ankinde women for reuenge shronke not to peerce their Prouince.
What like besieged towne as that of Troy was? and yet
Penthesilea one of their Queenes with hir mayny, indeuoured to
rayse the Greekes, that so many yeares had lien before the same.
What Queene (nay what Stalant) durst sue for company of meanest
man? any yet one of these presumed to begge the matche of the
mightiest Monarch that euer ruled the world. The maners and
qualities of which nation, bycause they were Women of no common
spirite and boldnesse, bee thought good in the front of this
second Volume to be described: bycause of dyuers Womens liues
plentifull variety is offered in the sequele. And for that some
mention hath bin made of the great Alexander: and in what wise
from vertue hee fell to vice, the seconde Nouell ensuinge shall
geue further aduertisement.

THE SECOND NOUELL.

_The great pitie and continencie of Alexander the great and his
louinge entertaynment of Sisigambis the wyfe of the great monarch
Darivs after he was vanquished._

Great Monarches and Princes be the Gods, and only Rulers vpon
Earth, and as they be placed by God's only prouydence and
disposition, to conquere and rule the same, euen so in
victorious battayles and honorable Exploytes, they ought to rule
and order their conquestes like Gods: that is to saye, to vse
moderate behauiour to their Captiues and slaues, specially to
the weaker sort and feminine kynde, whom like Tyrauntes and
barbarous, they ought not to corrupt and abuse, but like
Christians and vertuous victors, to cherish and preserue their
honour. For what can bee safe to a woman (sayde Lucrece, when
she was rauished by the Romayn Tarquine) her chastity beinge
defiled? Or what can be safe to a man, that geueth himselfe to
incontinency? For when he hath despoyled the virgin, robbed the
wyfe, or abused the Wydow of their honor and good name, they
protrude themselues into many Myseries, they bee impudent,
Vnshamefaste, Aduenturous, and Carelesse howe many myschiefes
they doe. And when a Prince or Gouerner doth geue himself to
licentious life, what mischieues, what rapes, what murders doth
hee commit? No frende, no Foe, no subiect, no enemy doth he
spare or defende. Contrarywise, the mercifull and continent
captayne, by subduinge hys affections recouereth immortall fame,
which this History of kinge Alexander full well declareth. And
because before we spake of that great conqueror in the Nouell of
the A