induction00-第3节

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the　Churches　and　Church…yards　were　filled；　they　were　constrained　to

make　use　of　great　deepe　ditches；　wherein　they　were　buried　by

hundreds　at　once；　ranking　dead　bodies　along　in　graves；　as　Merchandizes

are　laide　along　in　ships；　covering　each　after　other　with　a　small

quantity　of　earth；　and　so　they　filled　at　last　up　the　whole　ditch　to

the　brim。

　　Now；　because　I　would　wander　no　further　in　everie　particularity；

concerning　the　miseries　happening　in　our　Citie：　I　tell　you；　that

extremities　running　on　in　such　manner　as　you　have　heard；　little

lesse　spare　was　made　in　the　Villages　round　about；　wherein　（setting

aside　enclosed　Castles　which　were　now　filled　like　to　small　Cities）

poore　Labourers　and　Husband…men；　with　their　whole　Families；　dyed

most　miserably　in　outhouses；　yea；　and　in　the　open　fieldes　also；

without　any　assistance　of　physicke；　or　helpe　of　servants；　and　likewise

in　the　high…wayes；　or　their　ploughed　landes；　by　day　or　night

indifferently；　yet　not　as　men；　but　like　brute　beasts。

　　By　meanes　whereof；　they　became　lazie　and　slothfull　in　their　dayly

endevours；　even　like　to　our　Citizens；　not　minding　or　medling　with

their　wonted　affaires：　but；　as　a　waiting　for　death　every　houre；

imployed　all　their　paines；　not　in　caring　any　way　for　themselves；　their

cattle；　or　gathering　the　fruits　of　the　earth；　or　any　of　their

accustomed　labours；　but　rather　wasted　and　consumed；　even　such　as

were　for　their　instant　sustenance。　Whereupon；　it　fell　so　out；　that

their　Oxen；　Asses；　Sheepe；　and　Goates；　their　Swine；　Pullen；　yea

their　verie　Dogges；　the　truest　and　faithfullest　servants　to　men；　being

beaten　and　banished　from　their　houses；　went　wildly　wandring　abroad

in　the　fields；　where　the　Corne　grew　still　on　the　ground　without

gathering；　or　being　so　much　as　reapt　or　cut。　Many　of　the　foresaid

beasts　（as　endued　with　reason）　after　they　had　pastured　themselves　in

the　day　time；　would　returne　full　fed　at　night　home　to　their　houses；

without　any　government　of　Heardsmen；　or　any　other。

　　How　many　faire　Palaces！　How　many　goodly　Houses！　How　many　noble

habitations；　filled　before　with　families　of　Lords　and　Ladies；　were

then　to　be　seene　emptie；　without　any　one　there　dwelling；　except　some

silly　servant？　How　many　Kindreds；　worthy　of　memory！　How　many　great

inheritances！　And　what　plenty　of　riches；　were　left　without　any　true

successours？　How　many　good　men！　How　many　woorthy　Women！　How　many

valiant　and　comely　young　men；　whom　none　but　Galen；　Hippocrates；　and

Aeesculapius　（if　they　were　living）　could　have　bene　reputed　any　way

unhealthfull；　were　seene　to　dine　at　morning　with　their　Parents；

Friends；　and　familiar　confederates；　and　went　to　sup　in　another　world

with　their　Predecessors？

　　It　is　no　meane　breach　to　my　braine；　to　make　repetition　of　so　many

miseries；　wherefore；　being　willing　to　part　with　them　as　easily　as　I

may：　I　say　that　our　Citie　being　in　this　case；　voide　of　inhabitants；　it

came　to　passe　（as　afterward　I　understoode　by　some　of　good　credite）

that　in　the　venerable　Church　of　S。　Marie　la　Neufue；　on　a　Tuesday

morning；　there　being　then　no　other　person；　after　the　hearing　of　divine

Service；　in　mourning　habits　（as　the　season　required）　returned　thence

seven　discrete　young　Gentlewomen；　all　allyed　together；　either　by

friendship；　neighbor…hood；　or　parentage。　She　among　them　that　was

most　entred　into　yeares；　exceeded　not　eight　and　twenty；　and　the

yongest　was　no　lesse　then　eighteene；　being　of　Noble　descent；　faire

forme；　adorned　with　exquisite　behaviour；　and　gracious　modesty。

　　Their　names　I　could　report；　if　just　occasion　did　not　forbid　it；　in

regard　of　the　occasions　following　by　them　related；　and　because　times

heereafter　shall　not　taxe　them　with　reproofe；　the　lawes　of　pleasure

being　more　straited　now　adayes　（for　the　matters　before　revealed）

then　at　that　time　they　were；　not　onely　to　their　yeares　but　to　many

much　riper。　Neither　will　I　likewise　minister　matter　to　rash　heades

（over…readie　in　censuring　commendable　life）　any　way　to　impaire　the

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

bel