dmiration,
and thought it very straunge, that a woman which al the dayes of
hir life had liued in great honour and estimation, shoulde vpon
light cause or occasion poyson her selfe sith it was naturally
giuen to ech breathyng wyght to prolong theyr liuing dayes with
the longest threede that Atropos could draw out of dame Nature's
webbe. Whervpon he commaunded the said matrone to be brought
before hym, whose Death for hir vertue was generallye lamented
by the whole Countrye. When the gentlewoman was before hym, and
had vnderstanding that she was fully resolued and determined to
dye, hee began by greate persuasions to exhort hir, that she
should not wilfully cast hir selfe away, vpon consideration that
she was of lusty yeares, riche and welbeloued of the whole
countrey: and how greate pitye it were but shee shoulde renue
hir Mynde and gyue hir selfe still to lyue and remayne, till
Natural course dyd ende and finysh hir life: howbeit his graue
and earnest persuasion could not diuert hir from hir intended
purpose. But Pompeius loth to haue hir dye, ceassed not styll to
prosecute hys former talke with newe reasons and stronger
arguments. All which shee paciently heard with fixed
countenaunce, til at lengthe with cleare voyce and smiling
cheere she answered him in this maner: "You be greatly deceyued
(my lord Pompeius) if you do beleeue that I wythout very great
prouidence and mature aduise goe about to ende my dayes: for I
do know and am fully persuaded, that eche creature naturally
craueth the prolongation and lengthninge of lyfe, and so mutch
abhoreth to die, as the desirous to lyue detesteth the poyson
whych I haue prepared for consumation of my lyfe. Whereupon as I
haue diuers times thought, considered and discoursed with my
selfe, and amongs many considerations oftentimes debated in my
minde, there came into the same the instability and fickle
change of Fortune, whose whirling wheele neuer ceasseth, ne yet
remayneth stedfast. It is dayly seene how she doth exalte and
aduaunce some man from the lowest and bottomlesse Pit, euen to
the top of high Heauens, endowinge him with so mutch Substaunce
as he can desire. An other that was most happy, honoured in this
world lyke a God, vnto whom no goods and welfare were wantinge,
who might wel haue bene called in his lyfe, a three times happy
and blessed wyght, sodaynly from his honour and state depriued
and made a very poore man and begger. Some man also, that is
both riche and