but with Arte it dooth better What sayde Cicero Plus ego togatus quam armati decem He did more in his Gowne then ten in their coate Armours Cedaâ—… armatoga concedant laurea linguâ—… Let the Gunne giue place to the Gowne and giue the braue tongue the Bay tree Was not Cicero â—…ratorum prestantissimus an excelent Scholer Cataline was a braue Souldiour but yet Cicero and his side gaue the ouerthrowe Againe howe should the Fame of your gallaunt Souldiours remainâ—… in Memorie had there not béene Schollers willing for the good will they bare them to set them out with such a grace of glorie that all men should be glad to reade and heare them yea and a number to followe them But euerie man must not nor can bée a Souldiour for some must be at home for diuerse causes of importaunce appertinent vnto the Common wealth which in their kinds are as worthie honour as the Souldiour The Souldiour Not so I graunt that it is necessarie for some to sit by the fire side while the other fetch Wood and Cole But they are slouthfull while the other take paines and whether is more worthie honour labour or idlenesse Againe when the Souldioâ—…s of Rome had playde the men in the ouerthrowe of Cataline Was it not a fault in Cicero to shewe such arrogancie in his spéeches to take vppon him more effect then ten men in Armour eyther hee ment it merrâ—…ly by some odde ten persons that neuer came out of the Towne to the battaile because yet hée sayde somewhat vnto the Souldiours to encourage them and they that were away neither sayde nor did anything And so hee meant it to the discommendation of their Cowardise in kéeping farre enough from the fight Or else he meant hée prâ—…ted more himselfe then any ten Souldiours in the Campe. But happie it was for him that the day went of his side though the victorie came not by his eloquence I graunt hee did great good with his perswasions for in déede good wordes will moue much especially in good causes as that was besides God is good and he dooth commonly giue the good victorie and if he suffer them to be ouerthrowen it is for a further good he meanes them Nowe therefore if he had giuen the chiefe glorie to God and the rest to the valiaunt Captaines and Souldiours in my iudgement he had done wel but to come out with Plus ego me thinkes he played the foole Ipse Againe whereas you speake of the great fauour of Schollers that they doo vnto Souldiours in setting foorth their famous deedes I must giue them commendation for their paines but for Honour confesse who deserues more Honour the man that dooth the déede or he that wrytes of it when it is done I graunt Learning an ornament and a necessarie appertinent vnto a Souldiour Otherwise in deede it is harde for him to bée a good Captaine for by Learning he knowes vpon what cause it is good to beginne warre and warre offered vpon what cause it growes and if it bee without cause howe good then is the defence Else if a Souldiour will vpon a fagarie or madde humour in the heade goe showe his great businesse and little wit hee knowes not nor cares not vpon whome where or for what cause I will say his foolishnesse makes him vnworthie of the name of a Souldiour his deedes worthie to bee put in obliuion and himselfe vnwoorthie honour Therefore I confesse a good Captaine had neede to â—…ee somewhat a Scholler ere he take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand 〈◊〉 yâ—…t in his Scholership not so worthie honour as when he hath shewed him selfe a Souldiour Marrie this I allowe of the vnlearned the Scholler is to bée honoured and the Souldiour to be beloued But yet I say still the Souldiour is to bée honoured both of the Scho ler and the vnlearned of the Scholer for his Wisedome with valure and of the other for his â—…outnesse with vertue Now what say you for the Scholler The Scholler This I say the grounde I thinke was before the Grasse the tree before the fruite the Plaine song before the Deskant and so foorth The ground I must confesse is worthie loue for bringing foorth Grasse so is Grasse to be loued for the Cattailes sake that it feedes which wee 〈◊〉 by Nowe if the ground brought out nothing but Mosse then were it little to be loued againe the Grasse cut and not well handled would doo little good and were worthie as little loue The Tree were ill would beare no Fruite and the Fruite ill would please no taste the Plaine song were plaine stuffe without Deskant and the Deskant were a madde péece of Musicke without Plaine song to be the ground But as the ground for the Grasse so the Grasse for his â—…wéete iuyce the Trée for the Fruite and the Fruite for the sweete taste the Plaine song for swéete Deskant and the Deskant for skill are loued So is the Scholler for â—…is Learning and the souldiour for â—…ertue to bée honoured a like and if any more then other the scholler for that hee findes by Learning what is Honour howe it is to bee gotten howe maintained and what to be esteemed Hee sees whether his bodie bee to his minde and if it bée then if both bée fit to abide the life of a souldiour then dooth hee proue a Famous fellowe if God send him good fortune If not why then hee takes in hand Law Phiâ—…cke or Diuinitie the most excellent study whereby to win no lesse honour during life then Fame after death By learning comes knowledge by learned knowledge comes a man of meane countenance to giue counsaile vnto Princes By learning is seene what sinne is howe it is hated of God and whâ—…t hurt it doth to man by learning is Uertue founde and howe it is beloued of God and honoured of the best minds and so ought to be of all men by learning comes the knowledge of the nature of many things and the vse of the same by learning can the Phisition cure the souldiour beeing sicks or hurt by learning dooth the man of Peace knowe the law of Armes In summe I know no man excellent in anie thing without learning which is the grounde of all excellencie If then learning be excellent the tune that is spent in that is most excellently well bestowed which time may be well called the Schollers time and the scholler for so well bestowing that time most worthie to bée honoured Now what say you for the Souldiour The Souldiour Marrie this I say the better the grasse the more is the ground esteemed and till the grounde beare grasse what was it to be estéemed but as barrain and therfore a thing of little woorth but when it brings foorth good grasse then it is called a fatte grounde good ground so forth Marrie if this grounde lie in a colde corner it will be long ere the grasse spring and being come vp it commonly proues sower and dooth not so soone nor
hee not soâ—…ie for it Well though he serued our Ladie a little hée loueâ—… God best and God loued him for all his offence and why for that hee left his follie was sorie for his sinne and was ashamed of himselfe hee craued mercie in heart and was therefore receyued into fauour Wherefore good sir condemne not schollers for seruing Ladies which in deed is your meaning for Bersebae beautie bewitched the wittes of King Dauid and made him quite forget his Wisedome Nowe there are sewe King Dauids left for their wisedome but for beautie many Bersabaes If then the worlde be as full of fayre Ladies as euer it was and not men of so rare wisedome Blame not schollers for their seruice nor make souldiours saints for their minds to God-ward But as Dauid was both a good souldiour and no worse scholler and Marcus Aurelius as good a scholler as a souldiour and were therfore more honored then the vnlearned Captains so I pray you grant that the valiâ—…nt scholler in honour is to be preferred before the vnlearned souldiour And that the Scholler is so fit a Companion for the Souldiour as they can not well be one without the other and beeing togither do deserue the greatest honour of all men liuing There is such a loue and vnion betwirt them and the one is so necessarie vnto the other that some men thinke the one and the other is as it were Alter â—…ple so that they do deserue like honour and not one to be higher then the other Now sir what say you Will you thinke so well of the Scholler or not The Souldiour Baléeue mée Scholler since thou cemest so neere mée welcome This I must say to thee I see thou hast a good minde to a Souldiour and therefore since thou art entred into traâ—…ile and I haue beene in some skirmishes let vs both forget we are at home and being héere let vs determine to season our selues for all weathers let our faithfull prayer be our defence against the Diuell and all his temptations my sworde â—…ee our defence agaynst bodily enemies and thy wise counsaile my comfort to arine my selfe with patience Let vs feare neither fire nor water care for no weather faire nor foule sticke not for night nor day take what we finde thankefully part it friendly and spende it merily liue togither louingly and die vertuously so shall we be spoken of on earth amously and liue in Heauen eternallie which that God may graunt willingly let vs fall downe presently and pray heartily that we may rise roundly walke wisely and speede luckely What saiest thou Scholer The Scholler Oh sir right gladly and since you haue so courteously vouchsaied mee your companie I here sweare my selfe your owne at commaundement alwayes and as much as may bee I reioyce to haue found you I hepe to liue with you and neuer to leaue you so dearely I loue you that I will die with you ere I will forsake you and as you doo loue me so put your trust in me and this bee sure of me that you shall commaund mee till liues ende beleeue mee Now that we may togither to the heauenly place thither the onely place whither the Scholler espieth the good Souldiour hieth with humble he artes lâ—…tte vs pray that we may walke the way that at the latter day we may haue cause to say Truth will not lead a stray To which good blessed place God grant vs all his grace that when wee haue runne this race that wee may walke apace that within little space wee may all face to face beholde our blessed Lord whose name with one accord lette vs with laude record And so let the souldiour make much of the Scholler and trust to the Scholler that he loues the Souldiour and let vs bee sure of this when wee doo pray iâ—…is Gods hand doth neuer misse to worke for our auaile THus did the Souldiour put the Scholler out of his Nothing and togither they are gon about something But for that I knowe not what till I see them againe I will héere bid them farewell and with my selfe wishe you well Promising that if I doo méete them you shall hears what became of them Till when and euer God so blesse vs héere that we with ioyfull châ—…re may all at once appeare before his heauenly throne to which his grace alone guide vs right euery one both Men Women and Children I would he were hanged that will not say Amen Marti Mercurius N. B. FINIS The Praise of vertuous Ladies An Inuectiue against the discourteous discourses of certaine Mailcious persons written against Women whome Nature Wit and Wisedome well considered would vs rather honour then disgrace For proofe whereof eade what followes VVritten by the saide Author N. Breton Gentleman Hic haec homo Considera quid mulier To the Courteous and gentle Reader GEntlemen others to whose viewe shall come this woonderfull peece of worke of the praise of womeÌ„ considering how little cause of commendation is found in a number of them I beseeche you before you begin to read resolue with your selues to take in good part what you thinke I haue written against my conscience And though I haue perhaps as great cause to write the contrarie in respect of the little good that I haue founde in some Yet the hope of good that I haue to find by fauour of some one none such hath made me in the behalfe of women generally for her sake say as much as I wish all to approoue and I would as gladly affirme In the meane time I hope I haue offered none iniurie in dooing them a courtesie I craue pardon of none for saying my minde and good thoughâ—…s of them of whome I deserue it Meaning to deserue as wel as I may of all the world and desiring too as little ill to any as may be Thus wishing you to wish Women no better then you see them woorthy I pray you wishe me no woorse then your selues as I wishe all you From my Chamber in the Blacke Fryers this present and alwaies Your friend N. Breton Gentleman The Author to the vertuous Ladies and Gentlewomen LAdies and Gentlewomen or other well disposed what soeuer I haue in your commendations saide as much as I hope you will deserue and more then I thinke hath beene said for you this great while Nowe if yet thinke that I haue said is said for flatterie you should shewe me little fauour For to flatter all I should but haue a floute of a number and to speake well of all I hope will make none mine enemie I craue no fâ—…rther friendship then I deserue nor greater thankes then may requite good will which wisheth well to ye all that are well minded and if you thinke I haue saide trulie in that I haue written thanke your selues for giuing so good occasion if contrarie doo your endeuonr to make good what I haue saide and will bee glad to see and so rest ready to doâ—… you
and euery day Anger For how long Patience during life Anger What wilâ—… thou bind me to a diet Patience That shall do the good refuse not Anger What shall I pay for iâ—… Patience 〈◊〉 Anger Who shall haue it Patience Selfe will Anger Will that please him Patience Hee may nâ—…t refuse it Anger When must I pay it Patience When you take your Phisicke Anger What good will it doo mee Patience Great It will cleare you of Choller it will make you finde a new world teach you how to knowe your friendes and to beware of your foes the way to a quiet life a happie ende and Heauen hereafter Anger Oh good Phisick Patience None such Anger When is it good taking it Patience In the fall or spring or at any other time Anger Howe shall I take it Patience Fasting in the morning and â—…ate what you can gette after Sléepe not before your eyes be together and kéepe you as warme as your cloathes will giue you leaue walke vp and downe about your businesse and suppe not late except you haue not eaten any thing all dâ—…y before Kéepe this order and my life for yours this heate of yours will quite away kéepe it for an excellent péece of Phisicke You may make it with a little cost and no great labour Anger Syr for your good will I thanke you but for your Medicine I gesse it of meane effect yet for that I am troubled with a Melancholie I meane to trie your cunning In the meane time I will fetch a sigh for my sinnes and bidde you fare well I am but yong and â—…m going to age hee hath promised me to learne mée some good Lessons Patience And with him shall you finde me and so till we méete farewell Thus is Youth gone to Age of whose méeting 〈◊〉 shall heare more ere long In the meane time I craue you Patience to beare with that hath passed and if héereafter you heare of any better stuffe thinke of it as it deserues and of mee as you haue cause in minde to giue you as good cause as I can to thinke the best of me Meane time hoping I haue giuen no man cause to say ill by 〈◊〉 I wish all â—…he worlde to thinke the best of euerie man and so of mée among the rest Who wish none ill but all as well as I desire them to wish mée And so fare you well Patientia Penitentia N. B. Gent. FINIS NOw Gentlemen when I had finisht vp my booke and bade you farewell came to my remembraunce an olde peece of Phisicke good for sâ—…ch persons as are sicke like my selfe which for that I guesse it as profitable as it may seeme pleasaunt I am to desire you to reade a little more what followes It was my happe not many months since to be verie sicke when so weake as I could not well walke abroade I tooke my pen and wrote vnto my friends of such matters as stoode me vppon not to let slip Among which my health beeing not the least thing that I tooke care of I wrote vnto a friend of mine whom I counted a good Phisition to minister me some such Phisicke as he thought good for the disease Now the man well acquainted with the cause and minding rather to comfort me with some merrie counsaile then weaken mee with too many Medicines wrote me word to obserue such a diet as I think is verie requisite for all men that shall â—…all into like Feuer to take care to keepe and when they haue found as much ease as I haue done in it then I shall haue as much thankes as he had but least I seeme â—…edious ere I begin thus it was A Phisitions Letter COmmendations considered soâ—…e for your heauinesse yet glad of your good remembrance notwithstanding your great weaknesse This is to let you vnderstand that nowe you are determined to take my counsaile and trouble your selfe with no more Phisicke Upon Thursday fortnight God willing I meane to sée you till when for that I sée no daunger of death in you I haue héere written you worde what order you shall take and when I come we will talke further First considering that the cause growes of conceyte which hath bredde such a hearts gréefe in you as will hardly bée cured without Gods great goodnesse and yet by his grace is not past helpe This you shall doo thinke not of that you haue lost for the losse will gaine you nought but gréefe and cast not to get any thing ill least the gaine bréede as great an after sorrow as the losse and to recouer your health and estate by such good meanes as it way continue this you shall do Obserue this order In the morning when you rise serue God and hee will see to you washe your handes with running water it is good for the heate of the Liuer make your breakfast of a warme broath which you shall make of Hearbes in this sort Take a handfull of Time and put as much Rewe into it stampe with these two a roote or two of Repentanâ—… and straine them into a fayre Dish with the iuyce Parseline let it stande on the fire till it bee luke warme then taste it with your fingers ende and if you like it not throwe it out at the Windowe vpon my worde it will neuer hurt you For your meate you may nowe and then if your stomacke stande to fleshe eate of a little warme Mutton but take héede it be not laced for that is ill for a sicke body For chaunge now and then eate of a Rabbet it is as restoritiue olde Cunnies are to drye and too harde of digestion You may nowe and then eate of a Larke it is good and light meate but Buntings are to bitter A Partridge is not a misse but eate not of a pluâ—… Plouer A Chicke now and then of a moneth olde but Marche Birds are to strong meate A Woodcocke manis sicke folkes may be bold withall but a Goose of all other is a vile Bird a perillous meate for a sicke person And of all meates Foule or other fleshe whatsoeuer take héede of Uenison as Does fleshe and Hares fleshe and such like they are stirring meates and will distemper the body verie much For â—…she of all beware of swallowing a Gudgine whole or a Leaping Whyting a Goddes heate is not verie good and a salte â—…ele is vnholsome if I lye aske the Ship Boye Drinke not too much Wine leasts it inflame the bloud and bring the Purse into a consumption Comforte your selfe with hope of better happe then you haue had considering you cannot well haue woorse Followe harde the good worke you haue in hande and finishe it as well as you haue begunne it will make you amendes for a great deale of mispent time it will purchase you credit payment for your paines good thoughts of your betters thanks of your fréends and content to your selfe Thus loth to trouble you with any more matter at this time I pray
agreater seruice From my chamber in the Blacke Fryers N. B. Gent. FINIS The praise of vertuous Ladies and Gentlewomen WHen I peruse and consider of y â— strang discourses of diuers fantesticall fellowes that haue no grace but in disgracing of women in Inuectiues against them in most despitefull description of their dissimulations in such shameful setting out of their sexe Wherby for a fewe mad headed wenches they séeke to bring all yea most modest Matrons and almost all Women in contempt surely mee thinkes I can terme them by no name fitter for theyr folly then madde men that fame would be Authors of somewhat and knowing not what to take in hand runne headlong into such absurdities as redounde to their vâ—…ter dishonor For let a man not quite forget himselfe and but a litt'â—… looke into himselfe hee shall see so great a parte of a Woman in him selfe as that except he wâ—…ll runne from him selfe hee cannet but with as great honour account of them as of himselfe Let me goe to the beginning was not the first Woman made out of man and was shee then any thing else but a péece oâ—… himselfe Nowe when some would 〈◊〉 against her for her dâ—…t did shee it of her selfe no it was by the Serpent And further if a man should consider narrowlie of it was shee any other then himselfe that deceiued himselfe Fâ—… theâ—… more if it were but for the paines they take in bringing vs into the worlde besides the pleasure that wee haue in the worlde wee ought rather to couer any crime or cause that might breede their discredit thâ—…n of our selues vnworthely to seeke thâ—…r defame Some men may thinke that some one Woman hath hired me to flatter all or else by flattering of all I shuld hopâ—… of fauour of some one Some will say perhaps hee hath a Woman to his mother some other a Woman to his Mistresse some other he is sworne to the Candlesticke other it is pittie he was not made a woman and some oh he is a good Womans man Now all these I answere in their kindes as all Women are not of one nature so neither are all Natures of one disposition as one loues to be flattered so other loue to be flatlie dealt withall Therefore if I shoulde seeke to flatter all I should but floute my selfe and commonly the hyre of flatterie is but hate which is so colde a comfort to any mans Conscience as he were well woorthie of a frumpe for his folly that would bée hyred to such a seruice Further they are fooles that loue to bee flattered and Women haue euer naturally had so much wit as to finde a falsehood in a fayre tale But if fayre woordes bee truly spoken and by authoritie confirmed they cannot but be as fréendlie taken as fully allowed Wherefore my woords in their behalfe shall shew testimony of my true meaning else let me abide the slander of such hipocrisie as is hatefull to an honest minde That I haue a Woman to my Mother I graunt and am heartily glad off for surely he that is not borne of a Woman wants a péece of a Man and he that despiseth his Mother in that shée is a Woman is to be disdained him selfe in that he is no Man are we not commaunded by God to honour Father and Mother Is it not written in the holy Scriptures Thou shalt honour thy Father bâ—… thy Mothers paines shalt thou neuer forget Then remember the commaundement and doo thy Mother due reuerence disdaine her not for feare of Gods displeasure discredit her not for GOD and mans disliking defame her not for feare of thy Soules destruction Now some will say that I haue a Woman to my Mistresse I not denie it for Saintes are none vpon the earth and Diuels I would be loath to doâ—… seruice too A Woman of honour may well be Mistresse to a Man of worship in reason consider and grant me this what Souldiour so valiant what courtiour so fint and what scholler fo profound but will vse his armes his allegaunce and his art to win the fauour of his Mistresse I haue heard some talke theyr pleasure in a heate that the fayrest Lady in the world shuld not make them steupe to their Lure But when without an Hostler they walked themselues a cold oh then ere long recant al it was not I and cry Peccaâ—… for a fauourable looke of an indifferent face Now some wil say that I am sworne to the candlestick such I wish their noses in the socket And this I say further my faith was not yet so much had in question to bee called to the Candlesticke but if he that say so haue beene brought to the like booke oath I wish hee had eaten the stringes for his labour Some will say it is pittie he was not made a Woman I woonder why my beautie is not such to allure a wanton eye nor mine eye â—…o wanton to allure a wicked minde my qualities are not onely fit for a Chamber nor in my chamber alwaies in bed Then what see these fellowes in me if they say so they knowe not why I answer them I care not hâ—…w Nowe some will saye oh hee is a good Womans man beleeue mee I thinke it betteâ—… to bee thought a good Womans man then an ill mans Woman But as no man can be counted a manâ—… Woman but figuratâ—…e so then a good Womans man I thinke a man cannot bee tearmed more fitlie but if any man speake it in scorne I answere him in scoffe if he speake it in despite of Women let them 〈◊〉 him if 〈◊〉 displeasure with me as he is angrie without a cause he shall be pleased without amends Aâ—…d to conclude I am of this minde that as nowe the worlâ—… goes he is verie preâ—…se or little wise that would not rather choose the fauour of one woman then the frienâ—…ship of any man Now hauing made answere to these obiections I wil goe onwards with my opinion touching the worthinesse of Women Let me see what man was euer so good so iust so pittifull so â—…becall so learned so Famous for rare excellencies But there maye be founde a Woman euerie waies his matche fetche authoritie out of Scripture Was not the blessed â—…irgin Maâ—…ie a Woman how good did God thâ—…nke her that hee would vouchsafe to conioyne in her most holy wombe his diuine Grace with her humaine Nature Mée thinkes there is no man of any good minde at all but would thinke well of all Women â—…or her sake and such as are not good to wiâ—…he them gracâ—… to amend rather then so to difgrace them as makes them neuer haue heart to fall to good againe Admitte 〈◊〉 was ill so was Adam too Cruell was the Woman that killed her Childe so was Caine in killing his owne brother Abell But leauing discommendations now to commend for perticuler causes For beléefe who before the Woman of Canaan For repentaunce Marie Mâ—…gdalen And for causes touching saluation what
greater pointes then Faith with pemtencâ—…e For worldlie causâ—…s touching Fame What greater vertue then Learning the grounde of all knowledge howe better knowne then by apparaâ—… and where but where there is none such I list not to trouble you with recounting the names of worthie Ladies let this suffice if there neuer were any so worthie â—…emmendation as men before this instant age yet nowe is to bée founde a Woman worthie a more worthie name if more worthie might bée who for repentant Faith with rare Uertues may bée as well honoured of all godly mindes as with woonderfull loue woorshipped of all good mindes Was there euer man learned so is shée and by his learning Uertuous no lesse is Shée and by his Uertues Faâ—…ous Shée as much as hée Nowe though there bée none such as Shée yet as shée is of all most excellent so are there some other for commendation more then indifferent But for that I will not giue too much to anie nor can giue her sufficient I say this for all Women that men are madde that séekes their dishonour The Prouerbe sayes That it is an euill Birde will file the owne nest Then let man consider the Henne that hatcheth him and he woulde bée loath to haue the Cocke haue all the meate from her Some disprayse Uirgins because they be obstinate for my selfe I thinke it a signe of ill nature in a Woman to bée hard hearted But if it come with care of Credite or content I will allowe it say Louers what they list for that fittes one mans â—…ye is farre from â—…tting another mans fancie He may like and she may loath shée may loue and he not like All are not of one mould one minde one nature one complexion nor one condition Loue hath no reason in his choyse then such as haue founde such hard dealing in fayre Damosels let them consider of thesâ—… clauses and let them alone Lucke is a great matter in loue and so let it rest Some will dispraise women for wantonnesse surely I am perswaded if the worlde were examined we should â—…nde a Iacke an Apâ—…s as wanton as â—… Monkie We should â—…nde a young man as wanton in looking Bâ—…bies in a Ladies eyes as her with flirting him on the Lippes with her lâ—…tle Finger him as wanton in wearing a Toy as her in wishing the like him as wanton in his deuices as shee in desyres and he in desires as much as shee in delights hee as wanton in câ—…st as shee in colours hee as wanton in gift as shee in receite What shall I say he as wanton as shee euery way and shee one way wiser then hee if shee bée bragge of her Beautie hee is as proude of his proper personage if shée stretch out a fine hande hée strouteth out a straight Legge if shee haue her hand on the Pette in her Cheeke hée is twyrking of his Mustachios if shee play the wanton with a little Dogge hée will bée so wanton as to wish himselfe a Whelpe To bée short if shée bée vaine in one thing hee will bée as little vertuous in an other Some will say Women are couetous are not men as handfast besides liberalitie of courtesie bréedes losse of credite Let not men bee niggards if they will haue Women franke hearted Some will say Women are yll Mystresses they giue slender wages in deede I haue heard some called â—…naus twentie tymes a daye yet hath not had halfe that hee deserued Some sawcie seruaunt will looke for a fauour before hée deserues a fayre looke And some seruauntes thinkes their Mystresse is couetous though they giue them neuer so much if they giue not themselues also But such as 〈◊〉 haue all shâ—…ll loose all Therefore let men weigh liberalitie in kinde and they shall finde Women frée hearted in extending fauour not fullie deserued and themselues couetous in béeing neuer contented Some will say Women are foolish hée neuer heard that the wisedome of a Woman should bâ—… no more then to goe out of the raine when shée is in it and know her husbands bedde from another mans But now a dayes men be so phantasticall I dare not say foolish that if a Woman bee not so wise as to make a man a foole shée is no wise Woman No forsooth but he is a very wise man to match with such a Woman Women haue Witte naturally wisedome must be hadde by Grace Grace was giuen to our Lady then who wiser then a woman Weigh worldly wisdome by wit and experience and let mee see who with all the experiments hée can deuise can make a Woman a foole in any thing but himselfe in the same as vâ—…wise Some will say Women are vnconstant but I say not all for Penelope and Cleopatra Lucâ—…etia with diuers more too long to rehearse shall stand for examples of such constancie as no man euer more constant And for â—…olly in Fancie who wiser then Salomon who more wanton in Loue Some will say Women are deceitfull but they that say so bee such as dâ—…ceiue themselues in Women so thinke them trustie For as well of men as Women it is sayde Fere nulla fides est in terris Lette not men cosen themselues with a wilfull conceite beleeue no more then reason leades them to And they shall finde Women but like themselues deuâ—…sing all meanes they may and employing the best witte they haue to worke theyr willes And for deceit what greater treason was euer found in any woman then in Iudaâ—… when he betrayed Christ. But leauing this some will say a Woman is a necessarie euill That sheâ—… is necessarie I graunt but euill I denie except iâ—… be meant onely in respect of man that desireth not any thing that is good and so his desire makes her ill in estimation of minde for that shée is the ontent of an ill conceite but indéede well considered he should finde that the ill were in his conceite onely and not in the Woman who is no other substance then another himselfe And if I must graunt as I cannot choose that there is none good but God so indéede I must yeelde that Woman is ill and man no better for if that Woman be ill howe can man be good vnto whome ill is so necessarie But whether may man bee thought worse then ill that will vse that ill worse then it should â—…e Therefore let man first mende his minde before hée so discommend a substance of his owne naturall kinde Some will say Women are pittifull howe is that knowne by lookes and speeches men are more which is showen as well in words of mouth as writing Some will say a Woman is a wo to man who put in that to did it of his owne authoritie and therefore it is not to be allowed For consider right of the word and the to is as well left out as the worde falsely written for indéede it ought to be written Woman not Woman for that shée dooth woo Man with her Uertues who weddeâ—… her with