whiche as well for their noble courage and magnanimous harts as for their chast and vertuous liues haue beene and for euer wil bee moste Famous and renowmed in the worlde and yet had no learnyng as it hath beene seene bothe in Sparta Rome Persia Phocia Chios Argiua and dyuers other places whose names haue beene celebrated in tyme past and to our tyme present haue leaft behinde them more matter to wright on touchyng their vertue then euer either Erinua Sappho or Corinna did write them selues of excellent and famous men And who is it that will denie that it is not more praies and honnour too doe noble deedes then to write of them sure I thinke none I am therefore of this aduise that it is not mete nor conuenient for a Maiden to be taught or trayned vp in learnyng of humaine artes in whome a vertuous demeanour honest behauiour would be a more sightlier ornament then the light or vaine glorie of learnyng for in learnyng and studiyng of the artes there are twoo thynges finallie proposed vnto vs that is recreation and profitte touchyng profitte that is not to bee looked for at the handes of her that is geuen vs for a companion in our labours but rather euery woman ought wholelie to be actiue and diligent about the gouernement of her housholde and familie and touchyng recreation by learnyng that cannot bee graunted her without greate daunger and offence to the beautie and brightnesse of her mynde seyng then that the gouernement of estates and publike weales are not committed into the handes of women neyther that it is lawfull or cōuement for them to wright lawes by whiche men should bee ruled and gouerned as Draco Licurgus and Numa Pompilius did neither as professours of Science and facultie to teache in Schooles the wisedome of Lawes and Philosophie and seing also that in suche studies as yeldeth recreation and pleasure there is no lesse daunger that they will as well learne to be subtile and shamelesse Louers as connyng and skilfull writers of Ditties Sonnetes Epigrames and Ballades let them be restrained to the care and gouernement of a familie and teache them to bee enuious in followyng those that by true vertue haue made little accoumpte of those that to the preiudice of their good names haue beene desirous to bee reputed Diotimes Aspaties Sapphoes and Corinnes For suche as compare the small profit of learnyng with the greate hurt and domage that commeth to them by the same shall sone perceiue although that they remaine obstinate therein how far more conuenient the Distaffe and Spindle Nedle and Thimble were for them with a good and honest reputation then the skill of well vsing a penne or wrightyng a loftie vearce with disfame and dishonour if in the same there be more erudition then vertue moreouer who is hee that will doubte that the Maide will not become perfitte and well accomplished how be it that it be harde to be beleued seyng that now adaies they bee wedded and committed to the gouernment of a housholde so young whiche in companie and by the instruction of manie bothe wise and vertuous and by longe experience haue beene taught the manner how to gouerne a housholde wisely sure I will neuer condiscende that any Maiden surmounting in her selfe the estate of an actiue wife or for too name her by one woorde Econemicall should by climyng vp the Ladder of naturall Philosophie beyng so difficile aduenture to get to the contemplatiō of suche thynges as rather of idle menne whiche haue bin many yeres exercised in readyng is to bee desired then hoped for But for so muche as the hope of suche thynges are obtained with so greate daunger and that in all other faculties whiche are to bee got by practise and knowledge hauyng to make choise suche are soner chosen that thei are informed to haue small knowledge and greate experiēce then those that haue great knowledge and small practise I thinke it necessarie that Maidens bee committed no otherwise vnder the care and charge of a wise and prudente Matrone who by long vse is become skilfull and expert then if to bee transported into a straunge and farre Countrie and would commit our gooddes and Marchaundize to a wise and experte Mariner makyng little accompte of hym that onely by information of the Astrolabie or the Cardes of Ptolomie doe promise vs hauyng neuer trauailed frō home sure sauegarde it ought to suffice that a Maiden beyng become wise by the instruction and teachyng of her prudent Mistres doeth giue good hope that in tyme when occasion shall serue she will be sufficient to gouerne a housholde and familie discretely And yet notwithstandyng al this I would not haue a Maiden altogether forbidden or restrained from reading for so muche as the same is not onely profitable to wise and vertuous women but also a riche and precious Iewell but I would haue her if she reade to reade no other bookes but suche as bee written by godlie Fathers to our instruction and soules healthe and not suche lasciuious Songes filthie Ballades and vndecent bookes as be moste commonly now a daies sette to sale to the greate infection of youth the names of whiche to recite would require a long tyme and to write a greate volume beyng more pleasaunte then profitable long then learned gallant then godlie Wherefore leauyng theim as vnworthie to bee mentioned I would haue our Maiden I meane her that will attire her minde by this Mirrhor to read if she delight to bee a reader the holie scripture or other good bookes as the bookes of Plutarche made of suche renowmed and vertuous women as liued in tyme paste and those of Boccas tendyng to the same sence or some other nerer to our tyme and lette her in readyng consider what she reade for in theim she shall not onely reade woordes whiche if thei bee not garnished with good examples be naught worth But also godly deedes and holie enterprises of vertuous Uirgines and worthie Women by whiche she maie increase and augmente her vertue by immytatyng their liues Lette her reade I saie and with the same print in her minde the liues of suche noble Ladies as liued in Troie Sabina Phocia Argiua and Rome for no doubte she shall learne greate example of pitie to her Countrie by Megestona Aretaphila Tolicreta and by Iudith and Hester And true loue and loialtie to their housbandes by Lucres Portia and Camma in sōme to make an ende of strangers she shall finde example of vertue Religion and holinesse in a number of Uirgines as in Cicile Agathe Theodore Barbara and infinite other who with the prise of their bloudes did suffer incredible tormentes for the profession of a godly faithe And aboue all for delight if she loue to bee delighted in vertue let her reade that worthie booke of Martyres compiled by that famous Father and worthie man of God maister Foxe Now to returne to our Matrone I would wishe her to frame in the mindes of them that
retayne for euer that whiche is taught theim to the same maner of order for the hartes of youth are therein to bee compared to newe vesselles whiche for euer will keepe the sauour and tast of that licore where with it is first filled and seasoned therefore I would wish our good Matrone to eschew suche vse as apestilent infection for no doubt the weake age of youth and euell conuersation of manye geues copious and aboundant matter enough to euill and muche more then wise Parentes would wish I am sure without neede to bee taught it so longe tyme before but in steede of suche bookes and lasciuious ballades our wise Matrone shall reade or cause her Maidens to reade the examples and liues of godly and vertuous Ladies whose worthy fame and bright renowme yet liueth and still will liue for euer whiche shee shall make choise of out of the holy Scripture and other histories both auncient and of late dayes whiche bookes will not onely delight them but as a spurre it will pricke and incite their hartes to follow vertue and haue vice in horror and disdaine yea their mindes by that meanes not onely of those that are growen to ripenes of yeres and strength of nature but also those of tender and young age wil be come noble and magnaminous thereby for you shall neuer repeate the vertuous liues of any suche Ladies as Claudia Portia Lucretia and such like were but you shall kindle adesire in them to treade their steppes and become in tyme like vnto them and too disdayne and haue in horrour those that to the contrarye pas the course of their liues in wickednesse and not onely shall our Maiden bee forbidded to reade anye suche bookes or ballades as maie make her mynde beeyng of it self verie delicate more feble and effemynate but also from all those thynges that any waie maie make her vnworthie of a laudable reputation emong whiche it is not to bee thought how hurtfull and daungerous the acquaintaunce and famyliaritie of yong gossopes is who vnder couerture of Ientillitie gallant attire and costly ornamentes or whiche is moste infectious vnder fained Religion and honestie doe hide corrupte and wicked maners and yet suche as are euill maie easely bee knowen when the aucthoritie of greate personages supporte them and euen as a disease is then moste contagious when those that are infected haue a colour liuely and moste likely to bee healthfull so vice hide vnder Ientillitie and honour and couered with the visor of falce semblance and feined honestie doeth hurte muche more then whē the euill life or leude behauiour of suche personages are discouered and made manifest but I thinke it not necessarie to admonishe our Matrone after the maner of some to bee so strickte to her Maidens as to withdrawe theim from the acquaintaunce and familiaritie of children how bee it that thei be of like age although that in the same age the seede of Synne no doubt springeth and the fruite thereof in little time ripeneth and increaseth too aboundantly whiche thyng the learned and graue Doctor of greate aucthoritie sainct Ierome sheweth by example of a shamelesse harlot who more brutishlie then any reasonlesse beaste would make booste and vauntyng bragges of her lasciuious life saiyng that since she could remember in her youngest yeres the filthie pleasure of fleshe was not daintie vnto her oh horrible bragge oh execrable booste and moste damnable life well our prudente Matrone to remoue suche detestable dangers from her yong Maidens shall in nowise permit thē to haue acquaintaunce with kitchine Seruauntes or suche idle housewiues as commonly and of custome doe thruste theim selues into the familiaritie of those of good callyng and vnder colour of freendlinesse doe oftentymes woorke greate mischeef and are therefore to bee auoided and shonned as infectious diseases for sure there is no one thing so vnsemely for a yong maiden of good callyng or more hurtful to her good fame and name then to bee seen and heard emong suche as I before mentioned tattlyng and tellyng of foolishe tales by the fire side but in stede thereof I meane of tellyng or hearyng of fables told in suche companie our Matron shall cause them that are committed yonge into her gouernement to propounde in the companie of womanlie Maidens and so nere as she can in her owne presence pithie questions and graue sentences to pose one an other and sometymes tell the liues of godlie Uirgines and the Matrone her self to delight theim who of necessitie ought to be stored with studied demaundes and wittie argumentes shall modestly entermeddle her self emong theim and to theim in whom she sees any desarte she shall to incourage the other yeelde commendation and so make them all striue to attaine to the like and it would not bee amisse seyng that the continuall presence of her that is a Maistres by her greate grauitie and vertuous vsage doeth rather ingēder in a good minde affection of reuerence then occasion of bold wantonnesse the whiche more appeareth in youth then in ripe age if she made choise emong many of some modest and well behauoured Maiden who not onely by vertuous demeanour shall giue the reste occasion to imitate her vertue but also bee vnto theim recreatiue and delightfull in graue and weightie causes for there be some thinges whiche sometymes dooe seeme vnto some verie sharpe and noysome although that of Nature delightfull and of their proper obiecte doe delight the sences and dooe moue with singuler pleasure that age more then any other whiche thyng if it be truthe as it certainly seemeth how muche ought our Matrone to take heede that it happens not in those thynges in whiche there is no delight at all Well as a wise Matrone should seeyng that in children the strength of vnderstandyng cannot bee so greate as thei maie alwaies bee troubled with graue matters this our Matrone shall at least if she will doe well entermedle honest mirthe with graue matter And also if at any tyme there bee any Maiden worthy of correction lette the Mistresse rather incline in her chastenyng to mildnesse then madnesse fauor then furie and rightly vse the part of a good Phisitiō who to cure yong children of their corporall maladies doe giue them wormewood or suche like bitter thyng annointed ouer with Honie to the ende that thei deceiued by the vpper sweetnesse maie swallowe doune the wholsome bitternesse and thereby receiue helpe of their disease More ouer our good Matrone shall shewe to her Maidens a modest merie countenaunce cōtinually and if thei dooe euill rebuke theim in suche sort as although it be not with bitter wordes or sharpe stripes yet thei shall well knowe thei haue offended greatly reseruyng crueltie for the laste remedie and yet the same to bee then also of little induraunce least that whiche should serue for a remedie vsed to often becomes scorned and nothyng estemed as the olde Prouerbe is To muche of any thyng is good for nothyng Besides when any Maiden
So shee that hereth much is in possibilitie to become more wise and learned whiche thing to the ende it maie happen to our Maiden I would wishe her to take heede and note that whiche is vttered to the praies or dispraies of any and thereafter to frame her life Whiche thing shee maie easely discerne by the iestures and behauiours of the hearers who alwaies with cherefull countenances are accustomed to reioyce at that whiche is good contrarie with a sower and sharpe looke and as it were with grief thei accorde to that whiche is euill and tolde without respecte of place tyme persone or of suche thinges as they talke of or of themselues In this wise shee shall make election and choise of that whiche she ought to keepe silent setting a lawe to her self to doe the one and eschue the other for she ought to know that the vse of the toung is to be vsed soberly and discretly for to that ende nature that wise woorke woman ordained the toung to bee inclosed as with a hedge within twoo rowes of teeth where contrarie shee hath leaft our eares open the one to be readie to heare and the other slowe to speake there bee manie excellent examples to bee noted and worthie to be printed in the memorie of euery man and woman out of manie ancient woorkes but among the rest out of Erasmus his golden booke the whiche he hath leaft written full of the vices and vertue of the toung there bee manie to bee taken and therefore hauing cited the booke by name I doubt not but our Matrone will cause our Maiden to reade it on hope wherof I leaue to rehearce the wordes in this volume Touchyng her apparell that I am willing to teache and instructe seeyng that the same is one of those thinges whiche are named indifferent and for so muche as vse onely makes it to seme diuersly good and bad I wish her not to be enuious at others neither she by her pompous attire or ouer riche ornamentes to giue other cause to enuie her and her self to bee thought arrogant and ambitious for it is no lesse dangerous to bee enuied then it is to bee enuious But to bee alwaies modestly arraied Now because it hath bin saied before that she should carefully eschewe the companie of acquaintaunce especially and before all that of Kitchine Maides and light gossepes I thinke it good here to counsaile her againe to vse her in suche sorte as in her countenance and behauiour that it appeare not any to procede of a proude or arrogant harte but lette her entermedle in their offices and affaires with a modeste grauitie garnished with pleasant and milde humilitie alwaies bearyng in minde how muche the conuersatiō of suche tattlers as are more readye too speake that whiche thei ought not then too harken to that whiche thei ought is greatly to bee feared thei beyng euermore accustomed to bee more busie in the reprouyng others faultes then readie to amende their owne Besides all this I would wishe our well adorned Maiden to bee freendly and affable so nere as she can vnto all in yeeldyng honour and reuerence to the good to obtaine their loue and good likyng and not to disdaine or reiecte the euill to incurre their hate Also I must giue remembrance to eschewe one faulte that is daungerous vnsemely and more peculiar in yong age then in any other the whiche because it couereth it self as it were vnder the couerture of a suche nere vertue as is bothe laudable and a goodlie ornamente is difficile of the moste parte to be auoided and it consisteth onely in an vnseemely and foolishe shamefastnesse the whiche oftentymes passyng vnder the habite of Custome and Nature doeth continue possessiō in ripe yeres with occasion of greate reproofe For truely as too muche boldnesse beeyng a thyng more conueniente for those that to reproue vice vse the partes of diuers personages in Comedies and Tragedies then for a modeste or milde Maiden is to bee shonned and eschewed as a fault infamous So to the contrary too muche fearfulnesse or shamefastnesse where it is needelesse is a pointe of greate follie fitter for babes to vse then suche a one as I wishe our Maiden to bee that delighteth to decke her minde by this Mirrhor therefore restrainyng these twoo extremities if any commit offēce proper to yong age let thē be shamefast onely in acknowledging their fault and not otherwise and so not beeyng obstinate in deniyng thei shall shewe greate signe of amendemente And sure there can not bee a greater chasticemente then the same that suche a one shall conceiue Likewise where it behoueth her to shewe her vertue she shall bee readie but not to bolde and by a sodaine blushyng whiche immediatly will ouerspread her lillie cheekes with roseat read she shall shewe that she beareth in her breaste a reuerente harte farre separated from infamous and reprochfull shame In suche wise I saie she shall with a cherefull countenaunce and a well tempered grauitie castyng her eyes to the yearth shewe of her self that whiche neuerthelesse although she knowes it will redounde to her praise and commendation she would willingly dissemble and faine not to care for With this commendable confidence when it behoues her through request to recite any Psalme or other Spirituall song or godlie sentence she shall set her self for the to doe it with a milde refusall yet altogether voide of vndecent affectyng which thyng the moste parte of people can hardly eschewe and yet her prudente Matrone to the ende that our Maiden maic bee still in doubte of this affectyng shall holde her in suspecte of her refuse Of whiche thyng in my iudgement there nede no other aduisement then the same whiche other haue written Emong the Lacedemonians beeyng otherwise menne vertuous and of a seuere discipline vncorrupted in all other laudable Customes This vice haue been noted and marked and that onely in Aristotle cheefly who in disdainyng sumptuous apparell sought ambiciously therby to purchase fame and renowme of magnanimitie and so in that disdainyng he shewed hymself to bee proude and arrogant Which ▪ thyng Plato wittely reproued in Diogenes who whiles that by an importunate seueritie he did treade vnder his feete the Couerlettes that he sawe liyng vppon Plato his bedde farre more riche and costly then it seemed to hym conueniente for a Philosopher saied that he trode vnder his feete the pride and ambitiō of Plato But Plato verie readily and with greate modestie aunswered and saied O Diogenes thou treadest vppon my Pride with a farre more hautie and loftie Pride then myne is So that many oftētymes by reprouyng glorie doe seeke it The whiche as it ought not to bee desired viciously so ought it not to be refused with too great an opinion of vertue Because that in vertuous woorkes extremities be alwaies vicious Thei doe truely dislike that doe truely possesse this vertue otherwise thei are not without affectyng although at the firste shewe it semeth otherwise