occasion at the same time yet may the pastor rightly procéede in executing the part of a pastors duety for his publike prayers and perfourming the administration of the sacramentes And though the Sacramentes also vpon any occasion or necessity bee not administred as for Baptisme if there be none to bée baptized or the people do not receiue the communion at euery assembly as our Brethr. I think will not say it is necessary especially in the assemblies at the euening prayers except they will haue no publike euening prayers or the communion to be receiued in the euening yet without the sacramentes may the publike prayers rightly proceede Yea though there bee neither sacramentes nor sermon at that time yea and though there were a Preacher neuer so learned except they will in euery Congregation prouide at least for two preachers one to preach at the Morning Prayer the other at the euening prayer or prouide sufficient health and strength for one to serue alwayes both the turnes or else cease the publike euening prayers and now and then Morning Prayers too for want of the sacramentes and the preaching And although it be more requisite that publike praiers shold be made both at the preaching of a sermon and especially at the ministration of the Sacramentes yet as publike prayers may procéede without eyther of these so may either of these both preaching also baptisme though not the coÌ„munion of the L. body bloud be administred without the publike prayers if such necessity or occasion serued as we haue séene sufficient examples thereof euen in the Word of God Notwithstanding with publike prayer we stil grant it is alwayes better And when all these three parts of a pastors duty preaching ministring the sacraments and praying are ioyned one with another we deny not but it is best of all As for referring the blessing of Mariages vnto prayer I like it also very wel But then I would haue our Brethren marke this withal that here they say of this blessing or praying for them that it is not of necessity but of an auncient vse of the Church Now if the praier for the maried be not of necessitie but of conueniencie because it is an ancient custome of the Church what then shall we thinke of the administration of the sacramentes vnto them at the time of their Mariage or of a sermon to be preached vnto them when the publike praier that God would vouch safe to blesse those that are to bee ioined in the sanctified and honourable estate of Matrim is not of necesitie yet are our Bre. héerein to be again much commended that would haue these prayers of blessings vsed at mariages because though they be not of necessity yet are they of an auncient custome of the Church Which rule if they woulde consider in many other things being neither wicked nor superstitions being neither against good manners nor true Doctrine though they bee not prescribed nor yet expressed in the word of God nor are of any necessitie but of an auncient custome in the Church they would not reiect so many things cheefely not so contemptuously as they doe The argument of the 9. Booke THE 9. Booke treateth of the Churches authority in disposing matters of order comlinesse and edification and of the church of Engl. lawfull proceeding herein Of these Discoursers disobedience and reproches of the churches dooings and vrging their owne orders without authority of the daunger in contentions for small matters and of vrging and impugning ceremonies how comlinesse order and edification are ioyned and seperated Of S. Paules reproouing the vncomlinesse of Womens prophecying and preaching and why these Learned discoursers so especially note this vncomelinesse how their owne positions inferre Womens preaching on necessity extraordinarily and so of consequence Baptizing How Women did then prophesy in the congregation of the Corinthians and of our late abusage in that exercise the confuting of Beza and others interpretations for Womens prophecying to haue beene but onely in hearing with the manifolde examples to the contrary How farre Caluine and other Protestantes allow it or debarre it how Caluine digresseth hereupon from Womens publique speaking to their publike gouernment and with what hard tearmes he concludes against it How Danaeus resumeth the same question followeth further vpon it Of the cause that carieth away Caluine Danaeus all the French writers from the oeconimicall to the politicall gouernment of Women howe requisite it is to pursue this digression both to stande on our necessary defence in this point and to confute all suche as heretofore both in other countries and among vs haue set foorth Bookes against Womens Regiment To which pointes are first examined the arguments that Caenalis the French chronicleo hath gathered together against all womeÌ„s GouernmeÌ„t vnder pretence of the Salike Lawe in France with examining conferring the law of God the law of Nations the ciuill law besides the examination of the often practise in France by the gouernment of Women of the ancient state of France the pedegrees in and before the time of Pharamund and since The lynes of the Merouingians the Carolines and the Capetians or Hugonians all from the rigâ—t and title of Women The arguments for the gift of healing and of the same also in the kings Queenes of England The hurt and troubles that the deuise of the Salike lawe hath bred to all ChristiaÌ„ kingdomes The examples obiections reasons pro contra in Daneus the answeres vnto him with the examples of wom gouernment in all ages and in all the most famous peoples of the World besides England cheefly in the Empire of Rome which Daneus excepteth of Daneus conclusioÌ„ against patrimonial magistracy iurisdiction Lastly the aunswere to the argumentes of Bodinus and of Hottomanus against womens regiment for the Salike Lawe with Hottomans Iudgement thereupon FVrthermore in those things that are necessary partes of the Pastors of fice the Church hath authority to dispose them as touching the circumstaunces for order and comelinesse sake but cheefely for edification As the dayes and times of preaching and administring the sacraments the places meete for the same and for publike prayers also the forme and manner of vsing those things so that al things be done comly and agreeable to order but especially that in all things principall regarde bee had to edification which Saint Paule so often so precisely vrgeth in the 14. Chapter of the 1. Cor. For therfore ought our assemblies commings together to serue that therefore we may be better that we may be taught that we may be edified 1. Cor. 11.17 1. Cor. 14.23.24.25.26.31 IF the Churche haue authority to dispose these thinge that are necessary partes of the pastors Office as touching the circumstances for order and comelinesse sake but cheefely for edification as the dayes and times of preaching and administring the sacramentes the places meete for
succeedeth the man and the man the woman Gallus vero monarcha â—mnium quos tota alit Europa minime gallinaceus est sed virili tantum masculus nullo iure haereditario muliebris But the French man or Cock being the Monark of all that Europe breedeth is no hennish or dung-hill Cocke but onely mannish and Masculine by no right of inheritance womannish What intollerable boasting and vayne words are these verily this Bishop whether he were a Hennish Cocke or no I cannot tell is so cranke of his combe and so loth to haue it cut that he playes the part of a very crauine and croweth like a Dunghill Cock but with his arguments fighteth like a crammed Capon And yet were all this but a ridiculous and fonde meriment rather than an argument to conclude so high a matter saue that he turnes againe to his olde bious of wresting not onely the Apocryphal but also the canonicall Scripture VVhich thing saith he fol. 66. b. How vnseemely it is he knewe that sayd women do rule you do ye not mourne Sée how grosly this is wrested Whereas Zorobabel maintaining his theame women are strongest but trueth ouercommeth all thinges Among other sentences sayth on this wise 1. Esdras 4. ver 22. Therefore by this ye may knowe that the women beare rule ouer you do yee not labour and trau elland giue and bring all to the women This nowe alleageth this ignorant Bishop as though it were a mournefull and lamentable state where women haue any ciuill and politique gouernment But sayth he no man will call the woman sexe moste mighty Lorde and dreadfull Prince nature euen directly repugning against it Therefore that sexe is altogether vncapable of a moste mightye Principality Indéede no man hauing his right wittes will be so fond as to cal a woman a Lorde and yet may Queenes with naturall comelinesse and subiect like duty be called most mighty Lady and dreadfull Prince or dread Soueraigne Or in place of these other reuerende and honorable tearmes may serue without any direct or indirect repugnancy to nature well ynough But if this or that tearme will not beséeme them shall wée for the vnfitnesse of that tearme that is more proper perhaps to a man denie a womans right of principality And if a woman were vncapable also of the most mighty principality might not for all that a VVoman bee the Queene well ynough of all Fraunce or is that the moste mighty principality I thinke Englande ere now hath matched well ynough with all the might thereof And yet haue women gouerned more mighty principalityes than Englande or Fraunce or Spayne and put them altogether But saith he the woman-kinde is so prone to fall and to plunge head-long that it hath more neede of a brydle than a scepter For it is written Pro. 31. VVho shall finde a strong woman This is not onely this shamelesse Bishops accustomed wresting Gods holy worde but héereon hee breakes foorth from all argumentes into so blacke rhethorike and playne rayling that I must néedes héere for very shame and werinesse begin to shake him off and turne him loose to some common scoldes more fit a great deale to deale with them than to dispute on Princes titles saue that where againe he alleageth the Scripture saying For it is written Who shall finde a strong Woman I knowe well ynough some notable Matrones in the feminine sexe are prouident and beautified with many vertues But this Woman is a rare birde and most like to a blacke Swanne But that lawe doth consider those thinges that a man shall finde euerye where not the thinges that happen rarely Howsoeuer this Bishop can wrest and turne his Salike Lawe he ought not to wrest the lawe of God For Solomon speake not this as though there were no such strong women at all For all that followeth of the womans commendation is cleane contrary Yea and this very worde of Solomon which here he vseth ver 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mulier fortis signifying not only substance or wealth strength of body or courage of mind called fortitude and vertue such as may bee in a priuate man but such as is requisite in the gouernment of the people yea of an armie which word he so ascribeth vnto a woman that he sayth she putteth it on as a garment verse 25. The 70. call this Woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a valiant manly or a mannish Woman And say she hath put on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Might comlinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very well bee fetched from the Hebrue worde which calleth the Man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ish and the woman 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isha and the Latine is vir virago the English Man and Woman as the party whome the man doth wooe Whereby it appeareth that this sexe though the weaker vessel by nature yet by grace as she is according to the Apostles saying 1. Pet. 3.7 coheire with vs of the gift of eternal life which of al other is the greatest gift so is she not vncapable of this vertue of politique gouernment in this mortall life which is a gift though excellent yet farre inferior True it is fewe haue had this gift in excellent manner Neither many men But that is no reason for the seldomnesse of it that the Lawe of man should cleane debarre it For wee rather say contrary thinges the more rare if they be good thinges are so much more precious and estéemed the rather the rarer they are and yet might that Lawe perhaps the lesse thinke thereon For seldome séene soone forgotten And it is séene the seldomer by reason that ordinarily the parents want not sonnes and therefore it deuolueth the seldomer to the daughters But this shoulde not clean drown Gods Lawe in vtter obliuion and much lesse remembring it Mans lawe shoulde not of purpose be written against it And yet it is not so seldome but that in that Chapter and vsing also that very Worde of the forditude of gouernment euen of an army if néede were he sayth Verse 29. Many daughters haue gotten strength but thou haste surmounted them all So that though they be very rare which surmount all other yet he saith Many Daughters may haue a competent degrée euen of this Fortitude that can gouerne the multitude of the people the residue in Caenalis which followeth out of Poets inuectiues is vnworthy the answering As for the Amazones I am of his opinion His next argment is this The Lawes repell a woman from being tutor or Guardian to a pupil or Fatherlesse childe with what reason then shoulde they be receiued to defend and protect the cheefe dignitie of a Monarchie Reason first is a weake argument from the defence and protection of anothers weaknes to the title of ones own right For a man childe though hee cannot also bée a tutor but is vnder tutors yet can hee bee
Scripture Which is not ascribed so much to any other starres although they bée bigger farre than the moone is These vaine and friuolous arguments hath this French Bishop which yet both in this point and in all the French antiquities is one of the moste industrious of them all and straineth all his wits to recommend and set out this Salike Lawe wresting and writhing of the scriptures How much better in my opinion and with farre more modesty though otherwise he be also a great fauourer of the French estate aboue England doth Iacobus Meyer the Chronicler of Flaunders write of this matter Lib. 12. fol. 136 saying In the yeare of our Lorde 1335. Easter day being the 16. of Aprill the English warre began which of all other continued longest and was moste cruell And which helde out with truces betweene whiles aboue 100. yeares Which might rather be called a Domesticall sedition than a Warre The Christian common-weale is one kingdome and one house Whatsoeuer warres are made therein are made with great blemish Neither if we shoulde say the trueth they are Warres but most reprochfull seditions King Edward opposed to the Salike Law of the French the diuine Bibles which call the woman to inheritance in defect of the issue male Certaine there were in Fraunce that misliked not those argumentes of Edward Which men being put to death Edward determined to pursue his right although with long and hard warre and with most mightie force of armes to extinguish that Heathenish custome of the French The Salij are sayde while they yet liued among the Scithians to haue ordrined and kept that lawe These Salikes in the time of the decay of the Romane Empire got to themselues the surname of Frankes and began to be called Salij Francici Salike Frankons As also the Frisian Frankes the Saxon Frankes that is to saie the free Frisons the free Saxons to wit those that could bee no longer compelled to paie tributes These Salik Frāks after that they pierced first vnto the riuer of the Rhen and after that euen to the riuer of Sequana or Seine albeit that they also became Christian yet renued they and tooth and naile euen to this daie they haue held that lawe But that this is not so wee haue alreadie shewed euen by Caenalis the chiefest vrger of it Howbeit not without great detrimēt of Christian piety as me thinks And here he noteth in the margine The Lawe Salike hurtfull to the Christian common weale For if these laying aside their hatred and the superstition of that Lawe had nowe ioyned to themselues the riches of Englande thē had the French the English the Scots the Flemmish and the Burgundians growen together into one kingdome and with so mightie a power had easilie destroied that barbarousnesse of Mahomet which continued in Spaine euen almost vntill our times But after that I knowe not by what euill spirit of the French the French haue alwaies attempted to beare rule among other men all things haue bene troubled all things haue beene full of discomfort all things lamentable all thinges seditious Wee haue since that time seene peace no where no where quietnesse England was seene to offer the occasion that was most to be wished for but that Frēch blockishnesse and infelicitie could not take hold thereon being sotted by that Salike lawe And againe Fol. 148. lamenting the greate slaughter at the battaile of Chertsey where hee telleth how the French King called King Edward a Marchant of wooll and King Edward called him the Marchant and author of the Salike Lawe hee sayth The Frenth men alleadge certaine fonde causes of so great a slaughter But I thinke there ought none other to bee alleadged than wee haue before mencioned that is to witte the frinolous right of the French men which is full of controuersie vncertaine and that I may not saie false verilie most farre vnworthie of so great bloudshed I suppresse herein his vnreuerent tearmes of Queene Isabel by whom the right of this title came Onelie I note his iudgement of this pretended Salike Lawe Which sith that all the French writers so earnestlie vrge to stoppe there with the title of the Kings and Queenes of England not one-onelie then in the time of ignoraunce and superstition raigning but that also in this cléere light of the Gospell and manifestation of Gods Lawe euen these notable and excellent learned professours of the Gospell in the French refourmed Churches Caluine and Danaeus sauour yet so much of this French faction that vpon the occasion of womens publike speaking in the congregation they cannot refraine themselues from this humour of their Countrie but must also most vnnecessarilie cast forth these intemperate spéeches and disputations against the right and title of womens publike regiment and that some also among our selues snatching at their arguments with more gréedie newfanglednesse than with aduised confideration haue likewise to disturbe and indaunger our state attempted the like inuectiues I therefore thought it not amisse both for the playner manifestation of the right of that title which I haue heard many desire to bee discussed further than any yet hath done although I meddle not here with titles anie farther than defensiuely for womens right of gouernment to iustifie against all slanders the right of our Princes title for euery mans fuller satisfaction in these questiōs upon these foresaid occasions to be somwhat the larger though withal crauing pardon I confesse to be som what also the more tedious in this long processe herevpō But tedious or not the more pains was mine and they that haue lust and leasure to reade it may or may not at their owne liking I regarding chieflie the satisfying of the curious in these daies at least the staying of the simple from this curiousnesse am driuen my selfe to be rather ouer curious than ouer negligent in slubbering ouer a slight slender answere To returne nowe therefore to Danaeus further argument Of which matter also saith Danaeus procéeding on the proues of his foresayd question in his treatie on 1. Tim. 2 verse 12. folio 84. the examples are extant in Semiramis the Queene of the Assyrians Candace of the Aethiopians Act. 8. verse 27. Cleopatra of the Aegyptians vnder Augustus and Zenobia a most valyant woman vnder Adrian the Emperour To the Empire of which Zenobia many Christian Churches also did obey This argument séemeth to tende to the confirmation of that hée spake before that in Spaine England Scotland and diuerse other regions it was a right and honest matter for a woman to haue the chiefe gouernment ouer men But Danaeus dooth it so coldlie and brings out onelie héere these foure examples of Heathen women and those not of the choisest neither which among the Heathen women hee might haue founde that hée rather séemeth in so slender defending it to oppugne it But let vs take the view of these his examples that hee alleadgeth And first for Semiramis
tyrants such wilfull and vnskilful rulers such childish and effeminate persons of all theÌ„ infidels heauy plagues curses and scourges both to Gods people and to all the romaine Monarchie were the supreme gouernors why shoulde it not take place when the supreme gouernors are not Women or children in such vitious senses but onely in nature without all these vices and all other infirmities sufficiently prouided for and supplied but if these wordes of God by the Prophet Esay are to be vnderstood literally then did God performe the same vnto them literally And then it followeth of necessity that the people of God had not onely men but children nor children onely but Women also to be their lawful princes which is the thing that Danaeus before denied If nowe againe this that was threatned héere as a token of a curse do not debarre the right and lawfulnesse of their estate what shall we say then to those where God of his surpassing might and goodnesse so prouideth for these infirmities of nature that he turneth all this dreadfull token of a curse into the comfortable féeling of a blessing for dare Danaeus make a perpetual rule of this sentence that it shall alwayes stande for a token of Gods curse vnto the people where children or Women are their Princes No he dare not But streight way correctes his former saying and sayth Howbeit that same is not perpetuall for oftentimes Kinges beeing children also as for example Solomon and Josias haue moste holily and moste happily reigned and the empire of them was enriched of God withall kinde of good thinges The same may be sayde of certain Women and of their Empire whome the Lord hath in maruellous manner blessed as appeareth out of diuerse histories Ha goe too then this is another manner of matter For recompence of our former tokens of cursing and misery heere are better effectes of happinesse and blessing in the gouernment both of Children and of women neither as a rare but as an often experience put in practise and that among the Lords people But what is this to the lawfulnesse of these parties gouernment No is In-déede as Christe saith Math. 5.45 God maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill on the good sendeth reignÄ— on the iust vniust the wicked many times prosper reigne in that which the worlde estéemeth happines But when as Danaeus so placeth it héeré that holines goeth before happinesse commeth after when their Empire is enriched of God with al kind of good things with the spiritual riches of Gods kingdome if al this may truly be said of childrens gouerment and the same may be sayde also of womens gouernement doth not this importe that their gouernment must néedes be lawfull And as for childrens gouernement these two here by Danaeus alleaged are notable examples For God himselfe giuing him his name appointed Salomon both before his brethren that were his elders who otherwise by nature should haue had the kingdome before him but that God beyonde all their expectations and aspiring aduaunced him vnto it when he was but about 17. yeares of age and did God all this and was it not lawefull And as for Iosias he was but 8. yeares old when he began to reign And yet was his raigne in that age so acceptable to God that he was prophecied vpon by name almost 200. yeare before he was borne 1. Reg. 13. ver 2. And Ioas was yet younger thaÌ„ was Iosias who was worst in his old yeares wheÌ„ he ought to haue béene best and best when hee was young and is therefore commended to do that which was good in the sight of the Lorde all his time while Ioiada the priest did teach him 2. Reg. 12. ver 2. Azaria began his raigne at 16. yeares of age 2. Reg. 15. ver 2. and is also commended to haue done vprightly in the sight of the Lord. Which is vnderstood only of his younger yeares Manasses was 12. yeares old when he began to raigne 2. Reg. 21. ver 1. who though he did euill in the sight of the Lord yet was his raigne as lawefull as the others Now as Danaeus confesseth that the same may be sayde of some women and of their gouernement which is inough to conclude all the matter for we desire no more to be graunted but euen thus much and what more can be sayde of the gouernement of men For who can iustifie all mens gouernement either that they holde the same by right or rightly administer that they came rightly by Yea least we should take this that he sayth of some women to be of some such for whom he might pretend exception of example as that they had some speciall calling as Debora although we haue heard of other also in the scripture and that in commendation of whom we can alleage no such speciall calling but that might well be drawen to an example of our owne times and state and so do his wordes also importe that this some may bee sayde as spoken of some women of this age when not only he sayth as appeareth by diuerse histories as we shall after warde God willing sée how the state of Christendome is not vnfurnished of manie examples neuerthelesse for the more manifest profe hereof he beginneth with our state in Englande as an honorable and present testimonie of the same saying Verily of thâ— most renowmed Queene of England Elizabeth which now most happily reygneth it may be sayde that the whole compasse of the worlde hath seene nothing at any â—ime more happie or more to be wished for than is her reigne The more we consider this testimonie of Danaeus of the which both our selues especially and other forrain regions not a little finde the profe and féele the coÌ„fort the more are we all bounde to glorifie almightie God and to thinke speak well of her Ma. gouernmeÌ„t not only to be lawful but also most necessarie expedient for Gods Church And to pray to God to blesse her Maiesty more more and to defend her and vs by her to whom he hath giuen in these troublesome and daungerous dayes so happie a reigne ouer his people a gouernmeÌ„t so much to be wished after And the more are we also bound both to loue honour her and to obey her gouernment in her lawes And this beeing true which Danaeus here confesseth then how vnthankfully yea how vntruly doe our Brethren report to the world that the state of the Church of England is a disordred deformed corrupt estate As we haue heard their hard spéeches besides other that write a great deale harder Howe doe these here agrée with Danaeus If her Maiestie reigneth most happily and that in all these foresayd happie thinges how reigneth she not lawfully And how vnlawfully then yea how vnhappily doe our Brethren oppose themselues against her so happie reigne I graunt they doe it not
in such virulent and treacherous manner as doe the aduersaries of the Gospell which her Maiestie defendeth and setteth foorth and wherein chiefely consisteth this her happines bâ—t in an other way-warde and not contented sorte as maintayning such a disordred corrupt and deformed state of the gouernement and discipline of Christs Church As though her reigne suppressed the reigne of Christ and the syncere aduauncing of his kingdome which in the Lordes prayer we desire If her Maiestie did thus what happinesse were there or rather what vnhappinesse were there not in her reigne But now when such as worthily are accounted to be the most learned professours of the Gospell in other Nations and suche as so hardly can brooke womens gouernment smackering too much of the frenche humor as we haue shewed shall notwithstanding giue this honorable testimony of her Maiesty and of her reigne And I hope they do it no more for flatterie than they néede for feare but euen for the truth sake it selfe for except they would suppresse it they can in conscience say no lesse shall now her Maiesties owne subiectes and those Protestantes too that féele the benefite whereat other reioyce so muche for the hearing thereof shall not they confesse as much as doth a straunger What a great ingratitude should this be Howbeit Danaeus confesseth not so much but wée finde much more the experience and benefite of this her most happie reigne God make vs with like thankfulnesse to acknowledge it For certainly if we shall consider al circumstances we shal not choose at leastwise in our consciences though we would not with our mouthes but confesse as much as doth Danaeus that the whole compasse of the worlde hath seene nothing at any time that is more happie or more to bee wished for than is her reigne or gouernement Neither the gouernement vnder the Quéene of Saba or of Gods people vnder Deborah neither yet vnder the most excellent men Dauid Salomon Asa Iehosaphat Iosias or Ezechias no not in Christendome vnder Constantine the greate or the great Charles though their reignes did in some thinges excell her Maiesties reigne yet all thinges pondered especially those kinde of good thinges wherein true happinesse most consisteth Danaeus spake heere a great word but we may well vpholde it for a truthe that the whole circle of the worlde sawe nothing at anie time more happie or blessed and a thing more to bee wished for if men might haue their wishes than is the reigne or gouernement of her Maiestie The Lorde I say againe and againe make vs thankefull to him chiefely and after him to her for the same and vouchsafe to continue and encrease this her most happie and wished reigne still among vs to his further glorie to our aunswerable thankefulnesse and to the refuge succour and comforte of other kingdomes where his Churche also is dispersed and yet by the seducinges and oppressions of Antichriste haue not atteyned to this happinesse and wished state for all their Kinges that wée in Englande vnder our Queene Elizabeth his most happie hand-mayde and our most gratious Soueraigne haue all the time of her reigne and yet God be magnified therefore doe enioye And still shall a straunger say these spéeches and our selues burie them in dumbe silence or if we speake thereof denie it or depraue it This is much to our shame to the great commendation of Danaeus if happily he had staied euen here so concluded vp this question For what could he or anie haue sayde better that coulde more fully confirme the supreme gouernement of a woman to bee lawefull in the Churche of Christe than this so manifest example and present instance of Gods so happily blessing her Maiesties supreme gouernment ouer vs his people But what shall wee foade our selues with all these goodly spéeches when the matter for all this is still impugned For to what purpose doth Danaeus driue all these great prayses of her Maiesties reigne To confirme and establish a womans gouernement Or not rather in the end euen as our Bretheren do but with a more cunning compasse to vndermine it And yet our Brethren as we haue heard cast foorth now then very fayre spéeches of her Maiestie of her happie reigne of her lawfull gouernmeÌ„t also But when it commeth to the very point they not only refuse to obey her Maiesties lawes and gouernmeÌ„t but they so cry out vpon the same as a most deformed corrupt state of gods Church that all their praysings are nothing comparable to their dispraysinges What a strange kinde of dealing is this in so high matters and with such great and noble personages It is an old saying Non est bonum ludere cum sanctis And shall wee dally thus in the chiefest matters of estate with Princes What could haue béen more auouched for confirmation of a womans lawfull gouernement then this so high recommending to all the worlde her Maiesties gouernement Solemnely pronouncing Verily for Elizabeth the Queene of Englande that nowe most happily raigneth the circuite of the worlde hath seene nothing at any time more happie or blessed and more to be wished for then is here reigne If here Danaeus haue not flattered as he had no cause but spoken as indéede we finde it the verie trueth what then can he afterwarde or all the circuite of the worlde alleage against this so excellent a president of Gods approbation for womens supreme gouernement In very déede nothing can be rightly opposed that shall euer be able to ouerturne this instance And verily if Danaeus shall nowe alleage any thing against the lawefulnesse of a womans supreme gouernment ouer Gods people he shall but contrarie and werie himselfe in vaine as we sawe howe Caenalis did And in the ende we shall sée likewise how Danaeus fayre and softly driues the matter not only to the same but to a farre worse pitche though in better spéeches and with more learning For Danaeus hauing gone thus farre dare not nowe say that the gouernement of women is a naughtie vnhonest or monstrous thing which terme Caluine vsed for then all the worlde would haue straightway séene it and cryed out vpon it as a grosse and manifest contradiction But he so fetcheth it about by little and little vnder hande that in the end it comes all to one passe as if had flat and plaine denied it And first here as he hath so highly commended her Maiesties raigne so will he not séeme to discommend but to giue at least some sober commendation to those that will admitte no such gouernment Notwithstanding sayth he those people seeme to haue wisely looked vnto their profite which haue taken heede vnto or prouided by their lawes and by a right or lawe publike least that women should rule among them and ouer them and should haue the chiefe right and gouernement If we conferre the sexe of the woman with the mans because that vnto manie offices which the
administration of a kingdome requireth they are lesse apt and are vnable by reason of the nature and imbecillitie of their sexe As for exāple to gouerne an armie to pronounce the lawe sitting in publike Which thinges certainely do not become at all a womans shamefastnesse In commending the wisedome of those people which haue prouided by their lawes that women should not haue the supreme gouernement among or ouer them Danaeus séemeth though with more modest couerture then did Caenalis to insinuate the French his countrie men But with what wisedome they could deuise better lawes than Gods lawes and oppose their caueats or prouisions of those their lawes to cutte off his lawes I referre to Danaeus and to the indifferent readers further deliberation But if we may coniecture by the euent as wee haue séene alreadie out of Meierus the Chronicler of the Lowe countries this wise prouision of their lawes contrarie to the prouision of Gods lawe hath béene the very folly which hath made that realme of France refuse to vnite it selfe with this Realme of Englande and with all those countries wherby such a mightie Monarchie might haue growen as might haue both repressed the vsurpation of Antichrist and the inuasion of the Saracens and Turkes the one hauing woonne and spoyled more than halfe the other hauing seduced and tyrannized almost ouer all Christendome without anie Christian Monarke sufficient to resist or stoppe them For the kinges of Englande that euer to their power did most withstande these two open priuie enemies of Christs Gospell were either still crossed by the french or for want of this vnion that in right ought then to haue béen made had not might sufficient to atchieue it While in the meane season France hath felt that the only mayntaining of this their wise prouision hath béen the greatest plague and scourge that euer France hath had and the chiefest occasion of their greatest ouerthrowes And at this day God be praysed for it Englande hath the light and libertie of the Gospell and is so blessed withall vnder her Maiesties most happie raigne as Danaeus sayth that would to God France and euery Christian kingdome yea all the worlde had the like blessings of God if it were according to his good will Not that they should be all gouerned still by women for so is not Englande But not to debarre the right of inheritance no not to a woman And if all the world neuer saw so happie a raigne as is the Queenes of England Why might we not charitably wish that all the world Fraunce and all might sée the like happines in their dominions What could it preiudice if a woman now and then reigned ouer them so long as God blessed their raigne as he doth her Maiesties But now where Danaeus drawes his sentence further with this conditionall if we conferre the sexe it selfe of the woman with the mans If he adde this as a reason that moued the French or any other to make this prouiso against womens supreme gouernement then I aunswere that indéede in this conferring the womans sexe is inferiour to the mans Howbeit gouernment hauing rather relation to that principall person that is represented in the gouernement which is God and with all to the abilitie by the giftes and spirite of gouernement which God giueth to the partie whom he aduaunceth and also to the right of inheritaunce whereby the Gouernour claimeth title or comes thereto the superioritie is rather to be conferred in these or the like respects or cōparisons thā in the sexe of man womā only And yet we grant that the sex of the man cateris paribus all other thinges in conferring of them being found to be equall is euermore as the more worthy to be preferred before the sexe of the womā But if now this conferring of the sexes be referred to the later part of the sentence which rendreth a cause hereof saying because that vnto many functions which the administration of a kingdom doth require they are lesse apt and are vnable by reason of the nature and imbecilitie of their sexe then I deny this also to be a sufficient cause or reason to debarre any persons of their right to a kingdome onely for that they are not able personally to administer many functions which the administratiō of a kingdō doth require For if he mean that all Princes must of necessitie administer all such functions in their owne persons or else they be not lawfully administred then not only as we haue shewed a man childe while he is a childe is cleane cut off from the possession of a kingdome and must for conferring his age with the age of a man that is of riper yeares be excluded because that vnto many functions which the administration of a kingdome requireth the nature and imbecilitie of his age is lesse apt and is vnable but also of what age soeuer he be yet his sickenesse may so greatly or so continually empaire the strength of nature that he may be euen altogether vnable at least the lesse apt to administer many of those functions Yea what health so euer he haue also and might and wisedome yet if hee haue many kingdomes or prouinces vnder him as diuerse Princes had that are not therfore improoued in the scripture yea Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat c. had suche Prouinces too and deputies in them and howe then can the king administer those functions in his prouinces personally Yea haue he but one kingdome and that but a small one too yet will there still bée many functions which the administration of a kingdome doth require that he shall be driuen to doe by other persons in his name and right and not all of them in his owne person If nowe this administration of those functions by a deputie or minister in his name and hauing authoritie from him be good and lawful in a man why it is not good and lawfull also in a woman If any reply that although the King may appoint such deputies yet he must appoint a man to doe the actions that appertaine to a man I denie it not But can not a woman Prince appoint men also to do them as well as a man Prince can appoint them But of that after only this now why should a woman be more bounde to the personall administration of suche functions more than a man is bounde Or shoulde shée not rather euen for the nature imbecilitie of her sexe be of the twaine séeing she is the weaker and so the more to be honoured and borne withall be permitted to administer all such functions by other men as she can not administer by her selfe without any preiudice to her right or supreme authoritie in the kingdome The Apostle S. Peter went not thus strictly to worke for Princes personall administration of all their functions but saith 1. Pet. 2. v. 13. c. submit your selues vnto all manner of humane ordinance for the Lords sake
no likelihood of any such matter We suffer not either Officiall or Archdeacon or Chancelor to excommunicate any without a Minister of the word ioyned with him do denounce the sentence of Excommunication And can then a Register yea the Registers substitute and the Substitutes man or the mans boy Excommunicate I will not say Preacher learned or vnlearned but any one man or women in all England I deny not a boy may write the sentence and forme of wordes and counterfait or clap to the right seale also of the office and may pack with the sommoner to cary it forth If such an abuse were it were no com and so there might happen by such ill dealing a shewe and terror of Excommunication But as this is not any Excommunication indéede and therefore our Brethren say not truely that the authority is thus committed from one to another that a learned preacher may be excommunicated by a foolish boy so when it shoulde come to aunswering in the court it woulde soone be found out to be a meere false and sauing your reuerence knauish forgery But if they may discredite lawfull authorities for such abuses The state not to bee slaundered for the abuses they may endaunger the power and authority of all courtes and offices when any false varlets practise such corruptions and if there be any such abuses of this high power of excommunication It is our brethrens dutie to make the offenders knowe and not to impugne or discredite the aucthority by picking such quarrels if such speeches may be thus freely cast forth atraÌ„doÌ„ on bare surmises or rather on mere slanders till they bring forth the persons if this slaundering seeme not vnto them to require as speedy reformation as any such facts if any such were coÌ„mitted what shal I return their words on their own selues that God hath blinded their eyes that they can not see the cleare light of the Sunne shining in their faces verily affection hath so dazeled at the leaste these our Br. eyes that they doe not I will not say they will not see the difference of the Lawful authority of the accidentall abuses of the same beeing as plaine set affection aside as the cleare Sunne shining in their faces For if we looke to bannish the tyranny of the Pope out of all mens heartes The learned disc Pag. 99. wee must vtterly remoue all his detestable enormities out of the realme as it was wont to be said in the coÌ„mon prayers of the church in the time of K. Henrie and Edward where as now by reteining still all the detestable enormities of his prerogatiue and faculties and whol course of his Canon law the papacy is not so much banished in name as translated in-deede from the sea of Rome to the sea of Canterbury vnder the shadowe of the Princes Supremacy with as heighnous iniurie and contumelie of the lawfull authority and Godly Supremacie of the Prince as ioyned with the greate dishonor of God and the miserable disorder of the Church But wee meane not in this place to prosecute our iust complaints nor to inueigh against the abuse of these thinges with such vehemency of wordes as the worthinesse of the matters deserueth but onely in setting foorth the plaine trueth to giue a glimpse by the way of the contrary falshood Are these our Br. glimpses what should we looke for Bridges if they woulde as they say with vehemencie prosecute their complaints What foule daÌ„gerous slanders our Brethren here breake foorth into Not only al the Prelates but all the Church of England accused as good as with high treason that when they giue but a glimpse by the way burthen all the state of the Church and Realme of England to retaine still all the detestable enormities of the Popes prerogatiue and faculties and the whole course of his Canon Lawe And that the papacie is not so much banished in name as translated indeede from the Sea of Rome to the sea of Canterburie With what conscience can our Brethren affirme these thinges is not the Popes Supremacie a preÌ„rogatiue of his detestable enormities which being banished out of the Realme and Church of England how can it be sayde that all the detestable enormities of his prerogatiue are still reteined and whereas to retaine the prerogatiue of the Popes Supremacie is high treason what is this any other than to accuse all the Church and Realm of Eng. besides theÌ„selues to be high traitors against her Maiesty And what a like slaunder is this that we retain his faculties yea the whole curse of his Canon Lawe If this be true then doth the Realme and Church of England as much acknowledge the Supremacie of the Pope as euer it did Which if it do not then is this a moste vntrue and shamefull slaunder The verse Papistes their selues are able to controule them and all the worlde may see the cleane contrary Yea Our Br. own conuincing themselues of this their slaundering of vâ— howe agreeth this with that which their-selues haue confessed and prefixed in the Preface of this their Learned Discourse for our acquitance against this slander that the substance of religion hath in diuers assemblies abroad and at home bin dispatched resolued now publikely maintained for our true and holy fayth If the whole course of the Canon Law be still mayntayned which hath many errors superstitious Idolatries and open blasphemies how maintaine we the true and holy faith and if papacy be but banished in name and not in-deede how do our Brethren and wee agree in the substance of Religion Do they accuse them selues herein also Our Br. too vndutifull slaunder of her Maiesty Yea howe do they not accuse withall most vnnaturally the Queenes moste excellent Maiesty For if papacy be but translated from Rome to Canterbury It is not gone very farre from the Court. And who translated it thether coulde this translation be made without her Maiesties authoritie or did that most renounâ—ed prince King Henry the eight or that moste vertuous Prince his sonne King Edward the sixt both of them Kings of moste worthie memorie whome these our Learned Discoursers so breefely here in their haste snap vp by the tearmes onely of King Henry and Edward make this translation of the papacy from Rome to Canterbury and her Maiestie approoue onely and confirme this translation Translation of Papacy to Canterbury But they say it is translated thether vnder the shadow of Princes the supremacie What mean they by this hath the Prince translated it to the Sea of Canterburie for a shadowe or doth the prince maintain or reteyâ—e it or doth the Princes supremacie shadowe Papacie These speeches are so daungerous so reprochfull so spitefull so vndutifull and not subiect-like so manifest vntrue without all shadows but not without as heighnous iniury and contumely of the lawfull authority and Godly supremacy of the Prince as ioyned with great dishonour of God and the miserable
euerie Diocese and particular parish in the Realme the erection of a new Tetrarchie in euâ—ry seuerall congregation of Doctors Pastors Gouernours and Deacons by which fower estates offices all matters should be directed and all crimes eccl or ciuill censured by their discipline Yea they mount vp to the highest toppe euen of the Princes supreme gouernment Since that therefore these contentions haue aspired thus farre to the imminent daunger of all our whole estate though in an other sort than do our aduersaries in religion it is more than high time against these though otherwise in Christe our well meaning but misweening Brethren to enter into the necessarie defence of these be they matters or manners of such moment I am not ignorant that vnto many this labour wil be thought superfluous either of those that would haue these matters go forwarde without misliking or of some also that allowe them not Howbeit because they haue eyther before beene sufficiently trauersed in by other alreadie both pro contra or that now these controuersies if they be not dead and buried long ago yet the feruour of them is meetly well slaked therefore according to Pythagoras wise counsell ignem opertum noli fodere it were much better to let it alone than to rake abroade the fire that is couered in the cinders these men thinke this to be the best aunswere not at all to aunswere them but to passe theÌ„ oueâ— in silence and contemne them Whereby eyther the parties contending hauing wearied themselues in vaine will the sooner giue ouer or at least other will thinke the matters not worthy to be vouchsafed any aunswere And that to aunswere yea to confute them is but to prouoke further controuersies of which wee are pestred with too many and those not a little raysed or enkinled by often and intemperate disputing aunswering and replying one to an other And in very deede with them that thinke thus in some matters and manners of proceeding I my selfe am of their opinion For this licentiousnesse of writing such reciprocall inuictiues hath bred and breedeth much vnnecessarie trouble Notwithstanding as the Preacher among all other thinges that keepe the reuolution of their seasons reckoneth vp this there is a time to keepe silence and a time to speake when a matter groweth to importance and is vrged too importunately admitting it be a wrong and daungerous errour and yet on all sides it winneth fauour to let it so passe without all controlement what were silence then but grosse negligence the very yeelding to the errour and danger yea the wilfull betraying of the truth and consenting to the ouerture of our state And euen so fareth it in this matter The Papists from whose grosse errors in doctrine we both dissent and against whome in the vnitie and substance of Gods truth we both agree and for a while conioyntly we impugned their errors idolatrieâ— and superstitions at the first in defence of them they began to write freshly and stoutly against vs but when they saw they were not able that way to mainteine the badnesse of their cause they left off writing and followed for the most part this policie to seeme to despise all further triall by disputing and writing of the matter and would seeke to vphold it onely or chiefly by countenance and authoritie but finding againe the experience of this that Voluntas non potest cogi the will of man must be perswaded can not be compelled and that nullum violentum est perpetuum the thing that is only with violence coacted can not possibly continue and that in these controuersies all men are most desirous to be satisfyed with some aunswere or other they fall againe to writing though hardly driuen thereto vsing all the shifts they can to bodge vp the insufficiencie of their cause But in a good matter there neede no such practises True it is as I sayd before that the poynts to be discussed betwixt our Brethren and vs be nothing of such waight as those are wherein our Brethren and we do varie from the aduersaries in the mayne and principall standerds of our faith but are questions most what of discipline and of the Churches gouernment Neuerthelesse since that heerein also our Brethren haue not only made a breach from vs but they haue bred such further contention for them as in which a pacification is fo requisite that without it we see what broiles and daungers dayly growe to the disturbing of our owne estate to the aduantage of the publike aduersarie to the hinderance and obloquie of the Gospell It is necessarie therefore that as God be praysed we haue the truth in doctrine and defend it well not only by the authoritie of the Magistrate but by the words owne authoritie â—â—enly in writing by the Ministers thereof set foorth to all the world against all the resisters of the same so hauing as we trust a good established forme of the regiment discipline of our Church of England if any eyther of our professed aduersaries or of our malecontented Brethren shall withstand or write against it we are all obliged after the measure of each ones calling and habilitie to maynteyne and defend it and that not onely against the breakers of it by the Magistrates execution of authoritie but the Ministers no lesse in their vocation when it is openly written against are bound by their writing againe if the goodnesse of the matter be able so to iustifie it selfe to lay open all the whole state thereof by detecting and confuting all the paralogismes and fallations of the gaynesayers and by defending it euen with the firmenesse of the grounds and the owne good nature of the cause which manner of defence being not destitute of lawfull authoritie to see it obserued not only represseth the resisters bodie but satisfyeth or conuinceth his minde which is chiefly in these contentions to be respected And although this also be true that both our aduersaries in the controuersies of our religion and our Brethren in the questions of our regiment for such matters as then were moued haue beene by other of excellent learning sufficiently aunswered alreadie yet must we be still as ready to aunswere in defence of both these causes as either of them are ready to oppugne them seeing that God be thanked we mainteine nothing in our doctrine or in our regiment whereof we can not render a sound reason and sufficient proofe from the verie foundation of Gods word to mainteine it with a good conscience Howbeit sith that our Brethren cease not but as they first began these controuersies so they hold not yet themselues contented but Plus vltra they proceede further and to further matters and as they rise higher so more eagerly they presse vpon them not onely declaiming in the Pulpits as they get any oportunitie thereunto and exclaime if they be put to silence but also put vp billes and supplicationâ— at euery Parliament compile and scatter abroade their printed treatises insomuch that
this part of the sentence is most apparant false For euery woman that ruleth doth not so take that is by vsurpation a certaine kinde of gouernment and authority that is a wrong title or an vsurped tyranny as did Athalia For shée may be specially called thereunto of God she may be lawfully chosen thereunto of man and shée may be lineally borne thereunto by nature and so vsurpes it not Debora was no vsurper But we shall come to moe examples all in time And also the other part of the Proposition thus distinguished is apparant defectiue Shee that speaketh teacheth Do all teache that speake if he meane all that speake In that manner of speaking what is that else then in effect to say She that teacheth teacheth and indéede S. Paul speaketh not héere simply of speaking but of teaching As we heard before 1. Corin. 14.34 Where be said it is not permitted to them to speak which was thus expounded by Calu. He forbids them therefore to speake in publike for because of teaching or of prophecying So that this cause being set aside speaking in the Church is not forbidden No nor teaching neither simply as wée haue shewed both by the Scripture and by Caluine also And yet if Danae had set his rest against wom teaching in the church it had béene more tollerable But nowe all his conclusion is against Womens speaking in the church And he reasoneth thus they may not teach in the Church ergo they may not speake in the Church And in this proposition shee that speaketh teacheth What a kinde of teaching or speaking is this a genere affirmatiuè ad speciem shee speaketh ergo she teacheth And if this consequence bée good then of consequence she may teach in the Church Sith it is apparant she may speake For if all the congregation may say but Amen if she be one of the congregation she may publikely speake say she but onely bare Amen And may not shée say some of the responses as may the other people that are not Ministers and may she not say the publike Confession with them may she not be openly Catechised and aunswere to the articles of her fayth may shée not sing with the congregation the psalmes and Hymnes And is not that also a publike speaking and must shée not speake when she is to bee maried and before all the Congregation confesse beeing streightly charged so to doe if shee knowe any lawfull impediment why she ought not to bee ioyned in matrimony to that man and doe not our brethren also enioine her euen in the knot of mariage to say these wordes Euen so I take him before God and in the presence of this his congregation How therfore doth Danaeus conclude that women neither can nor ought to speak in the Church If hee say this speaking is not teaching that hée speaketh only héere of such speaking as is teaching why then doth he not driue his argument from speaking to teaching and to haue reasoned thus she may not speake ergo she may not teach Rather than from teaching vnto speking saying thus she may not teach ergo she may not speake which is againe a specie ad genus negatiuè But which way soeuer he driue it it is both apparant that shee may both speake in the Church without the breach of Saint Paules precept yea and her speaking may be teaching also if shee take not on her the ordinary Ecclesiasticall function of teaching in the Church which is the thing in-déede that Saint Paule forbiddeth For otherwise if eyther necessity happen as Caluine graunteth she may extraordinarily teach also or if she be any way lawfully called to the authority of publike regiment not onely she may both speake and teache in the publike congregation but her place of consequence doth often times require it Which Danaeus perceiuing though hée concludeth not his argument against Womens gouerning yet to prooue that shée ought not to speake hee taketh all his force from these two which hee thus intermingleth one with another ruling and teaching And why doth he so Is it â—â—r that teaching inferreth ruling or that ruling inferreth teaching and yâ—â— which soeuer inferreth the other or they be both conioined whereas hee drâ—â—â— it thus Women may not publikely rule ergo they may not publikely 〈◊〉 Or women may not publikely teach ergo they may not publikely rule Why may not we sende these argumentes backe againe to their Master which this reciprocall aunswere VVomen may publikely rule ergo Women may publikely teach Or Women may publikely teache ergo Women may publikely rule That women may teach we haue seene the examples and testimonies of Scripture and our brethrens owne Confessions And as for the lawfulnesse of womens publike ruling as wee haue séene the scripture and Caluine c Let vs nowe sée what Danaeus saith thereto after this his argument against their speaking For that which followeth concerning women deacons I stande not vpon Nowe vpon this occasion commeth Danaeus directly to the Question of the regiment of VVomen with the which as wee hard before Caluine so rigorously did conclude But sayth Danaeus out of this place it is also among some thereupon disputed whether it bee honest for women to reigne that is to commaunde men and to obteine a cheefe empire and right ouer men and ouer the male-kinde which thing hath place in Spayne in Englande in Scotland and in diuerse other regions Heere Danaeus setteth downe this Question playne for the gouernment of Womeâ— ouer men both for the reigning in the chéefe and publike regiment of a kingdome and the right thereof and whether it bee honest yea or noâ— Which hee maketh but a Question disputed vpon by some that take occasion on this place So that hee séemeth to inferre that there is no direct and playne place in the Scripture which doth impugne it but that by occasion of this place some do dispute thereon So that first this place and much lesse the other 1. Corint 14. Which accordeth with this are not directly spoken against the reigne or cheefe and publique gouernment of Women ouer men in the souerainty of a kingdome or royall Empyre But that rule which Saint Paule both heere and there forbiddeth women to haue and exercise ouer men is properly of another kinde of rule And therefore whosoeuer alleageth those places as by them to drawe a direct argument against the publike regiment of women in the right of a Kingdome manifestly wresteth those places And so consequently wresteth all Saint Paules reasons there vsed and also the Lawe Genesis 3. Whereon hee groundes these reasons Nowe where Danaeus sayth that for women to reigne that is to command meÌ„ to obtain the chiefe Empire right or law ouer men is of some disputed vpon and that the question is vtrum honestum fit whether it be honest that is whether it be of the best kinde of those things that are called good to
wit not onely fayre in shewe nor onely profitable in the aduantagâ—â—ut whether it be a vertuous a iust a true lawfull and righteou◠〈◊〉 yea or no. The contrary whereof to wit vnhonest is not onely â—npleasant or incommodious but vitious vniust false vnlawfull and vnrighteous Of which sort of euill if it were being a matter pertaining not to a fewe persons but to whole estates and of such importance as concerneth gouernment in their greatest and moste necessary affayres it is likely that it shoulde be but disputed vpon of some or rather cried out vpon of all nor to be suffered in any place as contrary to the expresse law of God and to the vniuersall lawe of nature if those places Gen 3.1 Cor. 14. and this 1. Tim. 2. be against it And so by no maner of meanes to be suffered and then indéed had Caluin said the truth that al wise men did alwaies refuse it as a monstrous thing beeing against the Lawe of God and nature But sith those places as we haue prooued Danaeus granteth do not medle therewith and much lesse any other place in all the scripture hath any apparance to condemne it as a dishonest matter can we think that a matter of such moment not onely for the publike state in matters of policy in morall conuersation yea conseruation of mans life and preseruation of Gods Church and withall so often mentioned in the scripture both for the persons and for the office and for the authority of princes publike gouernors that it shoulde haue neuer directly and peremptorily bin forbidden nor haue béene pronounced to bée a thing vnhonest yea rather doth not this silence of the scripture cleare acquite it of all suspition of dishonesty And in very déede albeit some more curious and newfangled than sober or circumspect haue called the honesty thereof in question yet for the most and best and wisest part of men the honesty therof hath not bin called into question but thought to be where there is occasion thereof and that the lawes and customes beare it a good a iust a lawfull a true a right a vertuous honest matter And for proof hereof as Danaeus héere beginneth well if he would in this point so hold out and not yéelde to much to these disputers or not rather giue occasion matter for them to dispute vpon he doth mightely in my opinion confirme the honesty of it in saying that this thing hath place in Spayne England Scotland and diuers other regions For were there no moe regions where the regiment of women as lawful iust right true vertuous and honest hath place but these 3. here specified it is ynough sufficiently to enforce the honesty of it except wee shall vtterlye dishonest all these states which when such regiment hapneth chiefelye vnder GOD depende thereon As our estate dothe nowe in â—ngland and Irelande vnder our moste gratious soueraine Queene Eliâ—abeth And shoulde we nowe admit these certaine or some disputers or any other to haue it called in question whether the state and Lawes of our realme euen in the greatest matter of the gouernment thereof do mainteine a thing that is vnhonest or against the Lawe of God and nature For if it be against these places Gen. 3.1 Corin. 14.1 Tim. 2. or these places against it how is not against the Lawe of God and nature what a perillous matter were this and not onely moste daungerous iniurious dishonest and dissloyall against our lawfull soueraigne by whose happy gouernment God hath so blessed vs and doth so gratiously guide vs and defende vs and so many yeares hath done and shoulde wee nowe call her state and right into so high question by somes disputing if it might not better be called dispiting as whether it were honest or no to her Maiesties more then dishonor besides her ouerthrowe and withall our owne destruction but that also vnder pretence of the Gospell we shoulde mainteine an inconuenience worse than a mischeefe and go about to shatter all the groundes and principles of the Lawe it selfe bothe of the realme yea and of nature for the right and inheritance and call in Question euen in the greatest matter of estate sithe Englande mainteineth the inheritaunce and right of Womens regiment whether it mainteine honesty or dishonesty yea or no and whether her Maiesty and other Women princes in our and these specified regions haue or doe rather rule De facto as vsurpers than de iure as Godly and lawfull princes shoulde we not herein go far beyond the very traytors that oppose theÌ„selues only against the princes persons And what should driue any Questionists to this disputation by reason of this place the first of Timothy the second Chap. Which is but haled and wrested to this regiment Howe much better therefore is it especialle for vs whom so néerely it toucheth that as Danaeus confesseth the honesty and right of Womens regiment hath place heere with vs in Englande So with all obedience ioyfulnesse thankefulnesse and conscience to God to acknowledge the same And not vpon such bious occasions to vndermine it pretending a quarrell against Womens publique teaching which neuerthesse must must needes followe For Looke wherein their regiment consiâ—â—es therein dothe an authoritys of teachinge euen of consequence also followe If our Brethren replye that admitting a Woman to haue supreme gouernment ouer all ecclesiasticall matters so well as ciuill then may shee preach also and minister the Sacramentes I aunswere this obiection which is more fitte for papistes â—han protestantes is but a meere cauil For we say not the prince hath all the gouernment either of all ecclesiasticall matters or ciuill in his or her person to do them or to put theÌ„ in action but the Prince hath a supreme gouernment in his or her dominions next and immediate vnder God onely to ouersée to appoint to giue charge and to commaund that all those matters be duely executed and orderly put in action by all these persons to whome of duty by their functions they appertaine And so the Prince he or she without the breach of S. Paules precept or of the lawe of God may lawfully and with authority both speake and teach euen in the greatest assembly of the congregation For his or her gouernment consisteth as much in the authority of their lawfull commandementes as in any thing else belonging to their supreme regiment And take awaye the right of their so speaking which quickneth and giueth life vnto the lawes politike that they make to wit their roial assent and commanding and ouerthrowe al their gouernment And if this regiment be right and honest in England then was it neuer against the lawe of God and nature in any land And if it be so now then of his owne nature and de iure it was so euer thogh it were not euer so de facto And we haue no cause but to prayse God that Ius factum in this
gouernement of one And what then is included in the worde Monarke of what sexe that one chiefe gouernour should be So it be but the chiefe gouernement of one and not of moe But sayth he they that in their kingdomes claime the chief gouernment to themselues admitting the chiefe right of the kingdome in a woman seeme to doe nothing else than that they diminish the Maiestie of the Monarchicall principalitie If they that hauing right thereto and be not otherwise by their demerites barred be women that claime the Monarchie to themselues what diminishing is this when the Maiestie of the Monarchicall principalitie still remayneth entier in them If he speake of men his wordes haue no sense For how can they claime to them selues the chief gouernment in their kingdomes and withall admit the chiefe right of the kingdom in a woman Except whosoeuer should so do would confesse himselfe to be a plaine vsurper confessing the chiefe right to be in her and yet claime the chiefe gouernment to himselfe If he meane not of any title of right in present but right in possibilitie when it deuolueth to a woman then neither he diminisheth any whitte the Maiestie of the Monarchicall principalitie nor she when she lawfully atteyneth thereunto any whit diminisheth the same by reason of her sexe except by any her demerites otherwise she diminish it or perhaps may lose it But that may happen and hath hapned to a man as well as vnto a woman Of which matter sayth Caenalis let them looke to it to witte the English men the Spaniardes and the Sicilians well neâ—re all other Sith not only Englande Spaine and Sicile but almost all other doe admitte this right it argueth it is not an vnlawefull and vnnaturall thing Except the French would condemne the most part of Christendom for their owne peuish standing on this Salike lawe which they confesse came from Infidelles But as we of England haue good companie herein so let the French rather looke vnto it that separate themselues for the maintenance of a Pagan lawe if not rather a lawe méere forged from the most part of Christendome And is there now no Monarchie or kingdom in all Christendome but only in France If there be then to be a Monark and to be a woman are not repugnant And he that doubts therof heares not himselfe nor knowes the force of the worde Monarke As for the residue of Ditions or Signiories sayth Caenalis howe excellent soeuer they are the dignitie of their principalitie being safe so that it be not supreme and Monarchicall they may admit the feminine sexe in the succession of lande If he make this exception of the residue of ditions or Signiories from Englande Spaine Sicill all other which he granteth to admit womens supreame gouernement then of what other signiories he speaketh he should haue plainer expressed But what signiories soeuer he meane or what municipall lawes soeuer they haue sith he graunteth this that how excellent soeuer they be they may admitte the woman kinde in the succession of the soyle the dignitie of their principalitie being safe and vnblemished and yet that dignitie is annexed to the possession of that soyle how then doth he not graunt but that women may gouerne neuer so excellent a signiorie dition or territorie without impayring the dignitie of the principalitie thereof Which if they may doe then this exception so that it be not supreme and Monarchicall comes too late and is a vaine exception Neither is his reason hereof any more of value to debarre a womans right from the succession of a kingdom than of a Princedom or of a dukedome For sayth he there shall not want the top or soueraigntie of the Monarchie that with the defence of armes shal supply the fraylty of the sex in defending of or restoring her right And cannot this be done as well and better by her own subiects or confederates wheÌ„ she her selfe hath the Monarchical principalitie And may not men pretende as well and much easier to take away an Erledome a Dukedome or Princedome or other inferiour Signiories from her as vpon such pretence of defence to take away her right of the kingdom Yea by this reason nâ— male heyre being yet a childe can enioy a Monarchie because the frayltiâ— of his age as well as of her sexe in defending or restoring his right must be supplyed by the force of armes which lies as little in him to doe as in a woman But sayth Caenalis in a Monarchie if a woman gouerne it should be necessarie that a man should be subiect to a woman against al the disposing both of the holy and of the prophane lawe Well may it be against the disposing of this prophane pretended Salike lawe but we haue shewed sufficiently yea and Caenalis hath sufficiently confessed that it is not against the holy lawe of God but that a man may be a subiect to a woman in respect of the person of her vocation without any subiection or derogation to the superioritie his sexe and nature in respect that he is a man And let this reason sayth he be in steede of all If he meane this last reason I may reply and let that his own distinctioÌ„ stand for answer of al his own reasons If he meane that which foloweth But also it was neuer heard spokeÌ„ that the gift of healing whereby the sicke are healed of the Squinancie should light on a woman Indéede it may be he makes this his principall reason For afterward fol. 110. He commeth in againe ruffling with this selfe same reason saying by the same worke the legitimate issue of the Hugonians is from heauen approoued to succeede in the kingdome of the French by the vertue of an heauenly myracle to witte while it reteineth the power of healing the squinancy or the scrophules which thing is apparant that it is not graunted to the English vsurper They that haue attempted contrary haue beene theeues and robbers Neyther haue the sheepe heard them VVhat hath the chough to doe with the harpe or the sowe with the sweete Oyle of Maioram with this one argument all the inuaders of that kingdome are driuen backe from the royall scepter of the French These villanous tearmes not aunswerable to the Maiesty of a princes royall estate nor séemely for any modest person much lesse for the mouth or writing of a Bishop to haue vttered being reiected as procéeding from one all inflamed with choller blinded with partiality besides poperye and likewise this blasphamy against Christe that his sheepe wil heere no others voyce but his applying the same to the French king being remooued If there remaine any monument in this which he maketh his cheefest argument Let vs with more moderation than he maketh it aduise and weigh the same And first for this gift of healing this disease I deny not but
a Monarche or a King euen while he is defended and protected vnder his tutors gouernment For that gouernment of his tutors is not in any respect of any right of their owne but of his right And is onely a supply by another of his infirmity Which maketh the better to proue that natural imbecility thogh it might take away the actual exercise of many things either from a Childe or from a woman yea from a Man also yet can it not take away their title authority from their right and propriety in the kingdome For though a king be continually sicke yet is he king still As when Dauid was so cold and impotent for age and broosings in the warres that he coulde no longer come abroad nor get warmth yet remained hee king Azaria or Vzia though he was a Leper and liued in a house apart and his sonne iudged and ruled the people in his stéed 2. Chro. 26. yet remained hee in right and title still the king And haue not some French kings also bin long sick weake and so distracted yet continued kings though their selues not able to execute any part of Gouernment of the kingdome Nowe although we sée this argument is more against him than with him yet it stands not on so absolute and firme a principle The Lawes doe not repell a VVoman from a Tutelship except in certaine conditions Mater filij tutelam perdit vel si incontinenter viuat vel si ad secundas nuptias transeat The Mother saith the lawe leeseth her tutelship if she liue vnchastely or if she mary againe Pan in C. vxoratus De conuer coniug So that this condition being auoyded the Lawes which holde euen in Fraunce do admitte the tutelship of a pupill as well to a woman as to a man And although in the auncient Ciuill Lawe there bee a rule of Vlpian quae tutela eo haeredit as peruenit nisi cum faeminae haeredes intercedunt wherupon that Lawe was made which sayth Mulier non potest esse Tutrix L. sâ—ff de tutelis c. Yet notwithstanding sayth Montholonius in promptuario diuini iuris vtriusque humani c. Et hoc absolute verum erat de iure antiquo nisi a principe filiorum tutelam impetraret vt dicitur in D. L. fi Quo casu priuilegium principis habebit locum non extantibus legitimiâ— seruata forma quae habetur in L. 2. C. Quando mulier tutelae offic fun poss Hodie verò etiam de iure communi foemina habilitata est vt tutelam filiorum suscipere possit Vt est texâ— in Aucten matri auiae notat Barth in L. si sub conditione Col. 3. ff de testa tutel talis tutela quae matri competit non potest sibi a patre auferri Vt notat Bald. consid 608. Testator lib. 1. Vbi miratur quod Earth dubitauerit de hoc But what néed recital of the Lawes where the practise hath euer bin stil is to the contrary that euen in the yong or infirm French kings themselues as we heard of Batildis c. and haue séen in our own daies of the Q. Mother in France which is yet liuing But that saith Caenalis some obiect of the daughters of Salphaad Num. 2. is out of the cause For wee must not deny to a woman her fathers inheritance howe wealthy or much soeuer it be so that the cheefe type of the whole Monarchie fall not to a woman being altogether vnable to defend to susteine that burden As for those women that be altogether vnable that is an other questioÌ„ So the man might be debarred too though neither of them man nor woman of their title yet of their exercise and administration of the same That all women are not vnable héereunto we haue partly shewed faire proofe and euidence and shall God willing shew yet furder Yea that none are dissabled only for the respect of their sexe euen this lawe sufficeth which is of such force that this B. granteth it holdeth in any enheritance be it neuer so wealthy or rich And then say I it holdeth in a kingdome If it bee not saith he the tipe of the whol Monarchie And where finds he this restraint in this law Or in the practise of the Iewes indéed he confesseth they vsed it not But the cause that hee thus restraines it is this that a woman saith hee is altogether vnable to sustaine this burthen And is not a woman now in the state of Christendom vnder the gospell as wel able as then a woman was in the state of the Iewes vnder the Lawe but he euer dreams of such a great Monarchie in France that a woman is not able to sustein it As though it were onely so great a Monarchie that in all Christendome or in all the world none were like it And is not Spaine as big and bigger then France and haue not the ancient Monarchies of Asia of Rome bin bigger then both and then all these parts of Christendome now are yet haue women gouerned those Monarchies But a Monarchie is a Monarchie be it litle or great And England is a Monarchie too God bee praysed that France hath felt Yea when this lawe of Pharamund was made God wot it was then a poore state vassaile and tributary to the Romaynes as I haue shewed not so much as contending for such a Monarchie but rather for a quiet state which it got afterwarde and in time grewe I graunt vnto the Monarchy that now it is but had it béene so then or be it nowe as great a Monarchy as they affirme it is yet if a Woman may gouern it in the name of the tutleship of her sonne as diuerse haue done can she not doe it as well in her owne name if shee had a right and title thereunto His fond argument of the Sunne and the Moone is in déede not worth the aunswering That as the Moone shines by the light of the Sunne so doth the Matron raies by the light of her husband But no man hath so much as thought in his dreame that the Sunne being the greater light should depende of the brightnesse of the Moone especially in the cheefe Monarchicall principality In-déede the Pope doth pleade on this wise for his superiority aboue the Emperour And therefore these Popelings may be the bolder to borow his argument But if hee compare it to a man and his wife as heere hee séemes to doe and so in-déede the Sunne Moone did signify in the dream of Ioseph Gen. 37. yet that matrimonial coÌ„parison is not to the purpose of a Monarchical state But to admit also this resemblance Though the Sun be the greater light then is the Moone yet hath the Moon a goodly light also and a proper monarchie of her owne to rule the night as wel as the Sunne to rule the Day euen by the testimony of the
can-not bee queene If hée referre it to the Romaynes call her Empresse or queene or any other Title of chéefe souerainty vnder God so shée haue the supreme Gouernment of that Monarchie either in her owne name or the cheefe administration of the Common-weale in the name of another as we sée in the diuersity of these examples it comes all to one reckoning and sufficiently satisfieth the question of Womens publike Gouernment And as it was thus of the Romayne Empire so for other Kingdomes in Chrystendome of the Lombardes of Cicilia Polonia Suetia Demnarke Boemia c. Because also we finde that euery one of these haue béene gouerned by Women since the time they haue receiued the faith of Christe I referre then ouer to those diuers Regions which Danaeus saith doe admit the right of Womens cheefe Gouernment so well as England Spaine and Scotland doe as appeareth by their particuler histories Nowe when Danaeus hath thus farre discoursed of Womens supreme Gouernment ouer empires and Kingdomes descending downe hee graunteth VVomens supreme Gouernment in inferiour states and sayth But where inferior Iurisdictions such as are Dukes earles Barons Castellanes are patrimoniall or succeeding by inheritance as in Fraunce they verily in my iudgement may be holden and possessed by Women because these dignities offices are not cheefe empires And in my iudgement this is but a méere shift and friuolous deuise if I may be so bolde so to call it to elude the matter For although I might shewe how diuerse Dukedomes haue béene turned into Kingdomes as Boemia Polonia Muscouia Croatia Dalmatia c. And Kingdomes turned into Dukedomes as Austriche Burgundy Lumbardie Gascoin Britannie c And some Dukedomes holde the méere royalties saue the bare Title of kinges acknowledging no superiour Prince as Venice or perhaps Florence c. Or in some respect of vassaiship they bée â—eodatarie inferiour to Emperours and Kinges as Saxonie Bauier Prussia Cleueland Gelderland c. Besides manie that be vnited vnto kingdoms as Nomandie Guien Britannie Lancaster Cornwall c. Or holden of kinges in respect of other Titles as Millaine Brabande Holland Zeelande Friselande c. Besides many Earledomes and Baronnies also vnder Emperours and kinges yet sithe in Danaeus Iudgement all these Dukedomes Earledomes and Baronies or the moste of these bee patrimoniall that is to say may passe in the right of succession and enheritance and so be holden and possessed of Women then is the Question clearely euicted that a Woman may be a publike gouernor Which being graunted it is not the greatnesse or smalnesse nor the quality of superiority nor yet the supremacy anie more than the inferiority that can be a sufficient debarre vnto them But if any thing be it must be the nature it selfe of publike gouernment or else if she may haue the iurisdiction of a Duchie Earledome or Barony she may haue it of a kingdom also Yea and in my iudgement against his iudgement she may haue the higher dignities much better than the inferiour dignities because the higher require the lesse personall exercise of those functions and actions that the inferior dignities offices do require And therefore where he sayth But neuerthelesse these iurisdictions neither can neither ought to be exercised of the same women I gladly graunt hereunto for some of these iurisdictions and for the ordinary exercise of them But this also is against Danaeus him-selfe For if in these inferiour dignities the iurisdictions may be exercised by another and yet they may be helde and possessed and that by patrimony as wel of women as of men then what letteth but that it may be so and that much more easily in the supreme gouernment of a kingdome And withall this aunswereth all Caenalis and Danaeus former argumentes that a woman can not gouerne an army nor sitte in publike iudgement nor can doe those thinges that belong to men May not these thinges bee done in Dukedomes Earledomes and Baronies so wel as in kingdoms and if they hinder not a womans possession of the one why hinder they her possession of the other but here againe Danaeus groweth into a misliking and sayth Although this be vtterly euil and most naughtily receiued any where that Iurisdiction should bee any part of patrimony and of our rent or reuenue and dominion But so largely stretcheth and rageth couetousnesse ouer all that it hath made the thinges that are moste holy as is magistracy to bee patrimoniall and numbreth it in a rent but attributeth it not to the vertue and doctrine of them that are capable of the same functions This is a moste daungerous conclusion that Danaeus heere maketh of this matter For by this rule that Magistracy shoulde not be patrimoniall or that it is vtterly euill and naughtily any where receiued that iurisdiction should be any part of patrimony he quite condemneth not only all the auncient birth-right of the Patriarkes but also the prophecy of Iacob Gen. 49. ver 10. The scepter shall not bee taken from Iuda and a gouernor from his Loynes vntill he come with vs to bee sent and hee shall bee the expectation of the Gentiles And was not this promise renued to Dauid 2. Sam. 7. ver 12. And to Solomon 1. Reg. 9. vers 5. Which promises so continued vntill their accomplishment in Iesus Christe that alwaies either in the supreame iurisdiction of the kings or at the least in some iurisdiction and that in matters capitall pertaining to the Sanedrin the Tribe of Iuda the roote of Iesse the stocke of Dauid and Salomon or Nathan had patrimoniall iurisdiction Yea the high Priest and all the Priests add all the Leuites in that time before Christ had also their iurisdictions patrimoniall And therefore patrimoniall iurisdiction is not a thing vtterly naught anie where and brought in by the rage of couetousnesse for it was then brought in by God himselfe And though that sacrificing Priesthood be ceased in Christ and the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of our ministerie now be not patrimoniall yet can we not so saie of the Ciuill magistracie For though Christ be both the King and Priest prefigured by both their estates yet sith he would not meddle with the external ciuill state of the magistracie in such real manner as he medled with the Ecclesiasticall wherein he both taught personally and personallie also offered vp himselfe for a full and perfect sacrifice to translate that Priesthood and to rest it for euer in his owne person and founded in that respect a newe ministerie vnto vs but in the ciuill dominion he woulde not take vppon him the kindome due to him but all in spirituall manner confessing himselfe though to be a King yet that his kindome was not of this worlde therefore the ciuill iurisdiction of magistracie and dominion beeing allowed of God to be patrimoniall before though the Iewes pollicie and ciuil iurisdiction be extinguished remaineth entire throughout all Christendome
and ouer all the world whersoeuer it be in the same nature for this respect of patrimonie that it did before as a matter that Christ neyther translated altered nor medled withall These spéeches therefore of Danaeus are most dangerous speeches and not true For hereby he vtterly condemneth all Princes titles of inheritance as wel of men as of women Yea hee cleane contrarieth all that his selfe herevpon hath sayd before and almost euen his owne last words Did he not saie that inferiour iurisdictions such as are of Dukes Earles Barons Castellanes are patrinomiall And how then saith he heere It is vtterly naught wheresoeuer it be that iurisdiction should bee any parte of patrimonie May this serue trow ye for a sufficient excuse to salue this most perillous assertion because that through couetousnesse vertue and learning is not alwaies preferred Where election is to be vsed there I graunt vertue and learning is to be preferred Yea ther oftentimes patrimonie is of purpose excluded although there be both sufficient vertue and learning in the persons But that the iurisdiction of all magistracie dominion should goe by election and none by patrimonie woulde not onelie abrogate all that hetherto both in the Scripture and in all Realmes Christian and Heathen vniuersallie haue beene approued for good lawefull expedient and necessarie but woulde call in question all estates yea it would turquise and set all the world together by the eares I knowe also what Caluine saith on the 17. of Deut. vppon this point But in reuerence I forbeare him and rather construe his wordes in the gentlest sense I can onelie vnto such offices as may or should still passe by election Neuerthelesse I wish that those so excellent men had not measusured all states by theirs but remembred the olde Prouerbe Maior est orbis vrbe and that they had vsed in those sr important matters more circumspect and aduised spéeches For some of our Brethren I thinke on theyr credite if I may not rather call it credulitie and imitation of such notable men haue aduentured further ouer the shooes than standeth with the due obedience of Christian speciallie Protestant subiects Neither haue the disobedient Papists héerein the aduantage of vs we beeing so farre from anie of their accustomed rebellious practises that wee suffer not so much as anie of these incommodious spéeches to haue escaped anie of our deerest brethren howsoeuer otherwise in Christ we honor them and in the Gospel agrée with them As for that Danaeus referreth lastly vs to see the Canon Mulierem 33 Quest. 5. of this argument it sufficeth to refer him also vnto that we haue alreadie séene for the lawes full resolution of the same Now although on this foresayde occasion I haue thus farre withdrawen thée not vnwilling I hope to follow me gentle Reader from our Brethrens Learned discourse vpon the occasion of their citing Saint Paule for the vncomlinesse that he reproued among the Corinthians 1. Corinth 14.28 That Women shoulde preach in the Church Wherevpon in perusing the iudgement of these excellent men Caluine and Danaeus they straight lead vs from Womens oeconomicall or domesticall and matrimoniall obedience and gouernment of man to this question of Womens publike and ciuill gouernment which they impugne by these arguments and contumelies aforesayd following with Caenalis the French faction against the title and right of Womens gouernment which hath carried me also into so whole a Discourse that I woulde gladlie haue héere stayde the course thereof with desire of pardon both of Danaeus which is GOD be praised yet aliue and otherwise an excellent ornament in Gods church that I haue thus opposed my selfe against his opinion for the daunger of letting these things goe cléere awaie vnaunswered which I meruaile hetherto none hath looked vnto and therefore I thought it not amisse thus by the waie to satisfie the scrupulous Reader somewhat in this point and hope of the easier pardon for this long digression though not impertinent but much important yet now being euen readie to returne to our Brethrens Learned discourse sée how another couple though an vneuen paire of famous writers as were before Caenalis and Danaeus so now Bodinus and Hotomannus the one whatsoeuer the other is professing the Gospell but both excellentlie learned and of greate estimation are a-freshe come foorth and renue this question of Womens gouernment I am therefore for the closing vp of this matter to craue euen a little further patience of the reader to giue but one turne more to eyther of them for the short hearing of a few their chiefest argumentes and then with all my heart againe haue with our Brethren Hottomannus in his 19 Chap. of his Franco gallia maketh modestlie and wiselie before hand his open protestation saying Primum autem c. But first wee will haue that to be openlie testified that we dispute not of the ordinances of the Romanes nor of the right of other Nations but alonely of our Franco gallia And he toucheth there but the womens procuration of that Kingdome in the name right of their sons or husbands and though hée prie more narowlie into their faultes or laie such faultes vnto them as they deserued not by the testimonie of other Chroniclers yet we haue the lesse to regard those quarels hauing séene inough already euen in France for the confirmation of our principall question And if hée start out of the bounds of his Franco gallia he is to be reclaimed to his own protestation As for Bodinus is a great deale more blame worthie that writing in generall of the common weale not onelie vtterlie excludeth Womens gouernment but loadeth it after Caenalis the French manner with heapes of vntrue reportes cholerik spéeches Who notwithstanding hauing ben here in England and with whom my selfe I haue conferred and hée with his eies hath beholden the excellencie of her Maiesties gouernment and in admiration confessed the same yea he hath bene vouchsafed her Maiesties néerer accesse and gracious conference and yet sée the vnthankfulnesse of the man shal I saie for the indignitie of the fact of a man otherwise so learned yet in his other workes not without great escapes Ad vomitum canis et sus lota ad volutabrum Hee hath since contrarie to his certified conscience and as some saie to his solemne promise not onelie renued but amplified and aggrauated his former follies And where they were halfe hid before among his French he hath now translated them into Latine as by a tongue vniuersally more knowen to deface the gouernment of women in all nations but alacke poore vainglorious and intemperate man in the iudgement of all godlie wise hée procureth but his owne blemish And yet to giue him where hee is praise worthie his one praise before hee enter into this question euen in the same Treatise libro 6. de Rep. capitulo 5. concerning a Princes right of inheritaunce
Ladie mistresse and gouernour of her owne householde goods and of all the persons in that her family but that another must be her gouernour in the same And yet there are many things in a familie and in the lawes and administration of an householde that she in her owne person is as vnfit and perhaps as vnable to doe or exercise as in a common weale neuerthelesse this letteth not by Gods lawe but that shee not hauing anie husband is the chiefe gouernour of her householde But for the common weale Bodinus addeth And almightie God so often as he testifieth that he will most sharplie reuenge himselfe on the enimies of his name hee threatneth that they shall be subiect to the gouernments and lawes of women as though that were the most extreame of all euils and calamities Bodinus being no great nor sound diuine may the more be borne with in misquoting the Chapter and perchaunce that is not his default but his misreporting of the holie Scripture is in him lesse excusable In the 8. of Esaie God indéed threatneth curses and most dreadful reuenge on the enimies of his name but no such curse of womens gouernment but a curse of the gouernment of such as were men If he meane the third Chapter of Esaie we haue answered the same vnto Danaeus and the same answere may serue him though no Protestant Yea I thinke that when he came into England he wished in his heart if he loued his Countrie that Fraunce were cursed no worse of God vnder their king than England God bée praised for it is vnder our Queene The Prophet speaketh indéede not of anie curse threate or plague of God to come to the state by heroicall women but by effeminate men Yea he that promised that curse promised and that by the same Prophet this blessing And Queenes shal be thy Nurses It were better for that state of Gods Church in France if they felt the comfort of this blessing Moreouer sayth he the Romane lawes haue withdrawen women far off from all ciuil offices and publike functions not onely for that they want prudence as Martian thought when among all women hee sayde onely Pallas wanted a mother beeing begotten of Iupiters braine that it might bee vnderstoode wisedome could not follow from women but also that mens functions are contrarie to the sexe and shamefastnesse of women If Bodinus had anie shame or grace or truth or wisedome or wit but so meane as might beséeme such a man hee woulde neuer haue let these wordes escape him Doth he thinke to plaie out the matter thus with this vnfauourie iest that Minerua had no mother of whome for her wisedome the Poets fained that she sprong out of Iupiters braines Was not Bodiuus brainlesse or had he more braines than wit when hee wrote this What Martian iested whether he meane Martian the Emperour or Martianus Mineus or Martianus Rota is to little purpose If Martianus the Emperour had not found that the Empresse and virgin Pulcheria had had both wit wisedome and prudence in gouernment of the Empire hee had not come to the gouernment of it Haue not diuerse women both Quéenes subiects excelled in prudence If Bodinus did not leauer delight to alleadge Poets than Scripture hee shoulde haue found many commended for their great wisedome and prudence farre passing Pallas If the Poets also did not rather giue vs to vnderstand in the person of Pallas that not onelie in man but also in woman wisedome and prudence namelie of gouernment in peace and warre was the onelie and speciall gifte of God comming not by the parents father or mother but that God of his méere influence inspired this gifte of prudent gouernment not onelie to man but vnto woman euen as he pleased and as wée reade the examples and finde the present experience in our Pallas such another indéede as France could neuer shewe the like and therefore Bodinus braines did lesse conceiue it As for that hee sayth of the Romane lawes and the practise of their estates wee haue verie sufficientlie inough séene the quite contrarie And haue likewise discharged that shifte that for Women to deale in mens functions is contrarie to their sexe and shamefastnesse The publik supreme gouernment of a kingdome is no such peculiar function of a man but that it is competible both to man and woman and the calling and gifte of God in which estate they whosoeuer represent God and his power in regarde whereof neither person nor sexe of male or female is respected as wee haue séene not by Poettes fictions but by cléere testimonies and examples of the Scripture And yet euen Poets recommende vnto vs some wise women for their gouernment besides Pallas But here Bodinus comming to examples telleth howe nothing troubled the Romane Senate more than that the Emperour Heliogabalus brought his mother into the Senate not to giue her sentence but to beholde that most holie assemblie of the Citie Which also sayth hee seemed newe vnto our auncestours when Mawd the Countesse of Arthoise was present while the Councell iudged Robert Arthoise his cause But if it seeme absurde and ridiculous for women to intermeddle in the functions and assemblies of men much more absurde ought it to seeme that those things which appertaine to the maiestie of the gouernment should be laide open to the lust of women but most absurd to beare the Scepters If Bodinus would tell the truth I thinke he woulde saie that the Senate of Rome although at that time God wot not verie holie was a little more troubled with the presence of that effeminate and monstrous Emperour and with his most dissolute gouernment than with his mothers onelie comming into the Senate house and there so much as but looking on them If neither she nor he had attempted farre worse things than that neither the Senate nor the state had béene much troubled or hurt by them Moesia both the graundmother of him and of Alexander Seuerus and Mammea Alexanders mother did more than thus in the state of gouernment and that without offence vnto the Senate or detriment vnto the state But whatsoeuer they did haue wee not heard of many farre better examples than that wicked mother of the monstrous Heliogabalus As of Debora sitting in iudgemen of Iudith making her oration before all the assemblie of the Elders and people and of diuerse others Doth Bodinus come in with such an outcrie and amazement at the onelie comming of a woman into an assemblie and but beholding or hearing of the Iudges Neither Moses in his sitting in iudgement nor Salomon in all his roialtie was euer so daintie but that euen women also might looke vpon them yea and priuate Women come themselues and pleade theyr rightes before them and heare their inditements But it was newes in Fraunce to sée a woman but to come into the place onelie and standing by in silence to
which before they had receaued â—s wée haue heard Caluines prescription Epist. 373. and so continued still in the office or ministery thus repurged And therefore since the masse was taken away and all â—he other corruptions of the Ministerie that were vsed in the popish priesthood an other Ministration appointed as is sette downe in our booke of publike prayer by the godly lawes of the realme and Church of England established which was done so soone as conueniently it could be done forthwith after her Maiesties moste happy entrance into this kingdome this is not truly sayd that the popish priesthood being the greatest blasphemie that euer was was alowed for a lawfull Ministerie vntill by the godly meaning of the sayd parliament Anno. 13. some brande-marke of shame was sette vppon it As though the sacrificing Priesthoode had continued with allowance therof for thirteene yere together of the Queenes Maiesties raigne which was as long a time as before they mencioned for the inforcing of the ministers to studie Yea by this rule it continueth still though disallowed or rather as they say but noted onely with a brand-marke of shame set vpon it So that this is not the taking of it awaye but the continuing of it with more shame to the parliament and to all the states of the Realmâ— that haue marked it with a brand-marke of shame and yet shame not to continue it though we disallow it And this withall is but a shamefull and vnreuerent terme that here they vse in calling eyther the statute or the booke of articles agreed vppon by all the clergie of the Churche of England and approued in the high courte of parliament by al the states of the realme and by the statute commaunded to be read a brand-marke of shame But our brethren to mittigate the matter say the parliament had a godly meaning in making that statute for Priestes that had bin made in the tyme of Popery to professe their consent to the true doctrine agreed vpon in the booke of articles by their publike reading of the same booke in their benefices Yea verily the parliament had therein a very godly meaning and it was also as godly an act â—s meaning of the parliament But saye they how pitifullye that authority was abused which by the same statute was committed to the Bishops in allowing of Priestes that came to doe their pennance by negligence of the Bishops and bribery of their officers the country cryeth out of it and the state of the Church is little amended by it There is no such crying out in the country as are these outcries of our brethren If it be but little amended yet little is somewhat But if it bee not greate that is not to be unputed to the good lawe but to the euill and indirect accidents For it was not pitifull that that authority was committed to the Bishops in allowing of Priestes that came not as our brethren here say to doe their pennance or to haue a brand-marke of shame set vpon them but the statute it selfe more reuerently and rightly setteth downe the cause and order of their act saying That the Churches of the Queenes Maiesties dominions maye bee serued with Pastors of sound religion be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that euerye person vnder the degree of a Byshop which doth or shall pretende to be a priest or Minister of gods holy worde and Sacramentes by reason of anye other fourme of institution consecration or ordeyning than the forme set foorth by Parliament in the tyme of the late King of most worthye memorye King Edwarde the sixte or now vsed in the raigne of our moste gratious Soueraigne Ladye before the feaste of the Natiuitie nexte following shall in the presence of the Bishop or gardian of the spiritualties of some one diocoese where he hath or shall haue ecclesiasticall liuing declare his assent and subscribe to all the articles of religion which onely concerne the confession of the true Christian Faith and the doctrine of the SacrameÌ„ts comprised in a booke imprinted intituled Articles wherupoÌ„ it was agreed by the Archbish. Bish. of both prouinces the whole Clergy in the Conuocation holden at London in the yeare of our lorâ— God 1562. According to the computation of the Church of england for the auoyding of the diuersities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queenes Authoritye And shall bring from suche B. or gardian of Spiritualties in wryting vnder his Seale authentike and testimoniall of such assent subscription openly on some Sonday in the time of publike seruice afore noone in euery church wher by reasoÌ„ of any Ecc liuing he ought to atteÌ„d reade both the said Testimoniall the said articles vpon paine that euery such persoÌ„ which shal not before the said feast do as is aboue appointed shall be ipso facto depriued al his Eccl. promotions shal be voyd as if he then were naturally dead These are the very words of the statute Wherein what could they better haue prouided than whatsoeuer they should ordeyne for the bringing of those persons to the more sure confession and consent of sound Religion firste to come before the Bishoppe or the Gardian of the â—pirituall iurisdiction in the Bishops vacancie in some one Diocoese where hee had any ecclesiasticall promotion or liuing and there before him declare his consent and also subscribe to all the articles of religion which onelye concerne the confession of the true Christian Faith c. Before whom should he haue done this if he should doe it authentically than before the Bishop or the bishops gardian being the publike officers that haue competent authority ouer him in those matters which withall confuteth our brethrens equall authority of all Pastors If the bishops were negligent or the officers take bribes this was the bishops the officers fault not any default in the lawes Wise men should not doe like WilliaÌ„ Summer strike one for another But if the bishops negligence and the bribery of the officers be so great that the countrye cryeth out of it and the state of the Church is little amended it is then so much the easier to be knowne who are the offenders that so pitifâ—lly abused this godly meaning of the statute that authority committed to them and not they to be thus disorderly cried out vpon and that in this vncharitable maner by inuectiue libelles vnder the tytle of learned discourses to be thus discoursed vpon with taunts slaunders defamed to all the worlde so much as lyes in them If the matter be little amended this is not to amend it more but to make it worse for this is naught worth but to norishe malice suspitioÌ„ sclaunder yet the fault not knowne much lesse ameÌ„ded Let the negligence briberies with true desire of reformation as the title of this learned discourse pretendeth
we haue good cause both to hinder and repell For they are neither Godlie proceedings nor proceede as becommeth either learned preachers or faithful ministers or dutiful subiects neither proceed they in anie charitable and orderlie maner neither is this forme that here they prescribe a reformation as they call it or howsoeuer they persuade themselues any other than a redie path to confusion most deformed as we haue plainly séene euen where pag. 84. they pretend most to auoid horrible confusion as they terme it And that we doo not belie this their forme with infinit or with any sclanders let the reader marke or their selues reuise better their deuises about the persons office and authoritie of those presbyters preests or elders whome they terme gouernours but they might much better in my opinion haue the terme of secular preests for difference of the other pastorall preests or eccl preests that are the ministers of the word and sacraments And if they shall aduise themselues of the authoritie that they giue them except they will wilfullie sot thēselues they shall soone find great confusions which vpon their admittance both in the office of the pastor in the office of the prince and of all officers and Magistrats for lawes making and for lawes breaking and for all vices wherein they would intermeddle and disturbe al the eccl and ciuill state and breed infinit contentions among the common people in euery parish congregation which all their deuises could not helpe except with putting them down that were no lesse danger if they were once vp and therefore to auoid all such deformations I thinke it better before hand to hinder such proceedings to reformation and to stop them that they come not in I haue my selfe heard and so haue diuers other the means that now thē the pastors of the French Belgike churches haue made of the confusiōs and contentions that haue cheeflie risen by these seigniories yet may their state far better admit them especiallie now God comfort them standing as they doe than our state may God be praised for it Neither doth Gualter crie out so much vpon this deuise of these gouernours without good cause where otherwise there are godlie ciuill magistrates Besides this their equalitie in all places of all Pastors making of them to be all Bishops in euerie parish or seuerall congregation what a reformation that would make if their selues cannot see it that perhaps would haue no superior I referre to others better pōdering And to ioine these new Bishops these new Gouernors together to make vp a consistorie of them both these secular preests of all conditions estates noblemē gentlemē merchants yeomen craftsmen confused together with these eccl preests that are the pastors and all these in all eccl discipline excōmunication other church matters to draw altogether in one ioint authoritie whether it might be such a yoking for some of them as God forbad of the oxe plowing with the asse and how fitlie this would draw and proceed to godly reformation we haue partly seene let others thinke further of it I feare the worst Besides the infinit troubles about the cōtinuall or very often shire Synods for elections ordeining pastors besides euery churches varietie in matters of ceremonies besides the cold lectures of the doctors that might not exhort nor rebuke nor cōfort nor applie their doctrine but the hotter scāblings about the new deuisions of the Bishops the Colleges the cathedral churches lands with all the sacrilege as they call it of Abbies as impropriatious c. al which their Deacons would looke to distribute but they shal be serued al at leisure Besides the diuisions new boundings out of al particular parishes congregatiōs besides hir Maiestie to be put besides hir cheefest and most principall authoritie and all these things to be done she cannot doe thereto besides a number of their other proceedings for the which I referre me to this learned discourse to their other treatises which how wel they all agree together and when all is done either they would haue this or the like or we cannot tell what nor they tel vs what the like is that they referre vs vnto are not these godly proceedings to reformatiō are we now to be blamed as hinderāces to these godly procedings vnto reformatiō nay rather if they will indeed blame any let them blame thēselues for they hinder thēselues more than any other doe except that they hinder most of all which most of all they pretend to further the glorie of GOD the quiet and increase of the church by these proceedings or rather recedings and backslidings But to cleare themselues hereof they haue forsooth set foorth this learned discourse cōcerning reformation which hitherto say they for lack of such a publike testimoniall was subiect to infinit sclanders This is a faire pretense for the setting foorth this their learned discourse But if their intendment had béene indéed no further but to haue cléered themselues from infinit sclāders they should haue stood either altogether or most on that defensatiue point wheras their chéefest part of this learned discourse hath béene spent in coursing and oppugning vs and that with casting forth far moe sclanders and accusations against vs than anie matters that they were charged withall But I thinke they haue sped accordinglie euen with the onelie returning home their owne words without anie our sclandrings of them It is an old saying Selfe doo selfe haue they could neuer haue found greater aduersaries to themselues than their selues are nor greater hinderance of their proceedings than this their owne publike testimoniall to be a testimoniall beyond all exception against them selues For whatsoeuer they haue béene burdened heretofore by others their selues haue now confirmed all those reports to be most true which before the comming foorth of this publike testimoniall might haue béene suspected to be sclanders or that these things had béene but the singular conceits of this fantasticall head or of that particular person But now that this learned discourse is set foorth and is such a publike testimoniall as containeth A breefe and plaine declaration concerning the desires of all those faithfull ministers that haue and do seeke for the discipline and reformation of the church of England Let this publike testimoniall be thorowlie weighed how it concordeth with the particular testimonials of al other that before had written on the like argument Yea how it agréeth with it selfe least our brethrens testimonials in this point should be found like the witnesse of those of whom it is said Marke 14 57 Manie bare false witnesse against him but their witnesse agreed not together I doo not compare our brethren to such a packe of false varlets nor to go about anie such wicke◠purpose but onelie for this point that their testimonials doo not agrée and so do bréed their owne discredit Besides manie apparant vntruths