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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	great_a	6,390	5	3.2230	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26561	Female pre-eminence, or, The dignity and excellency of that sex above the male an ingenious discourse / written orignally in Latine by Henry Cornelius Agrippa ... ; done into English with additional advantages by H. C.; Declamation de nobilitate et praecellentia foeminei sexus. English	Agrippa von Nettesheim, Heinrich Cornelius, 1486?-1535.; Care, Henry, 1646-1688.	1670 (1670)	Wing A784; ESTC R14394	35,504	110

origine But although this blessed Immanuel took not on him the Female Sex yet he so far honoured it as to assume his Flesh only from the Woman and is therefore entituled Filius hominis in respect of her not of Man which our vulgar Translations seem to have forgot This was that stupendious miracle the contemplating whereof put the admiring Prophet into an Extasie That a Woman should encompass a Man that is Christ be conceiv'd in a pure Virgins womb Impregnated without the Contact of two prolifick Sexes that Divinity should be embodied in an earthly Tabernacle and have its glories shut up in a Cloud of Flesh like Sun-beams in Curtains of Chrystal Nor did our Lord afterwards when he had dissolv'd the powers of the Grave and destroy'd deaths Empire by his miraculous Resurrection vouchsafe his first appearance to Men but Women who are not known at any time to have quitted the faith or turn'd their backs on true Religion whereas Men immediately after his Ascension began to Apostatize Nor can it be proved that ever any Persecution Heresie Schism or Error in the Church had Women for its first Authors but alwayes Men. By that perfidious and cruell Sex was our blessed Jesus the Lord of Life and King of Glory betray'd sold bought accused condemned crucified and slain yea when he was denied by his own great confident Peter and abandon'd by all the rest of his Male Disciples even then the Women left him not but accompanied him still to the Cross and Sepulchre and Pilate's heathen Wife endeavoured more his preservation than any of the Men which profess'd belief in him Whereto we may adde That almost all School-Divines concur in opinion That the Church at that instant remained wholly and solely in a Woman viz. The Virgin Mary and therefore this Sex is deservedly by them stiled sacred and Religious But if any object with Aristotle That the Male is generally much the strongest and therefore to be more valued we desire such to consider how contemptible a Glory 't is to boast of big bones or brawny Arms and what mean Trophies they can hope to raise to themselves by excelling Women by those advantages wherein they must confess themselves inferior to hundreds of Beasts If strength alone must give the pre-eminence let Men give place to their Horses confess their Oxen their Masters and pay homage to Elephants But in truth they have little reason to vaunt of the strength or prudence the valour or subtilty of their Sex having been alwayes shamefully baffled by those whom they vainly call the weaker vessels What Man was ever able to vye strength with Sampson whose single Arm no better weapon'd than with an Asses Jaw-bone could at once sacrifice a thousand Lives to his fury yet did this prodigious Hero like Hercules truckle to a Distaff and was ridiculously captivated by a Woman Who could boast a more severe chastity than just Lot whose righteous soul did daily suffer pangs of grief and indignation seeing the Sodomites Debaucheries yet Women easily inticed him to Ebriety and Incest Who more religious than David yet a bathing Beersheba caused him at once to sully the pure Robes of his Sanctity with the black stains both of Adultery and Murder Who so wise as Solomon who seems to have been Natures Privy-Counsellor and to have had the honour to behold her undrest yet was not all his wisdome Amulet sufficient to guard him against Womens Charms but that he still placed more felicity in their enjoyment than in all the curious Contemplations and Researches of Philosophy and even abandon'd the worship of that God who had bestowed those stupendious parts on him to wantonnize in their Imbraces Who more fervent and resolv'd in the faith than Peter the chief of the Apostles yet a silly Damsel caused that great Pastor of the Church thrice to deny his Master But methinks I hear some whispering That all this makes more against than for Women and tends rather to their infamy than praise To whom we Answer That the evil of the before-recounted actions redounds chiefly to Men the actors rather than to the Women who were only accidentally the occasion of them And if the Suns Lustre by dazling our weaker eyes bring on us any inconvenience shall we accuse his glorious brightness or rather ought we not to bewail the imbecillity of our own Opticks unable to Cope with so much ●plendor Besides admitting Women to be in some of these Cases Criminal we could if we delighted to be paradoxical alledge That even the holy Scripture seems to put a more favourable construction on their lapses and failings than on Mens Is not Rachel commended who with a neat invention deluded her Father in his search for her Idols And Rebecca who by fraud procured Jacob his Fathers blessing Rahab with a lye deceived those that sought for Joshuah's Spies and 't is accounted to her for Righteousness Jahel most perfidiously destroy'd Sisera as he lay innocently sleeping in her Tent whither with an entire confidence he had committed himself for preservation which signal Treachery notwithstanding 't is said Blessed amongst Women shall Jahel be c. Read the Story of Judith observe well her dissembling Insinuations to Holofernes and those flatteries wherewith she having lull'd him to sleep cut off his Head for which she is applauded and extolled to the Lot's Daughters pass uncondemn'd for their Incest and yet their Father is not excused but hath his succession excluded from the Church of God Lascivious Thamar is defended and said to be more just than the Patriarch Judah and by that fraudulent Incest obtains the honour to be named in our Saviours Genealogy But 't is time we dis-entangle our self from this odd Digression and return to the prosecution of our Subject There needs not any more evident Argument of this happy Sexes Pre-eminence than to reflect That the most worthy of all Creatures that ever was or will be was a Woman viz. the blessed Virgin Nor is this any other than one of Aristotle's own Arguments That kind of which the best is more noble than the best of another kind is it self more noble than that other kind now of the Female kind the Virgin Mary is the best In the Male there arose not a greater than John Baptist and how much that sacred Virgin who is exalted above all the Quires of Angels doth surpass him there is no Catholick so ignorant but understands In like sort we may argue That kind whose worst is worse than the worst of another kind is it self inferior to that other kind but we know that the worst and vilest of all Creatures is Man whether we understand it of that wretched Judas who committed high treason against the King of Kings and of whom 't is said It had been good for him not to have been born or whether there shall hereafter arise an Antichrist worse than he in whom shall dwell all the power of Satan And here by the way give us

Example is a most pleasing Invitation where the eye is guided unto present action not the ear fed with fained speculation A lascivious Husband will make a wanton Wife a spend-thrift Husband an extravagant Wife and a modest honest carefull Husband a modest honest carefull Wife We should therefore take St. Austin's counsel and such as we would have our Wives appear unto us the same should we first approve our selves to them 'T is an impudent and impious fellow saith Seneca that requires of his Wife an undefiled Bed yet he himself defiles it For this reason as Diogenes struck the Father when the Boy swore because he had taught him no better so in some places the Husbands are punisht only for the faults of their Wives as in Catalonia whoever is Cuckolded payeth a summe of money and in Paris he rides in disgrace through the City the Cryer proclaiming these words before him So do so have from which our English Custome of Ridings is not much different Nor do these deplorable Consequences alwayes arise from any extream ill habit or disposition of either of the parties but from their indiscreet Conjuncture their Tempers disagreeing cause their Discord and their Humours being contrary are unfit for so close an union such jarring Notes can produce no harmony but rather dismal effects as a fiery Vapour inveloped in the arms of a cold Cloud breaks forth with amazing Flashes and terrible Thunderclaps A mature deliberation is requisite before such an eternal Bond be entred into The mutual Affection of each party the consent of Parents the approbation of Friends the tryal of Acquaintance the special observation of Disposition Genius Kindred Education and Behaviour ought seriously to be weigh'd before one conclude for better for worse and tye that Gordian knot which cannot be loosed till death cuts it Now then if a Man make his Choice with these due respects his Marriage cannot but prove a merry Age and be crown'd with joy and felicity because he is guided by Prudence which never faileth her followers But if not he may well be stiled a Fool since he is hurried on with passion and a giddy fancy which easily impoison the best designs He therefore that is truely wise cannot but choose a vertuous Wife and by consequence live happily with her and if any take one that proves vitious it argues his own folly and so by good reason he ought patiently and without repining to endure her as the effect of his own Inconsiderateness and not to aggrandize his misfortune by quarrelling with his own Choice Besides as the Lion in the Fable reply'd to the Fellow upbraiding him with a Picture wherein was drawn a Man killing a Lion Were we Lions Painters you should see one Lion tearing a thousand Men. So had Women but the power of making Laws and writing Histories what Tragedies might they not justly have published of Mens unparalleld villany Amongst whom are daily found so many Murderers Theev●s Ravishers Forgers Fi●rers of Cities and Traytors who in the time of Joshua and King David robb'd in such vast multitudes that they march'd in a posture of War and made them Captains of their padding Bands a trick they have scarce forgot at this very day whence so many Prisons become crowded and so many Gibbets loaded with their Carkasses Whereas on the contrary to Women we owe the invention of all things usefull or beneficial to Mankind which may either adorn and enlighten our dark minds or relieve and accommodate the necessities of our frail bodies Hence both the Muses and the Graces are said to be Shee s and the Names of all Arts Sciences and Vertues are Feminine and drawn by Painters in the habit of Women Nor was there amongst all kinds of Idolaters ●●y so much celebrated for Learning and Prudence as those who paid their Adorations at the Altars of Female-Deities such being the veneration and esteem of this Sex of old that those three principal parts which Antiquity conceited to be all the World were Christned after the Names of Women one taking its Denomination from Asia the Nymph the other from Europa the Daughter of Agenor and the third from Lybia the Daughter of Epaphus which is also called Africa If we particularly take an impartial Survey of all kinds of Virtues and Excellencies we shall find that Women may in each without usurpation challenge the principal place If we look on Chastity 't was a Woman first vow'd Virginity to God If the gift of Prophesie be required Lactantius Eusebius and St. Austin can tell us with what a divine spirit the Sybils were inspired and holy Writ records Miriam the Sister of Moses and Jeremiah's Unkles Wife and no less than four Sisters Daughters of Philip all eminent Prophetesses If constancy and perseverance in virtue be regarded you will find Judith Ruth and Hester so gloriously celebrated by the holy Spirit Indirer of those sacred Volumes that the Books themselves retain their Names If a lively vigorous and stable faith be expected we shall see Men generally come short of Women The poor Widdow of Sarepta believed the Prophet Elias though the things he told her could not but to carnal reason appear in the shape of impossibilities Zacharias was reprehended for his Infidelity by the Angel and struck dumb but his Wife Elizabeth prophesies both with her womb and her voice and loudly celebrates the praises of the blessed Virgin-Mother saying Blessed ar● thou who hast believed the things which are said unto thee by the Lord. To omit the Samaritan Woman with whom Christ entertain'd Discourse at the Well and being satisfied with the more acceptable dainties of her stedfast faith refused the Apostles provision And that irresistable belief of the Woman of Cananaa and her who had the Issue of Blood who seem'd to storm Heaven and offer a welcome violence to their Saviour not to be put off with any denial Was not the faith and confession of Martha equal to that of Peter What a noble constancy of faith and resolution do we find in Mary Magdalen verifying that saying She to whom much was forgiven loved much For when the Priests and Jewes blinded with rage and ignorance Crucified that Messias whom they had so long passionately expected she stands weeping by the Cross a floud of tears flowing from her fair eyes to see those streams of blood and water trickle from his precious side Afterwards she brings spices and precious oyntments to embalm his body but missing it in the Tomb enquires of the supposed Gardiner and soon acknowledgeth him to be God goes with as much speed as 〈◊〉 to the Apostles and tells them her Lord is risen They all doubt the miracle or rather deride her narration as if 't were only some dream of her melancholly fancy but still her confidence continues and her faith remains unshaken even when all those Pillars of the Church seem'd weak and tottering What shall we say of holy Priscilla who instructed Apollo a person learned

in Law and as Ecclesiastical Histories inform us Bishop of Corinth which great Apostolical Man was so much a stranger to the pride and conceited humour of our giddy Age that he thought it no shame to learn of a Woman what he might teach in the Church If we consult primitive Histories and turn over Martyrologies we shall find those Women who have testified their faith in the flames of Martyrdome and embraced death and torments rather than renounce true Religion not to have been out-numbred by the Men all which particularly to enumerate we should be infinite only give us leave not to forget that wonderfull Matron deserving a place in all good mens memories who not only with a divine and incredible patience beheld her seven Sons perishing in her fight by cruel Martyrdome but also couragiously exhorted them to death and putting her entire confidence in God was afterwards her self destroyed for the Laws of her Countrey To this good-natur'd Sex as instruments of providence whole Nations stand indebted for their faith and owe their Conversion Did not Theodilina the Daughter of the King of Bavaria convert the Lombards Greisil the Sister of the Emperour Henry the First the Hungarians Clotidis the Daughter of the King of Burgundy the Francks and a poor she-Apostle of very mean Extraction the Hiberti each of them illuminating with the bright Beams of the Christian Faith many thousand souls which before lay groping in the hellish darkness of Pagan Superstiti●n and Idolatry By this method of Beneficence doing good to the better part of those we converse with and promoting the eternal Concerns of Mankind is true Honour only acquir'd This alone is the Royal Road to that immense Glory which will still remain fresh and sparkling when Pyramids shall lye buried in rubbish and the noise of victories be forgot for so Divinity assures us They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars in the Firmament for ever and ever But lest any scrupulous heads should doubt of Womens abilities to dispatch all those affairs which are usually transacted by Men let us joyn Issue and try the matter by Examples and we shall find That never any difficult Office was manag'd hazardous undertaking attempted or brave generous Exploit atchieved by Men but the same hath been perform'd as famously and with as much dexterity and success in every respect by Women That of old they were Priests is evident for Melissa amongst the Gentiles was so eminent in the Priesthood of the Goddess Cybele that all that succeeded her were called Melissa And to pass by Hype●a●stria the Priestess of Minerva Mera of Venus Iphigenia of Diana c. it may be nothing unpleasant to repeat those various Names wherewith Bacchuse's she-Priests were honoured as Thyades Bacchae Menades Eliades Mimallonides Aedonides Eubyades Bassarides Triaterides c. Amongst Gods own people too the Jewes Moses's Sister used to accompany Aaron into the Sanctuary and was by all reverenced as a Priest Nor are there wanting at this day many holy Recluses whom Antiquity scrupled not to call Sacerdotes Priests Famous for Prophesie hath this Sex been amongst all Nations witness Cassandra all the Sybils Moses his Sister mentioned but now Deborah Hulda Anna and others of old besides divers more modern as Bridget Hildegard c. In Magick or the inexpugnable Discipline of good or ill Spirits which many talk of most condemn and few understand Circe and Medaea wrought more wonders than Zoroastes himself though most believe him the first inventer of these black Arts. For profound knowledge in the abstrusest parts of Philosophy were eminent Thaeana Pythagoras his Wife and his Daughter Dama excellent at explaining her Fathers mysterious Sentences Aspasia and Diotima Scholars of Socrates Philesia and Axiochia both Disciples of Plato Pl●tinus extolls Gemina and Amphiclea Lactantius applauds Themiste the Christian Church glories in St. Katherine a Lady that alone for Learning surpast all the wisest Men of that Age. Nor may our Memory here without an impardonable crime let slip the mention of Longinus the Philosopher's excellent Pupil Queen Zeno●ia for her vast knowledge in Letters and clear understanding called Ephinissa whose devout Works Nichomachus rendred into Greek If we proceed to those soul-charming faculties Oratory and Poesie behold a whole Troop crowd about us as Armesia sirnamed Androgenia Hortensia Lucretia Valeria Copiola Sappho Cor●●na Erimua Telia or Tesbia sirnam'd the Epigrammatist Semprania in Salust and amongst the Lawyers Calphurnia 'T is a proud self-flattering Conceit of the Bearded-Tribe to arrogate all Learning to themselves or think the noble Female Sex incapable of making as generous flights towards the top of Par●assus as they Womens Phantasies are much more quick and searching their memories as tenacious and faithfull their judgements as solid all their faculties as ready and their thirst after knowledge and fame no less intentive than Mens Why then should they not with the same advantages make at least an equal progress in Literature 'T is true our male Dictators strive to monopolize Learning and having by a brutish custome barr'd the Doors of the Muses Temple against Women do now pretend they are unable and unfit to enter yet vain are these their envious designs to depress or cloud the Glories of this Sex for indeed Women by nature alone do excell the Professors of Arts even in those particular Arts which they pretend to those Sciences and Accomplishments which Men acquire not without a vast expence of time waste of spirits and other inconveniencies being all in Women as it were innate and con-natural That this may not seem a naked affirmative or inconsiderate Rant be pleas'd to consider That although Grammarians proudly boast themselves Masters of the Art of well-speaking as if all must be dumb or at least barbarou● that have not submitted to the tyranny of their Ferula yet we learn far better to speak from our Mothers and Nurses who are continually engaging us to prattle and correcting the errors of our lisping Tongues than from the crabbed Instructions of those supercilious Pedagogues 'T was Corneliaes Industry that form'd her Sons the Gracchi's Tongues to such an admired height of Eloquence nor had the King of Scythia's Son Siles any other Tutor to teach him the Greek Tongue but his Mother Istrinea When Colonies are planted and several Nations mingled do not the Children alwayes retain their Mothers Languages For which reason both Plato and Quintilian have been so exact in giving Precepts for the choice of a fit Nurse that Childrens speech may rightly be ordered and discreetly moulded from their infancy Are not the Poets in their trifling fables surpast by hundreds of old Women and Logitians in their contentious brawlings out-done by each Billingsgate-Fish-wife Your smooth-tongu'd Orators seem almost Almighty in words and able at pleasure to raise or calm the passions by the Magick of their Rhetorick yet where was there ever any of them so happy but that a pretty obliging Wench would out-go him