　is　convenient　for　other　women；　is　no　way　unbeseeming

them；　as　thinking　in　that　manner　to　escape。

　　If　it　be　so；　as　manifestly　it　maketh　shew　of　it　selfe；　What　do　we

here？　What　stay　we　for？　And　whereon　do　we　dreame？　Why　are　we　more

respectlesse　of　our　health；　then　all　the　rest　of　the　Citizens？

Repute　we　our　selves　lesse　precious　then　all　the　other？　Or　do　we

beleeve；　that　life　is　linked　to　our　bodies　with　stronger　chaines；　then

to　others；　and　that　therefore　we　should　not　feare　any　thing　that

hath　power　to　offend　us？　Wee　erre　therein；　and　are　deceived。　What

brutishnesse　were　it　in　us；　if　we　should　urge　any　such　beleefe？　So

often　as　we　call　to　minde；　what　and　how　many　gallant　yong　men　and

women；　have　beene　devoured　by　this　cruell　pestilence；　we　may　evidently

observe　a　contrary　argument。

　　Wherefore；　to　the　end；　that　by　being　over…scrupulous　and

carelesse；　we　fall　not　into　such　danger；　whence　when　we　would

（perhaps）　we　cannot　recover　our　selves　by　any　meanes：　I　thinke　it

meete　（if　your　judgement　therein　shall　jumpe　with　mine）　that　all　of　us

as　we　are　（at　least；　if　we　will　doe　as　divers　before　us　have　done；　and

yet　dally　endeavour　to　doe）　shunning　death　by　the　honest　example　of

other；　make　our　retreate　to　our　Country　houses；　wherewith　all　of　us

are　sufficiently　furnished；　and　there　to　delight　our　selves　as　best　we

may；　yet　without　transgressing　（in　any　act）　the　limits　of　reason。

There　shall　we　heare　the　pretty　birds　sweetly　singing；　see　the

hilles　and　plaines　verdantly　flouring；　the　Corne　waving　in　the　field

like　the　billowes　of　the　Sea；　infinite　store　of　goodly　trees；　and

the　Heavens　more　fairely　open　to　us；　then　here　we　can　behold　them。　And

although　they　are　justly　displeased；　yet　will　they　not　there　deny　us

better　beauties　to　gaze　on；　then　the　walles　in　our　City　（emptied　of

Inhabitants）　can　affoord　us。

　　Moreover；　the　Ayre　is　much　fresh　and　cleere；　and　generally；　there　is

farre　greater　abundance　of　all　things　whatsoever；　needefull　at　this

time　for　preservation　of　our　health；　and　lesse　offence　or　mollestation

then　we　find　here。

　　And　although　Country　people　die；　as　well　as　heere　our　Citizens

doe；　the　griefe　notwithstanding　is　so　much　the　lesse；　as　the　houses

and　dwellers　there　are　rare；　in　comparison　of　them　in　our　City。　And

beside；　if　we　well　observe　it；　here　we　forsake　no　particular　person；

but　rather　we　may　tearme　our　selves　forsaken；　in　regard　that　our

Husbands；　Kinred；　and　Friends；　either　dying；　or　flying　from　the

dead；　have　left　us　alone　in　this　great　affliction；　even　as　if　we

were　no　way　belonging　unto　them。　And　therefore；　by　following　this

counsell；　we　cannot　fall　into　any　reprehension；　whereas　if　we

neglect　and　refuse　it；　danger；　distresse；　and　death　（perhaps）　may

ensue　thereon。

　　Wherefore；　if　you　thinke　good；　I　would　allow　it　for　well　done；　to

take　our　waiting　women；　with　all　such　things　as　are　needfull　for　us；

and　（as　this　day）　betake　our　selves　to　one　place；　to　morrow　to

another；　taking　there　such　pleasure　and　recreation；　as　so　sweete　a

season　liberally　bestoweth　on　us。　In　which　manner　we　may　remaine；　till

we　see　（if　death　otherwise　prevent　us　not）　what　end　the　gracious

Heavens　have　reserved　for　us。　I　would　have　you　also　to　consider；

that　it　is　no　lesse　seemely　for　us　to　part　hence　honestly；　then　a

great　number　of　other　Women　to　remaine　here　immodestly。

　　The　other　Ladies　and　Gentlewomen；　having　heard　Madam　Pampinea；　not

onely　commended　her　counsell；　but　desiring　also　to　put　it　in

execution；　had　already　particularly　consulted　with　themselves；　by　what

meanes　they　might　instantly　depart　from　thence。　Neverthelesse；　Madam

Philomena；　who　was　very　wise；　spake　thus。

　　Albeit　faire　Ladies；　the　case　propounded　by　Madam　Pampinea　hath

beene　very　well　delivered；　yet　（for　all　that）　it　is　against　reason　for

us　to　rush　on；　as　we　are　overready　to　doe。　Remember　that　we　are　all

women；　and　no　one　among　us　is　so　childish；　but　may　consider；　that　when

wee　shall　be　so　assembled　together；　without　providence　or　conduct　of

some　man；　we　can　hardly　governe　our　selves。　Wee　are　fraile；　offensive；

suspitious；　weake　spirited；　and　fearefull：　in　regard　of　which

imperfections；　I　greatly　doubt　（if　we　have　no　better　direction　then

our　owne）　this　society　will　sooner　dissolve　it　selfe；　and

（perchance）　with　lesse　honour　to　us；　then　if　we　never　had　begunne

it。　And　therefore　it　shall　bee　expedient　for　us；　to　provide　before

we　proceede　any　further。　Madam　Eliza　hereon　thus　replyed。

　　Most　true　it　is；　that　men　are　the　chiefe　or　head　of　women；　and

without　their　order；　sildome　times　do　any　matters　of　ours　sort　to

recommendable　end。　But　what　meanes　shal　we　make　for　men？　We　all　know

well　enough；　that　the　most　part　of　our　friends　are　dead；　and　such　as

are　living；　some　be　dispersed　heere；　others　there；　into　divers

places　and　companies；　where　we　have　no　knowledge　of　their　being；　and

to　accept　of　strangers；　would　seeme　very　inconvenient：　wherefore　as　we

have　such　care　of　our　health；　so　should　we　bee　as　respective

withall；　in　ordering　our　intention；　that　wheresoever　we　ayme　at　our

pleasure　and　contentment；　reproofe　and　scandall　may　by　no　meanes

pursue　us。

　　While　this　discourse　thus　held　among　the　Ladies；　three　young

Gentlemen　came　foorth　of　the　Church　（yet　not　so　young；　but　the

youngest　had　attained　to　five　and　twenty　yeares：）　in　whom　neyther

malice　of　the　time；　losse　of　friends　or　kindred；　nor　any　fearefull

conceit　in　themselves；　had　the　power　to　quench　affection；　but

（perhaps）　might　a　little　coole　it；　in　regard　of　the　queazie　season。

One　of　them　called　himselfe　Pamphilus；　the　second　Philostratus；　and

the　last　Dioneus。　Each　of　them　was　very　affable　and　well

conditioned；　and　walked　abroad　（for　their　greater　comfort　in　such　a

time　of　tribulation）　to　try　if　they　could　meete　with　their　fayre

friends；　who　（happily）　might　all　three　be　among　these　seaven；　and

the　rest　kinne　unto　them　in　one　degree　or　other。　No　sooner　were

these　Ladies　espyed　by　them；　but　they　met　with　them　also　in　the　same

advantage；　whereupon　Madam　Pampinea　（amiably　smiling）　said。

　　See　how　graciously　Fortune　is　favourable　to　our　beginning；　by

presenting　our　eyes　with　three　so　wise　and　worthy　young　Gentlemen；　who

will　gladly　be　our　guides　and　servants；　if　wee　doe　not　disdaine　them

the　office。　Madam　Neiphila　began　immedi