the woman 4 Kings 4. a Sunamite make for Elizeus and Elizeus for the woman When the bloud-Royall of Iudah had beene all murthered 4 Kings 11. Ioas afterwards King was preserued by a woman What was that noble aduenture so blessedly performed by Iudith Iudith in cutting off the head of Holofernes With what wisedome did Queene Hester preserue her people Hester and caused their enemies to be hanged What a chast mirrour was Susanna Susanna who rather hazarded her life then offend against God Neuer was greater magnanimity shewed by a woman 2 Mach. 7. then by that Mother which saw her seauen children tormented most cruelly yet she encouraged them to the death CHAP. IIII. What excellent blessings and graces haue beene bestowed vpon women in the Lawe of Grace THe first which commeth in this place to be mentioned is that blessed mother and mirrour of al woman-hood the Virgin Marie who was magnified in the birth of Iesus glorified by Angels chosen by the Almighty to beare in her wombe the Sauiour of mankinde With what a faithfull salutation did Elizabeth Luke 1. Saint Iohn Baptist Mother entertaine the Virgin vpon her repaire vnto her Anna the old Prophetesse did miraculously demonstrate our Sauiour Luke 2. The woman which had the issue of bloud Math. 917. the woman of Canaan Ioh. 4. The Samaritan woman Martha the 11. of Iohn all these and sundry others are saued healed and haue their sinnes forgiuen in respect of their true and liuely faith VVhat faith what zeale what deuotion did Marie Magdelen shew toward Iesus Luke 7. in prostrating her selfe at the feete of Iesus annoynting them with pretious oyntment washing them with teares and drying them with the haire of her head With what bountie and deuotion did the Maryes Luke 8. the wife of Herods steward did Ioanna with other women contribute of their goods to Iesus How charitable was that poore widdow Luke 2.2 whose two Mites our Sauiour valued at a greater estimate then any gift of any other whatsoeuer In all dangers Luke 2.3 troubles and extremities which fell to our Sauiour when all men fled from him liuing or dead women neuer forsooke him I should be ouer-tedious to repeate euery example of most zealous faithfull and deuout women which I might in the new Testament whose faith and denotion was censured by our Sauiour to be without compare I will conclude for women that they haue beene chosen both to set out Gods glory and for the benefit of all mankinde in more glorious and gratious imployments then men haue beene The first promise of a Messias to come was made to a woman the birth and bearing of that promised Messias was performed by a woman The triumphant resurrection with the conquest ouer death and hell was first published and proclaymed by a woman I might herevnto adde those wiues widdowes and virgins which flourished in the primatiue Church and all succeeding ages sithence who in all vertues haue excelled and honoured both their sexeen generall and themselues in particular who in thier martyrdomes in their confession of Iesus and in all Christian and deuine vertues haue in no respect beene inferiour vnto men THus out of the second and third Chapters of Genesis and out of the Old and New Testaments The summon of womans blessings and graces I haue obserued in proofe of the worthinesse of our Sexe First that woman was the last worke of Creation I dare not say the best She was created out of the chosen and best refined substance She was created in a more worthy country She was married by a most holy Priest She was giuen by a most gratious Father Her husband was enioyned to a most inseparable and affectionate care ouer her The first promise of saluation was made to a woman There is inseperable hatred and enmitie put betwixt the woman and the Serpent Her first name Eua doth presage the nature and disposition of all women not onely in respect of their bearing but further for the life and delight of heart and soule to all mankinde I haue further shewed the most gratious blessed and rarest benefits in all respects bestowed vpon women all plainely and directly out of Scriptures All which doth demonstrate the blasphemous impudencie of the authour of the Arraignement who would or durst write so basely and shamefully in so generall a manner against our so worthy and honored a sexe To the courteous and friendly READER GEntle READER in my first Part I haue what I might strictly obserued a religious regard not to entermingle any thing vnfitting the grauitie of so respectiue an Argument Now that I am come to this second Part I am determined to solace my selfe with a little libertie What aduantages I did forbeare to take in the former I meane to make vse of in this second Ioseph Swetnam hath beene long vnanswered which had beene performed sooner if I had heard of his Booke before this last Terme Or if the report of the Maidens answere had not stayed me I haue not so amply and absolutely discharged my selfe in this Apologie as I would haue done if either my leasure had beene such as I could haue wished or the time more fauourable that I might haue stayed What my repaire into the Countrey enforceth me so leaue rather begunne then finished I meane by Gods grace to make perfect the next Terme In the meane time gentle READER I bid thee kindly farewell Ester Sowrenam CHAP. IIII. At what estimate Women were valued in ancient and former times PLato in his Bookes de Legibus estimateth of Women which doe equall Men in all respects onely in bodie they are weaker but in wit and disposition of minde nothing inferiour if not superiour Wherevpon he doth in his so absolute a Common-wealth admit them to gouernment of Kingdomes and Common-weales if they be either borne therevnto by Nature or seated in gouernment by Election It is apparent that in the prime of antiquity women were valued at highest estimate in that all those most inestimable and incomparable benefites which might either honour or preserue Mankinde are all generally attributed to the inuention of women as may appeare in these few examples following When meum tuum Mine and Thine The incomparaâ—â—â—â—â—uâ—ntiens of womens wit when right and wrong were decided by warres and their weapons then were the furniture of Nature as Fists Teeth Stones Stakes or what came next to hand A Ladie of an heroicall disposition called Bellona did first inuent a more man-like and honourable weapon for warre which was the sword with other Armour correspondent for which she was at first and so euer since honoured as the Goddesse of warre When at the first the finest Manchet and best bread in vse was of Acorns by the singular and practicall wit of a Lady called Ceres the sowing of Corne and Tillage was inuented The inuention of the seauen liberall Sciences of all Arts of all
gaue to her Husband In accepting the Serpents offer there was no sinne for there was no sinne till the fruit was eaten Now albeit I haue vndertaken the defence of women and may in that respect be fanoured in taking all aduantages I may to defend my sexe There are many pregnant places in the Scripture which might be alleaged to extenuate the sin of the Woman in respect of the sinne of Adam it is said Ecclesiast 25. Sinne had his beginning in woman Ergo his fulnesse in man Saint Paul saith Chap. 5. Rom. 5. By one mans sinne death came into the world without mention of the womanâ— The same Saint Paul writeth to the Corinthians Chap. 9. to whom he affirmeth that all die in Adam in which the fulnesse and effects of sinne are charged vpon Adam alone not but that woman had her part in the Tragedy but not in so high a degree as the man When Adam had eaten Adam his offences vpon his fall and sinne was now in fulnesse hee beginneth to multiply sinne vpon sinne first he flieth from the sight of God next being called to account he excuseth his sinne and doth expostulate as it were with Almightie God and telleth him That woman which thou gauest mee gaue me and I did eate As who should say if thou hadst not giuen the cause I had not beene guilty of the effect making heerein God the Authour of his fall Now what is become of that loue Adams loue like his childrens in these dayes which Adam was bound to beare towards his wife He chargeth her with all the burden so he may discharge himselfe he careth little how hee clog her God hauing examined the offendors and haueing heard the vttermost they could alledge for themselues he pronounceth sentence of death vpon them Adam punished with iustice as a punishment in iustice due and deserued Iustice he administred to Adam Albeit the woman doth taste of iustice yet mercy is reserued for her and of all the workes of mercy which mankinde may hope for the greatest the most blessed Woman punished by Iustice relieued by Mercy and the most ioyfull is promised to woman Woman supplanted by tasting of fruit she is punished in bringing forth her owne fruit Yet what by fruit she lost by fruit she shall recouer What more gratious a gift could the Almightie promise to woman The incomparable inuentions of womens wits then to bring forth the fruit in which all nations shall be blessed so that as woman was a meanes to loose Paradice she is by this made a meanes to recouer Heauen Adam could not vpbraid her for so great a losse but he was to honour her more for a greater recouery all the punishments inflicted vpon women are encountred with most gratious blessings benefits she hath not so great cause of dolour in one respect as shee hath infinite cause of ioy in another She is commanded to obey her husband the cause is the more to encrease her glorie Obedience is better then Sacrifice 1 Sam. 1 for nothing is more acceptable before God then to obey women are much bound to God to haue so acceptable a vertue enioynâ—â— them for their pennance Amongst the curses and punishments heaped vpon the Serpent what greater ioy could she heare or what greater honour could be done vnto her then to heare from the voyce of God these words I will put cumitie betwixt the woman and thee betwixt thy seede and her seede and that her seed should breake the Serpents head This must perforce be an exceeding ioy for the woman to heare and to be assured that her fruit should reuenge her wrong After the fall and after they were all arraigned and censured and that now Adam saw his wiues dowrie and what blessings God hath bestowed vpon her Womans name answerable to her nature hee being now a bondslaue to death and hell stroke dead in regard of himselfe yet hee comforts himselfe he taketh heart from grace he engageth his hope vpon that promise which was made to the woman Out of this most comfortable and blessed hope hee now calleth his wife by a name in whose effects not onely he but all mankinde should most blessedly share hee calleth her Eue which is the mother of the liuing which is sutable as well in respect of the promise made to her and her seede as in respect of those imployments for which in her creation she and all women are designed to be helpers comforters Ioyes and delights and in true vse and gouerment they euer haue beene and euer will be as hereafter shall be shewed maugre the shamefull blasphemous and prophane speach of Ioseph Swetnam page 31. begining line 15. as followeth If God had not made them onely to be a plague to a man hee would neuer haue called them necessary euils Out of what Scripture out of what record can hee proue these impious and impudent speeches They are onely faigned and framed out of his owne idle giddie furious and franticke imaginations If he had cited Euripides for his Author hee had had some colour for 〈◊〉 prophane Poet in Medea vseth these speeches Quod si Deorum aliquis mulierem formauit opificem se malorum sciat maximum hominibus inimicum If any of the Gods framed woman let him know he was the worker of that which is naught and what is most hurtfull to men Thus a Pagan writeth prophanely but for a Christian to say that God calleth women necessary euils is most intolerable and shamefull to be written and published CHAP. III. What choise God hath made of women to be instruments to deriue his benefits to Mankinde ABraham being in danger Genes 20. was blessed and preserued in respect of Sara Rebecca by Gods prouidence was the means to bring the blessing of Isaac to fall vpon Iacob Genes 27. Exod. 1. The Aegyptian Mid-wiues were a meanes to preserue the male children of the Israelites from the murther entended by Pharao Moses was preserued by the daughter of Pharao Exod. 2. The Messengers sent by Duke Iosuab to view the Land of Promise Iosuâ— 2.6 were harboured and freed from danger by a woman When the Children of Israell had beene twentie yeres oppressed by Iabin King of Canaan Iudges 4. Debbora and Iahell two women the one wâ—â—â—e the battell the other slew the Generall When Abimilech had murthered seauenty of his Brethren Iudges 9. he was punished and slaine by a woman at the siege of Thebes Micholl aduentured the hazard of her Fathers displeasure to preserue her Husband Dauid 1 Kings 19. Abigail by incomparable wisedome with held Dauid from shedding of innocent bloud 1 Kings 25. The Citie of Abdela being in danger 2 Kings 20. was preserued by a wise woman of that Citie In the great famine of Samaria 3 Kings 17. the widow of Sarepta was chosen to preserue Elias and Elias to preserue her The like prouision did
is duplex aut verum aut apparens that goodnesse or the thing which is good is either truely good or but apparantly good so they may say women are but apparantly good But the heathen Orator and the deuine philosopher to affirme if we follow the true direction of nature we shall neuer be deceiued Nature in her vehement motions is not deceiued with apparant shewes It is naturall they will say for the Male to follow the Female so it is as naturall for the Female to be better then the Male as appeareth to be true in obseruation of Hawkes the Spar-hawke is of more esteeme then the Musket the Goshawke more excellent then the Tersell so in Falcons the females doe excell The like men are bound to acknowledge women the rather in respect of their owne credit and honour To what obsequious duty and seruice doe men binde themselues to obtaine a fauour from their deuoted Mistresse which if he may obtaine he thinketh himselfe to be much honoured puts in place of most noted view that the world may take note He weareth in his hat or on his brest or vpon his arme the Gloue Womens sauours est imated as relicks the Scarfe or Ring of his Mistrisse If these were not relickes from Saintly creatures men would not sacrifice so much deuotion vnto them Amongst diuers causes which proceede from nature and custome why men are so earnest Sutors to women I haue obserued one which by practise is daily confessed Plato sayth that Honestie is of that worthinesse that men are greatly enflamed with the loue of it and as they doe admire it so they studie how to obtaine it it is apparant yong men which are vnmarried and called batchelers they may haue a disposition or may serue an apprentiship to honesty Honestie comes by marriage the vvomans dovvrie but they are neuer free-men nor euer called honest men till they be married for that is the portion which they get by their wiues When they are once married they are forthwith placed in the ranke of honest men If question be asked what is such a man it is presently resolued he is an honest man And the reason presently added for hee hath a wife shee is the sure signe and seale of honestie It is vsuall amongst old and graue fathers if they haue a sonne giuen to spending and companie-keeping who is of a wild and riotous disposition such a father shall presently be counselled helpe your sonne to a good wife marry him marry him that is the onely way to bring him to good order to tame him to bring him to be an honest man The auncient fathers doe herein acknowledge a greater worthinesse in women then in men the hope which they haue of an vntowardly sonne to reclaime him is all engaged vpon the woman In no one thing men doe acknowledge a more excellent perfection in women then in the estimate of the offences which a woman doth commit the worthinesse of the person doth make the sinne more markeable Womens faults more markable because they are the better What an hatefull thing is it to see a woman ouercome with drinke when as in men it is noted for a signe of goodfellowship and whosoeuer doth obserue it for one woman which doth make a custome of drunkennesse you shall finde an hundred men it is abhorred in women and therefore they auoyd it it is laughed at and made but as a iest amongst men and therefore so many doe practise it Likewise if a man abuse a Maide get her with child no matter is made of it but as a trick of youth but it is made so hainous an offence in the maide that she is disparaged and vterly vndone by it So in all offences those which men commit are made light and as nothing slighted ouer but those which women doe commit those are made grieuous and shamefull and not without iust cause for where God hath put hatred betwixt the woman and the serpent it is a foule shame in a woman to carry fauour with the deuill to stayne her womanhoode with any of his damnable qualities that she will shake hands where God hath planted hate Ioseph Swetnam in his Pamphlet aggrauateth the offences of women in the highest degree not onely exceeding but drawing men into all mischeife If I do grant that woman degenerating from the true end of womanhood prooue the greatest offenders yet in graunting that I doe thereby proue that women in their creation are the most excellent creatures for corruption boni pessima the best thing corrupted proueth the worst as for example the most glorious creature in heauen is by his fall the most damned deuill in hell all the Elements in their puritie are most pretious in their infection and abuse most dangerous so the like in women in their most exellent puritie of nature what creature more gratious but in their fall from God and all goodnesse what creature more mischieuous which the deuill knowing he doth more assault woman then man because his gaine is greater by the fall of one woman then of twentie men Let there be a faire maide wife or woman in Countrie towne or Citie The deuill doth more violently tempt women then men He is sure of them when he will she shall want no resort of Serpents nor any varietie of tempter let there be in like sort a beautifull or personable man he may sit long enough before a woman will solicite him For where the deuill hath good acquaintance he is sure of entertainement there without resistance The Serpent at first tempted woman he dare assault her no more in that shape now he imployeth men to supply his part and so they doe for as the Serpent began with Eue to delight her taste so doe his instruments draw to wine and banqueting the next the Serpent enticed her by pride and tolde her shee should be like to God so doe his instruments first they will extoll her beauty what a paragon she is in their eyes Dissembling in men next they will promise her such maintenance as the best woman in the Parish or Country shall not haue better What care they if they make a thousand oathes and commit tenne thousand periuries so they may deceiue a woman When they haue done all and gotten their purpose then they discouer all the womans shame and imploy such an Author as this to whose Arraignment I doe make haste to raile vpon her and the whole Sexe THE ARRAIGNMENT OF Joseph Swetnam who was the Author of the Arraignment of Women And vnder his person the arraignment of all idle franticke froward and lewd men CHAPTER V. IOseph Swetnam hauing written his rash idle furious and shamefull discourse against Women it was at last deliuered into my hands presently I did acquaint some of our Sexe with the accident with whom I did aduise what course wee should take with him It was concluded that his vnworthinesse being much like to that of Thersites
men to ruine direct causes they cannot be in any respect if they be causes they are but accident all causes A cause as Philosophers say Causa sine qua non a remote cause which cause is seldome alleaged for cause but where want of wit would say somewhat and a guilty conscience would excuse it selfe by something Philosophers say Nemo leditur nisi a seipso no man is hurt but the cause is in himselfe The prodigall person amongst the Gracians is called Asotes as a destroyer an vndoer of himselfe When an heart fraughted with sinne doth prodigally lauish out a lasciuious looke out of a wanton eye when it doth surfeit vpon the fight who is Asotos who is guiltie of his lasciuious disease but himselfe Volenti non fit iniuria hee who is wounded with his owne consent hath small cause to complaine of anothers wrong Might not a man as easily and more honestly when hee seeth a faire woman which doth make the best vse that she can to set out her beautie rather glorifie God in so beautifull a worke then infect his soule with so lasciuious a thought And for the woman who hauing a Iewell giuen her from so deare a friend is she not to be commended rather that in the estimate which she sheweth shee will as carefully and as curiously as she may set out what she hath receiued from Almighty God then to be censured that she doth it to allure wanton and lasciuious lookes The difference is in the minds things which are called Adiaphora things indifferent whose qualities haue their name from the vses are commonly so censured and so vsed as the minde is inclined which doth passe his verdict A man and a woman talke in the fields together an honest minde will imagine of their talke answerable to his owne disposition whereas an euill disposed minde will censure according to his lewd inclination Womans beauty is good but the heart which doth surieit is naught When men complaine of beautie and say That womens dressings and attire are prouocations to wantonnesse and baites to allure men It is a direct meanes to know of what disposition they are it is a shame for men in censuring of women to condemne themselues but a common Inne cannot be without a common signe it is a common signe to know a leacher by complaining vpon the cause and occasion of his surfeit who had knowne his disease but by his owne complaint It is extreme folly to complaine of another when the roote of all resteth within himselfe purge an infected heart and turne away a lacinious eye and then neither their dreffings nor their beautie can any waies hurt you Doe not men exceede in apparell and therein set themselues out to the view Shall women betray themselues and make it knowne that they are either so bad in their disposition or so wanton in their thoughts or so weak in their gouernment as to complaine that they are tempted and allured by men Should women make themselues more vaine then yongest children to fall in loue with babyes Women are so farre off from being in any sort prouoked to loue vpon the view of mens apparell Women doe not fall in lone with men for their apparell and setting forth themselues that no one thing can more draw them from loue then their vanitie in apparell Women make difference betwixt colours and conditions betwixt a faire shew and a foule substance It shewes a leuitie in man to furnish himselfe more with trim colours then manlike qualities besides that how can we lone at whom we laugh We see him gallant it at the Court one day braue it in the Country the next day we see him weare that on his backe one week which we heare is in the brokers shop the next furthermore we see diuers weare apparell and colours made of a Lordship lined with Farmes and Granges embrodered with all the plate gold and wealth their Friends and Fathers left them Are these motiues to loue or to laughter Will or dare a woman trust to their loue for one Moneth who will turne her of the next This is the surfeit which women take by braue apparell They rather suspect his worth then wish his loue who doth most exceede in brauerie So Mr. Swetnam doe you and all yours forbeare to censure of the dressings and attires of women for any such lewd intent as you imagine Bad minds are discouered by bad thoughts and hearts Doe not say and rayle at women to be the cause of mens ouerthrow when the originall roote and cause is in your selues If you bee so affected that you cannot looke but you must forthwith be infected I doe maruaile Ioseph Swetnam you set downe no remedies for that torment of Loue as you call it You bid men shunne and auoyde it but those be common and ordinary rules and instructions yet not so ordinary as able to restraine the extraordinary humors of your giddy company I will do you and your friends a kindnesse if you be so scorched with the flames of loue Diogines did long since discouer the soueraigne salue for such a wound The receipt is no great charge your selfe may be the Apothecarie A medicine for Loue. Tane Hunger A Halter it is comprehended in three words First trie with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if both these faile the third is sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was Diogenes Antidote against that venemous infection There are more milder remedies which you may put in practise If your hearts be so fleshly or your eies so tender that you dare trust neither of them then trust to your reason to turne your eyes away or trust to your heeles as Ioseph did to carrie all away After you haue railed against women you bring in a fable of a contempt betwixt the Winde and the Same and you apply the morrall to women when as it hath a farre other relation for it euer hath been applyed to men to instruct them in the gouernment of woman for I pray you who is to gouerne or who are to be gouerned You should seeme to come from the Sauromatians whose wiues were their Masters but I will set you downe both the Fable and the Morrall as it was written in English verse long sithence THe Sunne and Winde at variance did fall Whose force was greatest in the open field A trauailer they chuse to deale withall Who makes him first vnto their force to yeeld To cast off Cloake they that agreement make The honour of the victory must take The Winde began and did encrease each blast With raging beate vpon the silly man The more it blew the more he grasped fast And kept his Cloake let Winde doe what it can When all in vaine the Winde his worst had done It ceast and left a tryall to the Sunne The Sunne beginnes his beames for to display And by degrees in heate for to encrease The Trauailer then warme doth make a
stay And by degrees his Cloake he doth release At length is forc'd both Coate and Cloake to yeeld So giues the Sunne the honour of the field Who by extreames doth seeke to worke his will By raging humors thinking so to gaine May like the Winde augment his tempest still But at the length he findes his furie vaine For all he gets by playing franticke parts He hard neth more the milde and gentle hearts Like as all Plants when at the first they spring Are tender and soft bark'd on euery fide But as they grow continuall stormes doe bring Those are more hard which Northerne blasts abide What 's toward the Southerne tenderer we finde And that more hard which feeles the Northern winde Nautre his course most carefully doth bend From violence to seeke it selfe to arme Where raging blasts the trees would breake and rend There Nature striues to keepe her Plants from harme Where violence is vnto Nature strange Continuall custome there doth Nature change So 't is with women who by Nature milde If they on froward crabbed Husbands light Continuall rage by custome makes them wilde For crooked natures alter gentle quite Men euermore shall this in triall finde Like to her vsage so is womans minde As of themselues let men of others iudge What man will yeeld to be compel'd by rage At crabbednesse and crustnesse hearts doe grudge And to resist themselues they more engage Forbeare the Winde shine with the Sunne a while Though she be angry she will forthwith smile This is the true application of the Morrall As for that crookednesse and frowardnesse with which you charge women looke from whence they haue it for of themselues and their owne disposition it doth not proceede which is prooued directly by your owne testimonie Woman of her ovvne disposition gentle and milde for in your 46. 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You say A young woman of tender yeares is flexible obedient and subiect to doe any thing according to the will and pleasure of her Husband How commeth it then that this gentle and milde disposition is afterwards altered your selfe doth giue the true reason for you giue a great charge not to marrie a widdow But why because say you in the same Page A widdow is framed to the conditions of another man Why then if a woman haue froward conditions they be none of her owne she was framed to them Is not our aduersarie ashamed of himselfe to raile against women for those faults which doe all come from men Doth not hee most grieuously charge men to learne their wiues bad and corrupt behauiour Men infect for hee saith plainely Thou must vnlearne a widdow and make her forget and forgoe her former corrupt disordered behaniour Thou must vnlearne her Ergo what fault shee hath shee learned her corruptnes commeth not from her own disposition but from her Husbands destruction Is it not a wonder that your Pamphlets are so dispersed Are they not wise men to cast away time and money vpon a Booke which cutteth their owne throates 'T is pittie but that men should reward you for your writing if it bee but as the Romane Sertorius did the idle Poet hee gaue him a reward but not for his writing but because he should neuer write more as for women they laugh that men haue no more able a champion This author commeth to baite women or as hee foolishly sayth the Beare bayting of Women and he bringeth but a mungrell Curre who doth his kinde to braule and barke but cannot bite The milde and flexible disposition of a woman is in philosophy proued in the composition of her body for it is a Maxime The disposition of the minde doth answere the composition of the body Mores animi sequntur temperaturam corporis The disposition of the minde is answerable to the temper of the body A woman in the temperature of her body is tender soft and beautifull so doth her disposition in minde corresponde accordingly she is milde yeelding and vertuous what disposition accidentally happeneth vnto her is by the contagion of a froward husband as Ioseph Swetnam affirmeth And experience proueth It is a shame for a man to complaine of a froward woman in many respects all concerning himselfe It is a shame he hath no more gouernment ouer the weaker vessell It is a shame he hath hardned her tender sides and gentle heart with his boistrous Northren blasts May men complaine of vvomen vvithout cause It is a shame for a man to publish and proclaime houshold secrets which is a common practise amongst men especially Drunkards Leachers and prodigall spend-thrifts These when they come home drunke or are called in question for their riotous misdemeanours they presently shew themselues the right children of Adam They will excuse themselues by their wiues and say that their vnquitenesse and frowardnesse at home is the cause that they runne abroad An excuse more fitter for a beast then a man If thou wert a man thou wouldest take away the cause which vrgeth a woman to griefe and discontent and not by thy frowardnesse encrease her distemperature forbeare thy drinking thy luxurious riot thy gaming and spending and thou shalt haue thy wife giue thee as little cause at home as thou giuest her great cause of disquiet abroad Men which are men if they chance to be matched with froward wiues either of their own making or others marring they would make a benefit of the discommodity either try his skill to make her milde or exercise his patience to endure her curstnesse for all crosses are inflicted either for punishment of finnes or for exercise of vertues but humorous men will sooner marre a thousand women then out of an hundred make one good And this shall appeare in the imputation which our aduersarie chargeth vpon our sexe Men are the Serpents to be laciuious wanton and lustfull He sayth Women tempt alure and prouoke men How rare a thing is it for women to prostitute and offer themselues how common a practise is it for men to seeke and solicite women to lewdnesse what charge doe they spare what trauell doe they bestow what vowes oathes and protestations doe they spend to make them dishonest They hyer Pandors they write letters they seale them with damnations and execrations to assure them of loue when the end proues but lust They know the flexible disposition of Women and the sooner to ouerreach them some will pretend they are so plunged in loue that except they obtaine their desire they will seeme to drown'd hang stab poyson or banish themselues from friends and countrie What motiues are these to tender dispositions Some will pretend marriage another offer continuall maintenance but when they haue obtained their purpose what shall a woman finde iust that which is her euerlasting shame and griefe shee hath made her selfe the vnhappie subject to a lustfull bodie and the shamefull stall of a lasciuious tongue Men may with foule shame charge women with