¶ A Lytle and bryefe treatyse called the defence of women and especially of Englyshe women made agaynst the Schole howse of women Yf the turtle doue Be true in loue Uoyde of reason than What shame is it yf man hath wyt And hateth a Woman ¶ Anno Domini M. D. LX. ¶ To hys synguler and especyall frende mayster Wyllyam Page Secretary to Syr Phillip hobdy Edward More sendeth gretyng CAllyng to mynde the saynge of Salust that they lede theyr lyfe lyke beasts which passe theyr tyme in ydlenes I could not chuse for as much as I hade a lytle vacant tyme from studye but attempte some thyng wherwith I might be busyed â–ª when I coulde not in a pretye space bethinke nor deuyse what lytle worke I might occupie my selfe with that might be correspondent and agreable both vnto my small leysure and tyme also vnto the place wherin I was at that present season for I was in London at last a booke inteteled the Schole howse of women cam vnto my handes wherin I had wel hoped to haue redde some notable gestes and actes of women for so semed the false forged tytle therof to promyse but when I had well pervsed and ouer redde the same I found the cleane contrary For much againste my expectation I myght vewe and see theryn diuers sundry reprochfull thyngis spoken agaynste women not only as I thought vndeserued on theyr partes but also moost beastiall lyke on hys behalfe which wrote the same What creature comme and borne of a woman wold so spytefully wryte agaynste them what learned man can iudge well of hym what woman that knoweth hym can fynde in her harte to loue hym And fynally what good and honest reader once reading the same wil haue any further desyre or delyght to peruse it Of a vyper I think hym to be borne whose nature is to knowe a sunder hys dames belly before he coÌ„meth forth wheray she dyeth But perchaunce he in lykewyse to auoyde ydlenes toke that hys worke in hand truly better had it bene for hym as Erasmus sayth to haue bene ydle then euyll occupyed And as in takyng vpon hym that lewde enterpâ—yce he semed to playe a founde and folysh parte so in lykewyse in hiding of hys name he only deâ—lared his wyt which if he had expressed no lesse wolde women wonder at hym then the smal byrdes at the Owle no lesse wolde they hate hym then the Apâ— the snayle no lesse wold they abhorre hym theÌ„ the lysard the serpent and fynally no lesse wolde they iudge of hym then of Nero which caused hys mothers wombe to be rypped she lyuyng to see the place where he laye in I then for the serueÌ„t affection which I bare to women was desyrous to wryte in theyr defence but fyrst I beganne to consulte with my selfe weyther it were best so to doe or no I perceyued that many iust causes dyd prouoke me to wryte herein agayne diuers did allure me to hold my peace for as my god wyll and affection to women the symplicitie innoceÌ„cie and vngiltynes of womeÌ„ thesche wyng of yâ—lenes and the verite of the matter cause exhorted me so on y e other syde dyd my lack of wytt learnyng and age allure me to the contrary which were moost mete and requisite in thys behalfe affirmyng it to be a matter more mete decent for a marryed man to entreate wryte of then for a bachyler or prynkokes but of twenty yeares of age or lytle more And more mete in dede I thought it also for a marryed man who in defen dyng of women myght partly gratyfye hys owne wyfe whose honest behauyor sobernes wytt and true loue theryn semyng to be apparant myght redoune sounde not a lyttle to hys owne honestie also wolde be a greate encrease of loue betwene them although they skant loued before Now when I saw none such ready to take paynes and trauayle theryn I lyke blinde bayard quite clene forgettyng y e impediments in me afore named that is to say lack of wytt learnyng age whych were most requysyte nedefull for thys purpose raâ—â—ye and vnaduysedlye tooke thys enterpryce in hande wherof I repente me not at all And bycause that I knew nor was acquaynted wyth no Ladye nor worshypfull GeÌ„tle woman in the Courte or els where to whom I myght dedycate y e same as a thynge for the argumente sake although not for the clerklyke handlyng therof moost â—eâ—e and apte for theyre worshippes to beholde and looke on you 〈…〉 en 〈◊〉 to mynde of all men moost worthy of thys simple gyfâ—o noâ— oâ—ly for that that you are an especiall fauorer of women but also â—â—cause you haue shewed and declared your selfe alwayes to be a synguler patrone and defender of my symple studye So nowe in lyke wyse hauyng no mystrust at all in you but that as in tymes past so you wyll also accepte and take in good worth thys my small present and gyfte as a testymonyall of my good wyll vnto you beyng not otherwyse able to declare the same for lack and wante of worldlye wealth Thus desyryng you to take so much paynes at your moost conuenyent leasure as to correcte amende al such fautes as you wal fynde theryn which although that the worke be but small yet the numbre of them tho be excedyng great I dare well affirme I commit you to the tuystion of the blessed Trinytye whome I besech all wayes to preserue and kepe you hole in soule and bodye to hys wyll and pleasure and 〈◊〉 your owne hartes desyre FroÌ„ Hambleden the xx day of Iulye Anno domini M. D. L. U. II. quod E. M. Finis ¶ Edwarde More to hym that wrothe the booke called the Schole howfe of women IF thy name were knowen that wrytest in thys sorte By womenkind vnnaturally gyuyng euil reporte Whom al men ought both yong old defend with all theyr might Considering what they do deserue of euery lyuing wyght As in there trauayle taken sometymes with losse of lyfe To brig such wretches to this world which make not only strife But beyng come to perfyte age can skant gyue a forde Unto theyr daÌ„mes y t â—â—ue theÌ„ such so much as one good word ywys thou shulde exiled be from women more and lesse And not without iust cause thou must thy selfe confesse Onles as in thy booke so now thou lyst to lye Where are nothinges but rayling iestes of the pore femynye Thy booke intytled is the Scholehouse of women Aâ—edâ—ous thyng for them to reade not pleasant vnto men The style therof declareth no lesse but that thou art right sage And lyued hast so longe perdye that now thou dotest for age Lesse meruayle then it is that if thy othe be spent And of eche one reiected arte and hated as the lent Though thy melancoly thou canst not els assuage No kynde of way but only thus on women for to rage Pean to be a
folysh worke thou dost testyfye Whych lyke a learned poet by the fygure onomatopei TraÌ„sformed thou hast into pecock as proude of hys longe tayle Marck I pray the well how much there thou doest fayle Pean is more lyke in sounde in our mother tonge To pehen then pecock whose tayle is not so longe Nor set with sundry colors nor of so pleasaunt hewe That she doth boast brag theryn is not thys ryght kewe All men that learned be allowe the in no case All women eke that wytty be haue cause to curse thy face All maydens that vyrgynytye do couet styll to kepe Through thy accusacyons haue now iust cause to wepe All yongmen that intende to lyue in Uenus lawe I meane in matrymony hauyng of god the awe May well deryde mock thy folyw lewde pranck Wherin I dare be bold to say thou had more payne then thank In married men such feare there is and such contynuallawe That moost of them beleue ywys they be of moyses lawe And fynaly to conclude the beste and eke the wourst For thys thy foolysh entrepryse may hold the well accurst Repent therfore repent I say acknowledge ones thy fact Recant I rede the confesse thy lewde synfull act Which doth not hurte to one but all of eche degree Haue cause to bâ—nd theyre browes therat as oftâ— as they it see Although to call it in agayne it be now past thy hand yet to recant ease thou shalte fynd I wyl thou vnderstand For yf that Iudas perdan had asked by and by Of god he had obtayued it as scriptures testifye Now to conclude and make an end I wyll apply my wytt In writing for good women all as is moost meete and fitt ¶ Finis ¶ Here begynneth the booke called the Defence of Women made by Edwarde More VEnus vnto the for help good lady I do cal For thou wert woÌ„t to grauÌ„t request vnto thy seruauÌ„ts al Euen as thou dyddest help alwayes Aeneas thyne owne chylde Apeasing the god Iupiter with countenauÌ„ce so mylde That though that Iuno to turmeÌ„t hym on Iupiter dyd prease Yet for the loue he bare to the dyd cause the wyndes to cease I pray the pray the muses all to helpe my memorye That I may haue ensamples good in defence of femynye Them to defend of dyuers thynges as slaunders many fold I haue taken vppon me as a Champyan bold Replye that lyst agaynst me I wyll them well Assure To spende my tyme in theyr defence whyse my lyfe shall induâ— Although I want the grauytye of Cato that was sage Which hard it is to fynde in any of myne age And Ciceros eloquence is very hard to fynde In a curtyer truly accordyng to my mynde Senecaes breife sentences although that I do wante Within Curtius style kepe me can I skant yet Salust south in wrything trewth I trust I shall attayne And as directly as I can declare my matter playne Fyrst I wyl make it manyfest that women beare much blame And men are more infaut deseruyng styll the same As the litle cobwep taketh the small flye The swallowe fleyng through easely passyng by And as the pore nedy man hanged is sometyme When the rycher skapeth for a greater cryme So doth the sely woman of eche degree and sorte Runne in slaunder vndeâ—erued by meanes of mens reporte Wherby thys proueâ—be sheweth playne no lesse true then olde That thei moost ofte that wâ—rst may the candle vse to holde This to be true what better profe then by Eue may be brought Which dyd Adam attempt to do that thynge was noughe Dyd not the deuyll endeuor to reclayme her to hys fyâ—â—e Bycause he knew her feblenes not able to resyst What was y e deuel man or woman I wold some good deuyne Wold take the paynes thys questyon to vs once to defyne Aman I thynke in dede of Lucyâ—eâ—s owne trayne For of a woman dyuell I neuer red certayne Whan Lucyfer fyrst fill into the pyt of hell At gods appoyntment for hys pryde therin styll to dwell There fell with hym a numbre moe of men whose sodeyne fall All women yet remaynyng here may rue the tyme and all Had not the serpent tempted Eue who cold â—s sermyse So shamfull acte to bryng her forth of ioyfull paradyse And besydes all thys when she delyuered had To Adam the forbidden fruyte to taste hym had bad She knew then no deceyt I dare for her appose And Adam then to tast therof I thynk sure myght haue chose For she reherst the word addyng no whyt more To that the synfull serpent had to her told before And yf that he to Adam fyrst had cum no dowt he myght Haue tempted hym a â—well as Eue thys thyng declareth it ryght Predestinate she was therto to withstand it not knowing how All Chrysten men ought to lament therfore I make abowe And not to cast it in her teeth and on her thus to iest A foule byrde it is perdye defyleth his owne nest Wherfore cam he to Eue I haue tolde you before Her lacke of strenght nothyng els was causâ— of her forlore yf lack of strength bewâ—y wyt in women be detecte At lyeth not in them these sayd thyng to correcte Nature fourmeth solks accordyng is to gods wyll In god it lyed and wan els then to make or spyll But Adam beyng ruler of see and eke of lande That Eue to hym was subiect it may well now be skand And hauyng strenght sufficient wanting no wght but grace So wolde offende our sauyour Christ to lese that ioyfull place Wherin he fell no woe wherin dyd nothyng mys To lede hys lyfe in heauenly ioye who can saye well by thys And yet men wyll transpose the faute to seely Eue But no man that the trouth doth rede wyl them I thynk beleue Wherfore I trust I haue declared here at large That fawth coÌ„mytted by the men are layde to womens charge Consydre now theyre ponishement appoynted by our lord To helpe my saynges somewhat no dout it wyl acccorde With daunger of theyre lyues theyr children they do beare Theyres ouerthrouges in labor hys meruell to heare And after they be borne what dilygence they wse To bryng them vp in fearing god no labour they refuse And we do dayly see suffyciently exprest How nurses often wake when most men take theyr rest Wolde Iesus haue bene borne of Mary vyrgyn myldee And humbled hym selfe to her as a louyng chylde Onles that they were innocent and as the do pretende Styffe stowt nor arrogant nor ready to offende Alas may I saye than that any Christen man Shuld wryte such thynges by women that synce y e world began I dare well saye they neuer dyd nor yet so much as thought How much to blame are men to saye that women be so nought And them thus to vpbrayde with theyr barre passyng loue with waÌ„ton eyes sugred lippes wher 〈…〉 they moue with all theyr myght mayne to follow wanton wyll
in a chaumbre hye And my husband lieth beneth in a chambre bye wherfore I can not well deuyse how in you may be brought No kynde of way but only thus which now I haue be thought 〈◊〉 wyll let doune a basket by a corde perdee By meanes whereof you sitting in shalbe drawen vp to meeâ— â—yrgyll trusting so his purpose to obtayne According as it was a greed at night he cam agayne Where he founde the basket by a lyne let downe in dede And quyckly leping in trusted well to spede When knowledge that she had aboue that Uyrgyll was therin She plucked hym halfe way vp that donne to make a pyn Of woode or some lyke thing she put her selfe in vre Wherunto she tyed the rope for flydyng made it sure So that Uyrgyll when no way escape knew how he myght Of force he was constrayned there to tarry all the nyght Untyll the next morninge that it was brode lyght daye Where when that he esâ—yed was al folkes at hym had playe Thus it is ryght euydent and manifestly she wede That women are ryght honest and men are very lewede As touching the apparayll now which women vse to weare Theyr verdyngalles and cassockes the perting of their heaee Wherwith that they waxe proude our Pote sayth sure At home lyke dyuelles they be abrode lyke aungelles pure These thinges lowfull to be and tolerable toe By reasons good and probable I shal it strayt wayes shoe A woman hauing nothing but at her husbandes hande That he thus maynteneth her it may now welbe skande Who is then in moost fauâ—t who ought to beare the blame Not she that weareth them but he that byeth the same Tollerable not withstanding that such apparayle is What harme lyed hydde therein I wolde fayne knowe but this First to a cassocke I am 〈◊〉 lesse cloth they do allowe Then to agonne or frocke wherfore consyder now More profyt is it farre lesse cost also perdye Honest therfore his it can none other be For Tully in his Offices she weth by wordes exprest That nothing can be profitable onles it be honest To the parting of theyr heare and showing of the same yf men do the lyke thyng why beare they then no blame In combing of theyr berdes in strokyng them full ofte In wassyng them with wassyng balies in lookyng all alofte In plaitting of them diuers wayes in byndyng theÌ„ in bandes Wherein their hole delyght alwayes consystes and standes No meruayle then though women lerning it of men Do combe and plat theyr heare dresse it nowe and then yet women be dispraysed where men are moost in faute ExaÌ„ples such to gyue theyr wyues which they acoÌ„pt so naught yf a precher shulde vs teach drunkennes to shun And hedlong to that vyce he hym selâ—e shuld run Who were in most fault who were most worthy blame He that herde the sermone or he that preced the same As touchiÌ„g now theyr verdingalles which do men much offeÌ„de I deferre them not tyll now as hard for to defende For as men in thother thinges haue bene in greatest cryme So can I not holde them excused at thys present tyme Who fyrst inuented vardingalles it must be called to mynde And by whom also they were made we must in lykewyse fynde Taylers as I gesse were the fyrst founders then What kynde of people be they women or els men The most of all our fashyous of garmentes whiche we vse Of what so euer sorte they be playne or els dyffuse Straungers them inuent of straungers them we lerne As by our Spanysh hose shoes a man may well dyscerne The french gownes the Duche which women vse to were And also theyre french hoodes theym broddyng of theyr heare From Fraunce FlauÌ„ders fet were by merchandes of our lande They tought their wiues to were y t sawe it may be vnderstaÌ„de For women trauaill not to see the countreyes farre For although they wolde theyr husbandes yet wold theÌ„ therof quite barre But if there be anoueltye chauÌ„ced in Almayne Fraunce Flaunders Italy Portyngale or Spayne Or any other regyons where men haue ledde theyre lyues At theyre coÌ„myng home they declare it to theyre wyues And some for lacke of newes some thinges they do deuyse Accompting it a shame there be some so precyse To know nothing al all and so long tyme to spende Wherfore to bringes home nouelties they alwayes do entend And tollerable itys the south to say in those That a yoyrney vnto Rome vnto themselfes haue chose For thei that come from thâ—nce as one doth specyfye May tell a lye or twayne by Romes authoritie what pride can the pore verdyngalles increase in women kynde The stuf that goeth to the same is easy for to fynde As â—ustian or buckram lystes and eke redde cloth A costly thing I promise you that men shuld be so wroth Suppose they be of veluet sylk or cloth of gold what wyttyman is he ther with fynd fault that wold Although for money often times there is debat strife And for the same many a man in time hath lost hys lyfe Yet money is not euyll nor ought to beare no blame The only fawt remainth in them that do mysuse the saâ—nt So garmentes I affirme what so euerthat they be Are decent for all wemenkinde regarding theyre degre As sone may a man in a begger fynd As proude an â—art as in a lorde which groweth out of kind The prouerbe semeth contrary to iudge pryde in the lord For èuyl doth a lordes hart and a beggers purse accord where excessyue talke is layd to womens charge And that men cast it in theyr teeth theyr toÌ„gues to run at large Graunt it so to be as it is not verely But that they be thus staundred alas what remedy yet were it but a small fault in authors syd we â—ynde True to be and credyble wordes to be but winde Theyr tonges I think offended haue on earth no lyuing man And if thei had forthat that men neyther will nor can With them once beare how farre they run aâ—â—raye ye shal perceyue if that ye note sainâ—t Peter who doth saye ye men bere with your wyfes whiche weker vesselles be But yet the weke the burden bere as ye may herby see Many husbandes all the day sytting at the wyne At night comyng relyng home as dronken as are swyne Theyr wyses therof ashamed be and theÌ„ strayt way exhort At home to tarry and be merry to flee all such resort wherwith the men waxe angry theire wyfes be so bold And if they speake a lytle loud men say strait away they skold wherfore I meruaile much and so do moe then I That women beare so great a blame no cause to be why And fynally to conclude I haue the greater ruth That innoceÌ„tes shuld slauÌ„dred be but time shall trye the truth ¶ Finis ¶ The Author to his Booke GOE for thou lytle booke looke with a smilyng cheare To women shalt thou well come be therof thou nedest not feare yf it be thy chaunce our English Courte to see Then vnto our ladyes there I great them well by the Or if it be thy pleasure in London to remayne Be haue thy selfe so honestly that none do the disdayne Or whither best it lyketh the in the wyld cuntree To dwell or euery where a sui 〈…〉 to be To maidens wydowes wyues of euery degree Obedient be and be vnto them commaunded haue thou me Of any man do happen in contrey or in toune For prasing women kind on the to cast a froune Thus mayst thou aunswere well that all that thou hast sayd Are so true and manifest thei can not be denayed Some agayne perchaunce wyll fynd fault with thy style As rough rude and barbarous nedyng the smitthes fyle Tell them that neyther age nor wyt that is in me Can make a booke more eloquent then this which no wtheysâ— Good wyll was it enforced me to wryte this lytle booke Let the readers then therof on the meanyng looke With myndes indifferent let them the same well vewe Then shall they well pereyue see that I haue written trewe whych yf they shall denyâ— theyr errour wyll appeare For Leuy Uyrgyll Ouyd will witnes with me beare Of thother thinges which are in thys treatyse showen Some of them haue I harde the other haue I knoweâ— The resydue by reason debated haue I well As I do gesse at least wyse that learned be can tell yf any thing vndicent or rude be 〈◊〉 my rymâ— Let them impute the same to bryefnes of the tyme yf flattery alleged be layde vnto my charge That to please womenkynde I haue written so large In the disprayse of men which I ought not haue dun For that I am a man and into daunger run Perhaps I am yet let men note well this one thinge That they that I haue named haue bene of vicious lyuinge As Adam and Aeneas wyth the three Englysh men That in Scotland prysouers were let vs merke well then The actes of all these fyue for which I haue them blamed In Oxforde in Cambridge I thinke not one that named Myght be whych coulde by reason good defende Or theyâ—â— lewde pagentes played so much as ones coÌ„mende For soner may a man by sophystry wellproue The mouse and the Oâ—â—phant very well to loue Betwene foxes and gese perpetuall amyte To woâ—es and the lambes vnfaynede frendes to be Then theyre deceytes to womenkinde before by me exprest May by any learned man be proued to be honest I do not therfore repent my selfe that I haue on me take Thys lyght and easy enterprise for all good womens sake Although I know assuredly that diuers wyl euyl talke I am nothing 〈…〉 ayde ther with syth god on earth dyd walke And coulde not please nor satisfye all men no kynde of waye Shall I then looke to do that thing that god cold not do naye Wherfore though goodmen do it prayse euyll do discoÌ„mende It forceth not the truth to saye and thus I make an ende ¶ FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London in Paules Churche yearde at the Sygne of the Swane by Iohn h Kynge