and Her Greatnesse were displayd QUEENE ELIZABETH As farre as Sunne and Moone did ever shyne GOD'S mingled Service Shee did re-refyne From Romish Rubbish and from Humane Drosse Shee yearlie made the Pryde of Spayne declyne France and Belgia Shee saved from Losse Shee was Artes Patterne t' Armes Shee was a Patron Shee liv'd and died a Queene a Mayd a Matron CHAPTER III. Of the Excellencie of WOMEN whom GOD hath made the first Mothers of VERTVE and Instrumentall Finders-out of the most excellent and needfull things in the world MARCVS VARRO MARCUS VARRO testifieth That Women were the first Instruments and Finders-out of the most excellent and needfull things belonging vnto Mankynde to wit 1. The Unitie and Fellowship to dwell together in Townes Villages Freedomes and Congregations 2. That WOMEN were the first Inventers of LETTERS and Arte of Writing 3. That WOMEN are the first In-bringers and Ordayners of Lawes and Statutes Politicke Civill and Morall 4. That the comelie Arte of Barbarizing Shearing or Trimming of mens heads and beards first begunne with Women in Sicilia and brought from thence to Rome by Tirinius Rome having then beene inhabited 554 yeares without the seemlinesse of this Arte. 5. That WOMEN are the first Inventers of Horologies Dialls and Clockes which most comfortablie measure vnto vs the Day and Night into 24 parts Winter and Summer Then next vnto GOD to the glorie of Women bee it sayde That no more excellent and worthie things than these can bee in the world What can bee more precious vnto vs than LETTERS For without Letters the lyfe of man yea and his whole pilgrimage on earth would bee but a continuall death and an oblivious buriall Because nothing can bee done without Letters Letters are the pillars of everlasting Memorie Letters keepe fresh to our rememberance to day what hath beene done so manie thousand yeares agoe Letters preserue all thinges done in our tymes even vnto our posterities posteritie for ever Had it not beene for Letters Socrates Plato Aristotle Cato Theophrastes Virgill Ovid Cicero with the rest of the goodly fellowship of Philosophers yea most holie and wyse Fathers had not so highly beene in estimation with the world nor the world haue reaped such great beneficiall knowledge as it hath pleased GOD next vnto His great Mercies by their paynfull studies to our great ease to bestow vpon vs. But what neede I to speake of mortall men and of late tymes Are not the workes of GOD even from the beginning and His miraculous Wonders yet extant amongst vs yea together with His revealed Word and Will and all by the meanes of Immortall Letters whereof it pleased GOD to make illustrious WOMEN the first CARMENTA Author even Renowned Carmenta or by some Writers named Nicostrata the mother of Evander king of Arcadia For whose sake all men are bound to loue and honour Her Sexe giving GOD the praise who hath lent vnto Mankinde such an excellent exceeding great Benefite as are immortall Letters If anie would heere alleadge that PLINIUS Plinius with the authoritie of Epigenes would maintayn Letters to haue beene from the beginning of the Creation yet aboundance of ancient Writers are of the contrarie opinion amongst whom is the worthie learned Theophrastus who thinketh it no shame to THEOPHRASTUS confesse that the Ladie Leontia withstood him in the face in disputation before an Assemblie and quyte overthrew him and that by reason sayeth hee shee had the knowledge and practicall vse of Letters which himselfe was ignorant of at that tyme. And Saynct Hieronymus confesseth HIERONYMUS the lyke of a woman called Eustachius to the glorie of GOD in His great Mercies towards Womans Sexe bee it sayde And Aristotle sayeth that as Man ARISTOTLE commeth of the Woman even so doe all good things and all excellencie in knowledge of Sciences Learning and Vertue proceede also from the Woman vnto Man for his comfort And therefore Glorie bee to GOD for Her To proceede then in the just praise of women Women haue not onelie beene the first instrumentall finders of such things as are indeede the Royall Ornaments of Mankynds inward vnderstanding as were Letters aforesayde but also manie other necessaries without the which man had yet lived as in former tymes that is more lyke brute beasts than reasonable creatures had it not beene for the wittie helpe and painfull hand of vertuous woman For not onlie from the Creation till Noah but long after the Deludge Man lived on Achornes rootes barkes of trees and meale of such lyke thinges Till at the last Dame Ceres CERES found out the precious grain of Corne and consequentlie invented the making and baking of bread in the countreys of Greece Italie and Sicilie And therefore was shee called a Goddesse yea and holden for the same of all our learned Poëts even till this day Moreover it is soothlie sayde of the same Dame Ceres that shee was the first ordayner of good Statutes and maker of Civill Lawes without the which no Kingdome Cōmon-wealth Congregation or Housholde could stand And yet all this commeth immediatelie from GOD vnto Woman and GOD maketh her the Destributer thereof vnto man her other halfe And for my proofe concerning Dame DIODERE OVID. HERODITE VIRGIL Ceres I take to witnesse worthie Diodore in his sixt Booke Ovid in his fift Booke of Metamorphoses and Herodote the father of all Historicians in his sixt Booke And therefore Virgil in his Booke of Aeneids calleth Her Legifera that is Law-giver And this also doeth Plinius maintayne avouch PLINIUS in his seaventh Booke of Naturall Historie Now as the Corne and Meale making Bread baking was first found by a Woman Dame Ceres as said is so CERES ISIS is there another rare Dame called Isis who found out the way how to manure and plow the land And shortlie after other vertuous Women in Gallia haue invented the Siue and some others in Spaygne the Bolting-cloath as sayeth Plinius in his eyghteenth Booke More-over in the beginning Men lived most Barbarouslie Grosslie and Brutishlie having not wherewith to cover their nakednesse but the Shins of wilde Beasts and barks of Trees vntill the time that the Women found out the making of Cloath In which Arte Dame Tannaquil or as some TANNAQUIL call her Caja was extraordinarie painfull and expert and therefore is called the Goddesse of good House-wyues But the first that ever began to spinne Wooll was a comelie fayre and vertuous Virgine in the Countrey of Lydia called Arachne as testifieth Plinius ARACHNE and Ovid in his Metamorph. But I know not what would haue become of sillie Man had not Dame Pallas found our Flax and Hempe and PALLAS the invention of making of Linnen Cloath For I am sure that without Linnen Men would bee much fouler and vncleaner than Beasts so that his Habitation would bee more odious than the stall of Augia And these enormities are all prevented even by Women
had almost bene the destructiō of the whole Citie named Sheba the sonne of Bichri The Emperour Theodosius called the Youngest was so foolish that hee would put his Seale and subscription vnadvysedlie to anie Wrytinges that were brought vnto him without eyther reading or hearing the same Which his Sister Plucheria wyselie considering what great evill might ensue thereby she bethought her how she might happilie prevent all occasion of offence which might happen thorow her brother's simplicitie and to ingraff in him more deepe and solid vnderstanding So this Plucheria caused a fayre wryter PLUCHERIA to frame a goodlie Commission to looke vnto the contents whereof was That EVBOCE which was his owne Emperesse whom he beloved most dealy should be disherited of all her Dowrie and stripped of all fayre Cloathing and being wrapped in sacking should lye in a darke Dungeon seaven years And if shee lived that long then was shee ordayned to worke naked amongst the chayned slaues all the rest of her dayes This Decree the Emperour too rashly subscribed which was presentlie delivered vnto his Sister who came speedilie therewith vn-him desiring him that her name might also be incert in that Decree for companie for shee vowed to take a part of all thinges with the Empresse as well evill as good woe as weale yea and to liue and die with her The Emperour beeing amazed to heare his sister speake thus sayd My loving Sister what meane you I meane quoth she to liue and die with thy Wyfe whom thou hast cruelly condemned without knowing or asking the cause why And as one in a great furie throwing the wryting at him sayd moreover Haue there thyne own hand and Seale it can not now be mended but wryte downe my name also and we will goe to prison together for nothing but Death shall be able to part vs. And when hee saw and vnderstood the matter consideratiuelie hee cryed with a lowde voyce desiring GOD Man to forgiue him sent for the Empresse and on his knees shee falling about his neck halfe dead hee besought her to forgiue him which she willinglie granted And giving them both great thanks he never did so agayne The Duke of Castilia being imprisoned THE Dutches of CASTILIA for treason agaynst his brother the king his wyfe got leaue to visit him in Prison where shee chaunged Cloathes with him putting his vpon her and hers vpon him and sent him out of the Prison and tarried therein her selfe willing to suffer anie Torments yea to die for him if it had so fallen out But when the jaylour perceaved the matter hee told the king how that because his Majestie had given accesse to the Dutches of Castilia to come to her husband in Prison shee had beguiled them and sent him away in her cloathes and remayned in the Prison with his cloathes vpon her self and was verie willing to suffer whatsoever could bee layd to her husband's charge Which when the king vnderstood hee sent privatelie for her and caused his Queen giue her of her own rich Attire and sending his great Seale for her husband forgaue him freelie vpon good conditions and sent them home with great Honour Plutarch maketh mention of Pythius PLUTARCH in Lydia who would haue nothing done but making of Golde with all his people neglecting all manner of Husbandrie Huswyuerie and all other Occupations So that the whole land was overgone with Rubbish Briers and Thorns Which his wyse Wyfe well remarking and considering on a day her husband with the whole people being away to the making of Gold and shee at home with her maydes making readie their Dinner shee prepared the similitude of all manner of meat roast and sodden everie thing in its owne forme and colour and all of pure gold and nothing else Now her husband comming home hungrie from the Mynes with his great companie sate downe to Meat with well-prepared stomacks And drawing out their sharp Thittles hee to a dish and he to a dish but could not cut for all was Golde Whereat they took great delight for a short space but their bellies perswaded their eyes to somewhat else Then Pythius THE wyfe of PYTHIUS desired his wyfe to take that mea◠away and giue them others So shee brought other kyndes of Bread and Meat also of pure Golde still so long that hee was almost mad for hunger and began to chafe moste horriblie Wherevpon she replyed that she could giue him no other than his Countrey afforded and such as hee brought vnto her For sayde shee you haue forsaken Husbandrie our land lieth waste corns haue we none our beasts run wild vpō the mountayns traffique with other Nations haue wee none wherewithall then would ye haue me to satisfie your hunger or cloathe your nakednesse Golde onlie is the fruit of your handes eat it and bee filled put it on and bee cloathed therewith for I haue nought else to giue you And whyle they gazed one vpon another she ran and brought some other meat both grosse and not much of it wherewith they were fayne to be contented for that tyme. But afterwards Pythius took ever his wyues counsell about him employed his people in Husbandrie and all manner of Vertue made Golde also were Traffiquers with other Nations and so became a most flowrishing Countrey And all by the wisdome and fore-sight of his worthie WYFE. Thus Golde and All good Women can subdue And proue at all tymes to their Husbands true CHAPTER XI Of the constant steadfastnesse in Women not onlie suffering cruell Tormentes but also horrid Death for the Testimonie of IESVS CHRIST THe Allmightie our GOD who is the beginner of every good work doeth often tymes make choyse of weake Instruments and such as vnwyse men count fooles ever to manifest His great Power and make His Glorie knowne to all the worlde By abasing the worldlie wyse and turning their wisdome into follie By putting downe the mightie from their seate and exalting the humble and meeke By sending the rich empti◠away filling the hungrie with good things c. Which is more than manifest by an innumerable number of women who altho by nature they bee but weak vessels yet thorow influence frō Aboue manie of them haue proven more strong and steadfast in the worthiest and greatest Matters than anie men that ever were and especiallie in mayntayning defending of the true and Christian Fayth yea and suffered for the same not onlie tyrannicall torments but also cruell Death it selfe notwithstanding of the womanlie tendernesse of their most comlie proportionable featurall personages A Christian Mayd in France named Blandine in the great Persecution of BLANDINE CHRIST'S Members there vnder the Emperour Severus about the yeare of our LORD 178 was taken and bound to a Stake with strong threatninges to burne her or else to renounce the Christian Fayth But she continued rejoycinglie steadfast Then brought they wilde beastes to feede vpon her flesh and began to let them
lay away their Distafs and spindles and they so discussed the hardest matters which came before the Counsell that they were holden in great Reverence and honoured of all and gayned more loue and benefite than all the Men-lawyers in that land Diodore of Sicilia had fiue Children DIODORE and all were daughters and each of them so exceeded other in Learning Behaviour and good Manners that certaine good Lawes of their making are yet in full effect in that Countrey But to shun the objections of the Calumniatours of Women who may seeme to say that I produce too manie examples of Heathen Women and the Heathen set their onlie Felicitie and Summum Bonum in the attayning to the perfection and knowledge of thinges of this lyfe therefore I turne againe to the worthie testimonies of our Ecclesiasticall Wryters and good examples of Christian Women The worthie Eusebius witnesseth in EUSEBIUS IEMNA his Church Histories that Memna mother of the Emperour Alexander Severus had such an earnest zeale to Godlinesse Learning and Vertue that she sent to Antioch desiring holie Origen ORIGEN to come vnto her even to instruct her yet farder in the way of Salvation of whose comming shee rejoyced greatlie heard his doctrine and proved a worthie Matron in true Religion and mightilie instructed others Tecla a Mayde-Disciple to Saynct TECLA Paul excelled manie of his Man-Disciples in Wisdome Learning and Godlinesse sayeth the same Eusebius Saynct Katharine a Virgin of Alexandria SAINCT KATHARINE overthrew fiftie learned Philosophers in weyghtie matters of disputation Amia and the foure daughters of AMIA Saynct Philip were prophetesses of the new Testament in the Churches of Philadelph In the dayes of Saynct Jerome were aboundance of learned wyse and religious GERONTIA FABIOLA C. Women such as Gerontia Fabiola Furia Marcella Demetridis Salvia and manie others vnto whom Saynct Jerome wrote manie learned Epistles and they to him againe Heere may Dumea Angia a Virgin DUMEA ANGIA Ladie of Honour to the Queene of Portugall of 22 yeares old take place who wrote vnto Pope Paulus the third of that name Bishop of Rome in fiue languages to wit in Latine Greeke Hebrew Chaldaicke and Arabicke So that that Pope seeing her to be such an excellent Scholler indeede was faine to vse the helpe of interpreters otherwyse it had beene vnpossible for him to haue sent her any goodlie Answeres This happened about the yeare of GOD 1548. And in those dayes dwelt a Spanish woman in Rome called Isobell Rosier ISOBEL ROSIER SCOTUS SUBTILUS who in publicke audience constructed and interpreted the bookes of Scotus Subtilus who in those dayes was holden for the subtilest Fellowe in the world Also we reade of manie Noble Women yea and of Queens who haue so highlie excelled in Learning and so skillfull in sundry Languages that they themselues answered the Ambassadours sent from anie Nation whatsoever Which their block-headed Husbandes could not doe and therefore must holde themselues as mute as doe the Myce in presence of the Cat. And thus in the just prayse of Women I conclude this Subject hastening towardes another for Their excellent Perfections are so manie great and wonderfull that I must needes confesse The more I gaze agaynst the Sunnes cleare light The more am I distracted of my sight CHAPTER IX Of the Chastitie Modestie and Temperancie in WOMEN both Wyues and Mayds to the example of luxurious vitious and libidinous Men. AS amongst the innumerable Imperfections of men there be some more gross and shamefull than others Even so amongst the beautifying perfectious Graces in WOMEN there are some more laudable and of greater estimation And as Leacherie is a capitall Imperfection in Man and ruleth in him as a Prince of all other Vices Even so CHASTITIE in WOMAN is the greatest poynt of Her Perfection and ruleth in Her as the Princesse of all other Vertues Xenocrates sayeth that although a XENOCRATES HELENA Woman had the fayrnesse of Queene Helen the wisdome of the queene of the South and the riches of Craesus yet if shee want Chastitie and puritie of bodie shee is of no value but lyke the blasted slowre and withered grasse which is troden vnder feete Yea Chastitie is a Womans owne element without the which shee cannot bee substantiall no more than the fowles without ayre and the fishes without water For as long as a Woman hath Chastitie sayeth an Ancient Father she hath all good things and is all thinges but wanting That shee hath no good thing nor is nothing And this is almost the saying of chaste Lucretia that in Woman all vertues LUCRETIA were fled away when shee was once defiled And it is true that Lucretia spake not this in an vnadvysed manner or lightlie in a spleane or that shee sayde the thing shee thought not no no for shee sealed her words even with her owne Blood GOD wots after that TARQUIN prowde Tarquine had violentlie defiled her But our Christian Women haue no fayrer example of cleanlie Chastitie than in Susanna who choosed rather SUSANNA to lose her lyfe than to commit such vncleane wickednesse THE chaste Countesse of SALISBURIE Also it is steadfastlie affirmed in the Chronicles of England that one of their Kings at the sight of the fayre Countesse of Salisburie desired her to his lustfull appetite her Husband being in France But that good Woman beeing readier to ende her lyfe with a Dagger than to satisfie his filthie desire the King stayed her hand Then shee besought the King that she might first slay her Husband and then shee would bee readie to pleasure him in anie thing Thy Husband sayde the King is in France Nay quod shee hee is lodged here in myne Heart therefore let mee kill him that hee bewray vs not Which wordes and chaste behaviour of the Countesse put the King in astonishment so that hee feared GOD left off his Devilish purpose and helde that Ladie in Honour all his dayes The Tyrant Maxentinus sayeth EUSEBIUS Eusebius in his eyght Booke Chap. 17 sent his servants for a comelie Virgin in Rome named Sophrania to deflore SOPHRANIA her of her Virginitie And when the Servantes had tolde her their message shee desired them to stay till shee attyred her selfe in her best array that their Lord might the better accept of her And going to her Chamber shee fell downe on her Face and cryed to the GOD of Heaven to delyver her from anie such filthie action And whiles the wicked Sergeants would not stay but beat vpon her Chamber doore to take her speedilie foorth by violence she lifted vp her Eyes Heart and Mynde towards Heaven and with pen-knyfe bereaft her selfe of lyfe choosing farre rather to offer her cleanlie Soule to GOD and vndefiled Corpse to the Graue by Death than to liue and abide the wicked Pollution of filthie leacherous Man Yea the same holie Eusebius writeth EUSEBIUS of an infinite number of other Womē who
wyselie and valiantlie haue preserved the cleannesse of Bodie haue not onlie ventred but also lost their lyues therefore And not onlie is this probable of Christian Women but also amongst the verie Heathen and Pagans are registrated aboundance of Women who did farre rather lose all the World yea lyfe and all before they would lose their Honour Sainct Hieronymus wryting against HIERONYMUS Joyinian telleth of very many Women who were of such cleanlie Condition Disposition and Qualitie that neither Goods Lyfe nor Death was in regarde with them to their vndefiled Honestie A THEBAN MAYD And a Mayde of Theban beeing ravished by a Macedonian corbed her heavie passions for a day or two till shee got occasion to slay him which shee valourouslie performed with her owne hands Then rejoycing greatly that GOD had given her strength to bee avenged on such a Villane shee with-drew her selfe to the Wildernesse where she lived solitarilie all her dayes Chiomara the wyfe of Ortiagent was CHIOMARA taken in battell by a Captayn who violentlie abused her But shortly after her ransom was sent and she was to depart homewards Now shee requested this Captayne to convoy her a little piece of her journey which he did verie willinglie And she having conspired his death with her servāts she drew him a little from the way whereof this Leacher grew verie amorous thinking to take his lustfull leaue of that fayre Ladie where foure of her servantes lay privilie who helde him fast while shee took off his head which she carried to her husband and threw it at his feete Whereat he being amazed sayd Thou wicked woman wherefore hast thou committed this treason Trueth and fidelitie ought to bee kept with our verie enemies Yes quoth she you say true but it is neyther Trueth nor Honestie for me to let anie man liue that hath lyen with mee except myne owne Husband Then her Lord vnderstanding the matter rightlie he loved her the more entirelie and he together with the whole Countrey hold her in great honour all her dayes A Lacedemonian Wyfe being straitlie persued by a leacherous Lubber answered him that shee could not giue that which was never her owne For quod shee whyle I was a Damosell my Virginitie pertayned to my Parentes and now it is myne owne Husbandes So this leacherous Logger-head left off his sute and tooke his Leaue without Farewell looking as though his nose had beene bleeding Reade I pray you Munsterus in MUNSTERUS GRANTZIO his Description of the World and also worthie Grantzio in the Chronicles of Germanie where men shall finde such plentie of the prayse of Women concerning Chastitie and such loathsomnesse in men concerning their detestable filthie viciousnesse that if there be anie spunke eyther of Grace or Shame left in them let them bow to women and cry Pecaavi and let all such as vnhappilie are fallen into that damnable fact of Blasphemie or rayling or scoffing agaynst Women eyther in word or writ let all such I say blush and bee ashamed and without speedie and publick repentance not onelie confuted but confounded for ever And thus in the just prayse of Women we proceede to another Subject For though I should aske vngratefull man Wherein haue Women not surpassed Men In Good They 'll answere mee I know not when CHAPTER X. Of the great and wonderfull Wisdome in WOMEN to the high Glorie of GOD and great Benefit of Man ANd if our wicked wayward and witlesse Vilependers of Womans Sexe could yet at last begin to consider and looke to the Right hand casting off that blind-board wherewith Satan the fat her of Envy hath so long over-syled blind-folded the eies of their Understanding then might they happilie even to their owne credit and advantage clearlie beholde and confesse the singular Grace of GOD in every degree and in greater measure proceeding more from WOMEN than from Men. And so beeing come to themselues and acknowledging their haynous transgression agaynst this Angelicall Sexe of Women they would not fayle to imitate the Poët Stesichoris who vnadvysedlie STESICHORIS in his verses had rayled agaynst fayre Helene of Greece but when hee IELEN rightlie vnderstood himselfe he recalled all what hee had eyther sayde or written before and wrote excellentlie in her prayse and cōmendation Then why may not mē of such qualitie with Stesichoris turne both Notes Coates since now-a-dayes so manie even of other qualities also willinglie adjoyne their Forces with them Nowe amongst all other gracious Ornaments and ornamentall Heavenlie Graces wherewith Women are accompanied is WISDOME and wherewith even from the Cradle they are still decored and cloathed as is moste manifest as well by the sacred Scriptures as all other true Histories both Ecclesiasticall and Civill And the rayling of men agaynst women showeth them to be the sonnes of cursed cursing Shimei who rayled on blessed blessing David And as David's Blessing returned to himselfe even so did Shimei's Cursing returne vnto himselfe also And so bee it vnto all those cursed men who implore not the Heavens that All Blessing bee vpon WOMAN that MAN may get part Looke to the wisdome of Rebecca GENES 27. who procured her Husband Isaac his blessing vnto Iaakob her youngest son whereas Isaac himselfe was purposed that same verie day to haue bestowed it on Esau his eldest sonne For sillie man as he was blind of bodie so also in mynde and knewe not that it was the LORD'S doing as Rebecca knew that the elder must serue the younger Nowe the men may stay their boasting agaynst Women even by this example of Iaakob and Esau in pleading MATTH 26 of Antiquitie well remembering that the elder must serue the younger For they solde their birth-right for thirtie pieces of Silver and so became portioners with Barabbas that laudable seditious Murderer Agayne if Antiquitie of men may beare anie sway agaynst women I am assured the Devill is more ancient than men being before them And as much as man can thinke himselfe better than woman because he was first I thinke the Devill may as well think such like because Hee was before man I will say nothing heere of the Antiquitie of the Pope and Popish Religion till these mistie muggie vnwholsome vapours of Idolatrie which infect my brayne bee somewhat disabled by the reflex of Titan from his highest Spheare But let vs goe on to our Purpose in showing this great Gift of Wisdome in Women Wyse Abigaill is highlie to be commended and her churlish husband Naball greatlie to bee condemned for his vncharitable dealing with David in his great necessitie Wherby he had almost brought Destruction to himselfe and all his Familie yea and a horrible sinne 1. SAM 25. vpon David had not wyse Abigaill prevented the same in tyme. There was a wyse woman in the besiedged Citie of Abell of Bethmaachah sayeth the Scripture who delivered 2. SAM 20. the distressed Citie even by the confusion of one wicked man who
which shee had in the LORD But to vnderstand this Historie the better I pray you reade the seaventh Chapter of the second Booke of Maccabees where it is alreadie most excellentlie set downe even by the Spirit of GOD vnto whom I consecrate my selfe for ever recommend all good Women vnto whom next vnto God I dedicate my mynde since my might is not able to performe what my Muse would fayne amount vnto And to excuse my brevitie I must conclude with Master Taylor That The shortest Writ the greatest Wit affordes And greatest Wit consists in fewest wordes A false ECHO truelie answered The first Summonds Come ECHO I doe thee summon Tell mee truelie What is a Woman ECHO If worne shee is a Feather If wooed shee 's frostie weather If wonne the wind 's not slighter If vexed the Moone 's not lighter If lyen withall shee 's Apish If lyen with none shee 's snappish The ECHO thus replyed But yet mee thought it lyed The second Summonds Come ECHO I thee Summon Tell me once more What 's a Woman ECHO If fayre shee 's coy in courting If wittie loose in sporting If readie shee is loathing If naked shee is nothing If well belov'd shee scornes thee If not belov'd shee hornes thee The Answere And for all good Womens sake This Replye now doe I make If worne shee 's a jewell If wooed shee is not cruell If wonne the Rock's not surer If weyghed the Golde's not purer If lyen withall Delicious If lyen with none not vicious False ECHO goe you lye For this is a Woman truely And for your second Summon I answere for a Woman If fayre shee 's heavenlie Treasure If wittie shee 's all Pleasure If readie farre from Vaynties If naked shee is Daynties If well belov'd shee feares not If not belov'd shee cares not False ECHO goe you lye For this is a Woman truely The Conclusion BLest bee the Heavenlie Powers which brought to light This precious jemme call'd WOMAN Man's Delight This Free-borne Princesse Casket full of Treasure This solid Author of Man's wished Pleasure This harmlesse spotlesse Saynct not knowing evill A Goddesse though prowde man would proue a Devill Why Shee 's a Worke so purelie wrought that Nature Knew not whether 't was more adorn'd with Feature Or with chaste Honestie And this was Shee Fruit of whose wombe fred Man from Miserie For which Shee 's blest that Her Sexe Faults shall fall From small to lesse from lesse to none at all And therefore thus wee may defyne a WOMAN Shee 's louelie faythfull harmlesse false to no man Altho that Man as an incarnate Devill Of Her whom GOD made good would fayne make evill And if sweete Womens loue doe not Men cherish Those that contemne their Sexe with shame shall perish Epilogue THus to avoyde the imputation of Ingratitude which was holden for so haynous an Offence even amongst the Heathen that Periander of Corinth made a Law that whosoever was found vnthankefull having receaved anie Gift should bee put to death Therefore With lowlie Heart and eke with thankfull Mynde I sende my Labours to Good Woman-kynde Indeede what the loftinesse of the Argument requyreth I confesse I haue not attayned vnto Yet haue I bestowed such willing paynes as I was able to vndergoe but nowayes heerein can I satisfie my selfe to doe them Good Neverthelesse I shall holde my selfe recompensed to the full if by anie willingnesse I may reserue the Memorie of Honourable Women in relating the Trueth in Honestie and Wisedome Desiring no more but to find a place for a tyme amongst the pettie Writers of great matters thinking my paynes ever well bestowed if once well accepted no wayes taking vpon mee to Instruct but onelie to Remember Surelie if the poore Persians water in a potsheard was acceptable to the Emperour and an apple from a poore Pessant was receaved by Artaxerxes a great ARTAXERXES ALEXANDER Prince if Alexander tooke water courteouslie from a common Souldiours Helmet and our Saviour crowned the Widow with everlasting prayse for two mytes casten into the Treasurie Then am I assured that your generous dispositions will sparinglie censure and courteouslie receaue these my poore Endeavours Which howsoever they be they be yours so am I Ever wishing To buy the ABATEMENT of mine owne HONOUR with the ritch pryce of WOMANS TRUE GLORIE Concluding with Master GIBSON That It is no BOUNTIE which doth flow from STORE Who giues his Heart what Gift can hee giuE moRe THE Duetie of Husbands Drawne out of MASTER CARTER his Booke of Christian Common-Wealth EPHES. 5. 33. Let everie one of you so loue his Wyfe even as himselfe PROV 31. 11. 12. The Heart of Her Husband doeth safelie trust in Her For Shee will doe him good and not evill all the dayes of his lyfe TO All Good Husbands Good Husbands all receaue in thankfull part This Sacrifice which may my Will approue Upon the Altar of a faythfull Heart Consumed in the Flames of Zeale anâ— Loue. Let Honourable Woman liue for ever In all that Arte that Tyme that Fame can giue hER The Introduction PAtient IOB saying that the whole lyfe of Man was nothing else but a tyme of Temptations spake most fearfullie and yet most truelie for wee are tempted in our olde Age and in our Cradle wee are not free If anie evill bee set before vs wee are easilie provoked vnto it If wee abound with Adam in Paradise there may bee Death in that And if wee want with our Saviour in the Wildernesse there are Temptations in that also So subtile is Satan and so envyous is our Enemie to serue himselfe even vpon all occasions In the former age of the World hee wrought and prevayled with Men by bringing in Errours of Mynde and Doctrines of Devils to seduce the Church But now the cleare light of the Gospell beeing come in and Knowledge abounding hee laboureth to bring in Errour of lyfe and depravitie of Conversation for that notwithstanding men know their Masters will yet they performe it not that all meanes possible ought to bee vsed for the Reformation of these so notorious and knowne Evills yea everie man to put a hand to this worke amongst the number of which I haue brought foorth this my poore Talent to the fartherance thereof that wee married Men may stryue yet with our Arch-enemie and through the assistance of GOD'S Spirit giue him the foyle even by showing our vpright duetie towardes our Wyues and our wyues towards vs in the true loue and feare of GOD. As for these contentious objectours and barkers agaynst the Moone I weygh not Shepheardes Cow-heardes and Clownes haue writen good thinges yea Divyne matters Why then may not I show my good will desiring no other Reward nor Thankes for my paynes but onlie good acceptance And so I goe forwardes to thE WoRke The Duetie of Husbands THE FIRST CHAPTER THis Duetie of Husbands is sayd to bee the first Degree which GOD gaue vnto Man after his creation for when