hath no Power to Mend him and Help her for the Law ought not to intermeddle in their Quarrel as having no more Power to take away the Prerogative of a Husband than the Prerogative of Parents and Masters for whensoever the Law takes the part of a Servant against his Master a Subject against his Prince a Child against his Parents or a Wife against her Husband the Law doth unjustly Usurp on their Rights and Privileges which Rights and Privileges they receiv'd from Nature God and Morality A Widdows Cause Pleaded before Judges in the Court of Equity Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Poor Widdow of a Rich Husband who in his Life-time did allow her Little and at his Death left her Less for he only left her a small Annuity during her Life which is so Small as cannot Maintain her neither Like his Widdow nor indeed in any Decent Fashion for she having no Joynture he to Bar her of her Widdows share gave her this small Annuity knowing that otherwise she should have had the Third part of his Estate during Life but he by a Deed and Gift of a Little hath cast out her Claim from the Common Law wherefore she doth Appeal to this Court of Equity and Conscience hoping to have Justice accordingly Defendant Most Reverend Judges There is no Reason Equity nor Conscience that the VViddow should carry away During her Life so Great a Part of her Husbands Estate as to Impoverish his Children and Ruine his Family besides it hinders the Paying of Debts and there be very few Families that have not Debts as well as Children which Creditors ought to be Paid as well as Children to have Portions and were there no Debts yet many Childrens Portions although but Small would shrink a Great Estate almost into Nothing but if a VViddow carries out the Third Part there will be little left for after Posterity when every Child hath had their Portion indeed so Little as after Posterity will have Nothing to Live on nor to be Bred up with which is the Cause there are so many Noble Honourable and Right VVorshipfull Beggers nay it makes them not only Beggers but Base and VVicked for having not Means according to their Births nor Minds according to their Means Despising their Fortunes they take Desperate Courses or else their Minds are so Dejected as they Degenerate from their Births and do Base Actions Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges It is against Conscience and Equity that the Mother that Bred and Bore her Children with Fear Sorrow Pain and Danger of her Life should be left Poorer than the Children that were Born from her Defendant Most Reverend Judges It is against all Reason Equity and Conscience that Parents should Get and Bring forth Children and not Provide for those Children for if they give them no Means to Live as neither by Education to Get Means nor some Allowance or Means to Live their Children will have Small Reason to Thank their Parents or Natural Affection to be Dutifull to them for giving them a Miserable Life which Deserves no Thanks nor can Challenge a Duty for as Children are Bound by the Laws of Nature to Assist their Parents so Parents are Bound by the Laws of Nature to Provide for their Childrens Subsistence and when the Bonds are Broken of one Part the othe Part is Free But Most Reverend Judges I do not Plead against the Mothers or Wife's Livelihood for it is not that Mothers and Wives ought not to be Provided for for a Man ought to be a Kind Husband as well as a Loving Father but a Wife ought not to be the Ruine either of her Own or her Husbands Children and if she be a Natural Mother she ought to Spare for her Children and not to Spend what her Children should have but most Women do not only Spend what their Children should have but Give it away to a Second Husband to the Ruine of the First Husbands Children and Family for this Reason Wise men that are Husbands not knowing what their Wives will do when they are Dead leave them as Little as they can Securing their own Estates and Familes as much as they possibly can from the Spoils and Ruins which Strangers as Second Husbands make for it were more Conscionable not to leave a Wife any Maintenance than Too much and better One should Suffer than Many Perish at least it is better that a Widdow should live Poorly all her Life than that an Honourable Family should be Poor to all Succession Wherefore this Widdow in Conscience ought to have no more out of her Dead Husbands Estate than what he hath Left her which is enough for Necessity though not for Vanity enoough to Live a Solitary Widdow as she ought to do although not enough to Inrich a Second Husband which a hundred to one but she would do if she had it but her Husband was a Wise Man a Carefull Father and a Prudent Husband in not giving his VVife the Liberty to play the Fool. A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt a Master and his Servant Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Poor Servant which Served his Master Honestly and his Master hath turn'd him out of his Service without his VVages which are due unto him by Right of Bargain and Agreement made betwixt them which Bargain and Agreement he hath broken and unjustly Detains his VVages Defendant Most Reverend Judges This Servant Accuses his Master Falsly and Challenges that which he ought not to have as so much for his Wages for the Bargain was that his Master would give him so much Wages to do so much VVork he did not Hire him to be Idle so that a Master is not bound to keep a Lasie Servant nor to Pay him his VVages unless he had Done the Work he was Hired to do and not only to Do it but to do according to his Masters Will and Good Liking Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges If a Masters finding Fault shall be sufficient to Barr a Servant of his VVages no Servants could Live by their Labours for Masters would find Faults a purpose to Save their Hire Defendant Most Reverend Judges If Servants should live Idlely or Disorderly or Disobediently or make VVast and Spoil of their Masters Goods and Estate and be maintain'd with Meat Drink Lodging and VVages their Masters would become Poorer than their Servants and Live in more Subjection rather than so the Masters would Serve themselves and keep no Servants for surely men will rather be their Own Servants than to be Servants or rather Slaves to their Servants so that Servants would not only want VVages but Food and Starve for want for if they gain Nothing by their Labour and have no Means of their Own they must upon necessity Perish and for Examples sake as well as Justice this Servant ought not to be Paid his Wages for he doth not Deserve it and therefore 't is not his Right nor Due to Have it Two Lawyers Plead
Retirement of Noble men Fol. 66 12 An Oration for Liberty of Conscience Fol. 69 13 An Oration against Liberty of Conscience Fol. 70 14 An Oration proposing a Mean betwixt the two former Opinions Fol. 71 15 An Oration Reproving Vices ibid. 16 An Oration concerning the Forein Travels of Young Gentlemen Fol. 73 17 An Oration concerning Playes and Players Fol. 75 PART IV. Several Causes Pleaded in Several Courts of Judicature 1 ACcusing and Pleading at the Barr before Judges for and against a Woman that hath Kill'd her Husband Fol. 78 2 A Cause of Adultery Pleaded at the Barr before Judges Fol. 81 3 A Cause Pleaded at the Barr before Judges concerning Theft Fol. 85 4 A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt two Bastards Fol. 89 5 A Cause Pleaded before Judges between an Husband and his Wife Fol. 90 6 A Widdows Cause Pleaded before Judges in the Court of Equity Fol. 93 7 A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt a Master and his Servant Fol. 96 8 Two Lawyers Plead before Judges a Cause betwixt a Father and his Son Fol. 98 PART V. Speeches to the King in Counsel 1 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign Fol. 100 2 A Petition and Plea at the Council-Table before the King and his Counsel concerning two Brothers Condemned by the Laws to Dye Fol. 101 3 A Speech of one of the Privy-Counsellours which is an Answer to the former Plea and Petition together with the Petitioners Reply and the Kings Answer Fol. 103 104. 106 4 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to the King at the Council-bord Fol. 106 5 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Soveraign concerning Trade Fol. 108 6 An Oration to his Majesty for Preventing imminent Dangers Fol. 110 7 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to the King of the Council-bord Fol. 111 8 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-bord Fol. 114 9 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-Table Fol. 115 10 A Privy-Counsellours Speech to his Majesty at the Council-bord Fol. 116 PART VI. Orations in Courts of Majesty from Subjects to their King and from the King to his Subjects 1 COmplaints of the Subjects to their Soveraign Fol. 118 2 The Subjects Complaint to their Soveraign of the Abuses of their Magistrates Fol. 119 3 A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Rout Fol. 121 4 A Kings Speech to Rebellious Subjects Fol. 122 5 A Kings Speech to Discontented Subjects Fol. 124 6 A Kings Speech to his Rebellious Subjects Fol. 125 7 A Recantation of the poor Petitioning Subjects Fol. 126 8 Repenting Subjects to their Soveraign Fol. 128 9 A Kings Speech to his Good Subjects Fol. 129 PART VII Speeches of Dying Persons 1 A Kings Dying Speech to his Noble Subjects Fol. 131 2 A Daughters Dying Speech to her Father Fol. 133 3 A Souldiers Dying Speech to his Friends Fol. 134 4 A Dying Speech of a Loving Mistress to her Beloved Servant Fol. 135 5 A Forein Travellers Dying Speech Fol. 136 6 A Lovers Dying Speech to his Beloved Mistress Fol. 138 7 A Sons Dying Speech to his Father Fol. 138 8 A Young Virgins Dying Speech Fol. 139 9 A Husbands Dying Speech to his Wife Fol. 140 10 A Common Courtisan's Dying Speech Fol. 141 11 A Vain young Ladies Dying Speech Fol. 142 12 A Fathers Speech to his Son on his Death-bed Fol. 144 PART VIII Funeral Orations 1 AN Oration to the People concerning the Death of their Soveraign Fol. 146 2 A Young Noble-mans Funeral Oration Fol. 147 3 A Generals Funeral Oration Fol. 150 4 A Judges Funeral Oration Fol. 152 5 A Sergeant or Barresters Funeral Oration Fol. 154 6 A Magistrates Funeral Oration Fol. 156 7 A Funeral Oration of a Student Fol. 157 8 A Funeral Oration of a Divine Fol. 158 9 A Funeral Oration of a Poet Fol. 159 10 A Funeral Oration of a Philosopher Fol. 160 11 A Funeral Oration of a Dead Lady spoken by a Living Lady Fol. 162 12 A Foreiners or Strangers Funeral Oration Fol. 163 13 A Post-riders Funeral Oration Fol. 165 14 A Young Virgins Funeral Oration Fol. 166 15 A Young New-married Wife's Funeral Oration Fol. 168 16 A Widdows Funeral Oration Fol. 170 17 An other Widdows Funeral Oration Fol. 172 18 A Young Child's Funeral Oration Fol. 174 19 An Old Ladies Funeral Oration Fol. 175 20 An Ancient Man's Funeral Oration Fol. 176 21 An Old Beggar-womans Funeral Oration Fol. 178 22 A Young Brides Funeral Oration Fol. 180 23 A Child-bed Womans Funeral Oration Fol. 182 24 A Souldiers Funeral Oration Fol. 183 25 An Oration concerning the Joyes of Heaven and Torments of Hell Fol. 185 26 An Oration to a Congregation Fol. 191 27 An Oration to a Sinfull Congregation Fol. 193 28 An Oration which is an Exhortation to a Pious Life Fol. 195 PART IX Marriage Orations 1 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Bridegroom Fol. 198 2 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and an Old Bride and Young Bridegroom Fol. 199 3 A Marriage Oration to a Congregation and a Young Bride and Aged Bridegroom Fol. 201 4 A Marriage Oration of two Poor Servants Fol. 202 PART X. Orations to Citizens in the Market-place 1 AN Oration against Excess and Vanity Fol. 204 2 An Oration Contradicting the Former Fol. 206 3 An Oration against Usurers and Money-Horders Fol. 210 4 An Oration concerning the Education of Children Fol. 212 5 An Oration concerning the Plague Fol. 214 6 An Oration against Idle Expences Fol. 217 7 An Oration for Men to Please themselves Fol. 218 8 An Oration against Vice-Actors Fol. 220 9 An Oration against a Foolish Custom Fol. 221 10 An Oration against the Liberty of Women Fol. 222 11 An Oration for the Liberty of Women Fol. 223 PART XI Containeth seven Femal Orations from Page 225. to Page 232. PART XII Nine Orations in Country Market-Towns where Country Gentlemen meet from Page 233. to Page 240. PART XIII Orations in the Field of Peace 1 A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Clowns Fol. 241 2 A Peasants or Clowns Oration Spoken in the Field of Peace concerning Husbandry Fol. 243 3 A Peasants Oration to his Fellow Peasants Fol. 246 4 A Peasants Oration to prove the Happiness of a Rural Life Fol. 248 PART XIV Orations in a Disordered and yet Unsetled State or Government 1 AN Oration against Taxes Fol. 251 2 An Oration contrary to the Former Fol. 253 3 An Oration against Collectors Fol. 256 4 An Oration for Taxes Fol. 258 5 An Oration to hinder a Rebellion Fol. 260 6 An Oration against Civil Warr Fol. 262 7 An Oration against a Tumuliuous Sedition Fol. 265 8 An Oration to Mutinous yet Fearfull Citizens Fol. 267 9 An Oration concerning Trade and Shipping Fol. 270 10 An Oration for the Disbanding of Souldiers Fol. 273 11 A Souldiers Oration for the Continuance of their Army Fol. 274 12 An other Oration against the Former Fol. 275 13 A Souldiers Oration concerning the Form of Government Fol. 277 14 An other Souldiers Oration Contrary to the Former Fol. 279 15 An other Oration Different from the two Former Fol. 280 16 An Oration which is a Refusal of an Absolute Power Fol. 281 17 An Oration concerning Disorders Rebellion and Change of Government Fol. 283 18 An Oration to a Discontented People Fol. 287 19 An Oration in Complaint of the Former Fol. 288 20 A Kings Oration or Speech to his Subjects Fol. 289 21 A Generals Oration to his Chief Commanders Fol. 290 PART XV. Scholastical Orations 1 A Sleepy Speech to Students Fol. 292 2 A Waking Oration of the Former Sleepy Discourse Fol. 298 3 Of Parte and Wholes Fol. 302 4 An other of the same Subject Fol. 303 5 Of the Soul Fol. 304 6 A Speech concerning Studies Fol. 305 7 An other of the same Subject ibid. 8 An other Concerning the same Subject Fol. 306 9 An other of the same Subject Fol. 307 FINIS
your Ruine your Vanity is vanished your Pride humbled and Plenty and Prosperity fled from you Where are your brave Furnishings your gay Adornings your far-fetch'd Curiosities and your curious Rarities your Numerous Varieties and Rich Treasures all plunder'd and gone Where are your Chargeable Buildings your Stately Palaces your Delightfull Theatres your Pleasant Bowers all Burnt to ashes Where are your Races of Herses you Fleecy Flocks your Lowing Herds your Feather'd Poultry and your full-stored Barns all Ruined and gone Where are your Rich Merchandises and your Thriving Trades all Spoiled Where are your Wife Laws all Broken your Sporting Recreations all Ceased your Ancestors Monuments all Pull'd down and your Fathers Bones and Ashes dispersed Where are your Camerads Companions and Acquaintance most of them Kill'd where are your Beautifull Wives Daughters Sisters and Mistresses the Enemy injoyes them and your Country is Desolate Ruined and Forlorn and you that are left are Miserable but what was the cause of your Misery your Pride Envy Factions Luxury Vanity Vice and VVickedness for you would neither be Instructed Advised Perswaded nor Ruled you Neglected the Service of the Gods Disobeyed the Orders of your Governours Trampled down the Laws of the Nation and Despised your Magistrates and did all what you would which brought this Confusion and so a Destruction in which Destruction you must have patience for Patience will Mediate and Qualifie your Misery A Conforting Oration to a dejected People ruined by Warr. Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men I Confess our Condition is miserable and our Lives unhappy in that we are so unfortunate as to be Overcome by our Enemies and Impoverished by our Losses but yet it was Uncharitable nay Inhumane for the former Orator to open our Wounded thoughts with Repetition of our Losses and to rub our sore Minds with bitter and salt Reproaches for if we have Committed faults I am sure we have been sufficiently Punished for them and if the Gods be Just as we believe they are our Loss and Misery hath made them a Satisfaction for which I hope they are Pacified and though we ought to Repent of our past Disobedience to the Divine and National Laws yet we have no reason to Repent of our past Lawfull Pleasure for who that is Wise will not make use of his Riches and Liberties whilst he hath them for were it not a madness for fear of a Dearth to Starve our selves Slaves in Plenty for fear of an Enemy to make our selves Slaves in Prosperity this were as much as if we should take away our own Lives before their Natural time because we know we shall Dye No Dear Country-men it is soon enough to quit Pleasure Liberty and Life when we can Injoy them no longer and since our Fortune is bad we must indeavour with Industry to amend it and if we cannot we must Suffer Patiently and please ourselves with Hopes for Hope is a Food the Mind delights to feed on and entertains it self with Pleasing Imaginations and those are Fools that will trouble their Minds for that which cannot be help'd for shall we have not only Enemies without us but also within us shall we Torture our Minds with Grief Sorrow Fear an Despair for our misfortunes No Dear Country-men let us wipe the Tears from our Eyes and defie Fortune's malice and when she knows we regard not her Frowns She may chance to Favour us for she is of the Femal gender whose Nature is such as the more they are Neglecte or Despised the Kinder they are An Oration for Rebuilding a City ruined by Warrs UNfortunate Citizens for so I may call you having been ruined by Warrs and spoiled by our Enemies for our City is not only Burnt to the ground and all our Goods Plunder'd but many of our Citizens and Country-men Kill'd and we that remain are preparing with our Wives and Children to seek new Habitations and Acquaintance in Forein Countries from which I would if I could disswade you since our Enemies are Gone and not like to Return for though they had the Victory and won our City yet it was with such Loss to them as will force them to keep Peace for a long time not being able to make Warrs any longer for their Valiant'st and most Experienc'd Souldiers are Kill'd and most of the Flour of their Youth besides they have spoiled and lost many of their Horses and have wasted and spent abundance of Ammunition and Arms all which considered they have not Gain'd much by this Warr Indeed Warr makes more Spoil than Profit for though we are Ruined yet our Enemies are not much Inriched but leaving them let us Consider what is the best for our selves in these our Misfortunes and to be Industrious to Repair our Losses my Advice is not to Separate but to keep in an United Body together and to Rebuild our City for shall we be worse Citizens than the Ants or Pismires which will Rebuild their Hill or Mount over their Heads whensoever it is pull'd down either by Beast Men or Birds and though it be often pulld down and the Dust dispers'd yet they will bring new Earth or gather up the Relicks of the former Farth to Rebuild and will never leave Rebuilding so long as they Live and certainly they are very wise in so doing The like for Men for it is better as the wisest way to Unite in a Common-wealth than to live Disperst and to Wander about like Vagabonds or to live with Strangers in Forein Lands or to be Governed by Unknown or new Laws or to Marry with Strangers that mix or corrupt their Generations for those Men are happiest that Live in their Native Countries with their Natural Friends are Govern'd by their Ancient Laws Marry into their own Tribes or Natives increase their own Breed continue their own Races uphold their own Families and are Buried with or by their Forefathers Wherefore Good Citizens be Industrious to Rebuild your City whereby and wherein you may be as Happy and Flourishing as formerly you were but if through a dejected Discontent you leave your City in its Ruins 't is probable you will Live unhappy and in Slavery all your Lives as also your Posterity after you An Oration for Building a Church Noble Citizens and Dear Country-men YOu have Built many Streets of Houses but never a Church which shews you think more of the World than you do of Heaven you take more care for your Bodies than your Souls for you build Stately Palaces to Live in but not a Church to Pray in Rooms to Feast in not Churches to Fast in to Unite in Riot not to Unite in Religion to Talk Extravagantly not to Pray Piously to Rejoyce in Evil not to Rejoyce in Thanksgiving But the Nature of Mankind is such that they Spend Foolishly and Spare Foolishly they will Spend to their own Hurt and Spare to their own Hurt they fear Evil but never indeavour to avoid Punishment they Repent what is Past but never take
Violence and the Cruelty of these Inhuman Unnatural Destroying Laws Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges This man who is Nature's Lawyer and Pleader ought to be Banish'd from this Place and his Profession of Pleading out of all Civilest Governments for he Talks he knows not what of Nature's Laws whereas there is no Law in Nature for Nature is Lawless and hath made all her Creatures so as to be Wild and Ravenous to be Unsatiable and Injurious to be Unjust Cruel Destructive and so Disorderous that if it were not for Civil Government Ordained from an Higher Power as from the Creator of Nature her self all her Works would be in a Confusion and so their own Destruction But man is not all of Nature's Work but only in his Outward Frame having an Inward Celestial and Divine Composition and a Supreme Power given him by the Gods to Rule and Govern Nature So that if your Honours submit to the Plea of this Babler you will make the Rulers and Governours of Nature the Slaves of Nature Wherefore if you be Celestial and not Natural Judges and will give Divine Judgement and not Judge according to Brutal Senses you will Condemn this Notorious Thief and Wild Robber to the Gallows that his Life may be the Satisfaction for the Wrongs and his Death an Example for a Warning to Prevent the like Crimes A Cause Pleaded before Judges betwixt two Bastards Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff THere be Two Laws in this Kingdom which seem to be very Unjust the One is that if a VVoman be Got with Child by One Man and Marries an Other before her Child is Born that Child must Inherit her Husbands Estate if it be a Son so that One mans Son comes to be an Other mans Heir by the Law The Other is that if a man Begets a Son before Marriage and he Marries not the VVoman till After his Son is Born and though the Marriage cancels the Fault of Adultery and is an Attonement for the Sin or Crime both to God and the Law yet the Innocent Child that was in No Fault is put by the Inheritance by the Law indeed the Son so Born Inherits only the Disgrace of a Bastard but not his Fathers Estate and thus if the VVoman be Incontinent a mans Own begotten Son shall not Inherit and an Other mans Bastard be his Heir The same Case is brought to be Pleaded before your Honours for two Sons of One VVoman but not of One Father the Eldest being her Husbands Begotten and Born before Marriage the other Begotten by an Other man but Born a moneth after her Marriage with the first Sons Father The Son born after Marriage claims his Mothers Husbands Estate as Inheritance by Law the Other claims the Estate as a Natural Right Defendant Most Reverend Judges The Son born to Inherit claims the Estate by the Right of Birth and hopes your Honours will not suffer his Birth-right to be taken from him Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges The Right Begotten Son doth not Challenge his Fathers Estate as his Right by Birth but as his Right by Gift for his Father by Deed gave him that which the Law took from him for his Estate being not Intail'd he might Give it to whom he would and he could not Give it more Justly Honestly and Lovingly than to his Own Son but had he not a Child of his Own to have given it to yet surely he would never have Left it if he had Power to Dispose of it to a Son of his Inconstant Wife or Friend which bore him to his Shame and Dishonour but the Case is so clear for his true-Begotten Son as it needs no more Pleading A Cause Pleaded before the Judges between an Husband and his Wife Most Reverend Judges Plaintiff HEre is a Woman Born of good Parents brought a great Portion and makes a chast VVife yet her Husband is so Unkind and so Cruel as he doth not only Beat her often but so Grievously and Sorely as she is weary of her Life and therefore she beseeches your Honours to take so much Commiseration of her Cause as to Bind her Husband to a good Behaviour or to Grant her a Bill of Divorce and some Allowance from him that she may Live Absent in Peace Defendant Most Reverend Judges A Husband Anger nor yet his Corrections is not a sufficient Plea for a Wife to Part from her Husband for a Woman when she Marries makes a Promise before God and his Divine Minister in the Sacred Temple that she takes her Husband to Have and to Hold for Better for Worse and that she will be Dutifull and Obedient as also Constant to him so long as Life lasts and so plights her troth Wherefore it is against the Laws of God and his Church to sue for a Divorce also it is against her Duty to Complain Wherefore she ought by the Laws of God and consequently by all Other Laws to suffer Patiently did she give her Husband No cause to use her so Severely Plaintiff Most Reverend Judges A Wife is not bound by any Laws but Religion to Hazard her Life and she fears he will Kill her in his Fury and therefore for the Safety of her Life she desires your Honours will quit her of the Danger Defendant Most Reverend Judges A Wife is bound both by the Law of Nature and God to Hazard her Life not only for her Husbands Safety Honour and Pleasure but for his Humour for a VVife is bound to Leave her Parents Country and what else soever to go with her Husband wheresoever he goes and will have her go with him were it on the Dangerous Seas or into Barren Deserts or Perpetual Banishments or Bloody VVarrs besides Child-birth all which is more Dangerous and Painfull than blows but howsoever it is as Lawfull for an Husband to Govern Rule and Correct his VVife as for Parents to Rule Govern and Correct their Children or for Masters to Rule Govern and Correct their Servants or Slaves Plaintiff But Parents ought not Strike or Cruelly use their Children nor Masters their Servants or Slaves without Faults committed Defendant Parents Masters and Husbands in the Case of Ruling Governing Correcting Punishing or using their Children Servants Slaves and VVives ought to be their Own Judges and no other But Most Reverend Judges She is not free from Fault for though she be Chast yet she is a Scold she gives her Husband more unkind VVords than he gives her unkind Blows and her Tongue provokes his Hand to strike her but as she is Lavish of her VVords so she is of his Estate not so much with what she Spends as with that she Spoils and though he can keep her from the One he cannot hinder her from the Other for she is not only Unhuswifely and Careless of the main Stock but she Breaks Rends and Spoils all his Goods out of a Malicious Revenge and Evil Nature Yet howsoever were she the Best VVife that could be and he the Worst Husband the Law
Foul things flung at or on him and all the Vulgar People follows with Shouts and all this to Shame an Innocent Person who hath not Committed a Fault whereas the Fault-makers are neither Troubled nor Disgraced which is a great Injustice that those Escape that Ought to have the Punishment For the Foolish Husband of such a Wife Rampant should Ride in Disgrace Scorn and Pain by Reason he Suffers himself to be Degraded of his Masculine Authority yet is this not the only Foolish and Unjust Custom but we have Many more which ought not to be Suffer'd in a Peaceable and Well-govern'd Common-wealth Wherefore the Publick Magistrates that are the Publick Fathers should Order Private Families that they may not Disorder the Publick Tranquillity An Oration against the Liberty of VVomen Citizens of N. N. ALthough I am sure to be Hated of all the Women in this City and Perchance elsewhere yet by Reason I think it fit to Reprove their Liberties Vanities and Expences I shall not be Silent although I were sure to be Tortured with their Railing Tongues and to be Exclamed in all their Femal Societies ' which Societies ought to be Dissolved allowing no Publick Meetings to that Sex no not Child-bed Gossipings for VVomen Corrupt and Spoil each other Striving to Out-brave Out-beauty and Out-talk each other with their Vanities Paintings and Gossipings wherefore it were fit that VVomen should be Restrain'd not only from the Company of Men but their own Sex unless it be those they have neer Relations to and not to Suffer them to make Acquaintance with Strangers this would Cause Moderation Sobriety and Silence amongst them also it would Cause them to be Huswifely in their Families Obedient to their Husbands and Carefull of their Children but Liberty is an Enemy to VVomen nay it is an Enemy to Men not only to Fathers Husbands and Sons but even to Wanton Lovers or rather Courtiers making them as Vain and Expensive as Women to Gain their Mistresses Favours Knowing Women especially Amorous VVomen are soonest won with Gayes Toyes and Shews but VVomen are so far from being Restrain'd in this Age and in these Nations round about that they have Liberty to Spend what they will to Keep what Company they will and to Use their Husbands and Natural Friends as they please the truth is Liberty makes all VVomen Wild and Wanton both Maids Wives and Widdows which Defames Themselves and their Families Thus in short Women are the chief Ruiners of Men in their Estates Fortunes and Honours and so I leave them An Oration for the Liberty of Women Noble Citizens IT is not only Uncivil and Ignoble but Unnatural for Men to Speak against VVomen and their Liberties for VVomen were made by Nature for Men to be Loved Accompanied Assisted and Protected and if Men are Bound to Love them by Nature should they Restrain them by Force should they make them Slaves which Nature made to be their Dearest Associates their Beautiful'st Objects and Sweetest Delights and shall Man Restrain them of their Harmless Pleasures Chast Societies and Gentle Conversations And as it is Natural for Men to Love Women so it is Natural for Love to Please what they Love and not to Cross Oppose or Restrain them but to Grant them all their Lawfull Requests and Desires as far as lies in their Powers for can Men Dispose of their Estates more Generously than to VVomen or think any Fortune Better than when they can Serve them or is there a greater Happiness than to be Beloved of them whereas they are the Chiefest Good that Nature hath made for Men and the greatest Delight She hath given to Men for can there be any Sound Sweeter than their Voices any Object Brighter than their Beauties or any Society more Divine than theirs Yet these Celestial Creatures a Terrestrial Man in the former Oration did Plead against them Perswading you O Horrid Perswasions to use them as your Slaves which ought to be your Goddesses on Earth for Nature made them to be Beloved Admired Desir'd Ador'd and Worshipp'd Sued and Praised to by our Sex FEMAL ORATIONS PART XI I. LAdies Gentlewomen and other Inferiours but not Less Worthy I have been Industrious to Assemble you together and wish I were so Fortunate as to perswade you to make a Frequentation Association and Combination amongst our Sex that we may Unite in Prudent Counsels to make our Selves as Free Happy and Famous as Men whereas now we Live and Dye as if we were Produced from Beast rather than from Men for Men are Happy and we Women are Miserable they Possess all the Ease Rest Pleasure VVealth Power and Fame whereas VVomen are Restless with Labour Easeless with Pain Melancholy for want of Pleasures Helpless for want of Power and Dye in Oblivion for want of Fame Nevertheless Men are so Unconscionable and Cruel against us as they Indeavour to Barr us of all Sorts or Kinds of Liberty as not to Suffer us Freely to Associate amongst our Own Sex but would fain Bury us in their Houses or Beds as in a Grave the truth is we Live like Bats or Owls Labour like Beasts and Dye like VVorms II. LAdies Gentlewomen and other Inferiour Women The Lady that Spoke to you hath spoken Wisely and Eloquently in Expressing our Unhappiness but she hath not Declared a Remedy or Shew'd us a way to come Out of our Miseries but if she could or would be our Guide to lead us out of the Labyrinth Men have put us into we should not only Praise and Admire her but Adore and Worship her as our Goddess but Alas Men that are not only our Tyrants but our Devils keep us in the Hell of Subjection from whence I cannot Perceive any Redemption or Getting out we may Complain and Bewail our Condition yet that will not Free us we may Murmur and Rail against Men yet they Regard not what we say In short our VVords to Men are as Empty Sounds our Sighs as Puffs of VVind and our Tears as Fruitless Showres and our Power is so Inconsiderable as Men Laugh at our VVeakness III. LAdies Gentlewomen and other more Inferiours The former Orations were Exclamations against Men Repining at Their Condition and Mourning for our Own but we have no Reason to Speak against Men who are our Admirers and Lovers they are our Protectors Defenders and Maintainers they Admire our Beauties and Love our Persons they Protect us from Injuries Defend us from Dangers are Industrious for our Subsistence and Provide for our Children they Swim great Voyages by Sea Travel long Journies by Land to Get us Rarities and Curiosities they Dig to the Centre of the Earth for Gold for us they Dive to the Bottom of the Sea for Jewels for us they Build to the Skies Houses for us they Hunt Foul Fish Plant and Reap for Food for us all which we could not do our Selves and yet we Complain of Men as if they were our Enemies when as we could not possibly