of faith and perfection in godlinesse commandeth vvomen to keepe silence in the presence of their husbands and assemblies of men and the reason is because the impotency that is the affectioÌ„s of their minds are altogether departed froÌ„ teÌ„perancy moderation and therefore wil neither permit theÌ„ to vsurp the place of a teacher to reason or dispute in any assembly to be present at the election of magistrates or to speake their minds in anie company if their husbands be present Moreouer such and so great is the imperfection frailty and weakenesse of a womans nature that Plato not without great reproch to the pride of some of that sexe doth almost deny them to haue any minde or to be any way worthy the names of women And yet least those that are vertuous in deed should be vnworthely scorned for the faultes of the vicious 1 Cor. 11 Paule in another place prouiding for the safty of houshold affaires doth with a fatherlie care incite vs to honour and highly esteeme of those that are vertuous because such are almost of the same nature and worthinesse that men are of themselues and almost partakers of the same benefits that man doth inioy onely to put hir in minde of hir obedience she was taken out of man by God who was the maker of them both Genes 2 that as man is the glorie and image of God as the Apostle witnesseth so the woman should be the glory of the man For man was not made of the woman but the woman of the man and man was not made for the womans sake but the woman for the mans sake Ephes 5 and yet neither the man without the woman nor the woman without the man in the Lorde who so ruleth the order of all thinges that he wil haue the woman to be obedient to the man though proude gossippes presume to resist his power Colos 3 For as the woman was of the man so the man is by the vvoman in the acte of begettinge and brynging foorth children So that both vvaies is shewed an assisting societie a mutuall helpe loue consent and agreement between them 1 Peter Cap. 3 Where Peter thought it meete that as Women ought to bee obedient to their husbands so on the other side husbands should be liberall and easilie intreated towardes their wiues as knowing them to be the weaker vessell not onelie pardoning simple faults and forgiuing light offences but also winking at and saying nothing to some open and manifest errors For it is not meete that a manne should be more cruell then is needful vnto so vveake a creature nor bee ouer imperious or too bitter to so sencelesse a sexe especiallie if they continue in their duties in any good sort and permit not themselues to transgresse the bounds of chastitie by playing the harlots Which reproch and discredit albeit it more anger a man when he knowes it then it can any way hurt him though he see or perceiue it yet shal the vvoman neuer cleare her selfe of infamie and dishonor nor heal her wound again so long as she liues And yet if such a chance happen that their furde gownes should lack a little poking as it is reported they somtimes say they doe yet christian charitie and their husbandes loue should not be too rigorous and inexorable towardes them because reconciliation and remission is in the power of God who is wont to be appeased with praier and repentance though he bee prouoked to anger by wickednesse vngodlinesse and idolatrie pardoning the faults of the forepassed life so soone as a repentant minde doth despise and detest his wickednes and constantlie intendeth to liue better hereafter Another cause of vnquietnesse and troubles in this sex commeth with wearinesse of childbearing The cause of womens stubbornes and tediousnes of giuing suck and nursing of children But the greatest cause as is said ariseth from stopping the course of their monthlie disease the which if it issue at the certain and appointed time the rage of their anger and brauling is quicklie appeased by turning from their harts and braines the smoke and fumes of that pernicious humor and by auoiding the vapor mist of that troublesome excrement which for that it fumeth vp to their heads is most painefull for them to auoide When a woman is pleased But now on the contrarie parte hovve quiet and merrie a man shal finde his wife if he indeuour to satisfie that which Salomon in the 30 of his prouerbs saith hath neuer enough and with many and often imbracings desire to fill the vnsatiable gulfe of hir womb with endlesse copulations it is better known to them that finde it by practise in mariage then can be declared by wordes taken from art And althogh I may be thought to expound this paradoxe of the Wiseman somwhat more at large then it is commonlie vsed to be taken and vnderstood that is to giue it an interpretation vnlooked for and much differing from the common fence yet do I see I maye find out and giue vnto it another exposition so that it may also be taken to carie this meaning The wickednesse of a man is better then one that is now an honest woman but a little after is the cause of an ill name by dealing with vvhom thou gettest thee a reproch that it is better to bargaine and haue businesse to doe vvith a vvicked man then any way to deale with a woman vvho by nature is altogither deceitfull For albeit she seeme at the first sight and shew to be an honest Woman and of a good name and that in her outvvarde gesture she carrieth no shevv of crast or deceit yet afterward thou shalt finde her vnconstant crafty captious slipperie deceitful fraudulent and euerie vvaie bent to deceiue and beguile thee so that if one manne defraude or deceiue an other in his busines this fraud and deceit is iustice in men in comparison of the wickednesse and deceit in women To this purpose wee meet with manie such sayinges in the scriptures beeing argumentes taken from the lesse to the greater For after the same maner dooeth God by Ezechiell Ezâ—â— 16 amplifie the wickednes of the Ievves to the full pronouncing Sodome and Samaria to be iustified by her Whereby he sheweth the Iewes were more wicked and went beyond the gentiles for dishonestie naughtinesse and vvicked deeds so that the Sodomites and Samaritanes may seeme guiltlesse in comparison of them So in vvicked opinions and in setting abroche any pernicious sect or schisme one is more hurtful and dangerous then another insomuch that many heretikes may be thought to be true Christians and to professe true and vvholsome doctrine if thou compare them with others that publishe opinions which bee more absurd impious blasphemous and execrable as we commonlie saie Desee is een goddelick ende heilich man by den anderen That is A godlie and holie man in comparison of the other that is albeit both be wicked and vngodlie yet if thou measure al things by the rule of equitie and square them out with the squire of Iustice one may bee iudged innocent and vvorthie to be acquited if he be wel compared with the wicked deedes of an other After the same sort is one manne more superstitious then another and more estranged from true godlinesse and religion then another Sicplerumque agit at stultos inscitia veri Hor. lib. 1. sâ—â— et Palantes error certo de tramite pellit Ille sinistrorsum hic dextrorsum abit vnus vtrique Error sed variis illudit partibus omnes So for the most part ignorance doth vex fooles all their daies And error driues al wandring mates out of their ready waies That some on left hand some on right do alwaies go astraie And al is but one onelie vice deceiuing manie a waie So that though error wickednesse shame and dishonesty be both in man and woman yet that of the vvoman is moste detestable and accursed And thus you see howe the wickednesse of a man is better then the good deedes of a vvoman or as the Dutchmanne saith De dencht van een vrowe is ergher dan een manâ— bosheyt that is the vertue of a vvoman is a great deale worse then a mans wickednesse By which prouerbe they aggrauate the maâ—iciâ—â—â— naughtinesse of that sex that if one vice be compared with another and then fall to examining and balancing of deceiptes craftes guiles and subtleties thou shalt finde that they weigh heauier are of greater force which come from a woman then those which are wrought and attempted by man FINIS
we see so many vices in this sexe euery where that many married men haue complained and yet doe complaine of the shrewish conditions and natures of women and that weeping to their neighbours doe tell what and howe manie greeuous outrages they are compelled by them to suffer and indure vvhereby they giue occasion to manie men to abhorre mariage and rather to sequester themselues from the societie and secret fellowship with women then to suffer and submit themselues to the vvitlesse controulmentes and vndiscreet threats of a stubborn brawling malicious outragious and scolding vvise yet because the order of nature the necessitie of life and the loue and desire to augment our posterity compelleth a man to get him a wife and prouide him a helper to procure increase of children they do wel which marie vvhereby they passe awaie the course of this life in an vnseparable societie and mutual consent both of bodie and minde yea and if the woman be not too frovvarde both pleasantly and comfortablie For vnlesse nature doe supernaturallie abhorre mariage the condition of mans life requireth it and the qualitie disposition of the bodie inciteth vs to it And therefore did Metellus Numidicus make that commendable Oration to the Romaines Gâ—â— Lib. 1. cap. 6 wherein hee exhorted his Citizens least the Commonvvealth should come to ruine to take each of them a wife For saith he if man might liue without a wife why euery one of vs vvould gladlie be deliuered from such a troblesome euil but because it is so ordained of nature that we canne neither liue wel and quietlie with them nor in any good sort without them let vs rather prouide for the safety of our commonwealth then for our own shorte momentanie and priuate pleasure For if the ministery of a quiet and honest wife bee of great vse and profit to those husbandes that are whole and sounde in helping to order their houshold affaires and in handling of al things profitably at home then questionlesse hir pains must be very comfortable and commodious about the sicke and diseased persons Eccle. 36 And as the wise man saieth where there is not an hedge the possession diminisheth so where there is not a woman the sicke must needes sigh and hee that wanteth his helper caÌ„ be hardly supported For a faithful wife doth hir duety to hir husbande with a courage carefullie prouideth for her house and family huswifeth all things at home in hir house and hath alwaies hir mind and cogitations on her husband so that if he conceiue any disquiet if he â—ustain any losse if he be sicke if sorrowfull and heauy a good wife will couet to lay the greatest part of his calamity vpon hir selfe and greeue at and sorrowe for hir husbandes harmes as if they did properly beloÌ„g to hir selfe And this can by no means bee effected but by a mutuall consent of their bodies and mindes which ioineth them together and of two maketh one and then as Horace saith notably Gen. 2 Lib. carmin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 13 Faelices ter amplius quos irrupta tenet copula nec malis Diuulsus querimonijs suprema citius soluet amor die They thrice and more are blest whose marriage bed is chast Whose loue is not disioynd with brauls but vnto death doth last But dayly examples doe testifie that many women are not onely subiect to all kinde of affections and perturbations of mind but also for the least occasion that is doe outragiously waxe mad with anger so that the lowring and il disposition of a woman is nothing inferiour to that of the aire when it is mooued with tempests lightâ—ing and thunder The which that the Hebâ—â—es others also that sought after wisdome tried by daily conuersation with theÌ„ and found true by obseruing the customs of their liues their writing do copiouslie witnesse and confirme For I gather by their bitter inuectiues against women that they were exercised and taught by domesticall familiar and secret familiatity with them Eccle. 29 vvhat a wicked and malicious woman when she is stirred vp and prouoked to anger is wont to attempte what tragedies and lamentable accidentes shee will cause and howe vehementlie for a trifle shee will rage and storme For thus doeth one of them amongst other things prosecute his speeches against them by taking a similitude from venemous and cruell beastes saying The greatest wound is the sorrowe of the mind and the greatest mischiefe the malice of a woman let me haue anie wounde sauing the griefe of minde and any mischiefe sauing the rage and wickednes of a woman Nothing more hurtful for the head then a serpent and no anger exceedeth the anger of a woman It is better to dwel with a Lion or a dragon then with a wicked naughty and brawling woman When woman was taken out of man she was a quiet milde delectable curteous delicate and smoothe skind creature the desired to be ruled by man and to be subiect to him I wonder then whence shee had this cruelty desire to chide and brawle and all other hir wicked and vnbridled affections Certainlie I coniecture al these things happen to this sexe through the weakenesse of their mindes and the imbecillity of their vnderstandinges and iudgementes whereby it commeth to passe that a woman incensed with anger wil be starke mad with rage and purposing or presusuming beyond hir power can â—either tame hir lusts nor bridle the troubled motions of hir minde no nor in anie meane sort resist them with wisedome and reason but carrieth hir selfe after the guise and fashion of a little childe who altogether voide of vnderstanding and reason Gestit paribus colludere iram Colligit ac ponit temere mutatur in horaâ— Horâ—â—e in arte poâ— Desireth with his fellowes ofte to play is soone displeasd and soone appeasd Changing his mind each minute in the day For why a womans minde is nothing so strong and valiaunt as a mans neither commeth shee any thing neare him in wisedome but vppon euerie light occasion and for a matter of no waight at all shee so looseth the rayns of reason that like a mad dogge forgetting hirselfe and al honesty without any difference or regard of persons setteth vpon and teareth in peeces as well hir friends as her foes And here if any man aske me why shee is so furious I take this to bee one natural cause in that a woman hath such soft tender thinne and moist flesh that so soone as choler is kindled in hir it presentlie setteth the heart on fire and is quickely dispersed ouer the whole body For as fire doth quicklie consume the light stubble the which for the time maketh a great blasing flame but soone goeth out and quickelie vanisheth euen so is a woman soon kindled with anger once incensed doth rage in extremity and because hir body is neither strong nor coragious hir anger because of hir moisture is soon appeased ended quenching hir fury with a few
heauens for vs Titus 3 that is for our loue For after that the bountie loue and humanitie of our Sauiour Christ appeared towards men he saued vs for no desert of ours neither for anie works of iustice that we haue done but according to his owne mercy thorough the washing of regeneration and renewing of the spirit which he plentifullie powred vpon vs by our sauior Iesus Christ that iustified by his grace we might be made heires according to the hope of eternall life Which saying is certaine and vndoubted and by all meanes to be imprinted in the mindes of men Seeing therefore God beareth so great loue good will to mankinde and that his fauour and hartie affection was so great that besides the vse and commoditie of all thinges he bestowed his onelie begotten son to be the redeemer of mankind that by the death and resurrection of Christ he might obtaine grace and reconciliation it is verie meete and the rule of equitie and gratification of a good turne receiued requireth that euerie one place all his hope and truste in him that we giue him great praise and euer to appâ—oue our liues and manners to him please him with a faith not vaine and idle but guarded with the workes of charitie consecrate our selues wholie vnto him by denying vngodlinesse and carnal lustes and walke soberly iustlie and godlie in this worlde expecting the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of the great God Titus 2 and of our sauiour Iesus Christ our lord who hath giuen himselfe for vs that hee might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purchase him a chosen people to him selfe Rom. 5 making them followers of good works And then when we haue laide this sure foundation to good life by the helpe and comfort of the Holie ghost we shall bee at peace and quiet in our mindes shaking off the terror and feare of death making our entrance to immortalitie blessednes by the guide of our captaine Christ Iesus For death is not the destruction of the bodie but a renuing of it not the queÌ„ching of nature but the entrance into a new life and the gate or first going into the heauenlie Citie and eternall life Of the certaintie of which no man should doubt or distrust the promise of God because the truth it selfe which cannot erre Psal 61 115 Rom. 3 perfourmeth faithfullie that which he promiseth for God is true and euerye man a lyar that is God deceiueth no man faileth no manne nor frustrateth any that haue a firme faith and trust in him he promiseth not slightlie as men doe which breake their promises frustrate their couenantes and with a certaine coosening deceit breake their contracts but he is constant stable faithfull and payeth and performeth assuredlie all the promises he maketh but euery man is a lyer that is deceitfull craftie vnconstant slipperie light vncertaine mutable doubtfull wauering cousening fraudulent vaine captious disloyal and which speaketh one thing standing and another sitting so vncertainlie that one cannot relie vppon him Which faults are farre remooued from his Diuine maiestie as in whome no humaine affections doe abide vvherefore vve must leane vnto him with a certain faith and laie on him al our prayers hopes and desires whether danger destruction death or confusion hang ouer vs. For all troubles by his fauour and presence are aswaged all sower and bitter thinges are made sweet Faith in him driueth awaie feare of death and all feare and trembling is taken out of our heartes For the loue of him we despise and contemne all delights and pleasures of this life By his vertue and helpe we suffer sorrowe and discommodities vvhich compasse vs about euerie moment Strengthened with a firme hope and expectation of immortality we cheerefullie depart the prison of this world and by the conduct of Christ are brought to a blessed habitation And with lesse griefe are we separated from the socierie of this bodie and abode in this life and our last conflict with death doth make vs lesse doubtfull wherein almost all men haue a distrust and a kind of desperation besiegeth their minde but that we are sure by the merites of Christ redemption and grace is prepared for vs. For the mediator betvveene God and manne Christ Iesus hath reconciled vs and washed away our sinnes with his bloud Iohn 1 and by the power of his resurrection hath brought righteousnesse vnto vs. For Christ was deliuered for our sinnes Rom. 4 as Paule saith and is risen againe for our iustification So that confirmed by the resurrection of Christ as with a pledge we hope vvee shall be saued and raised againe by his power Phil. 3 For hee as the Apostle saith shall transforme our vile bodies and make them like vnto his glorious bodie according to his power wherewith he can subdue all things For albeit according to the doctrine of Paule the earthlie house of this our tabernacle must be destroyed as a ruinous building 2 Cor. 4 and 5. which by loosenesse of the iointes and fastnings and by plucking awaie the rafters is ouerthrovvne which building we haue of God not made with hands but eternall in heauen for God that raised the Lord Iesus wil raise vs also by him and will make vs partakers of the glorie of the generall resurrection which most certaine hope worketh this in vs that we suffer our selues to be drawn vnto him with lesse corruption and void of all pollution Of the Nature conditions and manners of Women and why that sex when they are angrie are more fierce then Men conceiue anger sooner chide more vnmeasureablie and are sooner ouercome with any affection then men And by the waie in what sence this saying of the Wise man it to be taken The iniquitie of a man is better then the good deedes of a Woman Chap. 60. THe cause why not onelie comicall Poets Orators and Philosophers vvho were alienated from true religion but also the Wisemen and Prophets of the Hebrues who were indued plentifullie with the knovvledge of Gods word do so much euery vvhere inueygh and speake against women was because the wickednesse and dishonestie of diuers of them deserued it And albeit all are not stained with these imperfections neither are all vvomen found to be shrewes and skoldes for there are some matrones who by the benefite of education indewed and decked with manie great giftes of Nature are nothing inferiour nor giue any place to verie excellent men yet the indifferent sorte of women as Citizens and countrey Gentlewomen and the common scum of Women as the basest sort are so proud so foolish so shrewish so imperious our their husbandes Esdras 3. Cap. 4 and for inticements of the flesh pronenesse to lust of such an vntamed and vnbrideled concupiscence that they may vvell bee tyred but neuer satisfied with the acte of Venerie yet so that some are farre more inclined and their affections more addicted that vvaies then othersome are And albeit
foolish and childish teares But if the cause of this their madnesse may be searched more neare to the quicke I find there is nothing so much incenseth their anger as that venemous scumme and filthie sincke of humors which they monethly gather and purge according to the course of the moon For if a woman happen neare the time of that disease to bee prouoked to anger as small things then will greatly offend them the whole sinke of that filth being stirred doth fume and disperse it selfe ouer the body whereby it falleth out that the heart and braine being affected and troubled with the smoake and sparks of that most odious excrement the spirites both vitall and animall that are seruiceable to those parts are inflamed when if you prouoke and stir theÌ„ on to anger especiallie those women that are yong for they that are old and ouerworne and who are past hauing such diseases some of them are more quiet by reason of coldenesse they will barke and brawle like snarling dogs and clapping their hands together wil not onely shew many vndecent gestures but also vtter very vncomly speeches And because reasoÌ„ with them is of no force their iudgments weake and their minds feeble and infirme they brawle and brabble with such extremity that the rage of their mindes can bee by no good means quieted And by how much the more base euerie one is in that sexe by so much the more vnhonestly wil she braule with vnappeaseable anger Hence commeth it that prostitutes the base sort of women for those that are of any calling wil sometimes regard decency although at other seasons by their leaues they wil wrinkle their noses or as the countreyman saith niule like a Mare eating of thistles and not aunswere their husbands so much as one worde whose bodies for the most part are infected with il humors do to their notable impudencie ioyne the like malicions madnesse that as it were caried headelong with the Spirit of furie they canne neither bee bridled by counsaile reason shame and monitions nor yet wherewith the very brute beast is tamed and made gentle with fetters to leaue their vnseemly brauling or to giue ouer their mad and outragious railing So that Terence faith notably of them Neque ius neque bonum aut aequum sciunt Hâ—â—n tâ—n Scen. 1 Actes 4 Melius peius profit obsit nihil vident Nisi quod libido suggerit That is They neither know what is right what is good or what is lawfull what is best for them or what is worst what profiteth them or what hurteth neither will they see any thing but that which their lust prouoketh them vnto So that forgetting themselues they neither regarde their faith comelinesse shame good name honesty credite nor chastity but let them lie open to all kinde of dangers To which purpose serueth that diligent inquirie which Salomon made of their dispositions when hee faieth Eccles 7 I called backe my mind to search after those things that might be gotten by reason iudgement and experience that I might throughly know the wickednes rage madnes furie of women I haue found them to be more bitter theÌ„ death it selfe and who alone supplie the place of many mischiefes Their hearts are like vnto many nets A good woman is a cares birdâ— and their handes comparable to many chaines of yron I haue laboured al the daies of my life to find a good vertuous woman and yet I cannot finde hir among a thousand men I haue found some that are good but among a thousande women not one Not altogether differing from this is that question in the Prouerbes Prouerbs 6. Who shall finde a valiant industrious constant and plaine dealing woman As if hee had saide One shall hardly find in any part of the world or in any corner of the earth an honest and well manered wife But if happely thou do finde out and canst shew me such a one she is far better then the most precious stones neither is any marchandise be it neuer so rare and sumptuous comparable vnto hir And here because I am fallen into this discourse and haue taken in hand to shew the nature of women I vvill declare by the way vvhat this saying of the wise man importeth Melior est iniquit as viri quam mulier benefaciens Eccle. 25. See the originall that is Better is the iniquity of a man then the good deedes of a vvoman The vvhich sentence I expound to carry this fence with it That a man be he neuer so slouthfull sluggish sleepy rude and vnskilfull in any action or trade vvhatsoeuer doeth more cunninglie performe his businesse then a vvoman who by nature is heady and rash and vvhich vndertaketh all thinges vvith a vaine perswasion of vvit and a foolish presumption that shee hath more wisdome then her husbande This vvoman I say doeth all thinges vvorse then a man because men vvho are indued with better iudgement distrust their ovvn abilitie and therfore do execute performe all things vvarely with great leasure by taking the counsaile of others bringeth his businesse to an ende according to his desire and a great deale far better then if a proude vvoman that is puffed vp vvith an opinion of vvisdome had taken the selfe same businesse in hande For the diligence and indeuour of vvomen the more labourously it is inteÌ„ded the lesse effectually do they bring it to perfectioÌ„ the more earnest they are to bring it to good passe the worser a great deale is the euent and successe Which maketh vs speake of women in the Dutch tongue as it were in a prouerbe after this sort Het quaetste van een man is beter dan het beste van een vrouwe that is the very worst action of a man is better then the best of a woman For if any worke bee brought to passe by the industrie of a woman it deserueth lesse praise then that which is rawly and rudely begunne of a man Why a woman is not so wise as a man And that commeth to passe both through the slownesse of their minds and weakenesse of their vnderstandinges by reason of the want of naturall heate and also because their weake spirites lie hid and are drowned in aboundance of moiste matter so that the powers of their soules do shewe themselues much more slowe vnable vnapt and altogether vnfitter then mens to vndertake accomplish any matter whatsoeuer Wherfore the Romans who imploied all their care to gouerne their howses in good order committed their wiues in their absence to tutors onely as Cicero witnesseth because of the infirmitie of their natures Pro Miâ—â—a contrary to the practise of some of our best Citizens vvho make their vviues not onely tutors of their men seruaunts to directe them in their businesse but ouer-rulers of themselues more like children then men Clean contrary to the doctrine of Paule 1. Cor. 14. who laboring to bring vs to soundnes