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
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
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
the obiections which are most materiall which our aduersarie hath vomited out against woman and not onely what he hath obiected but what other authors of more import then Ioseph Swetnam haue charged vpon women alas seely man he obiecteth nothing but what he hath stolne out of English writers as Euphues the Palace of Pleasure with the like which are as easily answered as vaynly obiected He neuer read the vehement and profest enemies against our sexe as for Gracians Euripides Menander Simonides Sophocles with the like amongst Latine writers Invenall Plautus c. But of all that euer I read I did neuer obserue such generall sinceritie in any as in this aduersarie which you shall finde I will make as manifest as the Sunne to shine at mid-day It is the maine end that our aduersarie aimeth at in all his discourse to proue and say that women are bad if he should offer this vpon particulers no one would denie it but to lauish generally against all women who can endure it You might Mr. Swetnam with some shew of honestie haue sayd some women are bad both by custome and company but you cannot avoide the brand both of blasphemie and dishonestie to say of women generally they are all naught both in their creation and by nature and to ground your inferences vpon Scriptures I let passe your obiections in your first page because they are formerly answered onely whereas you say woman was no sooner made but her heart was set vpon mischiefe if you had then said she had no sooner eaten of the fruit but her heart was set vpon mischiefe you had had some colour for your speaches not in respect of the womans disposition but in consideration both of her first Tutor and her second instructor For whereas scripture doth say The Deuill tooke the shape of man Woman was supplanted by a Serpent Ioseph Swetnam doth say she was supplanted by the deuill which appeared to her in the shape of a beautifull yong man Men are much beholding to this author who will seeme to insinuate that the deuill would in so friendly and familier a manner put on the shape of man when he first began to practise mischiefe The deuill might make bold of them whom he knew in time would proue his familier friends Herevpon it may be imagined it commeth to passe that Painters and Picture-makers when they would represent the deuill they set him out in the deformed shape of a man because vnder that shape he began first to act the part of a diuell and I doubt he neuer changed his suite sithence Here it is to be obserued that which is worst is expressed by the shape of a man but what is the most glorious creature is represented in the beautie of a woman 〈…〉 â—erpent gaue the woman bad counsell and her husband bad example as Angels Woman at the first might easily learne mischiefe where or how should she learne goodnes her first Schoole-master was aboundant in mischiefe and her first husband did exceede in bad examples First by his example he taught her how to flye from God next how to excuse her sinne then how to cample and contest with God and to say as Adam did thou art the cause for the woman whom thou gauest me was the cause I did eate What Adam did at the first bad husbands practise with their wiues euer sithence I meane in bad examples It was no good example in Adam who hauing receiued his wife from the gift of God and bound to her in so inseperable a bond of loue that forthwith he being taken tardie would presently accuse his wife put her in all the danger but the woman was more bound to an vpright iudge then to a louing husband it would not serue Adams turne to charge her therby to free himselfe Men doe shew themselues the children of Adam It was an hard and strange course that he who should haue beene her defender is now become her greatest accuser I may heare say with Saint Paul by one mans sinne death c. so by the contagion of originall sinne in Adam all men are infected with his diseases and looke what examples he gaue his wife at the first the like examples and practises doe all men shew to women euer sithence Let mee speake freely for I will speake nothing but truly neither shall my words exceede my proofe In your first and second Page you alledge Dauid and Salomon for exclaiming bitterly against women And that Salomon saith Women like as Wine doe make men drunke with their deuices What of all this Ioseph Swetnam a man which hath reason will neuer obiect that vnto his aduersary which when it commeth to examination will disaduantage himselfe Your meaning is in the disgrace of women to exalt men but is this any commendation to men that they haue been and are ouer-reacht by women Can you glory of their holinesse whom by women proue sinfull or in their wisedome Foolish men tempted with outward sheves whom women make fooles or in their strength whom women ouercome can you excuse that fall which is giuen by the weaker or colour that foyle which is taken from women Is holinesse wisedome and strength so slightly seated in your Masculine gender as to be stained blemished and subdued by women But now I pray you let vs examine how these vertues in men so potent came by women to be so impotent Doe you meane in comparatiue degree that women are more holy more wise more strong then men if you should graunt this you had small cause to write against them But you will not admit this What is or are the causes then why men are so ouertaken by women You set downe the causes in your fourth Page there you say They are dangerous for men to deale withall for their faces are Lures their beauties baytes their lookes are nets and their words are charmes and all to bring men to ruine Incidit in Scyllam qui vult vitare Charibdim whil'st he seeketh to auoide one mischiefe he falleth into another It were more credit for men to yeeld our sexe to be more holy wise and strong then to excuse themselues by the reasons alleaged for by this men are proued to haue as litle wit as they are charged to exceed in wickednesse Are external dumbe shews such potent baites nets lures charmes to bring men to ruine Why wilde Asses dotterels and woodcockes are not so easily entangled and taken are men so idle vaine and weake as you seeme to make them Let mee now see how you can free these men from dishonest mindes who are ouertaken thus with beautie c. How can beautiehurt If men be hurt thanke themselues how can it be a cause of a mans ruine of it selfe what do women forcibly draw why men are more strong are they so eloquent to perswade why men are too wise are they mischieuous to entise men are more holy how then are women causes to bring
this sinne which they had neuer committed if shee had not trusted nor had euer trusted if shee had not beene deceiued with vowes oathes and protestations To bring a woman to offend in one sinne how many damnable sinnes doe they commit I appeale to their owne consciences The lewd disposition of sundry men doth appeare in this If a woman or maide will yeeld vnto lewdnesse what shall they want But if they would liue in honestie what helpe shall they haue How much will they make of the lewd how base account of the honest how many pounds will they spend in bawdie houses but when will they bestowe a penny vpon an honest maide or woman except it be to corrupt them Our aduersary bringeth many examples of men which haue beene ouerthrowne by women Shew a womans offence but that man was the first beginner It is answered before the fault is their owne But I would haue him or any one liuing to shew any woman that offended in this sinne of lust but that she was first sollicited by a man Helen was the cause of Troyes burning first Paris did sollicite her next how many knaues and fooles of the male kinde had Troy which to maintaine whoredome would bring their Citie to confusion When you bring in examples of lewd women and of men which haue beene stained by women you shew your selfe both franticke and a prophane irreligious foole to mention Indith for cutting off Holoferues head in that rancke You challenge women for vntamed and vnbrideled tongues there was neuer woman was euer noted for so shamelesse so brutish so beastly a scold as you proue your selfe in this base and odious Pamphlet You blaspheme God you raile at his Creation you abuse and slander his Creatures and what immodest or impudent scurilitie is it which you doe not expresse in this lewd and lying Pamphlet Hitherto I haue so answered all your obiections against Women that as I haue not defended the wickednesse of any so I haue set downe the true state of the question As Eue did not offend without the temptation of a Serpent so women doe seldome offend but it is by prouocation of men Let not your impudencie nor your conforts dishonestie charge our sexe hereafter with those sinnes of which you your selues were the first procurers I haue in my discourse touched you and all yours to the quick I haue taxed you with bitter speaches you will perhaps say I am a rayling scold In this obiection Ioseph Swetnam A difference betwixt accusing and slandering I will teach you both wit and honestie The difference betwixt a railing scold and and an honest accuses is this the first rageth vpon passionate furie without bringing cause or proofe the other bringeth direct proofe for what she alleageth you charge women with clamorous words and bring no proofe I charge you with blasphemie with impudencie scurilitie foolery and the like I shew iust and direct proofe for what I say it is not my desire to speake so much it is your desert to prouoke me vpon iust cause so farre it is no railing to call a Crow blacke or a Wolfe a rauenour or a drunkard a beast the report of the truth is neuer to be blamed the deseruer of such a report deserueth the shame Now for this time to draw to an end let me aske according to the question of Cassian Cui bono what haue you gotten by publishing your Pamphlet good I know you can get none You haue perhaps pleased the humors of some giddy idle conceited persons But you haue died your selfe in the colours of shame lying slandering blasphemie ignorance and the like The shortnesse of time and the weight of businesse call me away and vrge me to leaue off thus abruptly but assure your selfe where I leaue now I will by Gods grace supply the next Terme to your small content You haue exceeded in your furie against Widdowes whose defence you shal heare of at the time aforesaide in the meane space recollect your wits write out of deliberation not out of furie write out of aduice not out of idlenesse forbeare to charge women with faults which come from the contagion of Masculine serpents A DEFENCE OF Women against the Author of the Arraignment of Women CHAP. VIII AN idle companion was raging of late Who in furie ' gainst Women expresseth his hate Hee writeth a Booke an Arraignment he calleth In which against women he currishly bawleth He deserueth no answere but in Ballat or Ryme Vpon idle fantastickes who would cast away time Any answere may serue an impudent lyar Any mangie scab'd horse doth fit a scal'd Squire In the ruffe of his furie for so himselfe faith The blasphemous companion he shamefully playeth The woman for an Helpler God did make he doth say But to Helpe to consume and spend all away Thus at Gods creation to flout and to iest Who but an Atheist would so play the beast The Scriptures doe proue that when Adam did fall And to death and damnation was thereby a thrall Then woman was an Helper for by her blessed seed From Hell and damnation all mankinde was freed He saith women are froward which the rib doth declare For like as the Rib so they crooked are The Rib was her Subiect for body we finde But from God came her Soule and dispose of her minde Let no man thinke much if women compare That in their creation they much better are More blessings therein to women doe fall Then vnto mankinde haue beene giuen at all Women were the last worke and therefore the best For what was the end excelleth the rest For womans more honour it was so assign'd She was made of the rib of mettall refin'd The Countrey doth also the woman more grace For Paradice is farre the more excellent place Yet women are mischienous this Author doth say But Scriptures to that directly say nay God said 'twixt the Woman and Serpent for euer Strong hatred he would put to be qualified neuer The woman being hatefull to the Serpents condition How excellent is she in her disposition The Serpent with men in their workes may agree But the Serpent with women that neuer may be If you aske how it happens some women proue naught By men turn'd to Serpents they are ouer-wrought What the Serpent began men follow that still They tempt what they may to make women doe ill They will tempt and prouoke and follow vs long They deceiue vs with aithes and a flattering tongue To make a poore Maiden or woman a whore They care not how much they spend of their store But where is there a man that will any thing giue That woman or maide may with honestie liue If they yeeld to lewd counsell they nothing shall want But for to be honest then all things are scant It proues a bad nature in men doth remaine To make women lewd their purses they straine For a woman that 's honest they care not a whit They le say
she is honest because she lackes wit They le call women whores but their stakes they might saue There can be no Whore but there must be a Knaue They say that our dressings and that our attire Are causes to moue them to lustfull fire Of all things which are we euermore finde Such thoughts doe arise as are like to the minde Mens thoughts being wicked they wracke on vs thus That scandall is taken not giuen by vs. If their sight be so weake and their frailtie be such Why doe they then gaze at our beauty so much Plucke away those ill roots whence sinne doth arise Amend wicked thoughts or plucke out the eyes The humors of men see how froward they bee We know not to please them in any degree For if we goe plaine we are sluts they doe say They doubt of our honesty if we goe gay If we be honest and merrie for giglots they take vs If modest and sober then proud they doe make vs Be we housewifly quicke then a shrew he doth keepe If patient and milde then he scorneth a sheepe What can we deuise to doe or to say But men doe wrest all things the contrary way 'T is not so vncertaine to follow the winde As to seeke to please men of so humerous minde Their humors are giddy and neuer long lasting We know not to please them neither full nor yet fasting Either we doe too little or they doe too much They straine our poore wits their humors are such They say women are proud wherein made they triall They moou'd some lewd suit and had the deniall To be crost in such suites men cannot abide And therevpon we are entitled with pride They say we are curst and froward by kinde Our mildnesse is changed where raging we finde A good Iacke saye the prouerbe doth make a good Gill A curst froward Husband doth change womans will They vse vs they say as necessary euils We haue it from them for they are our deuils When they are in their rages and humerous fits They put vs poore women halfe out of our wits Of all naughty women name one if you can If she proued bad it came by a man Faire Helen forsooke her Husband of Greece A man called Paris betrayed that peece Medea did rage and did shamefully murther A lason was cause which her mischiefe did further A Cresside was false and changed her loue Diomedes her heart by constraint did remoue In all like examples the world may see Where women proue bad there men are not free But in those offences they haue the most share Women would be good if Serpents would spare Let Women and Maides whatsoeuer they be Come follow my counsell be warned by me Trust not mens suites their loue proueth lust Both hearts tongues and pens doe all proue vniust How faire they will speake and write in their loue But put them to tryall how false doe they proue They loue hot at first when the loue is a stranger But they will not be tied to racke and to manger What loue call you that when men are a wooing And seeke nothing else but shame and vndoing As women in their faults I doe not commend So wish I all men their lewd suites they would end Let women alone and seeke not their shame You shall haue no cause then women to blame 'T is like that this Author against such doth bawle Who by his temptations haue gotten a fall For he who of women so wickedly deemeth Hath made them dishonest it probably seemeth He hath beene a Traueller it may be well so By his tales and reports as much we doe know He promiseth more poyson against women to thrust He doth it for phisicke or else he would brust Thus I bid him farewell till next we doe meete And then as cause moueth so shall we greete IOANE SHARP FINIS Faultes escaped PAge 33. Line 1. for cary reade cutry p. 36. l. 30 for sincerity r. scurility p. 38. l. 28. for something r any thing Ibid. for countrey r. counter p. 40. l. 5. for contempt r. contention
women are so bad Creatures what a dangerous and miserable life is marriage If you examine my proofes to know directly what women are you shall then finde there is no delight more exceeding then to be ioyned in marriage with a Paraditian Creature Who as shee commeth out of the Garden so shall you finde her a flower of delight answerable to the Countrey from whence she commeth There can be no loue betwixt man and wife but where there is a respectiue estimate the one towards the other How could you loue nay how would you loath such a monster to whom Ioseph Swetnam poynteth Whereas in view of what I haue described how can you but regardfully loue with the vttermost straine of affection so incomparable a Iewell Some will perhaps say I am a woman and therefore write more for women then they doe deserue To whom I answere if they misdoubt of what I speake let them impeach my credit in any one particular In that which I write Eue was a good woman before she met with the Serpent her daughters are good Virgins if they meet with good Tutors You my worthy youths are the hope of Man-hoode the principall poynt of Man-hoode is to defend and what more man-like defence then to defend the iust reputation of a woman I know that you the Apprentises of this Citie are as forward to maintaine the good as you are vehement to put downe the bad That which is worst I leaue to our aduersary but what is excellently best that I commend to you doe you finde the gold I doe here deliuer you the Iewell a rich stocke to begin the world withall if you be good husbands to vse it for your best aduantage Let not the title of this Booke in some poynt distaste you in that men are arraigned for you are quit by Non-age None are here arraigned but such olde fornicators as came with full mouth and open cry to Iesus and brought a woman to him taken in adultery who when our Sauiour stoopt downe and wrote on the ground they all fled away Ioseph Swetnam saith A man may finde Pearles in dust Pag. 47. But if they who sled had seene any Pearles they would rather haue stayed to haue had share then to flye and to leane the woman alone they found some fowle reckoning against themselues in our Sauiours writing as they shall doe who are heare arraigned And if they dare doe like as our Sauiour had the womans accusers He that is without sinne throw the first stone at her so let them raile against women who neuer tempted any woman to be bad Yet this is an hard case If a man raile against a woman and know no lewdnesse by any he shall proue himselfe a compound foole If he rayle at woman who in his owne experienced tryall had made many bad he shall shew himselfe a decompounded K. I doe not meane Knight The best way is he that knoweth none bad let him speake well of all he who hath made more bad then he euer intended to make good let him hold his peace least hee shame himselfe Farewell Ester Sowrenam AN ANSVVERE TO THE FIRST CHAPTER OF THE Arraignment of Women CHAP. I. IF the Author of this Arraignment had performed his discourse either answerable to the Title or the Arguments of the Chapters hee had beene so farre off from being answered by me that I should haue commended so good a labour which is imployed to giue vice iust reproofe and vertue honourable report But at the very first entrance of his discourse in the very first page he discouereth himselfe neither to haue truth in his promise nor religious performance If in this answere I doe vse more vehement speeches then may seeme to correspond the naturall disposition of a Woman yet all iudicious Readers shall confesse that I vse more mildnesse then the cause I haue in hand prouoketh me vnto I am not onely prouoked by this Authour to defend women but I am more violently vrged to defend diuine Maiestie in the worke of his Creation In which respect I say with Saint Ierome Epist ad Ciprianum Meam iniuriam patienter sustinui impietatem contra deum ferre non potui For as Saint Chrisostome saith Sup. Math. iniurias Dei dissimulare impium est If either Iulian the Apostata or Lucian the Atheist should vndertake the like worke could the owne deuise to write more blasphemously or the other to scoffe and flout at the diuine Creation of Woman more prophanely then this irreligious Author doth Homer doth report in his Illiads that there was at the siege of Troy a Graecian called Thersites whose wit was so blockish he was not worthy to speake yet his disposition was so precipitate hee could not hold his tongue Ioseph Swetnam in all record of Histories cannot be so likely paraleld as with this Thersites What his composition of body is I know not but for his disposition otherwise in this Pamphlet I know he is as monstrous as the worke is mishapen which shall plainely appeare in the examination of the first page onely The Argument of the first Chapter is to shew to what vse Women were made it also sheweth That most of them degenerate from the vse they were framed vnto c. Now to shew to what vse woman was made hee beginneth thus At the first beginning a Woman was made to bee an helper to Man And so they are indeed for they helpe to consume and spend c. This is all the vse and all the end which the Authour setteth downe in all his discourse for the creation of woman Marke a ridiculous ieast in this Spending and consuming of that which Man painfully getteth is by this Authour the vse for which Women were made And yet saith hee in the Argument most of them degenerate from the vse they were framed vnto Woman was made to spend and consume at the first But women doe degenerate from this vse Ergo Midasse doth contradict himselfe Beside this egregious folly he runneth into horrible blasphemy VVas the end of Gods creation in VVoman to spend and consume Is helper to be taken in that sence to helpe to spend c. Is spending and consuming helping He runneth on and saith They were made of a Rib and that their froward and crooked nature doth declare for a Rib is a crooked thing c. VVoman was made of a crooked rib so she is crooked of conditions Ioseph Swetnam was made as from Adam of clay and dust so he is of a durty and muddy disposition The inferences are both alike in either woman is no more crooked in respect of the one but he is blasphemous in respect of the other Did Woman receiue her soule and disposition from the rib Or as it is said in Genesis God did breath in them the spirit of life Admit that this Authors doctrine bee true that woman receiueth her froward and crooked disposition from the rib Woman may then conclude vpon
that Axiome in Philosophy To take a vantage vpon a disaduantage Quicquid efficit tale illud est magis tale That which giueth quality to a thing doth more abound in that quality as fire which heateth is it selfe more hot The Sunne which giueth light is of it selfe more light So if Woman receaued her crookednesse from the rib and consequently from the Man how doth man excell in crookednesse who hath more of those crooked ribs See how this vaine furious and idle Authour furnisheth woman with an Argument against himselfe and others of his Sexe The Authour hauing desperately begunne doth more rashly and impudently runne on in blasphemy which he doth euidently shew in the inference vpon his former speeches And therefore saith he Euer since they haue beene a woe vnto Man and follow the liue of the first leader Now let the Christian Reader please to consider how dishonestly this Authour dealeth who vndertaking a particular prosecuteth and persecuteth a generall vnder the cloake and colour of lewd idle and froward women to rage and raile against all women in generall Now hauing examined what collections Ioseph Swetnam hath wrested out of Scriptures to dishonor and abuse all women I am resolued before I answere further particulars made by him against our sexe to collect and note out of Scriptures First what incomparable and most excellent prerogatiues God hath bestowed vpon women in honour of them and their Creation Secondly what choyse God hath made of women in vsing them as instruments to worke his most gracious and glorious designes for the generall benefit of man-kind both during the law of Nature and of Moyses Thirdly what excellent and diuine graces haue beene bestowed vpon our Sexe in the law of Grace and the worke of Redemption With a conclusion that to manifest the worthinesse of women they haue beene chosen to performe and publish the most happy and ioyfull benefits which euer came to man-kinde CHAPTER II. What incomparable and excellent prerogatiues God hath bestowed vpon Women in their first Creation IN this ensuing Chapter I determine briefly to obserue not curiously to discourse at large the singuler benefits and graces bestowed vpon Women In regard of which it is first to bee considered That the Almighty God in the worlds frame in his Diuine wisedome designed to himselfe a maine end to which he ordayned all the workes of his Creation in which hee being a most excellent worke-master did so Create his workes that euery succeeding worke was euer more excellent then what was formerly Created hee wrought by degrees prouiding in all for that which was and should be the end It appeareth by that Soueraignty which God gaue to Adam ouer all the Creatures of Sea and Land The prerogatiues giuen to women in their Creation that man was the end of Gods creation wherevpon it doth necessarily without all exception follow that Adam being the last worke is therefore the most excellent worke of creation yet Adam was not so absolutely perfect but that in the sight of God he wanted an Helper Wherevpon God created the woman his last worke as to supply and make absolute that imperfect building which was vnperfected in man as all Diuines do hold till the happy creation of the woman Now of what estimate that Creature is and ought to be The last worke which is the last worke vpon whom the Almighty set vp his last rest whom he made to to adde perfection to the end of all creation I leaue rather to be acknowledged by others then resolued by my selfe It is furthermore to be considered as the Maide in her Mussell for Melastomus hath obserued that God intended to honour woman in a more excellent degree Created vpon a refined subiect in that he created her out of a subiect refined as out of a Quintissence For the ribbe is in Substance more solid in place as most neare so in estimate most deare to mans heart which doth presage that as she was made for an helper so to be an helper to stay to settle all ioy all contents all delights to and in mans heart as hereafter shall be shewed That delight A better countrey solace and pleasure which shall come to man by woman is prognosticated by that place wherein woman was created for she was framed in Paradice a place of all delight and pleasure euery element hath his creatures euery creature doth corresponde the temper and the inclination of that element wherein it hath and tooke his first and principall esse or being So that woman neither can or may degenerate in her disposition from that naturall inclination of the place in which she was first framed she is a Paradician that is a delightfull creature borne in so delightfull a country When woman was created Men are worldlings Women paradicians God brought her vnto Adam and then did solempnise that most auspicious Marriage betwixt them with the greatest Maiestie and magnificence that heauen or earth might afford God was the Father which gaue so rich a iewell God was the Priest which tied so inseperable a knot Womans marriage God was the Steward which prouided all the pleasures all the dainties all the blessings which his deuine wisdome might affoord in so delightfull a place The woman was married to Adam as with a most sure and inseparable band so with a most affectionate and dutifull loue Adam was enioyned to receaue his wife as is noted in the Bible printed 1595. There is no loue alwayes excepting the transcending loue which is so highly honoured so graciously rewarded so straightly commanded or which being broken is so seuerely punished as the loue and duty which Children owe to their Parents Yet this loue albeit neuer so respectiue is dispensed withall in respect of that loue which a man is bound to beare to his wife For this cause saith Adam as from the mouth of God shall a man leaue Father and Mother and cleaue onely to his Wife This word cleaue is vttered in the Hebrew with a more significant emphasie then any other Language may expresse such a cleauing and ioyning together which admitteth no seperation It may be necessarily obserued that that gift of the woman was most singularly excellent which was to bee accepted and entertained with so inestimable a loue The wedding Ring and made inseparable by giuing and taking the Ring of Lone which should be endlesse Now the woman taking view of the Garden shee was assaulted with a Serpent of the masculine gender who maliciously enuying the happinesse in which man was at this time like a mischieuous Politician Womans temptation hee practised by supplanting of the woman to turne him out of all For which end he most craftily and cunningly attempteth the woman and telleth her that therefore they were forbidden to eate of the fruit which grew in the middest of the Garden that in eating they should not be like vnto God Wherevpon the woman accepted tasted and
Learning hath beene generally with one consent ascribed to the inuention of Iupiters daughters the nine Muses whose Mother was a royall Ladie Mneneosum Carmentis a Ladie first inuented Letters and the vse of them by reading and writing The royall and most delightfull exercise of Hunting was first found out and practised by Diana who thervpon is celebrated for the Goddesse of Hunting The three Graces which adde a decorum and yeeld fauour to Persons Actions and Speaches are three Ladies Aglaia Thalia and Enphrosune The heroicall exercises of Olimpus were first found and put in practise by Palestra a woman The whole world being diuided into three parts in more ancient times euery diuision to this day keepeth the name in honour of a woman The foeminine Sexe is exceedingly honoured by Poets in their writings They haue Gods as well for good things as for bad but they haue no women-Goddesses but in things which are especially good They haue Bacchus for a drunken God but no drunken Goddesse They haue Priapus the lustfull God of Gardens but no garden-Goddesses except of late in the garden-Allies They will obiect here vnto mee Venus she indeed is the Goddesse of Loue but it is her blinde Sonne which is the God of Lust poore Ladie she hath but her ioynture in the Mannor of Loue Cupid is Lord of all the rest hee hath the royalty she may not strike a Deare but she must imploy her Sonne that sawcie Boy For Pride they held it so farre from women that they found out Nemesis or Rhamnusia to punish and reuenge pride but none to infect with pride They haue Pluto the God of Hell but no proper Goddes of hell but Proserpina whom Pluto forcibly tooke from Mount Aetna and carried her away and made her Queene of Hell yet she doth not remaine in Hell but one halfe of the yeare by a decree from Iupiter If I should recite and set downe all the honourable records and Monuments for and of women I might write more Bookes then I haue yet written lines I will leaue and passe ouer the famous testimonies of forreine Kingdomes and Common-wealths in honour of our Sexe and I will onely mention some few examples of our owne Countrey and Kingdome which haue been incomparably benefited and honoured by women Amongst the olde Britaines our first Ancestors the valiant Boadicea that defended the liberty of her Countrey against the strength of the Romans when they were at the greatest and made them feele that a woman could conquer them who had conquered almost all the men of the then known world The deuout Helen who besides that she was the Mother of that religious and great Constantine who first seated Christian Religion in the Emperiall throne in that respect may be stiled the mother of Religion is still more honoured for her singular pietie and charitie towards him and his members who dyed for vs vpon the Crosse then for her care and industry in finding out the wood of that Crosse on which he dyed In the time of the Danes chaste Aemma whose innocency carried her naked feete ouer the fire-hot Plow shares vnfelt with the Saxons Queene Elfgiue the holy widdow and the Kings daughter Edith a Virgin Saint both greater Conquerers then Alexander the great that men so much boast of who could not conquere himselfe Since the Normans the heroicall vertues of Elenor wife to Edward the first who when her Husband in the Holy Land was wounded with a poysoned Arrow of which ther was no hope of recouery from the Chyrurgions she suckt the poyson into her own bodie to free him together curing that mortall wound and making her owne fame immortall so that I thinke this one act of hers may equall all the acts that her great Husband did in those warres besides Philip wife to Edward the third no lesse to be honoured for being the Mother of so many braue children then of so many good deeds which worthily got her the title of good Margaret the wise wife to Henrie the sixt who if her Husbands fortune valour and foresight had beene answerable to hers had left the Crowne of England to their owne Sonne and not to a stranger The other Margaret of Richmond mother to Henrie the seuenth from whose brests he may seeme to haue deriued as well his vertues as his life in respect of her heroicall prudence and pietie whereof besides other Monuments both the Vniuersities are still witnesses Besides this it was by the blessed meanes of Elizabeth wife to Henrie the seuenth that the bloudy wars betwixt the houses of Yorke and Lancaster were ended and the red Rose and the white vnited c. It was by the meanes of the most renowmed Queene the happy Mother of our dread Soueraigne that the two Kingdomes once mortall foes are now so blessedly conioyned And that I may name no more since in one onely were comprized all the qualities and endowments that could make a person eminent Elizabeth our late Soueraigne not onely the glory of our Sexe but a patterne for the best men to imitate of whom I will say no more but that while she liued she was the mirrour of the world so then knowne to be and so still remembred and euer will be Daily experience and the common course of Nature doth tell vs that women were by men in those times highly valued and in worth by men themselues preferred and held better then themselues I will not say that women are better then men but I will say men are not so wise as I would wish them to be to wooe vs in such fashion as they do except they should hold and account of vs as their betters What trauaile what charge what studie Men sue to Women doe not men vndertake to gaine our good-will loue and liking what vehement suits doe they make vnto vs with what solemne vowes and protestations do they solicite vs they write they speake they send to make knowne what entire affection they beare vnto vs that they are so deepely engaged in loue except we doe compassion them with our loue and fauour they are men vtterly cast away One he will starue himselfe another will hang another drowne another stab another will exile himselfe from kinred and country except they may obtaine our loues What will they say that we are baser then themselues then they wrong themselues exeedingly to prefer such vehement suits to creatures inferiour to themselues Sutors doe euer in their suites confesse a more worthinesse in the persons to whom they sue Suint is alwaies preferred to the better These kind of suits are from Nature which cannot deceiue them Nature doth tell them what women are and custom doth approue what nature doth direct Aristotle saith Omnia appetunt bonum euery thing by nature doth seeke after that which is good Nature then doth cary men with violence to seeke and sue after women They will answere and seeke to elude this Maxime with a distinction that bonum
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