The xxii. Chapter.
Of the Romanes cheefe gods called Dii selecti, and of other heathen gods, their names and offices.
THERE were among the Romans twentie idolatrous gods, which were called Dii selecti sive electi, chosen gods; whereof twelve were male, and eight female, whose names doo thus followe: Janus, Saturnus, Jupiter, Genius, Mercurius, Apollo, Mars, Vulcanus, Neptunus, Sol, Orcus and *Vibar,[* Liber] which were all hee gods: Tellus, Ceres, Juno, Minerva, Luna, Diana, Venus, and Vesta, were all she gods. No man might appropriate anie of these unto himselfe, but they were left common and indifferent to all men dwelling in one realme, province, or notable citie. These heathen gentiles had also their gods, which served for sundrie purposes; as to raise thunder, they had Statores, Tonantes, Feretrii, and Jupiter Elicius. They had Cantius,A good god and goddesse for women. to whome they praied for wise children, who was more apt for this purpose than Minerva that issued out of Jupiters owne braine. Lucina was to send them that were with child safe deliverie, and in that respect was called the mother of childwives. Opis was called the mother of the babe new borne, whose image women with child hanged upon their girdles before their bellies, and bare it so by/524. the space of nine moneths; and the midwife alwaies touched the child therewith, before she or anie other laied hand thereon.
If the child were well borne, they sacrificed therunto, although the mother miscaried: but if the child were in any part unperfect, or dead, &c: they used to beate the image into powder, or to burne or drowne it. VagianusThe names of certeine heathenish gods, and their peculiar offices. was he that kept their children from crieng, and therefore they did alwaies hang his picture about babes necks: for they thought much crieng in youth portended ill fortune in age. Cuninus, otherwise Cunius, was he that preserved (as they thought) their children from misfortune in the cradell. Ruminus was to keepe their dugs from corruption. Volumnus and his wife Volumna were gods, the one for yoong men, the other for/376. maids that desired marriage: for such as praied devoutlie unto them, should soone be married. Agrestis was the god of the fields, and to him they praied for fertilitie. Bellus was the god of warre & warriers, and so also was Victoria, to whome the greatest temple in Rome was built. Honorius was he that had charge about inkeepers, that they should well intreat pilgrimes. Berecynthia was the mother of all the gods. Aesculanus was to discover their mines of gold and silver, and to him they praied for good successe in that behalfe. Aesculapius was to cure the sicke, whose father was Apollo, and served to keepe weeds out of the corne. Segacia was to make seeds to growe. Flora preserved the vines from frosts and blasts. Sylvanus was to preserve them that walked in gardens. Bacchus was for droonkards, Pavor for cowherds; Meretrix for whores, to whose honour there was a temple built in Rome, in the middest of fortie and foure streets, which were all inhabited with common harlots. Finallie Colatina, *[* alias Ital.]alias Clotina, was goddesse of the stoole, the jakes, and the privie, to whome as to everie of the rest,A verie homelie charge. there was a peculiar temple edified: besides that notable temple called Pantheon, wherein all the gods were placed togither; so as everie man and woman, according to their follies and devotions, might go thither and worship what gods they list./