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
nothing without forsight of good successe in the ende All modest meane is her delight to vertue she doth bend Her listning eare she doth encline graue wisdome to attaine Against all vice she doth repine and wickednes disdayne A lothsome thing is lecherie to her in déede or thought A hatefull thing is bauderie which she doth set at nought Blasphemous othes she doth despise false lying doth detest She doth obey in humblewise she keepeth her behest To checke or taunt she doth refuse though why perhaps offende Her frendly councell she doth vse our giltie faut to amende She is of chast and honeste life true loue in her doth flowe She is a sober quiet wife her duetie she doth knowe All euill thoughtes out of her heade she seketh to remoue Good cogitation in their steade her godly minde doth loue With ernest labor and great payne her liuing she doth get The foode that doth her life sustaine is gotten by her swet Her willinge hart doth not withstand such as are poore in deede She stretcheth forth her helpinge hand accordinge to their neede Her countenaunce she doth not spare in comely wise to kepe And ioye with them that ioyfull are and mourne with them that wepe Her trustie tonge doth not disclose the secretes of thy minde In hidden hart she doth repose thy thoughtes to her resinde Her harmles mouth his closed still from sclaunderous hurtfull talke To haue true vertue is her will and long therin to walke With wanton eye she doth not looke on those that she doth mote Nor gase her fansie for to brooke on either side the streete She lifteth vp her listening eare till eche mans tale be tolde If neede require though she doe heare her talke she doth withholde Her helping hande is very slacke to doe the thing is ill Wish fearefull foote she steps not backe all goodnes to fulfill In desent order she doth weare her garmentes on eche side She goeth not sluttish in her geare and yet she wanteth pride She eates her meate in sober wise to satisfie her neede She drinckes no more then doth suffice not vsing to exceede Wherby she séemes to beare in minde man liueth not to eate But for to liue by natures kinde receaueth he his meate Abrode she doth not reuell much till néede doe her constraine Her self she doth acquaint with such as vertue doe maintaine What wilt thou more if I should write eche vertue she doth taste The day and eke the candell light before my talke should waste Good godly men haue wrote their minde in olde and auncient time Much praysing of this woman kinde for wanting heynous crime Which if thou hadst obserued well I thinke thy grudging harte Would not so much against them swell with wordes of deadly smart I thinke thou wouldest not séeke to spill their good and honest name In blowyng of a blast so shrill with trumpe of blacke diffame Thou dost well know but wilt forget thou seest but wilt be blinde That they are cleare from crime or spote by deede or inwarde minde Thy tounge I saye will not confesse that we to them are bounde That we oftimes truth to expres great good by them haue founde If I did want aucthoritie to furnish out my cause Or were it not for flatterie then would I not long pause To shewe and set before thy face good wemen of renoune Assigninge the their dwellinge place yet liuing in this towne But now my minde my pen shall frame to set before thine eyes And speake of those whose famous fame by vertue did arise And doth continewe to this day and shall for euer last Though they by death were take away full many yeares now past We finde that Ceres did inuent Ouid. Meth. lib. 5. all graine to ynne and sowe And for she was to wisedome bent most people did her knowe Honors deuine to her they gaue so did her dedes expresse With one consent all men did craue to call her good goddesse The. A. B. C. Carmenta founde Iside lib. 1. ant 9. wherby we doe endite Whereby in wisedome we abounde and learne the things is right And Pallas the through pured braine Ouid. in fast so doth the story tell Of oyle and wolle first founde the vaine which is a great iewell Wherfore they did her then prefer before Lady Neptune To geue the name as pleased her vnto Athenes towne And Soppbo eke the Poetresse with harpe to singe did finde Which doth expell all carefulnesse out of a carefull minde The maligne sprite had Saul oprest and longe in sorow tide Tull Dauid for to giue him rest his warbling harpe did guide Such pleasures we by women haue wherby we be preserued Yet thou dost seke them to depraue who haue it not deserued Let this for truth in thine hart cleaue for proue it so I can As many pleasures we receiue by her as by the man But sith Poetrie doth decaye and is had in despite I will therfore without delay set forth in open sight Examples plaine and manifest in holy writ founde out Which being waied in euen brest this slaunders will confute To all that read it doth appeare how Michol Dauids wife Such trustie loue to him did beare that she did saue his life For bloudie Saule to haue him dead his messingers did sende But she founde meanes that Dauid fledde to scape such cruell ende She through a window let him passe so that he went his way And in the bed where Dauid was an Image did she lay Wherby king Saule his whole intente and purpose spent in vaine To murther Dauid he was bent he failed to obtaine Iehosaba did not disdaiue 4. Reg. 1◠Iehoas life to saue When Athlia with busye payne the same did seke to haue Who kept Ionathas in a well when foes his death had sought The wife in Bahurin did dwell that this good deede had wrought Ionathas and his fellow eke this godly wife did hide That when their enmies did them seke then were their not espied The seruauntes that were sent to looke for them did aske the wife Who said they past the water brocke thus did she saue their life A mayde was she that did discrye Eodem A hitophels entent And shewed the conspiracie that was to Dauid ment To Ionathas declared she the thinges before vnknowen So from the snares escaped he that erst for him were sowen When Moyses by the riuers brinke Exod. 2. was in a basket put Where he was left to swime or sinke being there so closely shut Compassion did the woman moue when she did heare him wepe She bare to him suche earnest loue that she his life did kepe And like a mother did him find adopting him her sonne Beheld the louing woman kinde this godly dede hath donne Who caused first let truth be said 4. Reg. 5. that Naaman had his heale From leprosie it was a mayde for she did first reueale A godly Prophet to remaine and be in Israell Could
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