, one
inquirynge of an other what great Romaine lords they were that
kepte her company? Whose men they were that waighted vpon her?
And whose liuery they ware. What Ladies they wer that rode in
her trayne. The brauery of hir apparell, hir great beauty and
port, and the wordes spoken by the amorous gentlemen in that
troupe were not vnremembred. When this maistres Flora waxed old,
a yong and beautifull gentleman of Corinth, demaunded her to
wyfe, to whom she answered: "I know well that thou wilt not
marie, the three score yeares whych Flora hath, but rather thou
desirest to haue the twelue hundred thousand Sestercios which
she hath in hir Coffres. Content thy selfe therefore, my frende,
and get thee home agayne to Corinth from whence thou comest. For
to sutch as be of myne age great honor is borne, and reuerence
done for the riches and wealth they haue, rather than for
mariage." There was neuer in the Romane Empyre, the lyke amorous
woman that Flora was, indued wyth so many graces and Queenelyke
qualities, for shee was of noble house, of singuler beauty, of
comely personage, discrete in hir affayres, and besides al other
comly qualyties, very lyberall. This maistres Flora spent the
most part of hir youth in Affrica, Almayne and Gallia
Transalpina. And albeit that she would not suffre anye other but
great lords to haue possession of hir body, yet she applyed hir
selfe to the spoile of those that were in place, and to the
praye of those that came from the warres. This amorous Flora
died when she was of the age of LXXV. yeares. She left for the
principal heire of all hir goods and Iuells. the Romain people,
which was estemed sufficient and able to make newe the Walles of
Rome, and to raunsome and redeme the common Wealth of the same.
And bycause that shee was a Romaine, and had made the state
therefore hir heyre, the Romaines builded in hir honor a
sumptuous Temple, whych in memorye of Fora was called Florianum:
and euery yeare in the memorye of hir, they celebrated hir feast
vppon the day of hir death: Suetonius Tranquillus sayeth, that
the first feaste which the Emperour Galba the second celebrated
wyth in Rome, was the feast of the amorous Flora, vpon whych
daye it was lawful for men and women, to doe what kynd of
dishonesty they could deuise. And she was estemed to be the
greater saint which that day shewed her selfe moste dissolute
and wanton. And bicause that the temple Florianum, was dedycated
to amorous Flora, the