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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　immediatly　to　blush；　because　one　of

them　had　a　Love　in　the　company；　and　said；　Good　Madam　Pampinea　take

heed　what　you　say；　because　（of　mine　owne　knowledge）　nothing　can　be

spoken　but　good　of　them　all；　and　I　thinke　them　all　to　be　absolutely

sufficient　for　a　farre　greater　employment　then　is　here　intended：　as

being　well　worthy　to　keepe　company　not　onely　with　us；　but　them　of　more

faire　and　precious　esteeme　then　we　are。　But　because　it　appeareth

plainly　enough；　that　they　beare　affection　to　some　heere　among　us；　I

feare；　if　wee　should　make　the　motion；　that　some　dishonor　or　reproofe

may　ensue　thereby；　and　yet　without　blame　either　in　us　or　them。　That　is

nothing　at　all；　answered　Madam　Philomena；　let　me　live　honestly；　and　my

Conscience　not　checke　me　with　any　crime；　speake　then　who　can　to　the

contrary；　God　and　truth　shall　enter　armes　for　me。　I　wish　that　they

were　as　willing　to　come；　as　all　we　are　to　bid　them　welcome：　for

truly　（as　Madam　Pampinea　saide）　we　may　very　well　hope；　that　Fortune

will　bee　furtherous　to　our　purposed　journey。

　　The　other　Ladies　hearing　them　speake　in　such　manner；　not　only　were

silent　to　themselves；　but　all　with　one　accord　and　consent　said；　that

it　were　well　done　to　call　them；　and　to　acquaint　them　with　their

intention；　entreating　their　company　in　so　pleasant　a　voyage。

Whereupon；　without　any　more　words；　Madam　Pampinea　mounting　on　her

feete　（because　one　of　the　three　was　her　Kinsman）　went　towards　them；　as

they　stood　respectively　observing　them；　and　（with　a　pleasing

countenance）　giving　them　a　gracious　salutation；　declared　to　them　their

deliberation；　desiring　（in　behalfe　of　all　the　rest）　that　with　a

brotherly　and　modest　mind；　they　would　vouchsafe　to　beare　them　company。

　　The　Gentlemen　imagined　at　the　first　apprehension；　that　this　was

spoken　in　mockage　of　them；　but　when　they　better　perceived　that　her

words　tended　to　solenme　earnest；　they　made　answer；　That　they　were

all　hartily　ready　to　doe　them　any　service。　And　without　any　further

delaying；　before　they　departed　thence；　took　order　for　their　aptest

furnishing　with　all　convenient　necessaries；　and　sent　word　to　the　place

of　their　first　appointment。　On　the　morrow；　being　Wednesday；　about

breake　of　day；　the　Ladies；　with　certaine　of　their　attending

Gentlewomen；　and　the　three　Gentlemen；　having　three　servants　to　waite

on　them；　left　the　Citie　to　beginne　their　journey；　and　having　travelled

about　a　leagues　distance；　arrived　at　the　place　of　their　first

purpose　of　stay；　which　was　seated　on　a　little　hill；　distant　（on　all

sides）　from　any　high　way；　plentifully　stored　with　faire　spreading

Trees；　affoording　no　meane　delight　to　the　eye。　On　the　top　of　all；

stood　a　stately　Palace；　having　a　large　and　spacious　Court　in　the

middest　round　engirt　with　Galleries；　Hals；　and　Chambers；　every　one

separate　alone　by　themselves；　and　beautified　with　Pictures　of

admirable　cunning。　Nor　was　there　any　want　of　Gardens；　Meadowes；　and

other　most　pleasant　Walkes；　with　Welles　and　Springs　o