eke she tempereth her fingar and her toe It is her common wonted vse with naked brest to walke Which thinge in faith is dangerous for in fewe wordes to talke It meaneth nought at all but this marke well what I rehearse That where her poison planted is with greater stroke may perce I am compelled now perforce to draw vnto some ende For if I speake til I be whorce or if my penne I spende Vnto the stalke to write my minde which busly could deuise To speake more of this hatefull kinde yet would it not suffice Such is her craft and her deceite such be her wicked wayes Which she doth kepe till death by sleight doe ende her hurtfull dayes What thing in earth is found more rare then is a cole blacke swan Whom auncient writers doe compare vnto a good Woman Eke Salomon saith thus to thee whose wordes be wise and sounde A good godlie Women saith he is scarsly to be founde Take hede and loke before thou clime lest sodenly thou slippe Take hede I say whiles thou hast time lest thou doe fele the whippe Take hede beware be not to rashe lest thou perhaps repent When thou doost fele the scorge and lashe to late thou maist lament Like as the litle foolish flye his pastime seketh out When he the candell doth espye and fleing rounde about At length the seely wretche doth close him selfe in fyre flame And so his wretched life doth lose in seking of his game Euen so if thou wilt not beware but willinglie be entrapt Within the Womans wilie snare wherin when thou art wrapt Thou maist not well escape againe no way is left to saue Till thou be brought to deadlie paine to thine vntimely graue Let this that I haue said suffice and print it in thy brest So shalt thou be reputed wise so shalt thou liue at rest So shalt thou not at all repent such well bestowed time So shalt thou ioy when some lament by voyding sinne and crime So shalt thou liue in happie mirth and happlye ende thy life So shalt thou happly boast the byrth which is exempte from strife So shalte thou this life once past in ioy and blisse remaine So shalt thou haue for thy repast all pleasure voyde of paine ¶ Here endeth the dispraise of Women Here beginneth the prayse of VVomen C. Pyrrye I Chaunced once to come in place where I a booke did finde Which booke did spitefullie disgrace the gentle woman kinde Then thus vnto my selfe I thought good Lord what man was he That with such painfull studie sought disprayse of femenie How coulde he teache his penne to write how coulde his hart deuise Such foolish fansies to endite that all men may despise How could his sclaūderous hurteful tonge the harmeles so difame How coulde he with a tedious songe the seely women blame I thinke he was not of mans seede that this did take in hand Against poore wretches to proceede who could not him withstand Thus musinge did I syt long time at last my pen I toke And so beganne to writ in rime against that shamles booke Oh wilfull witles man quoth I thy pen whie doost thou frame To write thy minde so spitefullie not forcing thy good name But in despite of them dost speake to whom thou art most bounde And in most slaunderous talke dost breake their goodnes to confounde Their labour and their earnest suite to thee is spent in vayne For why the reape at all no fruyte but scorne and proud disdaine Such is thy thankelesse hatefull minde such is thy cruell harte Wherin thou shewest thy self vnkinde in plaing suche a part I know no good nor iust cause why thou shouldest them so dispraise Whose life I thinke assuredlie is innocent alwayes Perhaps thou doost against them prate because they be to weake To ioyne with thee in wordes of hate and so their anger wreake Perhaps thy foolish fansie sought some vayne and worldlie prayse And so did make somthinge of nought which soundeth to disprayse Perhaps some one did the displease in earnest game or iest And thou thy furie to appease dost rayle at all the rest The selfe same thinge or som such like doth moue thy stonie harte This deadly enuious stroke to strike all iust cause set apart I thinke thou doost not call to minde in sicknes or in health How we are holpe by woman kinde whose care is for our wealth First as thou knowst she takes great paine by trauelinge in bed And greuous groninges doth sustaine before she see our head As long as we poore infantes are and nought our selfes can geue So long the woman takes the care our bodies to releue When we would eate she makes the pape she geues vs quiet rest She dandleth vs vpon her lappe we sucke mylke from her brest When we do naught but crie and weepe then will she sing and play Or els will lay vs downe to slepe our cryenge so to stay When we can neyther go nor stand by reason of our youth The louinge Woman takes in hande to helpe vs this is truth Now when we come to further age and can both speake and go The womans paine doth not asswage she then hath care and wo. In seekinge how she may prouide to kepe vs still in health And caring how she may vs guide to liue in honest wealth When greuous sicknes doth vs take she then with busye paine Some boyled brath for vs doth make our bodies to sustaine All kinde of phisicke she doth vse that may be for our case No painfull paine doth she refuse our sorow to appease She wakes the longe and wearie night She toyleth in the day Our safetie is her chiefe delight She is our onely stay For in all places where I go menne geue the onely charge Vnto their wifes the truth is so because their wittes be large Eche thing to vewe and ouerlooke as neede may her constraine The baker bruer and the cooke no toyle doth she refraine She ordereth all man not a whit as right and reason will Because she is of quicker wit her busines to fullfill It can not be that we could misse this gentle Woman kinde Whose presence is our onely blisse and cause of quiet minde Whose harmles helping hand we néede in euerie thing we doe And she is redie by her deede to put her helpe therto Her counsell is both good and founde in matters of great weight And doubtfull thinges she will confounde by skilfull wisdomes sleight The wordes proceding from her brest are wise and full of skill All that she doth is for the best she brydleth witles will Disdainfull pride she doth abbate her malice doth asswage She beareth not in minde long hate she loueth not to rage All ill deuise she doth confounde all rancor doth expell Of quiet life she sekes the grounde and long therein to dwell Vaine triflinge talke she doth refraine fewe wordes is her desire From quicke beliefe she doth abstaine and flee from wreckful Ire She doth
for daintie meate Riotouse full of wanton playes nought may her minde entreat She deckes and trims her selfe at ease her face to beautifie To frame her talke all men to please her wittes she doth applye Hatefull anger she beares in minde till time do serue her tourne Some sharpe reuenge for him to finde who causeth her so to burne She is vnthankeful without faith bolde spitefull of frowarde life In her all goodnesse waxeth colde she euer stirreth strife Oftimes if ought deserued be before thee it is set And spoke againe againe to thee as though thou didst forget If she offend in any thinge she commonlie doth vse By loftie lookes and hie speakinge her gilty faulte to excuse She scoldeth grudgeth and reiect all frendship in disdaine For nought at all doth she respect but onlye priuate gaine She sekes to mocke and flatter much yea priuelie to defame She reprehendeth beware of such craftly thy good name She filles she common peoples eares with triflinge talke and vaine Augmentinge whatsoeuer she heares her mischiefes to maintaine She fayneth that to come to passe which neuer was in deede That not to be which euer was eche put in others steede Her tonge she teacheth to intent meete causes to deceaue And once made fitte for such intent deceite doth neuer leaue Her forginge fayned countenaunce is redie at her will In earnest game a daliaunce to weepe or laugh her fill From deceite thou can not flee her craftes thou can not shonne Such is the hurtefull policie that she by sleight hath wonne Though she comit an heynous deede and thou perhaps in place Denienge stil she will proceede stubbornly to thy face What shall I say thou must beleeue seme it neuer so straunge All that she speakes and not beleeue if ought her minde doe chaunge Examples playne and manifest doe teach it to be true For while all vice out of her brest from time to time doth growe By reading histories thou shalt finde what cruell bloudy factes Committed were by woman kinde delighting in such actes Reade Ouid Virgil. Virgill vnderstande in them it doth appeare How Medea with bloudyhande murdered her children deare How Paris stole the Grecian rape to Troy and how that she Who was in dede of comlye shape did willingly agree And how the Grecians sought the way Ouid. Meth. lib. 8. to haue her home againe And there by moued warre to Troye which warre tenne yeres did raigne How Scilla her fathers house forsooke Ouid. Meth. lib. 19. what moued her to doe soe Her fathers purple heare she toke and gaue it to his foe How Biblis wicked loue did swell Ouid. to Cavvnus her brother How she was tourned into a well hight Biblis and no other How Deianira to her feare a poysoned cote did sende How he therby with euell there his wretched life did ende How Hippodame did deceaue her gentle louinge Father By marienge without his leaue causing his death rather Because he was by spitefull fate appointed for to die That day that she receaued her mate such was his destenie And how Lauania to be shorte Gene. 28. most doubtfull warre did sende Among the youthfull Troyan sorte which came to vnhappie ende And how Rebecca with a wile Math. 14. her sonne and eke her feare Did quite deceaue and cleane begile though they most simple were How Herodias with cruell harte Gene. 3. did wish Iohn Baptist death And caused him by deadly smarte to yelde vp liuinge breath Also how Eue from ioyfull place alas alas the while Her posteritie did deface and cast into exile Those and sondry more we finde teachinge vs to beware In trustinge of this monstrous kinde whose mischiefe is not rare In time therfore take hede and learne this monster to eschewe And eke with wisdome to diserne her wicked witles hew If thou wilt liue in quietnes expelling out of minde All wicked worldlie wretchednes or if thou seeke to finde A blisfull happie state of life and longe therin to dwell Beware a woman full of strife auoide her vile counsell The fearefull byrde him selfe doth keepe from hauke his deadlie foe From raueninge woulfe the seely shepe from cruell dogge the Roe From deceitfull nettes the wilie harte with spedie flight doth ronne Why sekest not thou in like parte craftie women to shonne The affection of the Cocodrill is in her subtile eyes She sekes by arte how to begile if ought she doe deuise When teares fal trincling from her eyne faire wordes when she doth faine Then doth she most of al encline some mischiefe to obtaine Trust not her diuers chaunge of hewe trust not her spotted faith Trust not her coulored vertue I rede of one that saith A glasse doth wante the sharpe and forme whiche semeth to appeare â–ª And eke a womans faith is torne though she thy eyes do bleare Both good and godly men there were in olde and auncient time Most stout of heart exempt from feare and voyd of heynous crime Which by their strength huge monsters flewe and made wilde giauntes tame Stronge cities eke they ouerthrewe and so encreased their name Yet those by sleight were vanquished of womans deadly hate And lamentably finished their liues of cruell facte Who hath not reade of Herculous whose spitefull enuious wife Did cause him ende remediles his fatall threde of life By geuinge him a cote to weare sprincled with poysoâ—â—â—onge Which semed his tender partes to teare wherby he suâ—â—red wronge Whereby also the wretche alacke soone yelded liuing breath The putting it vpon his backe did cause vntimelie death Of Sampson stronge what néede I speake Iudges 16. the scriptures plainlie shewe How Dalilahe her minde did breake desirous for to knowe Where his chiefe streÌ„gth did most depend Gene. 19. and when he had her tolde She brought him to most wretched ende selling his life for gold Both Dauid 3. Reg. 11. Lot and Salomon I strike cleane out of minde With thousandes more that I could name deceaued by woman kinde If such as those could not auoyde their subtile craftie bandes But with theyr pestilence were anoyde can we escape their handes No no for why as I doe here and as I plainlie see They are as bad as eare they were or worse if worse may be A thousand waies ne do I faine her wittes she doth extend With labor trauell and great paine her beautie to amend Her shinning forhead by arte she sekes with golden roule to bind With purple culler on her chekes and if it want by kinde She gouerneth her steppes by art her heare by arte doth place She tempereth her eyes by arte her bodye and her face She seekes by art her selfe to paint because she would be faire Her greisly shape she doth anoint in hope of some repaire She calleth to remembraunce how she may bring to passe To frame her froward countenaunce by looking in a glasse And with her lips she simpereth abrode as the doth goe Her shoulders
ease her maister of his paine and make him whole and well Wheras the newe Egiptian King Exod. 12. against thebrues was bent Because they did encrease and spring which thing for to preuent Commaunded be good midwifes that were of thebriane line That they in no case spare their liues but kill the masculine Which thing to doe they did refuse because it was not good And to the king they made excuse not shedding giltlesse bloud The Hebrian wifes O king sayd he are women stout and strong Before we com their birth alway is donne which is not long Who killed king Abimelech 2. Reg. 11. I say who strake him downe When he his furious moode to wreke sayd seige to Thebes towne A woman strake him with a stone and then the seige therby Was geuen vp his life once gone this is no legend lye When Haman for to haue annoyde Ec. 17. the Iewes had fully sought In that selfe place he was destroyed that he for them had wrought For godly Hester founde the meane to saue the Iewes from death By causing Haman quite and cleane to yeld vp liuing breath Of many thousands was not one 2. Reg. 14. for all the paine they toke Could make Dauid to Absolon once geue a friendly looke Vntil the woman did obtaine as scripture doth recorde That Dauid cald him home againe and was his gracious Lord. Also we finde that Debora Iudg 4 a prophetise that was Did shew the death of Sisara how when and in what place Which thing to her God did declare with many other cause To rid the Isralets from care and eke to iudg their lawes When Sisara fled from the throng then Iahel Abues wife Whom God at that time made so strong did riue his fatall life A solemne vowe did Iepthath make Iudges 1. before the God of might If that he would his hand so slacke that he preuaile in fight Then would he geue an offrings swet the victorie once donne Who was the next that he should mete out of his dores to come And as he came behold the chaunce his onely daughter dere Met him with tymbrells and daunce but when she drewe him nere With furye forst his clothes he rent with visage pale and wan He semed his promise to repent and thus his wordes began Alas daughter thou troublest me for I with willing hart Haue made a vow to God saith he from which I can not start Then she vnto her father spake if thou vnto the Lorde My father dere a vowe didst make fulfill by deede thy worde Euen as thou wilt do thou by me thy promise doe not lose Sith God hath now auenged thee vpon thy deadly foes Which wordes into her fathers brest his troubled thoughtes to stay Did glide and he from all vnrest was worne cleane away Perhaps sith Iephthath did lament 1. Reg. 25. had not the woman ben He would haue falsed his entent which had be shame and sinne We read also that Nabigale by wisdome did asswage The wrath of Dauid to Naball for he in kingled rage Pursued his othe and sought to kill the great and eke the small Not leauing one by his good will to pisse against the wall But she to Dauid victuall send and went her selfe also Wherby she made him Nabals friend who was his deadly foe 3. Reg. 14. Abiah stroken with disease did lye at point of death And of his sicknes had no case ne wanted liuing breath I pray you then who tooke the care whose was the payne and woe To know how this yong man should fare did not the woman goe Yet verely we went to learne wher he should liue or dye And so the prophet discerne Abihas destenye When as king Dauid waxed old 3. reg 1 though clothes on him were cast He felt no heat but still was colde til it be fel at last One Abisag a Sunamite was found to kepe him whot Who cherisht him both day and night and yet he knew her not The prophet told to the woman 4. Reg. 8. the death of seuen yeare That was to come not to the man but she vnto her feare Did shew the same with willing hart so they and theirs did passe And from the dearth did then depart to go where plenty was Was not the prophet Eliah sent 3. re 17. to haue the womans ayde Because that in the firmament the moisture then was staied The scripture doth declare it playne that she Eliah fed And saue that she did him sustaine perchaunce he had bin dead Likewise the godly Sunamite 4. re 4 gods prophet did entreate As ofte as he came in her sight she toke him breade to eate Her husbande eke she did require some place for him to make And he did graunt her her desire his hand he did not slake Vntill the Prophetes house was downe his table and bedsteede He found all thinges when he did come there redie for his neede This doe we see that women be to man profitable Thus doe we see to indge of thee and of thy fonde fable And though perhaps in sondrye case by strength thinges were not wrought Yet such is Gods aboundant grace to ende the same he sought And bring to passe by women kinde according to his will For that they both with hart and minde his sayinges doe fulfyll As we by Iudith may discerne Iudges 13. who in dead time of night Cut of the head of Holiferne and not by strength in fight The verteous Susan did not start from God her louing Lorde But to his will with willing harte her doinges did accorde Wherfore God loued her wondrous well as scripture doth declare He raised vp yong Daniell to plead her cause of care And proue her to be innocent before the peoples face When she was iudged to be brent in open stret and place Sara Raguels daughter dere Tobias 3. 6. to seuen maried was And yet remained a virgin cleare so god did bring to passe For he preserued the feminine because of vertuous life But strangled were the masculine in whome all vice was rise We finde how Rahab did defende Iosue 2 the men of Ierico Wherfore the scripture doth commend her and her life also We read that Marie Magdaline Luc. 7. with pitious weping teares The feete of Christ had washed cleane and wipt them with her heares And how by her contricion and by vnfained faith Of sinne she had remission for so the Apostel saith In token man shold be content Gene. 22. his wife alwaies to loue God gaue a straight commaundement to Abraham from aboue That he shuld folowe Sara and doe as she assignde So was expelled by and by Agar this doe I finde This Agar was a strong harlot yet for repentaunce sake God did forgeue and quite forgot the sinnes that she did make The Angell willed her to goe againe to know her dame And he that did her faultes forgo would multiplie her