[THE INDUCTION
Carassushauing thus finished his tragicall history,Inquisitionpresented vntoMemorythe ladyHellina; butMemoryehauing her at the fyrst sight in great admiration, sayde as followeth: “Why haue you brought before vs the goddesse ofDiana? Our intent is to heare the complayntes of them who are smothered withForgetfulnesse: as for this goddesse she is renowmed more then sufficient.” “OMemory,” quothInquisition, “this is notDiana: no,Diana, noGouzaga, noEmila, noCariclia, noPallas, noIuno, no not knowingMinerua, may compare with her for the flourishing features of her incomprehensible complexion for the comly composition of her ladilike limmes, being the perfectest peece of woorke that euer nature created, that euer earth nouryshed, or that euer death destroyed, for the passing great dexteritie of her ingenious capacitie, the veryPhœnixof women, and the chiefest amongst men that euer thouMemorydidst celebrate for learning, for knowledge of tongs, and for the diuers gifts of the mind, shee only dyd inhabite betwixt the wings of flilling fame, for a happye, long, quiet lyfe in this worlde, she onely was fauoured by fortune, or rather singularly preserued by her maker. For that shee neuer tasted in all her raigne any aduersytie, shee is to bee esteemed immortall: for that in all her actions shee had her harte’s desyre, shee may iustly bee esteemed a goddesse (or rather the very beloued of God.) Now I report me vnto you is there any goddesse or nimph inhabiting the mountHelicon, which maye compare with queeneHellina, not shee ofGreecewhich brought finall destruction vnto the flourishingTroy, but shee ofBrittayne, who redeemed her decaying country from forraine tyrannye, which made not onely a menes for the bodyes of her subiects to liue in quiet peace, but she also prescribed vnto them an order how they might saue their soules. She planted religionamongst her subiects which were at that time sauage, neither knowing God, nor esteeming godlynesse, she was daughter vnto kingCoell: shee was queene ofBryttayne, empress of the worlde, wyfe vntoConstantius, mother ofConstantinethe great. Yet the descriptions of time, I meane the chronicles, haue lefte so litle reporte of her that I founde her standyng betwixteForgetfulnesseandMemory, almost smothered withObliuion.”[1178]“If shee bee so renowmed, as you haue spoken of,” saydeMemory, “we shoulde doo her great wrong to deny her a place in this pageant. Speake therefore, good madameHellina, with good leaue, your minde, and as other by their falles doo set downe examples very necessary for the auoyding of vice, so let your history bee a meanes to incourage all men to imbrace vertue.” Then the good queene, although somewhat abashed, yet glad to repeat her lyfe forerunne, sayde as followeth.]