that â—ny man can fynde ¶ Why sholde not women of theyr tongues be ryse To plede theyr causes theyr trewthe to veryfy They haue none other armoure dyffensyfe Theyr power is to feble theyr wronges to iustyfy To speke nor to do none can lyue so pacyently Though that they chyde theyr angre is soone past Theyr wordes of wynde is lyckened to ablast ¶ Ten monethes women with theyr chyldren go And of theyr bodyes that tyme be they nourysshed with panges and stytches they suffer payne and wo In peryll of dethe whan they be delyuered with theyr mylke after a season they be fed Moche payne and trouble our mothers for vs take wherfore all women we ought to loue for theyr sake ¶ To make of women men sholde be gladde and fayne Syth they to vs be so tendre with dylygence One man for another wolde not take the payne Theyr kyndnesse we can not duely recompence To loue theym we haue good cause by experyence They are so moche our frendes in sycknesse in helthe He that theym hateth loueth not his welthe ¶ Consultor ¶ We wyll no lenger in these maters debate Folowe my counsell his company eschewe Yf ye entende your sorowe to mytygate In secrete places do not ye contynue Imagynacyons thoughtes your mynde wyl subdue wherfore suche hauntes yf ye do not cease Loue wyll in you more and more encrease ¶ Experyence by fyre whiche is nygh quenched with brymstone it wyll be kyndled soone agayne In lykewyse loue yf it be frequented wherfore from her loue do your selfe refrayne Fynde some occasyon at her to dysdayne To desyre her loue be not ye to madde Except of yours that she wolde be as gladde ¶ Amator ¶ To gyue me suche couÌ„sell me thynke ye be not wyse Your sugred lyppes can not me begyle For yf I sholde folowe your aduyse My lyfe wolde contynue but a small whyle From her company I can not me exyle To leue that thynge whiche that I loue best No reasonable man wyll make no suche request ¶ Wherfore of this talkynge now lette vs cease Eusamples I haue ryght many and excellent Theyr wysedome and noblenesse for to encrease But at this tyme these shall be competent Wherfore from hensforthe leue your false argument And of women speke not so reprouable For shame it is to you and nothynge commendable ¶ Consultor ¶ Thus dyd we fynysshe our communycacyon Desyrynge the assystence to take this agreable And in that is amysse to make reformacyon And also all women I humbly theym supply At this poore treatyse for to haue none enuye I haue nothynge sayd that is to theyr dysprayse But I haue made answer theyr honour more to rayse ¶ But for asmoche as some men haue delectacyon To rayle vpon women and theym to dyscommende I therfore entende to make demonstracyon Of theyr opprobryous wordes wherin they do offende By reasonable answeres to enduce theym to amende Wherby they may haue perfytly knowlege That women be not gyite in that they do allege ¶ Wherfore I requyre you consyder myne entent Whiche made it not for malyce or ony despytefulnesse For yf I sholde so do I were ryght neclygent And worthy to be rebuked of shame and vngentylnesse Bothe prayse and dysprayse herin I do expresse Yf I deserue blame in spekynge so largely I trust to haue thanke for replyenge the contrary ¶ Lenuoy of Robert Coplande ENdeuer thy selfe thou lytell boke I pray To thyne auctoure and vnto eche degre Excusynge thyne impressyon alway Yf to theyr mynde it fortune not to be And where mysse is that they wyll pardon me And to correct after theyr good entent With lesse or more as it is conuenyent ¶ Finis ¶ Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the Sonne by me Wynkynde worde â–ª W C mynhyg de worde
lyke a cruell mother And gaue Iason one parte and toke her selfe the other ¶ The Cytees of troy and also of Thebe By womans trespas was brought to destruccyon The wyfe of kynge Mynos called Pasyphe Made a Cowe of wood lyke in proporcyon Couered with a skynne by whiche decepcyon To fulfyll her lust with a Bull she medled Of whome Mynotawre the monster she conceyued ¶ Of many other I coude reherse the lyuynge But for my purpose these do no we suffyse what auayled theyr holynes wysedome cunnynge Or strength sythe women can theym so entyse To do that thynge that men sholde theym despyse Is not he madde seynge the experyence That wyll haue in theym trust or confydence ¶ Amator ¶ I meruayle that ye coude speke or thynke the same For the trespace of fewe on all other for to rayle Pretendyng by your wordes theym vtterly to dyffame How be it your saynge shall nothynge preuayle For of as many good women I shall make rehersayle The merytes of whome are asmoche to be praysed As the vyces of the other sholde be dyscommended ¶ Mynerua of Athenes was called the goddes Of her wysedome for her cunnynge and polycy Carmenta of latyn founde fyrst the letters Nycostrates also the letters of Italy what saye you to the sybylles w t theyr greate prophecy Aregenes founde also fyrst the crafte of weuynge Thus dyd they excell men by theyr wyt cunnynge ¶ What man can gyue theym praysynge conuenyent whiche studyed so besyly to get fruytfull scyence To prouoke mannes herte to study to be dylygent who can expresse the wyfely pacyence Of Grysell or of Penolype the prudence The stedfastnes of Lucres agaynst her wyl rauysshed whiche slewe her selfe after the dede publysshed ¶ Who wyll not prayse the faythfull and true Orestyll whiche whan she same Mercus prolancus to shyp goo That was her husbande agaynst her mynde and wyll For his loue fell downe there deed for woo Elyssa after the dethe of her husbande Dydo For sorow ranne vnto the funerall fyre Her body with her lordes to brenne was her desyre ¶ Of Arthemesya Porcya and also Tysbe Iudyth Iulya Valerya and Hester Reed the hystoryes there shall ye playnly se from stedfast loue they neuer dyd dysseuer For length of tyme theyr storyes I dyffer And for theyr vertues I afferme certaynly That men ought theym to prayse and magnyfy ¶ Consultor ¶ Yf men consydered the trouble and the payne That they sholde suffre whan they be maryed I thynke they wolde theym selfe soone refrayne In eschewynge the dannger that after sholde procede For an heuy lyfe many of theym do lede whiche for to treate of in euery cyrcumstaunce It wolde aske a longe contynuaunce ¶ Some of theym do wake whan y t they sholde slepe Some for theyr lyuynges labour contynually Other auenture theym in to perylles depe where they lese lyfe and substaunce sodeynly Thus do they lyue in drede and ieoperdy Some stele or borowe to bere theyr importune charge Some hanged some in pryson and dare not go at large ¶ Some to brynge vp theyr chyldren are ententyfe And greatly troubled for theyr vntowardnesse Some with theyr wyues contynue an heuy lyfe As in chydynge fyghtynge and other frowardnesse Some by Ialousy are put in heuynesse In care trouble sorowe and seldome in tranquyllyte Suche is theyr lyfe neuer at no certeynte ¶ For yf she be fayre she shall haue great resort And for her beaute she shall be moche desyred Fewe men wyll haue pleasure or confort To take a wyfe whiche that is dyfformed A fayre wyfe to kepe a man dothe stande in great drede A foule wyfe to hym is but lytell pleasure Thus is theyr mynde neyther stable nor sure ¶ Amator ¶ Holde your peace your wordes are frustrate To alledge in maryage suche importunyte For many men are so fortunate That neuer were maryed nor neuer shall be No man can contynue alway in felycyte For man is predestynate by fortunes operacyon To lyue in this worlde in trouble and vexacyon ¶ Yf men sholde folowe theyr naturall dysposycyon Bytwene beestes and theym there were no dyfference Wherfore for to haue natures operacyon By wedlocke it is suffred to be without offence Otherwyse to do is shame and inconuenyence Bothe goddes lawe mannes he offendeth greuously Wherfore no man can say but wedlocke is necessary ¶ Better than chaste loue what thynge is to be loued Whiche is grounded in holynes and also in honeste Frendshyp and affynyte is therby encreased In one body togyder ioyned be Chyldren borne in wedlocke be lawfull and fre They be combyned with bonde so charytable That nothynge but dethe can make theym separable ¶ Loue must be fyrst or they be maryed For by the bonde of loue maryage is consecrate There ought nothynge more to be commended Than loue that with charyte and peace is confyderate For there as is loue there seldome is debate And yf amonge louers happen ony varyaunce Seldome it is sene of ony longe contynuaunce ¶ It is longe of theyr husbandes yf they do not well wherfore ye do now accuse theym wrongfully To folowe theyr myndes men maye theym compell But women can not to theyrs apply what cause hath a man to be than in ialousy For yf ony trouble be angre or varyaunce women bere the brunt and suffre the penaunce ¶ What pleasure it is for a man to take a foule wyfe without her vertue be the more acceptable Full often he shall be wery of his lyfe A fayre wyfe to hym shall be more agreable As good and as kynde and as moche profytable Foly it is to haue theym mystrusted For yll they maye be yf they be so dysposed ¶ Consultor ¶ Whan brome bere apples or homlockes hony Than trust the wordes of women and stedfastnes That nature hathe gyuen theym no man can deny It is theyr proprytees to be full of dysceytfulnes To wepe and spynne and hyde no secretnes To lye and flatter suche condycyous they haue Fewe other good propryteâ—s god vnto theym gaue ¶ Beware of women for they be fraudulent Theyr wordes are venym mengled with hony Thou knowest her sayenge y u knowest not her entent A foole is he that in theym dothe affye Tell theym thy councell and they wyll it dyscrye Imparfyte dysceytfull and full of mutabylyte Suche is theyr kynde nature and properte ¶ Women can loke on men with face double For in theyr hertes they be full varyable Theyr fayned loue hath put many men to trouble Whiche haue supposed theym to be ferme and stable By blandysshynge wordes theyr bayte detestable Lyke the Scorpyon that sheweth the face smylynge And with the tayle sodeynly dothe stynge ¶ Amator ¶ Fye fye for shame ye do rayle in your sentence Theym so to dysprayse it is not commendable Syth they bebounde by vertue of obedyence To obey theyr husbandes to theym to be seruysable Not as a seruaunt but by loue charytable And as a frende to be
to theym stedfast In worde and dede whyle that theyr lyues last ¶ Why do ye despyse women so shamefully Syth that in these offence that men be more infecte what is he that Iustly can deny In none of theym that he maye be detect Some women in wysedome haue better cyrcumspect Than some haue with wysedome and prouydence To eschewe suche shame and inconuenyence ¶ To haue a frende it is a synguler pleasure who can haue a better than his wedded wyfe For she can do to hym no dyspleasure Syth she is partener of all his sorowe and stryfe with hym she must contynewe all her lyfe And to her power to helpe theym at theyr nede For of theyr husbandes they stande in fere and drede ¶ Women be full of pyte and compassyon Theyr merytes can not be to moche praysed Loue is in theym by nature and complexcyon Of hertly kyndnes to men so perfyxed In welthe and wo it is not mynysshed All payne and trouble they take agreable That myght for vs be good and profytable ¶ Consultor ¶ Now adayes olde women and yonge go straungely Lyke comen women theyr apparell is dysguysed To prouoke yonge hertes theyr desyres to apply Theyr heer dysplayed theyr faces paynted Theyr gownes lowe collered theyr brestes enhaunced Suche ven ym they profer though it be not acceptable yet is theyr entent approued dampnable ¶ Thus fewe of theym do regarde theyr honeste And folowe theyr pleasure and sensuall delectacyon For at feestes and esbatementes there wyll they be where yonge people resorte for theyr recreacyon whiche are dysposed by naturall inclynacyon To talke and dally and besyly to procure To ê“uoke theym to apply to theyr disordynat pleasure ¶ All thynge that youth and courage can delyte At suche feestes as is prepared comynly Theyr myndes to solace and pleasure to excyte As good metes drynkes mery talkynge mynstralsy Dauncynge and syngynge and iestes of rybaudry Whiche bryngeth women to suche perplexyte That they forget bothe shame and honeste ¶ O what grete myschefe ensued and aduersyte For that quene Helyn by coloured deuocyon Went to Uenus temple there Parys was for to se And the other troyans makynge theyr oblacyon To se the experyence she had delectacyon Yf his beauty were as it was reported Where by her argument after she was rauysshed Under suche colour they vsed theyr hauÌ„tes dampnable To be newe fangled it is theyr properte And blasyngly to shewe theyr beauty delectable And to be prompte in spekynge suche is theyr felycyte By suche meanes they breke theyr wedlocke chastyte For the shyp sholde neuer by tempest spyll Yf in the hauen it contynued styll ¶ Whan ye haue a wyfe kepe her from lyberte â–ª On her do not dote nor be not to tendre For by suche meanes she wyll haue suche felycyte That of the she wyll not stande in ony fere To moche famylyaryte dysdayne dothe engendre Without drede be loue they soone forget Loue and drede togyder yll purpose dothe let Specta of lo. ¶ Amator ¶ Why sholde not women vnto feestes resorte One frende with another I thynke ordynate To passe the tyme with honest game and sporte For to be solytary â–ª the mynde is fatygate To be in company the mynde is recreate Yll thoughtes and humours engendreth of ydlenes It shorteth the lyfe with slouth and heuynes ¶ To were suche apparell it is the guyse compnly From the comen vsage they may theym not refrayne Theyr husbandes pleasures for to satysfy To were newe facyons they must be glad and fayne Or as an abiecte they wyll at them dysdayne And as unworldly they shall be elles reprobate Not regardynge theyr honeste and estate ¶ To go on pylgrymage it is merytoryous For god wolde be worshypped in many a sondry place Bothe to body and soule it is commodyous For by it the soule purchaseth pardon and grace It febleth the body by contynuaunce and space Theyr hertes to more deuocyon doth enclyne Wherfore at theyr doynge men ought not to repyne ¶ To kepe theyr wedlocke they haue great dylygence Yf they breke wedlocke they lyue in worldely shame To god they make an heuy offence Theyr husbandes honesty they vtterly dyffame Wronge heyres enheryte by theyr importune blame With peaaunce they may theyr synnes puryfy But the trespas and sclaundre they can neuer remedy ¶ Full lytell a man regardeth his honeste Yf he kepe his wyfe in suche subieccyon That seldome she sholde haue ony lyberte with her frendes to haue recreacyon To kepe theym to streyte it is a prouocacyon To cause a good woman her husbande for to hate For yf she be yll nothynge can her abate ¶ Consultor ¶ women be lykened to the Chymer of Thesayle Hauynge the symylytude or heed of a lyon The body of a Gote the last parte or tayle Vnto a Chure a venymous Dragon To this monstre by theyr dysposycyon They be lykened by the poetes faynynge For. iij. pryncypall vyces in them moost reygnynge ¶ Fyrst they do loke with a lyons countenaunce To haue preemynence they desyre vtterly And that men sholde theym in euery place auaunce And to theym do seruyce pleasure or curtesy They frete in theyr hertes for dysdaynt and enuy Yf they se ony better than they be apparelled Or better taken or more to be commended ¶ The seconde to a Gote for synne vycyousnesse They be lykened and to the see swalowynge A man shall neuer fynde theym out of redynesse How moche he wyll do he shall haue no denyenge But alwaye more and more they be coueytynge And for as moche as one cannot suffise theyr appetyte To haue helpe of many some of theym delyte ¶ The. iij. they be lykened to a dragon venymous For theyr beys tongues that alwaye talke and clatter Yf they be dyspleased than be they so fumous That they care not what they say or who they sclauÌ„der Moche grudge and quarelynge myschefe and daunger Ensueth by theyr tongues serpentyne whiche are so double that they can byte and whyne ¶ Amator ¶ To dysprayse women it can not you preuayle Theyr good names by you can not be empayred It becommeth no man on theym so to rayle Though some haue done amysse all haue not offended For one womans trespas sholde all be dyscommended No man wyl repute your sayenge reasonable To allege on theym suche vyces detestable ¶ Men gyue them preemynence by custome curtesye Though that women wolde they can it not refrayne Theyr dutyes they must vse and occupye Not by no pryde suche custome they do vse They are not so ignorant theym selfe so to abuse Nor to dysdayne ony that theym dothe excell In beaute substaunce or good apparell ¶ The Phylosopher sayth it is expedyent The gentyll to be of greater strength and vertue The pacyent in nature more feble and impotent For yf they were equall than myght they not subdue The one the other nor no fruyte sholde ensue wherfore the oldest man is of more hoter kynde Than the hotest woman