Selected quad for the lemma: virtue_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
virtue_n	fortitude_n	justice_n	temperance_n	2,097	5	10.3230	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10700	The excellency of good women The honour and estimation that belongeth vnto them. The infallible markes whereby to know them. By Barnabe Rych souldier seruant to the Kings most excellent Maiestie.	Rich, Barnabe, 1540?-1617.	1613 (1613)	STC 20982; ESTC S115902	20,574	42

THE EXCELLENCY of good women The honour and estimation that belongeth vnto them The infallible markes whereby to know them By BARNABE RYCH souldier Seruant to the Kings most excellent Maiestie Malui me diuitem esse quam vocari LONDON Printed by Thomas Dawson dwelling neere the three Cranes in the Vinetree and are there to be solde 1613. TO THE GREAT AND GRATIOVS La the Lady ELYZABETH the renowmed Daughter of IAMES the mighty King of Great BRITTAINE GReat and gracious Lady let it not seeme strange with all humblenes I beseech it that an vnworthy souldier shoulde offer lines to so worthy a Lady the dignity of the subiect is it that armeth with boldnes for to whom doth more properly belong the patronizing of those things that are inciting to feminine vertue then to your Highnesse in whom Modesty is seene to march with Maiesty Mildnes with Magnificence Gratiousnes with Greatnes and where bright shining Vertue is an Attendant to waite vpon Dignity Of whom might I then make better choyce to protect the worthines of women then of her that is the most worthy amongst women I assure my selfe that all vertuous women will priuiledge mine indeuours if any bee offended they are but such as are vnworthy to be pleased The warrant that I haue of your gracious disposition doth more imbolden me then the hope that I haue of mine owne vntutered penne yet with all humblenes and duty bequeathing my worthlesse lynes to your worthy protection will rest Alwayes to your Highnesse most humbly deuoted BARNABE RYCH TO THE NVMBERLES NVMBER OF HONORABLE Ladies vertuous Gentlewomen and to all the rest of the mild modest and worthy sexe of womankinde HOnorable and worthy Dames aswell wiues widowes maides of all estates degrees whosoeeuer or wheresoeuer with all humblenes and knees bēded bowed to the ground let me beseech your patience that haue vndertaken a subiect of that excellency as would haue required a more pregnant excellent wit then I doe acknowledge to be in my selfe the brightnes of the sunne is best discerned by her own beames and the excellency of women is not to bee expressed but by their owne merittes if I haue therefore set vp too dimne a light to blazon your perfections let your owne vertues shine in that wonted oryentall brightnesse as from your first creation at all times and in all ages hath so illumined the worlde with those high and rare perfections as men may well admire but neuer bee able to extinguish Thus desiring still to liue in your gracefull loue and fauour will rest the most assured at your comandements BARNABE RICH The Excellencie of good Women WHen the Deuil at the first began his temptation in Paradise he attempted the woman telling Her she wanted but one thing to make her self like God I would be loath therefore either vaine ly to magnifie or vily to imbase the dignitie of women That I might then speake of this subiect without partiallity and but according to a truth I will not implore the assistance neither of Apollo neither of Pallas nor yet of the Muses but will humbly beseech the help of the euer liuing God For the woman of honest life glory and admiration attends on her it is therefore euery mans part not onely to reuerence her but also to defend her honour and estimation But the better to make tryal of womens perfection in generall let vs examine their first creation wherein is to be noted the substāce whereof they were formed which was of the purified mettall of man The place where they were created which was in Paradise The time of the creation which was The last and therfore the perfectest handy worke of the Creator The cause why they were created which was To be a comfortable assistant to man that a man by marryage of a good woman might passe through the laborsome toyles turmoyles of this life with the more ease hauing so good an assisāt to the which doubtles God had respect when he said It is not good for man to liue alone let vs make him a helper To this the Prophet Malachy doth likewise witnesse when he saith Though God at the first had abundāce of spirit yet hee made but one woman of one ribbe for the helpe and comfort of one man Why then a man that wanteth a friend for pleasure a seruant for profit a counsellour to aduise him a cōforter to cherish him a companion to solace him a helper to assist him or a spirituall instructer to informe him a good a vertuous wife doth supply all these occasions And therefore I thinke there is neither religion nor goodnes in that man that loueth not an honest and a loyall wife Here we see there first institution where vnto they were made but if I should now take vpon me to speake of the excellencie of those women that haue from time to time aspired in the deepe capacity of Arts and sciences and haue so sarr exceeded in all manner of knowledge that men haue not onely had cause to praise but also to woonder at them I might heape together a greater volume then euery mans leasure would serue to peruse But leauing the multitude and to speake but of some very fewe that are regestred in histories to their perpetual praise we do reade of Nicostrata called also Carmenta for the eloquence she had in versifying of Lasterna Axi●thea two worthy dames most highly renowned amongst the schollers of Plato Of Arath●a that wrot forty seuerall bookes who read openly in the schooles and as it is written in hystories had 150. Phylosophers that were her schollers ●her is yet mention made of Aspasia that instructed Pericles of Lelia Sabina so renowned in Rome for her letters of Amatasnuta others like learned in the Latine but wherein haue women beene inferior euen to the best men If we should looke into a vertuous life who more famed then Aemelia Claudia Tusia Nicaulia for gouerne ment who more prouident then Zenobia for wisdome Saba that opposed Solomon for actiuitie in warr Pentasilea for poesie Sapho for policie Zoe for poetry Thalia for rethoricke Hilerna for oratory Cornelia for eloquence Hortensia Let vs now see amongst the elymentall goddes is there not for matter of warre aswell the goddesse Bellona as the god Mars for science and wisdome is there not a Pallas aswell as Apollo for poesie or versifying are not the nine Muses as famous as Phebus Further more these vertues of Iustice Temperance Fortitude Patience pitty Mercy Charitie Humilitie and many other like are all of the feminine gender yea the Church of God is compared to a woman and figured forth in femall shape But leauing hystories that are infinit in example of womens worthines if we did but looke into euery ordinary kalender we should finde out as many vigils of holy women as feastes of deuout men By this we may see the Excellencie of good women that were neuer yet so scarce to be found as in