how she proceeds and prevailes I am one of them saith she that are peaceable and faithfull in Israel Thou seekest to destroy a city and mother in Israel Why wilt thou swallow up the Inheritance of the Lord When the Generall had told her upon what termes he would raise the seige She undertakes to persuade with the Inhabitants and doth so for presently they threw the head of Sheba the Rebell over the wall and the Generall is satisfyed and retreats Plutarch hath given us a paralel to this of the wisedome of the Celticke women who when their Countrie was fallen through mis-understanding and differences into a Civill warre would not rest or give over their mediation till Armes were laid down and peace was setled thorough all their Cities and Families which was so great a service to their Countrie and so acceptable that it grew to a custome among them to call and admit their women to Councell And in the league which long after they made with Hannibal this was one Article which for the strangenesse and fame of it I will record If the Celtans have any matter of complaint against the Carthaginians the Carthaginian Commanders in Spain shall judge of it But if the Carthaginians have any thing to object against the Celtans it shall be brought before the Celtan women The Policie of Stratageme is reckoned to the family of wisdome See what an Engine that great man Ioab used to bring about the Court Designe to have the popular young Prince Absalom brought backe from his banishment 2 Sam. 14. He subornes a woman of Tekoah who needed not much instruction but acts it with such closenesse and seeming passion that David though a wise and discerning Prince had much a-doe to find out the cunning and when he found it yet she so carried on the businesse even beyond her instructions that she fully brought about the mind of the King And if either Deliberation or Secrecie be necessarie to wisdome we find even these Qualities which many think most unlikely to be found in women When Manoah was surprised and thorough present consternation gave himselfe for a dead and lost man because he had seen an Angel his wife recovers her selfe and him out of that distemper and deliberately reasons that with which her husband was confounded Judg. 13.23 If saith she the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received a burnt offring and a meat offring at our hands neither would he have shewed us all these things nor would as at this time have told us such things as these And as for Secrecie of the want of which we do ordinarily accuse them behold the carriage of two women recorded in Scripture Rahab who not only hid Ioshua's spies in her house Josh 2. but also locked up their great businesse safely in her brest and though she were necessarily to communicate the thing to divers friends she doth manage it with so much privacie and silence that nothing was discovered but she and all her friends were saved in the common calamitie of her Country That other is that woman of Bahurim who preserved Ionathan and Ahimaaz whom David sent to gather up intelligence at Ierusalem And I might adde as a paralell Epicharia in the Romane story from whose brest no threats nor tortures could force a secret that lay there concerning a conspiracie against Nero. 2. Is it Learning that gives eminencie to men In this also women have a full share The Antients who delivered almost all things in Mythologies and Fables intended this when they made Minerva an Inventresse and Patronesse of Learning as well as Apollo the Inventor and Patron And as for Instances they are plentifull under this head In the Scripture we have Huldah the Prophetesse â— Ki. 22. â—4 who dwelt in the Colledge with whom those prime States-men Hilkiah Ahikam Achbor Shaphan and Asahiah thought it no disparagement to consult And can we judge other of Priscilla then that she was learned being able to instruct more perfectly that rare young man Apollos Act. 18.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He zych vor tit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man eloquent or as Hezychias paraphraseth it A man learned in Historie and mightie in the Scripture But besides those that have their names in sacred Record other Histories both Ecclesiasticall and Secular antient and moderne are plentifull in Examples Aspatia instructed Pericles who of a great Souldier was one of the best Orators that hath been bred in Greece Pamphilia wrote many books of Historie which when they were extant were much esteemed Cornelia the mother of the Gracchi was such a Mistresse of Eloquence that Cicero admired some of her Letters Athenais the daughter of a meane father was yet thought worthy to be the wife of one of the Christian Emperours for her Wit and Learning Eudoxia the Empresse of Theodosius the younger wrote learned Poëms and especially one very singular one concerning our Saviour Iesus Christ Gregorie of Nazianzen speaks very high things of his sister Gorgonia And so doth Hierome of divers excellent Romane Ladies Neither have latter times wanted such ornaments Olympia Fulvia Morata an Italian by birth not long after the Reformation upon the preaching of Luther besides her exquisite knowledge in the Latine and Greeke tongues attained to the happinesse of knowing Christ and leaving her Countrie for Conscience sake marrying into Germanie she gave her selfe with much successe to the studie of the Holy Scriptures Of our owne among many others that might be remembred I will only name The Lady Iane Gray unhappy only in being forced for a while to weare a Crown a Lady who beside the Latine and Greeke had this advantage beyond Morata that she knew the Hebrew also and was thereby enabled to satisfie her selfe in both the Originals But in stead of more examples in this kind I will produce that great Ornament of the Netherlands Anna Maria van Schurman pleading and disputing the truth of what I have now propounded with that Learned and Reverend Divine Andreas Rivet that from a Womans Pen yee may have an Apologie for tho learned Pen's of Women CHAP. III. The Letters touching this argument between Andreas Rivet and Anna Maria à Schurman FOr the confirmation of the point in hand and for the honour of that Maiden Pen I will translate into our own tongue for the use of our English women so much of that learned Letter as concernes this present argument which that renowned Virgin Anne Marie SchurmaÌ„ of Vtrecht wrote in Latine to the Reverend and famous French Divine Andrew Rivet then at Leyden which Doctor Beverwick a learned Physitian of Dort hath communicated together with a Dissertation upon the same subject by the same Lady D. Rivet by a Letter dated from Leyden the Kalends of March 1632. having received some French Verses of Schurmans which he presented to the Princesse of Arts and Literature Princesse Elizabeth Sister to the Illustrious Prince Palatine
from whose learned judgement they had received approbation and having given the Noble Schurman her due praise he lets fall these words That her abilities were a proose to the present times and to posteritie that if many women doe not the like it is not out of defect of wit or judgement but because they will not apply their minds to them or cannot by reason of other lower assaires neither is it expedient that many should chuse this kind of life only it is sufficient if some called to it by a speciall instinct doe shine forth Upon these last words she takes hold and in a Letter dated at Vtrecht the eighth of the Ides of March 1638. after some other Salutations and Complements in the beginning she thus writes Reverend Sir YOur letters heretofore written unto mee gave me occasion to doubt what your opinion is in whole concerning this thing in which after you have spoken many things lovingly and honourably as you use to doe of mee and my studies thus you write Neither haply may it be expedient that many choose this kind of life it is sufficient if some called to it by a speciall instinct doe sometimes shine forth I easily assent if here we meane such women as have the care of families or others that are necessarily imployed that way but I am hardly drawn to that opinion if it be meant of maid 's indowed with wit and of generous education many of which this age of ours brings forth The great admiration of Sciences or the equitie of common right inforceth me that I cannot indure that that which in the opinion of every one is most worthy should be rarely found in our Sex For whereas wisedome is so great an ornament of humane kind so that by right it belongs to all and every one so farre as it agrees to every ones condition I see not why this Attire the most handsome of all others should not be fit for a Virgin in whom we allow a care to dresse and adorne her selfe Neither is there any cause why the State should be jealous of this for the glorie of the learned Order no way darkens the lustre of Magistrates Yea contrarily all agree in this that that State must at length be most flourishing that shall have many subjects obedient to wisdome as well as to the Lawes Besides neither Vertue nor the learned Ranke it selfe shall have their due honour or dignitie unlesse the greater part of people be such as are able not only blindly to admire but by a true estimation to discerne the honour and splendour of Learning But lest I stay too long in the Porch I enter upon the state of the controversie which being rightly laid the whole truth will clearly appeare The principall Question therefore is Whether the studie of Learning and Arts be fit for a Virgin especially in these times They are no light Arguments that perswade mee to favour the Affirmative part For that I may begin with the Civill Law I remember I once read in Vlpian That women are not to meddle with civill or publike offices But with what equitie this law was made I will not now much inquire this at least I thinke may be clearly proved from thence that the leisure in which we live is allowed and lawfull For hence we have much freedome of time and quietnesse which is a friend to the Muses but chiefly when by a speciall kind of Prerogative we are not tyed up by necessarie occasions nor ingaged upon domesticall cares and businesses But yet truely this large and emptie space of life where it is spent loosly and negligently where it is not laid out upon somewhat that is good it becomes an opportutunitie for all vices Basil notably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idlenesse is the fountain of mischiefes And that we may avoid this Charibdis shall the mind by little and little grow soft and turned into the similitude of that idlenesse and sloth in which it lyes What therefore is to be done Behold Seneca a sublime teacher opens a way between the rocks When saith he they only are at leisure that is doe best injoy their leisure who are at leisure for wisdome they only live for they doe not only looke to their owne time well but make benefit of all other ages For we must not seeke leisure from the worthiest employments but improve our leisure in them so our calmer freedome in privacie will make our time neither wearisome nor tedious unto us For there are two things as Cicero saith which make others dull but sharpen a wise man namely leisure and solitarinesse But some use to object that it is a sufficient studie for women to handle the Distaffe and the Needle I confesse many think so and the inveterate ill opinion of our times is every where for them But we walke not by this Lesbian Rule yeelding to Reason rather then to custome For by what right I pray are these things fallen to our lot By a Divine right or Humane They shall never prove that those limits are either fatall or prescribed from Heaven to us by that to lay a restraint upon us For if we fetch witnesse from Antiquitie both the Examples of all ages and also the authoritie of the greatest men will evince the contrarie as that most noble ornament of the Gornaces hath shewed no lesse pleasantly then learnedly in his little booke which he hath entituled The Equality of men and women L'egalite des homines des femines But lest as they say I doe what hath been done before I forbeare these things I shall content my self plainly to shew that greater matters do not only become us but also in this manner of life are expected from us For neither will more generous inclinations indure to be curbed within such narrow bounds nor will sharpe and high wits suffer themselves to be kept under alwayes below their naturall disposition Truly if these severe Lawes should be of force I should not much wonder at it if some women should sometimes be carried away with the inticements of pleasures out of their contempt of this low employment Besides then we could have no hope left here of any honour any dignity any reward of vertue by which such soules as are not degenerate are wont chiefly to be incouraged to indeavour after things praise-worthy In vain doe we boast our Nobilitie bilitie which we received of our Ancestors if presently a slothfull obscuritie doe cloud it Hence it is that he that reades Historie shall often in the longest tract of time discerne no more the monuments of our Sexe then the path of a Ship passing thorow the Sea But they will say Whence should you have glory Whence immortall fame Doe ye expect it from your leasure Why not But I meane from leasure brightned with the light of learning For it becomes us to grow famous under the presidencie not so much of the Armed as the gowned Pallas Moreover where true Phylosophie
Discretion A Schoole which as the report goes that wise man the old Lord Burleigh said he could not finde when being in one of the Vniversities they had shewed him all the publike Schooles It is to be had from God and to be learnt out of the book of God for so saith the Apostle Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome Col. 3.16 And therefore he writes to the same Colossians We cease not to pray for you Col. 1.9 and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his Gods will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding that ye might walke worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing The knowledge of Gods will instructs in all kind of wisedome to that end that we may walk for we must walk in Col. 4.5 wisdome as becomes us before God and with the good acceptance of men And this highest wisedome God grants only unto those upon whom he bestowes his Sonne Christ as St Paul speakes in another Epistle Eph. 1.6 7 8. God hath made us accepted in the beloved in whom we have Redemption through his bloud the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of his grace wherein he hath abounded towards us in all wisdome and prudence It is a great advancement to Learning to know what Authors are best to be studied and as they said concerning Christ Whence hath this man this wisdome So would we not be glad to know what politiques Solomon studyed or what authors he read Himselfe tels us Pro. 15.33 The feare of God is the Instruction of wisdome And to the same sense his father King David Psal 111.10 had said The feare of God is the beginning of wisdome This is that wisdome the excellencie whereof I would set forth that it may be desirable We are all apt to desire silver and gold for we know the price of them and therefore we search out the Veines of them and dig for them into the bowells of the earth even into the paths which no foule knoweth and which the vultures eye hath not seene Icb. 28 12 13 c. But where shall wisedome be found Man knoweth not the price thereof Iob tells us somewhat but he cannot tell us the full value It cannot be gotten for gold neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof It cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir with the pretious Onyx or the Saphire The Gold and the Chrystall cannot equall it and the exchange of it shall not be for Iewels of fine Gold All these expressions are short these things are not worth naming they may not so much as be brought in nomination when there is speech of the election of wisedome for so Iob goes on No mention shall be made of Corall or of Pearles for the price of wisedome is above Rubies The Topaz of Aethiopia shall not equall it neither shall it be valued with pure Gold Solomon was a great searcher after rarities but never met with any thing like this to take up his whole contentment He calleth all other things folly and concludes after a wearie curiositie Eccl. 2.13 I saw that wisedome excelleth folly as farre as light excelleth darknesse And therefore no wonder both that he begged it before all things when God gave him his choyce and also directs all to chuse it Wisdome is the principall thing therfore get wisdome Prov. 4.7 and with all thy getting get understanding 'T is a bargain that will make every one rich She is a Lady that will advance all her kindred for there is a family of this name as our Saviour intimateth where he speaketh of the Children of wisdome Boast not of other bloud or origination But say unto wisdome Prov. 7.4 Thou art my sister and call understanding thy kinswoman What shall I say to Ladies and generally to women Would ye have Beautie If it be true that the Kingly Preacher saith of men A mans wisdome maketh his face to shine Eccl 8.1 It is true also of women that wisdome will make them beautifull and lovely Neither is the usefulnesse of wisdome lesse then the excellencie of it It is the Compasse without which the Architect cannot do any thing It is the magnetick needle without which there can be no Navigation It carries the light before us for want of which all that walke in the darke must needs stumble and fall I will not insist upon the difference that the Schoole makes between wisdome and Prudence I am speaking of them only in a Popular way It is that which directs the Hic and Nunc it Orders us in particular Cases It is that which deliberates upon any thing that is proposed it examines all the Circumstances of a designe that nothing be done rashly but so that a good account may be given of the doing of any thing if it be called for It gives a good grace to every posture Every passion or inordinate affection disguiseth Malice hath a sullen and down-look which dissembling can hardly hide Anger appeares upon the knitted brow Desire discovers it selfe in the eye but Prudence keepes in all these that would gad abroad into the visage to tell what newes within But a speciall use of it is that it corrects the ridiculousness of affectation and artificialnesse There is nothing more vaine then a forced art of seeming wise when laughter speech gesture and every thing is con'd and studied This is slavishnesse not wisdome Wisdome leades on all actions with a kind of nativenesse and honest freedome The others that have all their words out of the Dictionarie and their gestures from the glasse are alwayes in feare and if they happen to be out like formall Preachers that have got a Set of strong lines into their memorie they can hardly recover themselves but talk Nonsense and gibbrish Shall I offer at the description of this prudence It is a grace teaching the heart a decorum in religious and civill Conversation as having deliberated and knowing what our Persons or Conditions will beare or are fit to refuse whereby we may carry our selves right also in the use of things indifferent without excesse or defect and in the use of Christian Policie with pure and undisturbed Consciences It were to write another booke to give the particular advises of wisdome Take things shortly and as they come it may be without method 1. Make memorie a storehouse The reason is because we cannot ordinarily easily be wise without others wisdome 2. Study men and affaires Know the complexion of affaires 3. Be willing to learne of such as are faithfull and that drive no trade or interesse 4. Stand behind the picture and heare what they say that passe by 5. Despise not a Cobler in what he sayes concerning the shooe 6. Beleeve not others flatteries against your own knowledge 7. Beleeve you may have imperfections 8. Take heed of passion which discoulers all things 9. Runne not downe a steep bank consider