induction00-第3章

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respect　of　the　dead）　that　themselves　when　they　could；　or　being

assisted　by　some　bearers　of　coarses；　when　they　were　able　to　procure

them；　would　hale　the　bodies　（already　dead）　out　of　their　houses；　laying

them　before　their　doores；　where　such　as　passed　by；　especially　in　the

mornings；　might　see　them　lying　in　no　meane　numbers。　Afterward；

Bieres　were　brought　thither；　and　such　as　might　not　have　the　helpe　of

Bieres；　were　glad　to　lay　them　on　tables；　and　Bieres　have　bin　observed；

not　onely　to　be　charged　with　two　or　three　dead　bodies　at　once；　but

many　times　it　was　seene　also；　that　the　wife　with　the　husband；　two　or

three　Brethren　together；　yea；　the　Father　and　the　Mother；　have　thus

beene　carried　along　to　the　grave　upon　one　Biere。

　　Moreover；　oftentimes　it　hath　beene　seene；　that　when　two　Priests　went

with　one　Crosse　to　fetch　the　body；　there　would　follow　（behind）　three

or　foure　bearers　with　their　Bieres；　and　when　the　Priests　intended

the　buriall　but　of　one　body；　sixe　or　eight　more　have　made　up　the

advantage；　and　yet　none　of　them　being　attended　by　any　seemly

company；　lights；　teares；　or　the　very　least　decencie；　but　it　plainly

appeared；　that　the　very　like　account　was　then　made　of　Men　or　Women；　as

if　they　had　bene　Dogges　or　Swine。　Wherein　might　manifestly　bee

noted；　that　that　which　the　naturall　course　of　things　could　not　shew　to

the　wise；　with　rare　and　little　losse；　to　wit；　the　patient　support　of

miseries　and　misfortunes；　even　in　their　greatest　height：　not　onely　the

wise　might　now　learne；　but　also　the　very　simplest　people；　and　in

such　sort；　that　they　should　alwaies　bee　prepared　against　all

infelicities　whatsoever。

　　Hallowed　ground　could　not　now　suffice；　for　the　great　multitude　of

dead　bodies；　which　were　daily　brought　to　every　Church　in　the　City；　and

every　houre　in　the　day；　neither　could　the　bodies　have　proper　place

of　buriall；　according　to　our　ancient　custome：　wherefore；　after　that

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