res to diuers
demaundes: and the manner of their death and funerals._

Leauynge now our morall discourse of a carefull Mayster, of a
prouydent Scholer, of a vertuous Emperoure, of a sacred Senate,
and vniforme magistery, returne we to the setting forth and
description of three arrant honest Women, which for lewdnesse
wer famous, and for wicked Lyfe worthy to be noted with a blacke
coale, or rather their memory raked in the Dust and Cinders of
their Corpses vnpure. But as all histories be ful of lessons of
vertue and vice, as Bookes, sacred and prophane, describe the
liues of good and bad for example sake, to yelde meanes to the
posterity, to ensue the one and eschue the other, so haue I
thought to intermingle amongest these Nouels the seuerall sortes
of either, that ech Sexe and Kinde may pike out like the Bee, of
ech Floure, Honny, to store and furnishe with delightes their
well disposed myndes. I purpose, then, to vnlace the dissolute
lyues of three Amorouse Dames, that with their graces allured
the greatest Princes that euer were: enticed the noble men, and
sometimes procured the wisest and best learned to craue their
acquaintance, as by the sequele hereof shall well appeare. These
three famous Women, (as Writers do witnesse) were furnished with
many goodly graces and giftes of nature: that is to say, great
beautye of face, goodly proporcion of body, large and high
foreheades, theyr breastes placed in comely order, smal wasted,
fayre handes of passing cunning to play vpon Instruments,
a heauenly voice to fayne and sing: briefly, their qualities and
beauty were more famous than euer any that were born within the
Countries of Asia and Europa. They were neuer beloued of Prince
that did forsake them, nor yet they made request of any thing
which was denied them: they neuer mocked or flowted man (a thing
rare in women of theyr condition) ne yet were mocked of any: but
theyr specyal propreties wer to allure men to loue them: Lamia
wyth hir pleasaunt loke and eye, Flora with hir eloquent tongue,
and Lais wyth the grace and sweetenesse of hir singing voyce:
a straunge thinge that he which once was surprysed wyth the loue
of any of those three, eyther to late or neuer was delyuered of
the same. They were the richest courtizans that euer lyued in
the worlde, so long as theyr life did last, and after theyr
decease, great monumentes were erected for theyr remembraunce,
in place where they died. The most auncient of these t