THE FIRST BLAST OF THE TRUMPET AGAINST THE MONSTRVOVS regiment of women Veritas temporis filia M. D. LVIII THE KINGDOME APPERTEINETH TO OVR God VVonder it is that amongest so many pregnant wittes as the Ile of greate Britanny hath ê“duced so many godlie and zelous preachers as England did somtime norishe and amongest so many learned and men of graue iudgement as this day by Iesabel are exiled none is found so stowte of courage so faithfull to God nor louing to their natiue countrie that they dare admonishe the inhabitantes of that Ile how abominable before God is the Empire or Rule of a wicked woman yea of a traiteresse and bastard And what may a people or nation left destitute of a lawfull head do by the authoritie of Goddes worde in electing and appointing common rulers and magistrates That Ile alas for the contempt and horrible abuse of Goddes mercies offred and for the shamefull reuolting to Satan frome Christ Iesus and frome his Gospell ones professed doth iustlie merite to be left in the handes of their own counsel and so to come to coÌ„fusion and bondage of strangiers But yet I feare that this vniuersall negligeÌ„ce of such as somtimes were estemed watchemen shall rather aggrauate our former ingratitude then excuse this our vniuersall and vngodlie silence in so weightie a mater We se our countrie set furthe for a pray to foreine nations we heare the blood of our brethren the meÌ„bres of Christ Iesus most cruellie to be shed and the monstruous empire of a cruell woman the secrete counsel of God excepted we knowe to be the onlie occasion of all these miseries and yet with silence we passe the time as thogh the mater did nothinge appertein to vs. But the coÌ„trarie examples of the auncient prophetes moue me to doubte of this our fact For Israel did vniuersalie decline frome God by embrasing idolatrie vnder Ieroboam In whiche they did continue euen vnto the destruction of their common welthe And Iuda withe Ierusalem did followe the vile superstition and open iniquitie of Samaria But yet ceased not the prophetes of God to admonishe the one and the other Yea euen after that God had poured furthe his plagues vpon them For Ieremie did write to the captiues in Babylon and did correct their errors plainlie instructing them who did remaine in the middest of that idolatrouse nation Ezechiel frome the middest of his brethren prisoners in Chaldea did write his vision to those that were in Ierusalem and sharplie rebukinge their vices assured them that they shuld not escape the vengeance of God by reason of their abominations committed The same prophetes for comfort of the afflicted and chosen saintes of God who did lie hyd amongest the reprobate of that age as coÌ„monlie doth the corne amongest the chasse did prophecie and before speake the changes of kingdomes the punishmentes of tyrannes and the vengeance whiche God wold execute vpon the oppressors of his people The same did Daniel and the rest of the prophetes euerie one in their season By whose examples and by the plaine precept which is geuen to Ezechiel commanding him that he shall say to the wicked Thou shalt die the death We in this our miserable age are bounde to admonishe the world aÌ„d the tyraÌ„nes therof of their sodeine destruction to assure them and to crie vnto them whether they list to heare or not That the blood of the saintes which by them is shed coÌ„tinuallie crieth and craueth vengeance in the presence of the Lorde of hostes And further it is our dutie to open the truthe reueled vnto vs vnto the ignorant and blind world vnlest that to our owne coÌ„demnation we list to wrap vp and hyde the talent committed to our charge I am assured that God hath reueled to some in this our age that it is more then a moÌ„stre in nature that a woman shall reigne aÌ„d haue empire aboue man And yet with vs all there is suche silence as if God there with were nothing offended The naturall man ennemy to God shall fynd I knowe many causes why no suche doctrine oght to be published in these our dangerous dayes First for that it may seme to tend to sedition secondarilie it shal be dangerous not onlie to the writer or publisher but also to all such as shall reade the writinges or fauor this truth spoken and last it shall not amend the chief offenders partlie because it shall neuer come to their eares and partlie because they will not be admonished in such cases I answer yf any of these be a sufficient reason that a truth knowen shalbe coÌ„celed then were the auncient prophetes of God very fooles who did not better prouide for their owne quietnes then to hasard their liues for rebuking of vices and for the opening of such crimes as were not knowen to the world And Christ Iesus did iniurie to his Apostles commaÌ„ding them to preache repentance and remission of synnes in his name to euerie realme and nation And Paule did not vnderstand his owne libertie when he cried wo be to me if I preache not the Euangile Yf feare I say of persecution of sclander or of any inconuenience before named might haue excused aÌ„d discharged the seruantes of God from plainlie rebuking the sinnes of the world iuste cause had euerie one of them to haue ceased frome their office For sodeinlie their doctrine was accused by termes of sedition of newe learning and of treason persecution and vehement trouble did shortlie come vpon the professours with the preachers kinges princes and worldlie rulers did conspire against God and against his anoynted Christ Iesus But what Did any of these moue the prophetes and Apostles to faynt in their vocation no. But by the resistance whiche the deuill made to them by his suppostes were they the more inflamed to publishe the truthe reueled vnto them and to witnesse with their blood that greuous condemnation and Goddes heuie vengeance shuld folowe the proude contempt of graces offred The fidelitie bold courage and coÌ„stancie of those that are passed before vs oght to ê“uoke vs to folowe their footsteppes onles we loke for an other kingdome then Christ hath ê“mised to such as perseuere in ê“fession of his name to the end Yf any think that the empire of women is not of such importance that for the suppressing of the same any maÌ„ is bounde to hasarde his life I answer that to suppresse it is in the haÌ„d of god alone But to vtter the impietie and abomination of the same I say it is the dutie of euerie true messager of God to whome the truth is reueled in that behalfe For the especiall dutie of Goddes messagers is to preache repentaÌ„ce to admonishe the offenders of their offenses and to say to the wicked thou shalt die the death except thou repent This I trust will no man denie to be the propre office of all Goddes messagers to
some to haue bene so desirous of dominion that for the obteining of the same they haue murthered the children of their owne sonnes Yea aÌ„d some haue killed with crueltie their owne husbandes and children But to me it is sufficient because this parte of nature is not my moste sure foundation to haue proued that men illuminated onlie by the light of nature haue seen and haue determined that it is a thing moste repugnant to nature that women rule and gouerne ouer men For those that will not permit a woman to haue power ouer her owne sonnes will not permit her I am assured to haue rule ouer a realme and those that will not suffer her to speake in defense of those that be accused nether that will admit her accusation intended against man will not approue her that she shal sit in iudgemeÌ„t crowned with the royall crowne vsurping authoritie in the middest of men But now to the second part of nature In the whiche I include the reueled will and perfect ordinance of God and against this parte of nature I say that it doth manifestlie repugne that any woman shal reigne or beare dominion ouer man For God first by the order of his creation and after by the curse and malediction pronounced against the woman by the reason of her rebellion hath pronounced the contrarie First I say that woman in her greatest perfection was made to serue and obey man not to rule and coÌ„mand him As saint Paule doth reason in these wordes Man is not of the woman but the womaÌ„ of the man And maÌ„ was not created for the cause of the woman but the woman for the cause of man and therfore oght the womaÌ„ to haue a power vpoÌ„ her head that is a couerture in signe of subiectioÌ„ Of whiche words it is plaine that the Apostle meaneth that woman in her greatest perfection shuld haue knowen that maÌ„ was Lord aboue her and therfore that she shulde neuer haue preteÌ„ded any kind of superioritie aboue him no more then do the angels aboue God the creator or aboue Christ Iesus their head So I say that in her greatest perfection woman was created to be subiect to man But after her fall and rebellion coÌ„mitted against God there was put vpon her a newe necessitie and she was made subiect to man by the irreuocable senteÌ„ce of God pronounced in these wordes I will greatlie multiplie thy sorowe and thy coÌ„ception With sorrowe shalt thou beare thy children and thy will shall be subiect to thy man and he shal beare dominion ouer the. Herebie may such as altogither be not blinded plainlie see that God by his sentence hath deiected all woman frome empire and dominion aboue man For two punishmentes are laid vpon her to witte a dolor anguishe and payn as oft as euer she shal be mother and a subiectioÌ„ of her selfe her appetites and will to her husband and to his will Frome the former parte of this malediction can nether arte nobilitie policie nor lawe made by man deliuer womankinde but who soeuer atteineth to that honour to be mother proueth in experience the effect aÌ„d streÌ„gth of goddes word But alas ignoraÌ„ce of God ambition and tyrannie haue studied to abolishe and destroy the secoÌ„d parte of Goddes punishment For women are lifted vp to be heades ouer realmes and to rule aboue men at their pleasure and appetites But horrible is the veÌ„geance which is prepared for the one aÌ„d for the other for the promoters and for the persones promoted except they spedelie repent For they shall be deiected from the glorie of the sonnes of God to the sclauerie of the deuill and to the tormeÌ„t that is prepared for all suche as do exalte them selues against God Against God caÌ„ nothing be more manifest then that a woman shall be exalted to reigne aboue man For the coÌ„trarie senteÌ„ce hath he pronounced in these wordes Thy will shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall beare dominion ouer the. As God shuld say forasmuch as thou hast abused thy former condition and because thy free will hath broght thy selfe and mankind in to the boÌ„dage of Satan I therfore will bring the in bondage to man For where before thy obedience shuld haue bene voluntarie no we it shall be by constreint and by necessitie and that because thou hast deceiued thy man thou shalt therfore be no longar maistresse ouer thine own appetites ouer thine owne will nor desires For in the there is nether reason nor discretion whiche be able to moderate thy affectioÌ„s and therfore they shall be subiect to the desire of thy maÌ„ He shall be Lord and gouernour not onlie ouer thy bodie but euen ouer thy appetites and will This sentence I say did God pronounce against Heua and her daughters as the rest of the Scriptures doth euideÌ„tlie witnesse So that no woman can euer presume to reigne aboue man but the same she must nedes do in despite of God and in contempt of his punishment and malediction I am not ignorant that the most part of men do vnderstand this malediction of the subiection of the wife to her husband and of the dominion which he beareth aboue her but the holie ghost geueth to vs an other interpretation of this place taking from all women all kinde of superioritie authoritie aÌ„d power ouer man speaking as foloweth by the mouth of saint Paule I suffer not a woman to teache nether yet to vsurpe authoritie aboue man Here he nameth women in generall excepting none affirming that she may vsurpe authoritie aboue no man And that he speaketh more plainlie in an other place in these wordes Let women kepe silence in the congregation for it is not permitted to them to speake but to be subiect as the lawe sayeth These two testimonies of the holy ghost be sufficient to proue what soeuer we haue affirmed before aÌ„d to represse the inordinate pride of women as also to correct the foolishnes of those that haue studied to exalt womeÌ„ in authoritie aboue man against God and against his sentence ê“nounced But that the same two places of the apostle may the better be vnderstand it is to be noted that in the latter which is writen in the first epistle to the Corinthes the 14 chapitre before the apostle had permitted that all persones shuld prophecie one after an other addinge this reason that all may learne and all may receiue consolation And left that any might haue iudged that amongest a rude multitude and the pluralitie of speakers manie thinges litle to purpose might haue bene affirmed or elles that some confusion might haue risen he addeth the spirites of the prophetes are subiect to the prophetes As he shuld say God shall alwayes raise vp some to whome the veritie shalbe reueled and vnto such ye shal geue place albeit they sit in the lowest seates And thus the apostle wold haue prophecying an exercise to be free to the
iustice In the probation of this proposition I will not be so curious as to gather what soeuer may amplifie set furth or decore the same but I am purposed euen as I haue spoken my conscience in most plaine aÌ„d fewe wordes so to staÌ„d content with a simple proofe of euerie membre bringing in for my witnesse Goddes ordinance in nature his plaine will reueled in his worde and the mindes of such as be moste auncient amongest godlie writers And first where that I affirme the empire of a woman to be a thing repugnaÌ„t to nature I meane not onlie that God by the order of his creatioÌ„ hath spoiled woman of authoritie aÌ„d dominioÌ„ but also that man hath seen proued and ê“nounced iust causes why that it so shuld be MaÌ„ I say in many other cases blind doth in this behalfe see verie clearlie For the causes be so manifest that they can not be hid For who can denie but it repugneth to nature that the blind shal be appointed to leade and coÌ„duct such as do see That the weake the sicke and impotent persones shall norishe and kepe the hole and strong and finallie that the foolishe madde aÌ„d phrenetike shal gouerne the discrete aÌ„d giue counsel to such as be sober of mind And such be al women coÌ„pared vnto man in bearing of authoritie For their sight in ciuile regiment is but blindnes their strength weaknes their counsel foolishenes and iudgement phrenesie if it be rightlie considered I except such as God by singular priuiledge and for certain causes knowen onlie to him selfe hath exempted from the coÌ„mon ranke of womeÌ„ and do speake of women as nature and experience do this day declare them Nature I say doth paynt them furthe to be weake fraile impacieÌ„t feble and foolishe and experience hath declared them to be vnconstant variable cruell and lacking the spirit of counsel and regimeÌ„t And these notable faultes haue men in all ages espied in that kinde for the whiche not onlie they haue remoued women from rule and authoritie but also some haue thoght that men subiect to the counsel or empire of their wyues were vnworthie of all publike office For thus writeth Aristotle in the seconde of his Politikes what difference shal we put saith he whether that women beare authoritie or the husbandes that obey the empire of their wyues be appointed to be magistrates For what insueth the one must nedes folowe the other to witte iniustice confusion and disorder The same author further reasoneth that the policie or regiment of the LacedemoniaÌ„s who other wayes amongest the Grecians were moste excellent was not worthie to be reputed nor accompted amongest the nombre of common welthes that were well gouerned because the magistrates and rulers of the same were to muche geuen to please and obey their wyues What wolde this writer I pray you haue said to that realme or natioÌ„ where a woman sitteth crowned in parliament amongest the middest of men Oh fearefull and terrible are thy iudgementes o Lord whiche thus hast abased man for his iniquitie I am assuredlie persuaded that if any of those men which illuminated onelie by the light of nature did see and pronounce causes sufficient why women oght not to beare rule nor authoritie shuld this day liue aÌ„d see a woman sitting in iudgement or riding frome parliament in the middest of men hauing the royall crowne vpon her head the sworde and sceptre borne before her in signe that the administration of iustice was in her power I am assuredlie persuaded I say that suche a sight shulde so astonishe them that they shuld iudge the hole worlde to be transfformed in to Amazones and that suche a metamorphosis and change was made of all the men of that countrie as poetes do feyn was made of the companyons of Vlisses or at least that albeit the owtwarde form of men remained yet shuld they iudge that their hartes were changed frome the wisdome vnderstanding and courage of men to the foolishe fondnes aÌ„d cowardise of women Yea they further shuld pronounce that where women reigne or be in authoritie that there must nedes vanitie be preferred to vertue ambition and pride to temperaÌ„cie and modestie and finallie that auarice the mother of all mischefe must nedes deuour equitie and iustice But lest that we shall seme to be of this opinion alone let vs heare what others haue seen and decreed in this mater In the rules of the lawe thus it is written Women are remoued frome all ciuile and publike office so that they nether may be iudges nether may they occupie the place of the magistrate nether yet may they be speakers for others The same is repeted in the third and in the sextenth bokes of the digestes Where certein persones are forbidden Ne pro aliis postulent that is that they be no speakers nor aduocates for others And among the rest are women forbidden and this cause is added that they do not against shamefastnes intermedle them selues with the causes of others nether yet that women prefume to vse the offices due to men The lawe in the same place doth further declare that a naturall shamfastnes oght to be in womankind whiche most certeinlie she loseth when soeuer she taketh vpon her the office and estate of maÌ„ As in Calphurnia was euidentlie declared who hauing liceÌ„ce to speake before the senate at leÌ„gth became so impudent and importune that by her babling she troubled the hole Assemblie And so gaue occasion that this lawe was established In the first boke of the digestes it is pronounced that the condition of the woman in many cases is worse then of the man As in iurisdictioÌ„ saith the lawe in receiuing of cure and tuition in adoption in publike accusation in delation in all popular action and in motherlie power which she hath not vpon her owne sonnes The lawe further will not permit that the woman geue any thing to her husband because it is against the nature of her kinde being the inferiour meÌ„bre to presume to geue any thing to her head The lawe doth more ouer pronounce womankinde to be most auaricious which is a vice into lerable in those that shulde rule or minister iustice And Aristotle as before is touched doth plainly affirme that whersoeuer womeÌ„ beare dominioÌ„ there must nedes the people be disordred liuinge and abounding in all inteÌ„perancie geuen to pride excesse and vanitie And finallie in the end that they must nedes come to confusion and ruine Wold to god the exaÌ„ples were not so manifest to the further declaration of the imperfections of women of their naturall weaknes and inordinat appetites I might adduce histories prouing some women to haue died for sodein ioy some for vnpaciencie to haue murthered them selues some to haue burned with such inordinat lust that for the quenching of the same they haue betrayed to straÌ„giers their countrie aÌ„d citie and
hole churche that euerie one shuld communicate with the coÌ„gregation what God had reueled to them prouidinge that it were orderlie done But frome this generall priuiledge he secludeth all woman sayinge let women kepe silence in the congregation And why I pray you was it because that the apostle thoght no womaÌ„ to haue any knowledge no he geueth an other reason saying let her be subiect as the lawe saith In which wordes is first to be noted that the apostle calleth this former sentence pronounced against womaÌ„ a lawe that is the immutable decree of God who by his owne voice hath subiected her to one meÌ„bre of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ that is to her husbaÌ„d wherupon the holie ghost concludeth that she may neuer rule nor bear empire aboue man For she that is made subiect to one may neuer be preferred to many and that the holie ghoste doth manifestlie expresse saying I suffer not that woman vsurpe authoritie aboue man he sayth not I will not that woman vsurpe authoritie aboue her husband but he nameth man in generall taking frome her all power and authoritie to speake to reason to interprete or to teache but principallie to rule or to iudge in the assemblie of men So that woman by the lawe of God and by the interpretation of the holy ghost is vtterly forbidden to occupie the place of God in the offices afore said which he hath assigned to man whome he hath appointed and ordeined his lieutenant in earth secluding frome that honor aÌ„d dignitie all woman as this short argument shall euidentlie declare The apostle taketh power frome all woman to speake in the assemblie Ergo he permitteth no woman to rule aboue man The former parte is euideÌ„t wherupon doth the couclusion of necessitie folowe For he that taketh from womaÌ„ the least parte of authoritie dominion or rule will not permit vnto her that whiche is greatest But greater it is to reigne aboue realmes and nations to publish and to make lawes and to coÌ„mande men of all estates and finallie to appoint iudges and ministers then to speake in the coÌ„gregation For her iudgemeÌ„t sentence or opinioÌ„ proposed in the coÌ„gregation may be iudged by all may be corrected by the learned and reformed by the godlie But womaÌ„ being promoted in souereine authoritie her la wes must be obeyed her opinion folowed and her tyraÌ„nie mainteined supposing that it be expreslie against God and the prophet of the common welth as to manifest experience doth this day witnesse And therfore yet againe I repete that whiche before I haue affirmed to witt that a woman promoted to sit in the seate of God that is to teache to iudge or to reigne aboue man is a monstre in nature contumelie to God and a thing most repugnaÌ„t to his will aÌ„d ordinaÌ„ce For he hath depriued them as before is proued of speakinge in the congregation and hath expreslie forbidden them to vsurpe any kinde of authoritie aboue man Howe then will he suffer them to reigne aÌ„d haue empire aboue realmes and nations He will neuer I say approue it because it is a thing most repugnant to his perfect ordinance as after shalbe declared and as the former scriptures haue plainlie geuen testimonie To the whiche to adde anything were superfluous were it not that the worlde is almost nowe comen to that blindnes that what soeuer pleaseth not the princes and the multitude the same is reiected as doctrine newelie forged and is condemned for heresie I haue therfore thoght good to recite the mindes of some auncient writers in the same mater to the end that suche as altogither be not blinded by the deuil may consider and vnderstand this my iudgement to be no newe interpretation of Goddes scriptures but to be the vniforme consent of the most parte of godlie writers since the time of the apostles Tertullian in his boke of womens apparell after that he hath she wed many causes why gorgious apparell is abominable and odiouse in a woman addeth these wordes speaking as it were to euery womaÌ„ by name Dost thou not knowe saith he that thou art Heua the sentence of God liueth and is effectuall against this kind and in this worlde of necessity it is that the punishement also liue Thou art the porte and gate of the deuil Thou art the first traÌ„sgressor of goddes law thou diddest persuade aÌ„d easely deceiue him whome the deuil durst not assault For thy merit that is for thy death it beho ued the soÌ„ne of god to suffre the death aÌ„d doth it yet abide in thy mind to decke the aboue thy skin coates By these aÌ„d many other graue senteÌ„ces and quicke interrogations did this godlie writer labour to bring euerie woman in contemplation of her selfe to the end that euerie one depelie weying what sentence God had ê“nounced against the hole race aÌ„d doughters of Heua might not onely learne daily to humble and subiect them selues in the presence of God but also that they shulde auoide aÌ„d abhorre what soeuer thing might exalte them or puffe them vp in pride or that might be occasion that they shuld forget the curse and malediction of God And what I pray you is more able to cause woman to forget her owne condition then if she be lifted vp in authoritie aboue man It is a thing verie difficile to a man be he neuer so coÌ„stant promoted to honors not to be tickled some what with pride for the winde of vaine glorie doth easelie carie vp the drie dust of the earth But as for woman it is no more possible that she being set aloft in authoritie aboue man shall resist the motions of pride then it is able to the weake reed or to the turning wethercocke not to bowe or turne at the vehemencie of the vnconstant wind And therfore the same writer expreslie forbiddeth all woman to intremedle with the office of man For thus he writeth in his book de virginibus velandis It is not permitted to a woman to speake in the coÌ„gregation nether to teache nether to baptise nether to vendicate to her selfe any office of man The same he speaketh yet more plainly in the preface of his sixte boke writen against Marcion where he recounting certein monstruous thinges whiche were to be sene at the sea called Euxinum amongest the rest he reciteth this as a greate monstre in nature that women in those partes were not tamed nor embased by coÌ„sideration of their own sex and kind but that all shame laide a parte they made expenses vpon weapons and learned the feates of warre hauinge more pleasure to fight then to mary and be subiect to man Thus farre of Tertullian whose wordes be so plain that they nede no explanation For he that taketh from her all office apperteining to man will not suffre her to reigne aboue man and he that iudgeth it a monstre in nature that a woman shall exercise weapons must iudge it to be a monstre of
Goddes grace is vnderstād not onely the preaching of the worde and administration of the sacramentes by the whiche the grace of God is presented and ordinarilie distributed vnto man but also the administration of ciuile iustice by the whiche vertue oght to be mainteined and vices punished The execution wherof is no lesse denied to womā then is the preaching of the Euangile or administration of the sacramētes as herafter shall most plainlie appeare Chrysostome amongest the Grecian writers of no small credit speaking in rebuke of men who in his dayes were becomen inferior to some women in witt and in godlines saith for this cause was woman put vnder thy power he speaketh to man in generall and thou wast pronounced Lorde ouer her that she shulde obey the and that the head shuld not folowe the feet But often it is that we see the contrary that he who in his ordre oght to be the head doth not kepe the ordre of the feet that is doth not rule the feet and that she that is in place of the foote is constitute to be the head He speaketh these wordes as it were in admiration that man was becomen so brutish that he did not cōsider it to be a thing most monstruouse that woman shulde be preferred to man in any thing whom God had subiected to man in all thinges He procedeth saying Neuer the lesse it is the parte of the man with diligent care to repel the woman that geueth him wicked counsel and woman whiche gaue that pestilent counsel to man oght at all times to haue the punishment whiche was geuē to Heua soūding in her eares And in an other place he induceth God speaking to the womā in this sorte Because thou left him of whose nature thou wast participant and for whome thou wast formed ād hast had pleasure to haue familiaritie with that wicked beast and wold take his counsel therfore I subiect the to man and I apointe and affirme him to be thy Lorde that thou maist acknowledge his dominion ād because thou couldest not beare rule learne well to be ruled Why they shulde not beare rule he declareth in other places saying womankinde is imprudent and soft or flexible imprudent because she can not consider withe wisdome and reason the thinges which she heareth and seeth and softe she is because she is easelie bowed I knowe that Chrysostome bringeth in these wordes to declare the cause why false prophetes do commonlie deceiue women because they are easelie persuaded to any opinion especiallie if it be against God and because they lacke prudence and right reason to iudge the thinges that be spoken But hereof may their nature be espied ād the vices of the same whiche in no wise oght to be in those that are apointed to gouerne others For they oght to be constant stable prudent ād doing euerie thing with discretion and reason whiche vertues women can not haue in equalitie with men For that he doth witnesse in an other place saying womē haue in them selues a tickling and studie of vaine glorie ād that they may haue common with men they are sodeinlie moued to anger and that they haue also common with some men But vertues in which they excell they haue not cōmon with man ād therfore hath the apostle remoued thē from the office of teachinge which is an euidēt proof that in vertue they farre differ frome man Let the reasons of this writer be marked for further he yet procedeth after that he hath in many wordes lamented the effeminate maners of men who were so farre degenerate to the weaknes of womē that some might haue demanded why may not women teache amongest suche a sorte of men who in wisdome and godlines are becomē inferior vnto women He finallie concludeth that not withstanding that men be degenerate yet may not women vsurpe any authoritie aboue them and in the end he addeth these wordes These thinges do not I speake to extolle them that is women but to the confusion and shame of our felues and to admonish vs to take again the dominion that is mete and conuenient for vs not onelie that power which is according to the excellencie of dignitie but that which is accordinge to prouidence and according to helpe and vertue For then is the bodie in best proportion when it hath the best gouernor O that both man and woman shulde consider the profound counsel and admonition of this father He wolde not that mā for appetit of any vaine glorie shuld desire preeminence aboue woman For God hath not made mā to be heade for any suche cause but hauing respecte to that weaknes and imperfection which alwayes letteth woman to gouerne He hath ordeined man to be superior and that meaneth Chrysostome saying then is the bodie in best proportion when it hath the best gouernor But woman can neuer be the best gouernor by reason that she being spoiled of the spirit of regiment can neuer attein to that degree to be called or iudged a good gouernor Because in the nature of all woman lurketh suche vices as in good gouernors are not tolerable Which the same writer expresseth in these wordes womākind saith he is rashe and fool-hardie and their couetousnes is like the goulf of hell that is insaciable And therfore in an other place he will that woman shall haue no thing to do in iudgement in common affaires or in the regiment of the cōmon welth because she is impaciēt of troubles but that she shall liue in tranquillitie and quietnes And if she haue occasion to go frome the house that yet she shal haue no mater of trouble nether to folowe her nether to be offered vnto her as commonlie there must be to such as beare authoritie And with Chrysostome fullie agreeth Basilius Magnus in a sermon which he maketh vpon some places of scripture wherin he reproueth diuers vices and amōgest the rest he affirmeth woman to be a tendre creature flexible soft and pitifull whiche nature God hath geuē vnto her that she may be apt to norishe children The which facilitie of the womā did Satā abuse ād therby broght her frome the obediēce of God And therfore in diuers other places doth he conclude that she is not apt to beare rule and that she is forbidden to teache Innumerable mo testimonies of all sortes of writers may be adduced for the same purpose but withe these I stand content iudgeing it sufficient to stoppe the mouthe of such as accuse ād condemne all doctrine as hereticall whiche displeaseth them in any point that I haue proued by the determinations and lawes of mē illuminated onelie by the light of nature by the ordre of Goddes creation by the curse and maledictiō pronounced against womā by the mouth of saint Paule who is the interpreter of Goddes sentence and lawe and finallie by the mindes of those writers who in the church of God haue bene alwayes holden in greatest
and the other by all apparance did teache and exhorte Secondarily they do object the lawe made by Moses for the doughters of zalphead Thirdlie the consent of the estates of such realmes as haue approued the empire and regimēt of women And last the long custome which hath receiued the regiment of women Their valiāt actes and prosperitie together with some papistical lawes which haue confirmed the same To the first I answer that particular examples do establishe no cōmon lawe The causes were knowen to God alon why he toke the spirite of wisdome and force frome all men of those ages and did so mightely assist womē against nature ād against his ordinarie course that the one he made a deliuerer to his afflicted people Israel and to the other he gaue not onlie perseuerance in the true religion when the moste parte of men had declined frome the same but also to her he gaue the spirit of prophecie to assure king Iosias of the thinges which were to come With these women I say did God worke potētlie and miraculouslie yea to thē he gaue moste singular grace and priuiledge But who hath commanded that a publike yea a tyrannicall and moste wicked lawe be established vpon these examples The men that obiect the same are not altogether ignorant that examples haue no strength when the question is of lawe As if I shuld aske what mariage is laufull and it shulde be answered that laufull it is to man not onelie to haue manie wiues at ones but also it is laufull to marie two sisters and to enioye them both liuing at ones because that Dauid Iacob and Salomon seruantes of God did the same I trust that no man wold iustifie the vanitie of this reason Or if the question were demanded if a Christian with good cōscience may defraude steale or deceiue and answer were made that so he might by the exāple of the Israelites who at Goddes cōmandement deceiued the Egyptians and spoiled them of their garmentes golde and syluer I thinke likewise this reason shuld be mocked And what greater force I pray you hath the former argument Debora did rule in Israel and Hulda spoke prophecie in Iuda Ergo it is laufull for women to reigne aboue realmes and nations or to teache in the presence of men The consequent is vain and of none effect For of exāples as is before declared we may establishe no lawe but we are alwayes bounde to the lawe writen and to the commandemēt expressed in the same And the lawe writen and pronounced by God forbiddeth no lesse that any womā reigne ouer mā then it forbiddeth mā to take pluralitie of wiues to mary two sisters liuing at ons to steale to robbe to murther or to lie If any of these hath bene transgressed and yet God hath not imputed the same it maketh not the like fact or dede lawfull vnto vs. For God being free may for suche causes as be approued by his inscrutable wisdome dispense with the rigor of his lawe and may vse his creatures at his pleasure But the same power is not permitted to man whom he hath made subiect to his lawe and not to the exāples of fathers And this I thinke sufficient to the reasonable and moderate spirites But to represse the raging of womās madnes I will descend somwhat deeper in to the mater and not feare to affirme that as we find a contrarie spirit in all these moste wicked women that this day be exalted in to this tyrannouse authoritie to the spirite that was in those godly matrons so I feare not I say to affirme that their condition is vnlike and that their end shalbe diuers In those matrones we finde that the spirit of mercie truthe iustice and of humilitie did reigne Vnder them we finde that God did shewe mercie to his people deliuering them frome the tyrannie of strangiers and from the venom of idolatrie by the handes and counsel of those women but in these of our ages we finde crueltie falshed pride couetousnes deceit and oppression In them we also finde the spirit of Iesabel and Athalia vnder them we finde the simple people oppressed the true religion extinguished and the blood of Christes membres most cruellie shed And finallie by their practises and deceit we finde auncient realmes and nations geuen and betrayed in to the handes of strangiers the titles and liberties of them taken frome the iuste possessors Which one thinge is an euident testimonie howe vnlike our mischeuous Maryes be vnto Debora vnder whome were strangiers chased owt of Israel God so raising her vp to be a mother and deliuerer to his oppressed people But alas he hath raised vp these Iesabelles to be the vttermoste of his plagues the whiche mans vnthankfulnes hath lōg deserued But his secret and most iust iudgemēt shal nether excuse them nether their mainteiners because their counsels be diuers But to prosecute my purpose let such as list to defend these monstres in their tyrānie proue first that their souereine maistresses be like to Debora in godlines and pitie and secondarilie that the same successe doth folowe their tyrannie which did folowe the extraordinarie regimēt of that godlie matrone Which thing althogh they were able to do as they neuer shalbe let them blowe til they brust yet shall her example profet them nothing at all For they are neuer able to prouc that ether Debora or any other godlie woman hauing the cōmendation of the holie ghoste within the scriptures hath vsurped authoritie aboue any realme or nation by reason of their birth and blood Nether yet did they claime it by right or inheritance but God by his singular priuiledge fauor aud grace exempted Debora from the common malediction geuen to women in that behalf and against nature he made her prudent in counsel strong in courage happie in regiment and a blessed mother and deliuerer to his people The whiche he did partlie to aduance and notifie the power of his maiestie as well to his ennemies as to his owne people in that that he declared himself able to geue saluation and deliuerāce by meanes of the moste weake vesselles and partlie he did it to confound and ashame all man of that age because they had for the moste part declined frome his true obedience And therfore was the spirit of courage regiment and boldnes taken frome them for a time to their confusion and further humiliation But what maketh this for Mary and her matche Philippe One thing I wold aske of suche as depend vpō the exāple of Debora whether she was widowe or wife when she iudged Israel and when that God gaue that no table victorie to his people vnder her If they answer she was widowe I wold lay against them the testimonie of the holie ghost witnessinge that she was wife to Lapidoth And if they will shift and alledge that so she might be called not witstanding that her husband was dead I vrge them
by the boundes and limites of your bretheren the sonnes of Esau who dwell in mount Sier They shall feare you But take diligent hede that ye shewe not your selues cruell against them For I will gene you no part of their land No not the bredth of a foote For mount Seir I haue geuen to Esau to be possessed And the same he doth witnesse of the sōnes of I ot to whom he had geuē Arre to be possessed And Mosesplainlie affirmeth that when the almightie did distribute and diuide possessions to the gentiles and when he did disperse and scatter the sonnes of men that then he did apoint the limites and boundes of peoples for the nomber of the sonnes of Israel Wherof it is plain that God hath not exposed the earth in pray to tyrānes making all thing laufull which by violence and murther they may possesse but that he hath apointed to euery feuerall nation a feuerall possession willing them to stand content as nature did teache an ethnik to affirme with that portion whiche by lotte and iust meanes they had inioyed For what causes God permitteth this his distribution to be troubled and the realmes of aunciēt nations to be possessed of strāgiers I delay at this time to intreate Onelie this I haue recited to geue the worlde to vnderstand that the reigne empire and authoritie of women hath no grounde within Goddes scriptures Yea that realmes or prouinces possessed by their mariage is nothing but vniust conquest For so litle doth the lawe made for the doughters of Zalphead helpe the cause of your quenes that vtterlie it fighteth against them both dāning their authoritie and fact But now to the thirde objection The consent say they of realmes and lawes pronounced and admitted in this behalfe long consuetude and custome together with the felicitie of some women in their empires haue established their authoritie To whome I answer that nether may the tyrānie of princes nether the foolishnes of people nether wicked lawes made against God nether yet the felicitie that in this earthe may herof insue make that thing laufull whiche he by his word hat manifestlie condemned For if the approbation of princes and people lawes made by men or the consent of realmes may establishe any thing against God and his word then shuld idolatrie be preferred to the true religion For mo realmes and nations mo lawes and decrees published by Emperours with cōmmon consent of their counsels haue established the one then haue approued the other And yet I thinke that no man of sounde iudgemēt will therfore iustifie and defend idolatrie No more oght any man to mainteine this odious empire of women althogh that it were approued of all mē by their lawes For the same God that in plain wordes forbiddeth idolatrie doth also forbidde the authoritie of women ouer man As the wordes of saint Paule before rehearsed do plainly teach vs. And therfore whether women be deposed from that vniust authoritie haue they neuer vsurped it so long or if all such honor be denied vnto them I feare not to affirme that they are nether defrauded of right nor inheritance For to women can that honor neuer be due nor laufull muche lesse inheritance whiche God hath so manifestlie denied vnto them I am not ignorant that the subtill wittes of carnall men which can neuer be broght vnder the obediēce of Goddes simple preceptes to maintein this monstruous empire haue yet two vaine shiftes First they alledge that albeit women may not absolutelie reigne by thē selues because they may nether fit in iud gement nether pronounce sentence nether execute any publike office yet may they do all such thinges by their lieutenantes deputies and iudges substitute Secondarilie say they a womā borne to rule ouer any realme may chose her a husband ād to him she may trāsfer ād geue her authoritie and right To both I answer in fewe wordes First that frome a corrupt and venomed fountein can spring no holsome water Secondarilie that no person hath power to geue the thing which doth not iustlie appertein to them selues But the authoritie of a womā is a corrupted fountein ād therfore from her can neuer spring any lauful officer She is not borne to rule ouer men and therfore she can apointe none by her gift nor by her power which she hath not to the place of a laufull magistrat And therfore who socuer receiueth of a womā office or authoritie are adulterous and bastard officers before God This may appeare straunge at the first affirmation but if we will be as indifferēt ād equall in the cause of God as that we can be in the cause of man the reason shall sodeinlie appeare The case suposed that a tyrāne by cōspiracie vsurped the royall seat ād dignitie of a king ād in the same did so establish him selfe that he apointed officers and did what him list for a time and in this meane time the natiue king made streit inhibition to all his subiectes that none shuld adhere to this traitor nether yet receiue any dignitie of him yet neuer the lesse they wold honor the same traitor as king and becōme his officers in all affaires of the realme If after the natiue prince did recouer his iust honor ād possessiō shuld he repute or esteme any mā of the traitors apointemēt for a laufull magistrate or for his frende and true subiect or shuld he not rather with one sentēce condēne the head with the membres And if so he shuld do who were able to accuse him of rigor much lesse to condemne his sentēce of iniustice And dare we denie the same power to God in the like case For that womā reigneth aboue mā she hath obteined it by treasō and cōspiracie cōmitted against God Howe can it be then that she being criminall ād giltie of treason against God cōmitted can apointe any officer pleasing in his sight It is a thing impossible Wherefore let men that receiue of women authoritie honor or office be most assuredly persuaded that in so mainteining that vsurped power they declare them selues ennemies to God If any thinke that because the realme and estates therof haue geuen their consentes to a woman and haue established her and her authoritie that therfore it is laufull and acceptable before God let the same men remembre what I haue said before to wit that God can not approue the doing nor consent of any multitude cōcluding any thing against his worde and ordinance and therfore they must haue a more assured defēse against the wrath of God then the approbation and cōsent of a blinded multitude or elles they shall not be able to stand in the presence of the consuming fier that is they must acknowledge that the regiment of a woman is a thing most odious in the presēce of God They must refuse to be her officers because she is a traitoresse and rebell against God And finallie they must
not be forgotten such as fier hath coÌ„sumed aÌ„d the sworde of tyrannie moste vniustlie hath shed doth call for veÌ„geance in the eares of the Lord God of hostes but also the sobbes and teares of the poore oppressed the groninges of the angeles the watch men of the Lord yea and euerie earthlie creature abused by their tyrannie do continuallie crie and call for the hastie execution of the same I feare not to say that the day of vengeance whiche shall apprehend that horrible monstre Iesabel of England and suche as maintein her monstruous crueltie is alredie apointed in the counsel of the Eternall and I verelie beleue that it is so nigh that she shall not reigne so long in tyrannie as hitherto she hath done when God shall declare him selfe to be her ennemie when he shall poure furth coÌ„tempt vpon her according to her crueltie aÌ„d shal kindle the hartes of such as soÌ„times did fauor her with deadly hatred against her that they may execute his iudgementes And therfore let such as assist her take hede what they do For assuredlie her empire aÌ„d reigne is a wall without foundatioÌ„ I meane the same of the authoritie of all womeÌ„ It hath bene vnder propped this blind time that is past with the foolishnes of people aÌ„d with the wicked lawes of ignoraÌ„t aÌ„d tyraÌ„nous princes But the fier of Goddes worde is alredie laide to those rotteÌ„ proppes I include the Popes lawe with the rest and presentlie they burn albeit we espie not the flame wheÌ„ they are coÌ„sumed as shortlie they will be for stuble aÌ„d drie timbre can not loÌ„g indure the fier that rotteÌ„ wall the vsurped aÌ„d vniust empire of womeÌ„ shall fall by it self in despit of all man to the destruction of so manie as shall labor to vphold it And therfore let all man be aduertised for the trumpet hath ones blowen Praise God ye that feare him Negligence of watchemen The diligeÌ„ce of the olde prophetes of God 1. Reg. 12 Ezech. 16. Ierem. 29 Ezech. 7,8,9 God alway had his people amongest the wicked who neuer lacked their prophetes and teachers Isaie 13. Ierem. 46 Ezech. 36 Examples what teachers oght to do in this time Ezech. 2. Apoca. 6. Thre chef reasons that do stay man from speaking the truthe 1. Cor. 9. Mat. 26. Act. 18 21. Psalm 2. Act. 4. It is necessarie for euerie maÌ„ to opeÌ„ the impietie whiche he knoweth to hurt his coÌ„monwelth No man can repeÌ„t except he knowe his synne The propertie of Goddes truth 2. Reg. 6. Mat. 14. Rom. 1. The ignorant multitude hath set vp the authoritie of womeÌ„ not knowinge the daÌ„ger A very daÌ„gerous thing to speake against olde errors AccoÌ„ptes will be had of Goddes giftes The cause mouing the author to write Ezech. 33. For the Authors name Causes why women shuld not haue preemineÌ„ce ouer men Priuate examples do not breake the generall ordinance 2. Politicorum Aristotelis Reade Isaie the thirde chaptre Amazones were monstruouse women that coulde not abide the regimeÌ„t of men and therfore killed their husbandes reade Iustine Arist. 2. Politic. Lib. 50. de regulis iuris what women may not be 3. 16 lib Digestorum Ad Senatus consul VelleianuÌ„ Lib. 3. de postulatione Tit. 1. Calphurnia De statis hominum Titul 8. Frome womeÌ„ power is taken away by the Ciuile lawe ouer their own children Dig. lib. 24. de donatione interviruÌ„ faeminam women be couetous therfore vnmete gouernors Lib. 1. Digest de le gib senatuscon Titul 3. Politic. 2. England and Scotland beware Great imperfectioÌ„s of women Romilida the wife of Gisulphus betrayed to Cacanus the dukedome of friawl in Italie Iane quene of Naples haÌ„ged her husband Athalia 4. Reg. 11 Hirene Anton. Sabell If the lesse thinges be denied to womeÌ„ the greater caÌ„ not be graÌ„ted womaÌ„ in her greatest perfection was made to serue man 1. Cor. 11. A good coÌ„parison A newe necessity of womans subiection womaÌ„ by the sentence of God subiect to man Gene. 3. The punishement of women vniustlie promoted aÌ„d of their ê“moters Gene. 3. Let all women take hede Answer to an obiection 1. Tim. 2. 1. Cor. 14. Frome a generall priuiledge is woman secluded She that is subiect to one may not rule many A strong argumeÌ„t NOTE Tertullian de habitu mulieruÌ„ Let womeÌ„ hearken what Tertullian an olde Doctor saith NOTE Tertull. lib. 8. de virginibus velandis In procemio 6. lib. contra Marcionem August lib. 22. coÌ„tra Faustum .c. 31. De Trinitat lib. 12 cap. 7. In quaect veteris Testamenti quaest 45. NOTE Lib. de CoÌ„tinentia cap. 4. Ambros. in Hexaemero lib. 5 c 7. Cap. 5. Ambros. super 2. c. 1. epist. ad Timoth. Ambros. in 1. epist. ad Corin cap. 14. Genes 3. whose house I pray you oght the parliameÌ„t house to be Goddes or the deuilles Rufus is by S. Paul saluted before his mother Chrysost. homil 17. in genes NOTE Homil. 15 in Genes God graunt all womeÌ„s hartes to vnderstand and folow this senteÌ„ce In Mat. cap. 23. homil 44. woman can not haue vertue in equalitie with maÌ„ Ad Ephe. cap. 4. sermone 13. NOTE The body lackinge the head can not be well gouerned nether can common welth lackinge man In ca. 22. Ioh. homil 87. In Ioh. homil 41. Basilius Mag. in aliquot scripturae locos De ordine lib. 1 c 10 De ciuit Dei lib. 19cap 13. what soeuer is done withowt the appointmeÌ„t of Goddes will is done withowt ordre Two mirrors in which we may beholde the ordre of nature Common-welthes vnder the rule of women lacke a laufull heade Idol Psal. 115. The empire of a woman is an idol 1. Cor. 11. NOTE 1. Cor. 11. Marke the similitude of Chrysostome NOTE Howe women be couered in England and Scotland Brute beastes to be preferred Insolent ioy bringeth sodein sorowe Rom. 1. what robbed God of his honor in England in the time of the Gospell Goddes benefites she wed to England Discipline refused in England The nobilitie and the hole realme of England castle theÌ„ selues willingly in to the pit CoÌ„fession NOTE NOTE Deut. 17. God hath apointed man his ministre and lieutenant Answer to an obiection The election of a king floweth frome the moral lawe Iosue 1. Rulers shuld take hede to this Deut. 17. what vices magistrates oght to punishe NOTE The geÌ„til no lesse bounde to the lawe moral theÌ„ the Iewe. NOTE The first argument that the authoritie of women repugneth to iustice The secoÌ„d argument Nature doth confesse that repugnancie to Goddes will is iniustice Howe the reprobat confesse Goddes will to be iust Genes 4. Mat. 27. womans authoritie bringeth furth monstres 1. Tim. 2. Apoca. 2. Iudic. 4. Para. 34. The defenses of the aduersaries Num. 27 Answer to the first obiection Examples against lawe haue no streÌ„gth when the question is of lawe NOTE Antithesis betwixt the former matrones aÌ„d our Iesabelles NOTE NOTE No godlie womaÌ„ did euer claime authoritie ouer man by reason of her birth and blood why God sometimes worketh by extraordinarie meanes Iudic. 4. Luc. 2. Iudic. 4. NOTE NOTE 2. Reg. 22. Dobora commanded not as princes vse to commande To iudge is not alway vnderstand of the ciuil regiment Isaie 2. Isaie 42. Mich. 4. Isaie 5. EZech. 20 Ezech. 22 Ezech. 34 EZech. 22 NOTE An answer to the second obiection what woman wold not gladly heare the doughters of Zalphead desired to reigne ouer no maÌ„ in Israel women may succede to inheritance but not to office Num. 36 Our patrones for women do not marke this caution Realmes gotten by practises are no iuste possession NOTE the spaniardes are Iewes and they bragge that Marie of EnglaÌ„d is of the route of Ieffe Note the law which he hath proclaimed in France against such as he termeth LutheriaÌ„s Act. 17. Deuter. 2. Deut. 32. NOTE Cicero offic lib 1. Realmes gotten by marriage is vniust conquest Answer to the third obiection women may and oght to be deposed from authoritie the fourth obiecteon womiÌ„ can make no laufull officer Let EnglaÌ„d and Scotland take hede woman in authoritie is rebel against God what the nobilitie oght to do in this behalf 2. Reg. 11 Marke this fact for it agreeth with Goddes lawe pronounced An admonition Iudic. 20 why God ê‘mitteth somtimes his owne souldiors to fall in batel Iudic. 20 NOTE The authoritie of all women is a wall without fouÌ„dation