The praise and Dispraise of Women very fruitfull to the well disposed minde and delectable to the readers therof And a fruitfull shorte Dialogue vppon the sentence know before thou knitte C. Pyrrye ¶ Imprinted at London in Fleetstreete by William How AD CANDIDVM LICTORIM VItuper at laudatque genus breuis iste libellus Foemineum legito commoda multa feras Perlege non etenim cuiqueuam res lecta nocebit Perlege fortassis lecta iuuare queat Lecta iuuare queat fi corde animo reuoluas Si mea dicta tenes lecta iuuare queat Lecta iuuare queat si laudabilia tentâ—â— Virtutesque sequi lecta iuuare queat Lecta iuuare queat si quae mala crimina sentis Euitare cupis lecta iuuare queat Lecta iuuare queat mala si peccata malorum Te faciunt cautum lecta iuuare queat Lecta iuuare queat videas si exempla bouarum Visaqueue facta petis lecta iuuare queat Quis nisi mentis inops videat quin gramina terre Et flores apibus reddere fructus humi Quis nisi continua sit stoliditate repletus Omne quin exemplum scit forè fructiferum Perlegere ergo velim quia scripta sequentia prosunt Delectantqueue animum non sine fruge bonum VALE To the Reader AFter I had finished though simplie and rudelye this little Treatise of the praise disprayse of Women I thought it good gentle Reader to declare and explane in some short preface two principall causes whiche moued me therunto The one was to the intent that all those which at any time shall feele themselues entangled with prompte and tedie enclinacion to vice euill and with great slacknes in furderinge that is good and vertuous may by diligent perusing hereof learne to a voyde and eschew suche greate crimes and greuous offences as they shall see conteyned and written in theyr disprayse seke diligentlie to embrace and earnestlie to followe those good condicions and laudable vertues whiche they shall playnlie perceaue to be at large specified and abundantly set foorth in theyr commendacions The other is to the ende that the good examples of good and verteous women if no other thing wil moue them to doe that they ought may incite and encorage them to do that is good verteous and bring them to suche confirmitie of honeste life that they may be had in good reputacion before men and founde acceptable before God And the euill examples of the wicked maye teache them to despise and vtterly forsake those things that are naught and vicious lest by to much enclining to sinne and vice they be counted as caste awayes before the worlde and in time to come fall into vtter destruction for if the preceptes of the good will not prouoke styre them to Godlines spedy reformacion of life in hope of like rewarde that they haue or if the testimonies of the wicked will not withdrawe or terrifye them from doing enill for feare of like punishment surely what then may doe it I know not These two consideratioÌ„s gentle reader did moue me at this time to write the I haue writen desiring thee to take it in good part such as it is and to esteme my good will meaning herein not regarding the rude handeling of the matter fith I did it in hope to profit many but surely to hurte none And wher as I haue made the prayse of women to sounde in suche sorte throughlie that I mought seeme vehementlie to gainsay my selfe for speakinge so much in theyr dispraise I did it being moued therto for diuers good considerations which I minde not to recite but leaue it vnspoken of willing thee herein to vse thine owne iudgement Here beginneth the Disprayse of VVomen MY penne prolong no longer time cut of this longe delaye And now beginne to writ in time of that that I shall say Take thou some paine a litle space ne be thou ought ashamde When thou ofttimes in secret place with great despite art blamde Of this thou maist assure thée none will thy truth dissame Saue onely those that pricked be and giltie of the same Spare not to speake spare not to write spare not in wordes to tell Spare thou no time for to endite an ougely Monster fell This Monster is the woman kinde whose ougelye shape and port I meane to paint writ thou my minde not forcing her report This woman kinde I know right well is comelie to the eye Of perfect shape she beares the bell I can it not denie But in her fained couert brest stronge poison she doth hide And in her harte as in a cheft a deadly stinge doth bide Which geues an helples hurtfull wounde as hath ben brought to passe Much like the snake that vnder grounde doth lie and lurke in grasse She doth annoy by sodden sight vnlesse thou can beware And kepes the still in wofull plight once caught within her snare Her poison is so swete and pure and of suche strength and force That who so doth that same deuoure is brought vnto his corse Take hede therfore seke to discerne bâ— this that foloweth plaine With earnest minde see thou do learne this monster to refraine For why she is most proude seruile cruell without measure Reason and lawe she doth exile to haue her wicked pleasure She doth all thinges without forsight all godly end despise In all extremes she doth delight suche is her wonted guise Temperate doinges she forceth not from vertuous men retyre Her loue to thee is feruent hote her hate is deadly Ire When flouth her slouggish limes do shake she lieth as a stone Or when a toye her head doth take she hasteth to be gone When myrth and ioye is gone and past graue visage comes in place And makes her like a winters blast with frowarde frouning face When she by myrth doth seeke pleasure all sadnes set a part Her iocond ioye doth wante measure nought then may gréeue her harte Then wanton willes talke doth growe and laughing with excesse Both from her fained harte do flowe Both are without redresse Now bolde she is now doth she feare now séemes she mad now wise Now she doth laugh with pleasaunt there now teares fal from her eyes Now she will haue it thus to be chaunce what may chaunce therebyt Now from her selfe doth dissagre beginninge to reply It shall not be as I had thought no no it is not fit An other waye yet haue I sought such is her wandering wit Vnconstancie in her doth raigne she wauerith full of chaunge Oft blabbing talkatiue and vaine double tounged which semeth straunge Desiring honor full of threttes disdainfull wishing bloud Still chatchyng what an other gettes couetous nothing good Complaining oft a lyar enuious quicke to beleeue a tale Vnpacient often tedious oft dronken with good ale Oft times she vseth Magickes arte with baudry her selfe defile She hath a supersticious hart she is waywarde rash and vile Disceytfull vsing wicked wayes fine mouthed
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
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
fame Againe vnto the house she went 2. Reg. 13. acknowledging her sinne Where she by thangelles appointment was then receaued in Amon vnlawfullye did vse hir faire sister Thamare Fayning sicknes O fonde excuse and she therof not ware Yet long did she lament the chaunce which was to Amons shame In token she toke repentaunce though she were not to blame And wheras Sichem wickedlye with Dina of comelye shape Gene. 34. Comytted and that filthely most foule and haynous rape Yet was it not the womans faulte for she with willing hart When he began her minde to assaulte did not that wicked parte Wherfore gods hand the truth is so as scripture doth reherse This wicked man with foundry moe by sworde to death did pearse Micheas mother of promise iust Iudith 17. a mirror fitte may be To proue all women true to trust how so they seme to the. For she by vowe her selfe did binde a grauen sculpe to make Which vowe alwaies she bare in minde and did it not forsake Miriam to God did giue the prayse Exod. 15. for the death of Pharao Sounding timbrels with pleasaunt noise both she and diuers moe This Miriam was a Prophetise Sister to Aaron She lauded God in foundry wise her instrument vppon Of many moe as yet I can a true rehersal make By whose good life the wilfull man example iust may take As of good Ruth and Neomy Ruth 1.2 Mach. of her that did obey Gods will and from all Idolatrie did tourne her face away And strengthned her sonnes to dissente and suffer for Gods lawes Declaring his iust iudgment for this their righteous cause The women haue most worthy praise for wisdome and mere pitie With faith and fortitude alwaies in most aduersitie As to two Prophetes hath bene seene 4. Reg. 22. Luc. 22. I meane Oldah and Anne With Saba the most worthy Quéene 3. Reg. 10. to Salomon that came Reade the new Testamont likewise there written shalt thou finde That woman had the exercise of good and constant minde Of Christes byrth the misterie Luc. 1. Elizabeth did beleue And not the man olde Zachary whom the angel did repréeue Great was the loue the woman bare Ioh. 10. in time of Christes woe As Magdaline who had great care and from him did not goe Though his disciples all were fled long weping did she sit And the sepulcre he once heade oftimes she did visit She and her compers with oiles pure Maâ—h 5. to shewe their earnest zeale Sought Christ theu laid in sepulture in hope they mought him heale For wel they knews and did beleue by his owne saienges plaine That in shorte time he would reuiue and rise from death againe For the oile she spent God to her gaue great praise when as he sat At meat and those men did depraue who did against her prate The poore said he from day to day amongst you shall remaine But shortly I must hence away as I haue told you plaine Also he did her more esteme Luc. 11. who did but two mites send Then the riche man though he did seme much more then she to spend No kinde of grace in her was hid Act. 9. who daily fed the poore I meane Thabita whom Peter did from death to liue restore Ne yet in her than rather woulde 3. Reg. 3. her child forsake and leaue Then Salomon asonder should his partes most tender cleaue And Pilates Wife did more pitie the troublous time of Christ Then all the men who standinge bye blaspheming did resiste To whom thinke you did Christe appeare from death when he arose In faith for ought that I can here or ought I can suppose To Marie Magdaline I read Math. 27. and to his mother deare That first he shewed him selfe in deede this thing in truth is cleare We seldom finde that Christ did blame one woman properly Or any one so fare past shame so litle set our Sauioure by As Peter did Christ to denie Iuâ— 22 oftimes in open place For which offence Christ openlie did blame him to his face And where the scribes maliciously Ioh. 8. to Christ had brought a whore He saued the woman graciously and said do soe no more Which thing to mans rebuke did founde but tell me if thou can Did he the like as thou hast found at any time for man Likewise the wife of Cananie Math. 15. whose daughter was possest With a deuill on Christ did crie to geue her daughter rest To her Christ answered not againe to thend all men mought see What constant faith did still remaine vnto the femine We finde at the Womans request and at a nedefull time Christ being at a solemne feaste turned water into Wine Also at the Womans insteance Ioh. 2. raysed Lazar whole and founde Who then such was Gods sufferaunce lay foure dayes vnder grounde And he be wayled tenderlye to them that him oft fedde Martha the one the other Mary for this their brother dead I neuer yet as I am ware did reade that he did make Such sorowe or once toke care for any one mans sake Thus women be not cast awayes by scripture proued playne Nor thâ—se that were of auncient daies nor they that yet remaine As I for witnes coulde report a thousand more as yet But to thensent I may be shorfe I will their names omitte I mought repet Lucrecia Ouid. in fast lib. â— of chaste and honeste life Here mought I speake of Porcia and of Vlisses wife With sondrye moe but as I say and as before I spake I minde as brieflie as I may some ende hereof to make Wherfore do thou thy minde refer olde auncient bookes to vewe Then shalt thou see that women were vertuous constant and true Then shalt thou learne to be ashamde of this thy foolish fact In that thy spitefull pen was framde poore women to detract For though that Eue did first transgresse whose faulte brought vs in thrall Yet Mary did the same redresse and therby losed all But sith some women wickedly did ill in sondrie case Wilt thou therfore so spitfullie blame all with shamles face It foundeth muche to thy great blame all fortes to reprehende Because that some without all shame did wilfullie offende For as eche tree that yet doth last geues not his fruite a like But some geue passing pleasaunt tast and some we doe mislike Or as eche clothe is not like bad for some is fine some corse Some light of color and some sad some good and some far worse Or as eche man is not alike for some are thicke some small Some pacient some cholerike some short some other tall Semblablie of woman kinde we al are plainlie taught That some are of most vertuous minde and other some are naught Wherfore if righteousnes should skan and iudge in this one point She would condemne as well the man so durst I lay a wint Seke not sherfore thine owne reproche thy name do not consume On others faltes doe not encroche nor yet against them fume For of saint Paule this maist thou learne Rom. 2. it doth no man beseeme Worse of an other to descerne then of him selfe to deeme What creature liuing vnder sky fish foule worme or best But with his kind continually doth liue at quiet rest Saue man alone who being rude out ragiously doth speake And raile against his symlitude his furious moode to wreake It seemeth then a great abuse such frowardnes to haue Yea it is in maner maruelous the selfe same to depraue Whom most we ought to laud and loue great foliy sure it is So sclaunderously them to reproue whom we not long can misse Wherfore all ye that this do se Iudge them to be most worthy prayse The truth to tell I knowe it well They do expell all wicked wayes With hand and to they do forgo We find it so thinges vndiscrete With earnest mind this woman kinde Her selfe doth binde to vertue swete Beare them good will seke not to spill With voyce so shrill their honest name For they maintaine all goodnes plaine And so obtaine most famous fame Seeke not to scorne their faith vntorne Which hath forlorne all doublenes But rather proue their stedfast loue And so remoue all doubtfulnes Be true of hart take thou their part And as thou art a stronge defence So they most meke will euer seke To do the leke in recompence Farewell adewe loue woman kinde For they be true of hart and minde Explicit A fruytful short dialogue vppon the sentence knovve before thou knitte W. I will not knit before I knowe C. Care not for long delaye W. And so I shall doe best I trowe C. It is the wisest waye W. The knot vnknowen I may repente C. But then it is to late W. Whiche way mought I this il preuent C. If ignorance you hate W. Encline my hart therto I muste C. Suche wisdome now is rare W. RepentaÌ„ce then néede not I trust C. Then shall you flie from care W. Can no man lose the knote once knit C. Once knit it must abide W. Good sage aduice therfore is fit C. Your wordes for truth are tride W. Examples can you here find out C. Examples yea great store W. Som of them dwelling here about C. Remaining here a score W. Such as by hast haue found the lost C. Preuenting foe their care W. The turning spit who eates the rost C. You yf you can beware W. New hastie bandes adew farwel C. Remember time trieth truth W. God graunt I folowe good councell C. Then call to minde your youth W. Yf I doe not I shall bewaile C. In that you say the best W. Repentance then will not preuaile C. Euen so then seeke for rest FINIS