¶ A little and brief treatise, called the defence of women, and especially of english women, made against the School house of women. If the turtle dove Be true in love Void of reason, than, What shame is it, if man hath wit, And hateth a Woman? ¶ Anno Domini. M. D. LX. ¶ To his singular and especial friend master William Page, Secretary to Sir Philip hobdy, Edward More sendeth greeting. Calling to mind the saying of Sallust, that they lead their life like beasts which pass their time in idleness. I could not choose (for as much as I had a little vacant time from study) but attempt some thing wherewith I might be busied▪ & when I could not in a pretty space bethink nor devise what little work I might occupy myself with, that might be correspondent and agreeable both unto my small leisure and time, & also unto the place wherein I was at that present season (for I was in London) at last a book inteteled the School house of women came unto my hands, wherein I had well hoped to have red some notable gests and acts of women (for so seemed the false & forged title thereof to promise (but when I had well perused and over red the same, I found the clean contrary. For much against my expectation I might view and see therein divers & sundry reproachful things spoken against women, not only (as I thought (undeserved on their parts, but also most bestial like on his behalf which wrote the same. What creature come and borne of a woman would so spitefully write against them? what learned man can judge well of him? what woman that knoweth him, can find in her heart to love him? And finally what good and honest reader once reading the same will have any further desire or delight to peruse it. Of a viper I think him to be borne, whose nature is to know a sunder his dames belly before he cometh forth, wheray she dieth. But perchance he in likewise, to avoid idleness, took that his work in hand, truly better had it been for him (as Erasmus saith) to have been idle than evil occupied. And as in taking upon him that lewd enterp●yce he seemed to play a found and foolish part: so in likewise in hiding of his name, he only declared his wit, which if he had expressed, no less would women wonder at him then the small birds at the Owl, no less would they hate him then the Ap● the snail, no less would they abhor him than the lysard the serpent, and finally no less would they judge of him then of Nero which caused his mother's womb to be ripped (she living) to see the place where he lay in, I then for the servant affection which I bore to women was desirous to write in their defence, but first I began to consult with myself weyther it were best so to do or no, & I perceived that many & just causes did provoke me to write herein, & again divers did allure me to hold my peace, for as my god will and affection to women the simplicity, innocency and ungiltynes of women, theeschewing of idleness, and the verity of the matter & cause exhorted me: so on the other side did my lack of wit, learning and age allure me to the contrary which were most meet and requisite in this behalf affirming it to be a matter more meet & decent for a married man to entreat & write of, then for a bachelor or prynkokes but of twenty years of age or little more. And more meet in deed I thought it also for a married man, who in defending women might partly gratyfye his own wife, whose honest behavior soberness wit and true love therein seeming to be apparent, might redoune, & sound not a little to his own honesty, & also would be a great increase of love between them although they scant loved before. Now when I saw none such ready to take pains and travail therein I like blind bayard quite & clean forgetting the impediments in me afore named (that is to say) lack of wit, learning, & age, which, were most requisite & needful for this purpose, rawly and unadvisedly took this enterprise in hand (whereof I repent me not at all) And because that I knew nor was acquainted with no Lady nor worshipful Gentle woman in the Court, or else where to whom I might dedicate the same as a thing for the argument sake. (although not for the clerklyke handling thereof) most ●e●e and apt for their worships to behold and look on, you 〈…〉 en 〈◊〉 to mind of all men most worthy of this simple gyf●o, no● o●ly for that that you are an especial favourer of women, but also ●●cause you have showed and declared yourself always to be a singular patron and defender of my simple study. So now in like wise having no mistrust at all in you, but that as in times past, so you will also accept and take in good worth this my small present and gift, as a testymonyall of my good will unto you, being not otherwise able to declare the same, for lack and want of worldly wealth. Thus desiring you to take so much pains at your most convenient leisure as to correct & amend all such faults as you wall find therein, which although that the work be but small, yet the numbered of them though be exceeding great I dare well affirm, I commit you to the tuystion of the blessed Trinytye, whom I beseech all ways to preserve and keep you hole in soul and body to his will and pleasure and 〈◊〉 your own hearts desire, From Hambleden the xx. day of july. Anno domini M. D. L. U. II. quod. E. M. Finis. ¶ Edward More to him that wroth the book called the School howfe of women. IF thy name were known, that wrytest in this sort, By womankind unnaturally, giving evil report, (Whom all men ought both young & old, defend with all their might, Considering what they do deserve, of every living wight As in there travail taken, sometimes with loss of life, To brig such wretches to this world, which make not only strife But being come to perfit age, can scant give & a ford, Unto their dams that ●●ue them such, so much as one good word.) ywys thou should exiled be, from women more and less, And not without just cause, thou must thyself confess, Unless as in thy book, so now thou list to lie, Where are nothings but railing jests of the poor femynye. Thy book entitled is the schoolhouse of women, A●ed●ous thing for them to read, not pleasant unto men: The style thereof declareth no less, but that thou art right sage, And lived haste so long pardie, that now thou dotest for age, Less marvel than it is, that if thy oath be spent. And of each one rejected art and hated as the lent: Though thy melancholy, thou canst not else assuage, No kind of way but only thus, on women for to rage's. Pean to be a foolish work, thou dost testify Which like a learned poet, by the figure onomatopei, Transformed thou hast into peacock, as proud of his long tail, Marck I pray the well, how much there thou dost fail, Pean is more like in sound in our mother tongue To pehen then peacock, whose tail is not so long, Nor set with sundry colours, nor of so pleasant hew, That she doth boast & brag therein, is not this right kewe? All men that learned be, allow the in no case, All women eke that witty be have cause to curse thy face All maidens that vyrgynytye, do covet still to keep, Through thy accusations, have now just cause to weep All youngmen that intend, to live in Venus' law I mean in matrimony, having of god the awe May well deride & mock thy folyw & lewd prank Wherein, I dare be bold to say, thou had more pain than thank In married men such fear there is, and such contynuallawe That most of them believe ywys they be of moyses law And fynaly to conclude, the best and eke the wourst, For this thy foolish enterprise, may hold the well accursed. Repent therefore repent I say, acknowledge once thy fact, Recant I read thee, & confess, thy lewd & sinful act, Which doth not hurt to one, but all of each degree Have cause to b●nd their brows thereat, as oft● as they it see Although to call it in again, it be now past thy hand yet to recant ease thou shalt find, I will thou understand For if that judas perdan had asked by and by Of god he had obtayved it, as scriptures testify Now to conclude and make an end, I will apply my wit In writing for good women all as is most meet and fit. ¶ Finis. ¶ Here beginneth the book called the Defence of Women, made by Edward More. Venus' unto the for help, good lady I do call, For thou wert wont to grant request, unto thy servants all, Even as thou didst help always, Aeneas thine own child, Apeasing the god jupiter, with countenance so mild, That though that juno to turment him, on jupiter did press, Yet for the love he bore to thee, did cause the winds to cease, I pray the pray the muses all, to help my memory, That I may have ensamples good, in defence of femynye, Them to defend of divers things as slanders many fold, I have taken upon me, as a Champyan bold, Reply that list against me I will them well Assure To spend my time in their defence, whyse my life shall indu● Although I want the gravity, of Cato that was sage, Which hard it is to find, in any of mine age, And Cicero's eloquence is very hard to find In a curtyer truly, according to my mind Senecaes' brief sentences, although that I do want Within Curtius' style keep me can I scant yet Sallust south in writhing truth, I trust I shall attain And as directly as I can, declare my matter plain, first I will make it manifest that women bear much blame And men are more infaut, deserving still the same, As the little cobwep taketh the small fly, The swallow fleeing through easily passing by And as the poor & needy man hanged is sometime When the richer skapeth, for a greater crime, So doth the silly woman of each degree and sort Run in slander vnde●erued, by means of men's report Whereby this proue●be showeth plain no less true than old That they most oft that w●rst may, the candle use to hold This to be true, what better proof then by Eve may be brought Which did Adam attempt, to do that thing was 'nough Did not the devil endeavour, to reclaim her to his fy●●e Because he knew her feebleness, not able to resist What was the devil? man or woman I would some good divine Would take the pains this question to us once to define Aman, I think in deed, of Lucy●e●s own train For of a woman devil, I never read certain When lucifer first fill into the pit of hell At god's appointment for his pride therein still to dwell There fell with him a numbered more of men, whose sudden fall All women yet remaining here, may rue the time and all Had not the serpent tempted Eve, who cold ●s sermyse? So shameful act to bring her forth of joyful paradise And besides all this, when she delivered had To Adam the forbidden fruit, to taste & him had bad She knew then no deceit, I dare for her appose, And Adam then to taste thereof, I think sure might have chose, For she rehearsed the word, adding no whit more To that the sinful serpent, had to her told before: And if that he to Adam first, had cum, no doubt he might Have tempted him a ●well as Eve this thing declareth it right Predestinate she was thereto, to withstand it, not knowing how All christian men ought to lament therefore I make abowe And not to cast it in her teeth, and on her thus to jest, A foul bird it is pardie defileth his own nest Wherefore came he to Eve? I have told you before Her lack of strength & nothing else, was caus● of her forlese, if lack of strength bewry, wit, in women be detect At lieth not in them, these said thing to correct Nature formeth solks according is to gods will, In god it lied and won else then to make or spill. But Adam being ruler of see and eke of land That Eve to him was subject, it may well now be skand And having strength sufficient, wanting no wght but grace So would offend our saviour Christ to lose that joyful place Wherein he fell no woe, wherein did nothing miss To lead his life in heavenly joy, who can say well by this And yet men will transpose the fault to silly Eve But no man that the troth doth read, will them I think believe Wherefore I trust I have, declared here at large That fawth committed by the men, are laid to women's charge consider now their punishment appointed by our lord To help my sayings somewhat, no doubt it will acccorde With danger of their lives, their children they do bear Theyres overthrouges in labour, his marvel to hear And after they be borne what diligence they wse To bring them up in fearing god; no labour they refuse, And we do daily see sufficiently expressed How nurses often wake when most men take their rest. Would jesus have been borne, of Mary virgin myldee And humbled himself to her as a loving child Unless that they were innocent and as the do pretend stiff stout nor arrogant, nor ready to offend Alas may I say than, that any Christian man Should write such things by women that since the world began I dare well say, they never did, nor yet so much as thought How much to blame are men to say, that women be so nought And them thus to upbraid, with their bar passing love, with wanton eyes & sugared lips where 〈…〉 they move with all their might & main, to follow wanton will Wherein our poet doth recite, they have never their fill How far from all the truth, how like it sounds a lie By reasons more them one or two, thus may all men it try, The hotter that the country is the proner to offend And to venery, more like to condiscente, The people are, and as I have oft read Where wives are rifest, there, a man may best be speed. And on the other party the colder that is. The less desire and appetite they have to do amiss And besides all this, the fairer that they be, To more resort of men there is, them to behold and see The more resort of men in danger sonar run What daily drystes do men devise? until they have them won with Rome make I comparison if I may be so bold And England do affirm to be then it far passing cold, Whereby I mean in deed that Romans are more bend Than English women be to such things to consent Less wander they abroad, whereby the biting air Can their beauty in no point dyminish and appair Which of sundry ways, the next way is of all As I have showed a little before, customers to call Where our English women do spare themselves no whit But up and down the fields to and fro do flit The Ladies to the Court do daily take their traydes Besides a train of serving men, accumpannied with maids That be the wether foul, or be the wether fair To wether being open their beauty must appair whereby a man may judge that of the people twain In English women to be more chaste, far then the Roman This ●l●o I do note and think to be most true That most of all by yelosy danger doth ensue To men (in min● opinion) no people use it more In looking st 〈…〉 unto their wives, as I have told before Whereby it fareth thus with them, to be a proverb rife To judge the roman harl●t, better than the wife which use not so frequent in England whereby we Englyshmen do well avoid that perilous yoperdye Now o● Romans have I red▪ innumerable good As tyrff of all, of Lucres that came of noble blood when Tarq●yn the proud, desired her company Livy will the same affirm and testify, This Tar●uyn) whom I named) did press to do that deed which caused her and also him not very well to speed first with fair words began he Lucr●s to entreat And when they could not take affect, than he began th' threat with his naked sword, to take away her life, Alas good Brtitus where wert thou? to succour then thy wife And finally against her will Tarquyn lay her by The crime is deadly for a king to do such villainy which when by him was dun, away and he was gone She sendeth for her husband and kindred each one And bearing in her hand, with her a naked knife In presence of them all, she ended there her life But before she died as Lyvye doth report with a heavy heart (god wots) spoke after such a sort O my husband dear why do I live this day sith that (but not willingly) I have the now betray And most against my heart the gods do know right well That fear of death and nothing else, was cause now that I fell Tarquin the proud hath ravished me this night wherewith she wept full piteously, her tears distilling bright From her eyes, and suddenly, did thrust into her heart The knife, so ended she her life, in deadly woe and smart Alas, what heart so hard, as is the merble stone if he had seen this doleful sight, would not have made greet moan For her, who lying deed as white as any lily whose cruel death did plainly she wand for her testify That she was voyde from vice, not guilty of that guilt And yet in satisfaction her heart blood there she spylt Lucres of Cu●hay●e also is come unto my mind which to Curylans showed herself so kind That being but a straynger borne and her departed fro died for very sorrow, the story telleth so, why loved she an other, alas, sith she was wed Married she was against her will she had as leave been dead As him to husband take, but that she might not choose For ather friends commandment she durst him not refuse So that not only she, but other of her sort Are to be lamented much, as voyde, of all comfort For of these twain they must do one, with god either needs gloze, or else if god they please, their parents straight way lose, 〈◊〉 appy be they I say then, whose choice to choose is free For though they have but little, no dought they shall agree What say ye now to Ouyds wife, which banished to be Desired much, & leave all things in Rome where she was free With her husband to have gone, to take such part as he What faith there is in womankind, a blind man may well see Sulanna also and judith with divers others more Out of scriptures cold I bring, but need requireth not so, For of foreign examples these are enough to dew yet shall I one recite which also is most true A king there was that in the wars, had taken a grievous wound His surgens had assured him, it would never be sound Unless that all the nenom, that therein did lie hid were sucked out by man's mouth the king said God forbid The Queen that hearing, hold her pease until that it was night When the king was sounder asleep, that hear him blow she might Arose a● softly as she could, and so by suching oft Had got the ●enom clean forth, that done, with clothes soft She dressed him ●●ll handsomely, and wrapped it up again And helede him with medycens so that he felth no pain what diligence would man require? what service of his wife What pledge of love would he else have? then to save his life with hazard of her own which she ought most defend Let men therefore remember this, & their evil tongues amend The daughter two of joth, that lay their father by Did in a good intent the world to multiply And many things we read permitted were by good In the old Testament and in the new forbade For if the brother spared had the sister in those days The world could not have been in crest I think no kind of ways To come now to our country women, why should men in them dow And say they be replete with vice since stranngers be without Although that I have authors none, but all that I endight Long since in author old, I have them red full right Which being but payngans' horn, I herein so much trust That I believe assuredly they writ nothing but just And I myself but little more then. xx. years of age An English man borne also, by nature nothing sage Unless I should decline from all my progeny Whose mirth their merry work, will show and testify Sith my mother tongue I did well understand I had no manner of delight in stories of this land Which being true in deed, no marvel this at all Though that my country women's acts, to mind I can not call yet hath there been within my time for need I cold them name That for the love they bore to men, refused no kind of blame, Thyr husbands whilst in prison lay, transgressors of the law Deserving in beath for their offence, and being still in awe Have pressed to the press, of the thych through and trust As 'gree 〈◊〉 child as they might go therein you may me trust And never ceased until they came unto the ruler's face And meekly kneeling on their knees, obtained had their grace And set their husbands free again who had none other hop● To end their lives no kind of way but only by the rope And in the time that Bullayne was, besegede with our hosts I know yet certain that do live, that went out of our costs Left their friends & kinsfolk ely to Bullayne took their way Unto their husbands & their lovers, scant resting night or day until they had accumplished their journey with great pain where w●●e one found her husband well. iiii. found their lovers slain what heavy, hearts had they, that found their lovers dead? Small joy I think they would have had, another straight to wed what tears were shed by them? what sighing from the heart? what sudden sorrow, heaviness, anguish, grief, & smart? Suffered those poor souls no pen can write, nor yet tongue well express Nor heart can think nor wit devise, the some of their distress, As war is counted pleasant to them not trying the same So many think it but a sport, to bear a lovers name A lover to be named an easy thing pardie And if they love unfeignedly, what love is they shall see Unto the burning ●euer compare it I may well, what ease there is therein, the such thereof can tell Of these two things if that the choice offree were to me And that of them they one I must choose no remedy To be sycee with love or else the plague to have The plague I would first choose of b●th so god me save The one within a week relesseth all the pain The other in the heart till death doth still remain Although a lover might, accumplish nestores years which lived three hundred winter long, in authors as appreares Of love yet divers time should feel the woe and smart Thought more 〈…〉 vye then the ●edde lieth at the lovers heart As I myself may well assyrme, which tried have the same And so may m●● as well as I, that couht it now no game, These things well weighed then if men of stomock stout Say love to intollerabl● I put you out of doubt Great marvel it is I promise you that women's fe 〈…〉 〈◊〉 able to ●eare out so well, their doleful headaches Alas their tendreharies were oft like for to braced 〈◊〉 that tears of water salt di●illed from them 〈◊〉 yet some besides theyr selfes with love are oft certain Of them (more pity is) with us th●re d●re● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 there is perchance ●hat will of me inquire marveling much that any man with love is set a fire And women with the same may or can take ●●at● Thinking it to be a thing which chanceth very rat● For if that men and women love, why do they disagree In consenting each to other this danger they may 〈◊〉 This may be answered divers▪ ways, and first of all by this That not one man what degree, so ever that he is To l●u● ablind of women, nor yet one woman can Fie 〈…〉 in her heart (I dare well say) to fancy euer● man what availeth it then how may he flee that pain, 〈◊〉 he love that woman well that loveth him not a 〈…〉 And on the other part of a woman's chance be so Now may we then in like wy●e scape his pay 〈…〉 and deadly wo● Again if men presume to far, above their own degree if that they love and can not speed, how can they then it ●lee But men there be and not a few which do presence to love And meaning nothing else but maidens minds to move To love again to the e●●ent their purpose to obtain which when they have, do draw away, and leave to love again Thus with sundry drifts are, maids and wives deceaue● And oft of their virginity by men, maids are bereaved which being lostand gone, what great loss can be what better thing have maidens now, then their virginity which causeth them to wail & weep as have they cause to iu●● and though the other mean good faith, doth make than to mistrust Of like handling of a widow. I can declare right well Between Dydo & jeneas, as Uyrgyll doth it tell A●neas Tro●e being won, and all the town was breut Fled unto the see, with trojans by consent Council▪ help and a●d of Venus the geddes Of love that was & his mother as Poetetes do express● Take shipping for to sail unto a land which prophelies did show before should come into his hand He so long lay upon the see, his vytaill being spent arrived in good Dydoes' land which when she hard she went Unto him to her that was, a stranger as I read And did obeisance, unto him, and home with her did lead As one that all nobility did very much regard He wanted no good cheer y wis, no cost for him was spared Contin 〈…〉 ●e with all his men in her court certain days An 〈◊〉 themselves well as Poet Uyrgyll says Required jeneas Dydoes' love which when she granted had And ●itayl●s to his ships be carried that she bade Aen●a● away sailed, scant bidding her far well Nor for his 〈…〉 tertainement thanked her ove dell, At lest wise c●m no more at her, nor yet unto her scent which moved gentle Dydo much, & made her ●eartrelent remembering that her bene●yt●es upon him so beshowed Mere not regarded, but for them cruelty was showed And that ●e●●eas noble was, she thought him to be just And well the wist that now she had put her whole trust In one that her deceived had, no marvel was it than Though never after that she durst credit any man That Englyshmen 〈◊〉 maids also, have played the self same feat I shall declare unto you here, but fy● on all de●eat Of Englishmen upon a thine, there were in scotland three, which taken were as prisoners in prison put perdee, And there were like to lie, the order of that land To abide nigh remedy, ye may well understand 〈◊〉▪ t●ey had their rasisons ●ayed which how it might arise, without strendes, the sel●●s but poor, they could not weldevyse, until at last that one of them, more crafty than the rest Had told his fellows to be done, what he thought was best That is to wit that one of them which was the handsomes' man Should feign him 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ding sick, in the best wise that he can Of wha●●yfease think ye of layned love y wys▪ which to be true, no doubt at aly, ye may perceive by this The ●●aler had a daughter, that was exceeding fair Unto these English men would divers times repair And 〈◊〉 myth them of many things at last one of the three Whose lot it was and chance the dissembler to now to be (The other twain with drawing them as was agreed before) Upon the ●aylers Daughter looked, & sighed wondrous sore, And causing her to sit him by, (as was his own report) with 〈◊〉 heart and cos●●●enaunce, spoke to her in this sort A would I had in syelde bene●●ayen, but fortune would not so, But that I should yet longer live in deadly pain and woe All my cuntrymen, that ever prisoners were, Did never so unguo yet heart with them, I know wellbere For besides that imprisonment is odious to the ●re There is a thing which more than that doth daily turment me, In so much that I therewith in life could not remain Unless that one thing now and then restored my life again, My meaning and intent hereby, I would fain that you knew I will myself declare it plain, if that you will be true And swear unto me by your faith, you will it not disclose But secretly within your breast, you shall the same repose, She swore unto him by and by, that honest if it wear No living creature on the earth▪ by her thereof should hear, No dought (said he) I put in you, but credit do your oath Being bold to tell you that, before which I was loath, When I do prison first, amongs the rest was brought For my hard handling here, took exceeding thought But when I called to mind, for what cause here we They had as just a cause, to mourn, me though, as I It chanced not long after, that, as we three sat here Your beauty brighter than the son, unto me did appear Revoling I then in my mind, my hard and cruel fate On fortune could not choose but rail, for changing mine estate In my native country, of gentles come and borne Here I lie replete with woe, as one that is forlorn Besides all this, your love, so pierced hath my heart That remedyles I wail and weep, and dudble all my smart And scythes I am now bond, and lead this careful life Only may I wish you, to be my lawful wife, Desire (I would) and eke beseech of love, Unless I knew assuredly I should you nothing move, Being in this case, which if that I were free your love unto an english man, you would not grant perdee But grant that you cold love, me unless I were a large How should I able be, of your to take the charge? But if that I conveyed were, straight out of this land And safe in my country were, I will ye understand And king were of the same, none on the earth but you Should be the crowned Queen thereof, to god I make a vou, What availeth this my talk? to what purpose speak I this? Sith I know right well of you, that I shall miss, But yet I can not choose, my heart doth cause me so Or else oppressed with carks and cares I think would break in to Now you have herd my case, consider well the same Can you love an English man, or do you hate the name, In south be you assured, that if you can me favour And unto husband take, I list not now to glavor And even as I love you, so to love me again you shall diminish all my grief, sorrow, thought and pain, I shall you not forget, whilon that I live Unless I speak even as I think, never may I thrive Therewith he weeping fast, the tears distilling fro His eyes, gave her a judas kiss, alas why did he so? When she had herd him speak, the words expressed before Thinking no less in deed but that he longed sore And doted in her love, having no mistrust But thought by his perplexity that he was very just Her tender heart then melted to see him in that case Wept and sobbed wondrous sore, that for a certain space, She could not speak one word, for shedding tears so fast Her heart she thought immediately, would verily have ●rast When she had ceased her weeping, and thagony was past Pausing with herself a while, said unto him at last where that you wish your chance had been, before this to be slain No cause there is ywys, that die you should so fain, And that your double improsoment, you lay unto my charge it lieth in my power to set you now at large, For whither you love your country, and set but light by me, Or whither you love us both a like, I can now set you free And in accusing me, to hate the English name, Without a trial of the same, in deed you are to blame, To answer you therefore, as directly as I can I had rather marry you, than a scottish man And plight me here your troth, for so I think it best And I shall do the some, and grant you your request Lead me with you home, & there do you me wed According to your English laws, to board and eke to bed Money for our charges enough I shall prepare, And for your sake the residue, shall the better fare, He swore unto her oaths rife, that all things should be so well said she to morrow night, we four, away will go So when the night appointed came, the ●ayler took his rest His Daughter took of money, as much as she thought best The keys she stolen away that lay under his head The prison gate then opening, away them three she led which when they were escaped their peril and their pain, As crafty kaytyfes worthy death, did send her back again, ye moderators of the schools, ye judges of the bench was not this a heinous crime, to use a loving wench Who for very love of one, did make them also free And well contented was, with him away to flee leaving country father, mother, brother kyf and kin But when she was betrayed, what sorrow was she in? first, what was her father's grief? the prisoners being lost, What sorrow to his heart? and to his purse what cost? And when he knew his daughter to be led way, In what a trance was he? no man I think can say His wife and eke his son, and all the wench's kin Lamented much and did bewail, her foolish part therein And the silly wench, was in worst case of all Not knowing for her life on her what should be fall Wherefore she went not home again for fear as I do guess But led her life till death did come, in woeful heaviness, Thus may ye see expressed, the nature here of men, And yet they will affirm women worse than them Uyrgyll once appointed to have lain a woman by Persuaded her thereto, there was no remedy And when that she perceived, that he would have no nay. So that you come this night (saith she) I will your mid obey, I myself do lie (quoth she, in a chaumbre high And my husband lieth beneath, in a chambre buy wherefore I can not well devise, how in you may be brought No kind of way but only thus, which now I have be thought 〈◊〉 will let down a basket, by a cord perdee, By means whereof you sitting in, shallbe drawn up to mee● ●yrgyll trusting so, his purpose to obtain According as it was a greed, at night he came again, Where he found the basket by a line let down in deed And quickly leping in trusted well to speed When knowledge that she had, above, that Uyrgyll was therein She plucked him half way up, that done to make a pin Of wood or some like thing, she put herself in ure Whereunto she tied the rope for flyding made it sure, So that Uyrgyll when no way, escape knew how he might Of force he was constrained there to tarry all the night until the next morning, that it was broad light day Where when that he espied was, all folks at him had play Thus it is right evident and manifestly she weed That women are right honest, and men are very lewede As touching the apparel now, which women use to wear Their verdyngalles and cassocks, the perting of their heaee Wherewith that they wax proud our Pote saith sure, At home like dyvelles they be, abroad like angels pure, These things lowfull to be, and tolerable toe, By reasons good and probable, I shall it straight ways show A woman having nothing but at her husbands hand That he thus maintaineth her it may now welbe skande Who is then in most fau●t? who ought to bear the blame? Not she that weareth them, but he that buyeth the same, Tolerable not withstanding, that such apparel is What harm lied hid therein, I would fain know but this First, to a cassock (I am 〈◊〉) less cloth they do allow Then to agonne or frock, wherefore consider now? More profit is it far, less cost also pardie Honest therefore his, it can none other be, For Tully in his Offices, showeth by words expressed That nothing can be profitable, unless it be honest, To the parting of their hear and showing of the same, if men do the like thing, why bear they then no blame? In combing of their beards, in stroking them full oft. In wassing them with wassing balies, in looking all aloft In plaitting of them divers ways, in binding them in bands Wherein their hole delight always, consystes and stands No marvel then though women learning it of men Do comb and plat their hear, & dress it now and then yet women be dispraised where men are most in fault Examples such to give their wives, which they account so nought if a preacher should us teach, drunkenness to shun, And headlong to that vice, he him sel●e should run, Who were in most fault who were most worthy blame, He that heard the sermone, or he that preced the same, As touching now their verdingalles, which do men much offend I defer them not till now as hard for to defend For as men in tother things have been in greatest crime, So can I not hold them excused, at this present time, Who first invented vardingalles it must be called to mind And by whom also they were made, we must in likewise find Tailors (as I guess) were the first founders than What kind of people be they women or else men The most of all our fashyous of garments which we use, Of what so ever sort they be plain or else dyffuse, Strangers them invent, of strangers them we learn As by our spanish hose & shoes, a man may well discern, The french gowns & the Duche, which women use to were And also their french hoods, them brodding of their hear, From France & Flaunders fet were, by merchants of our land They taught their wives to were that saw it may be understand For women travail not to see the countries far, For although they would, their husbands yet would then thereof quite bar But if there be anoveltye chanced in Almaigne, France, Flaunders, Italy, Portyngale, or Spain, Or any other regions where men have led their lives At their coming home, they declare it to their wives, And some for lack of news, some things they do devise Accounting it a shame, there be some so precise, To know nothing all all and so long time to spend Wherefore to brings home novelties, they always do intend And tolerable ities (the south to say) in those That a yoyrney unto Rome, unto themselves have chose, For they that come from thence, as one doth specify May tell a lie or twain, by Rome's authority, what pride can the poor verdyngalles increase in women kind The stuf that goeth to the same, is easy for to find As ●ustian or buckram, lists and eke red cloth A costly thing I promise you that men should be so wroth Suppose, they be of velvet silk or cloth of gold what wyttyman is he? ther with find fault that would Although for money often times there is debat & strife And for the same many a man in time hath lost his life Yet money is not evil, nor aught to bear no blame The only fault remainth in them, that do misuse the sa●nt, So garments, I affirm, what so everthat they be, Are decent for all wemenkinde, regarding their degree As soon may a man, in a beggar find, As proud an ●art as in a lord which groweth out of kind The proverb seemeth contrary to judge pride in the lord For èuyl doth a lords heart and a beggars purse accord where excessive talk is laid to women's charge, And that men cast it in their teeth, their tongues to run at large Grant it so to be, as it is not verily But that they be thus staundred alas what remedy yet were it but a small fault, in authors syd we ●ynde True to be and credible, words to be but wind, Their tongues I think offended have, on earth no living man And if they had, forthat that men, neither will nor can, With them once bear, how far they run a●●raye ye shall perceive if that ye note, saint Peter who doth say, ye men bear with your wives which weaker vessels be, But yet the week the burden bear, as ye may hereby see Many husbands all the day, sitting at the wine, At night coming reling home as drunken as are swine, Their wises thereof ashamed be, and then straight way exhort At home to tarry and be merry to flee all such resort wherewith the men wax angry, their wife's be so bold And if they speak a little loud, men say straight away they scold wherefore I marvel much and so do more than I That women bear so great a blame, & no cause to be why And finally to conclude, I have the greater ruth That innocentes should slandered be, but time shall try the truth. ¶ Finis. ¶ The Author to his Book GO for thou little book, look with a smiling cheer To women shalt thou well come be, thereof thou needest not fear if it be thy chance, our English Court to see, Then unto our ladies there, I great them well by thee, Or if it be thy pleasure, in London to remain Be have thyself so honestly, that none do the disdain Or whither best it liketh, the in the wild country To dwell or every where a sui 〈…〉 to be, To maidens, widows, wives of every degree Obedient be and be unto them commanded have thou me, Of any man do happen in country or in town For prasing women kind, on the to cast a frown, Thus mayst thou answer well, that all that thou hast said Are so true and manifest they can not be denayed, Some again perchance will find fault with thy style As rough rude and barbarous, needing the smitthes' file Tell them that neither age, nor wit that is in me Can make a book more eloquent than this which no wtheys●, Good will was it enforced me, to write this little book Let the readers then thereof, on the meaning look, With minds indifferent, let them the same well view, Then shall they well pereyve & see, that I have written true which if they shall deny●, their error will appear, For Levy Uyrgyll, ovid, will witness with me bear, Of tother things which are, in this treatise shown Some of them have I hard, the other have I knowe● The residue by reason debated have I well, As I do guess at least wise, that learned be can tell, if any thing undicent or rude be 〈◊〉 my rhyme, Let them impute the same, to bryefnes of the time, if flattery alleged be & laid unto my charge That to please womankind I have written so large In the dispraise of men, which I ought not have dun For that I am a man, and into danger run Perhaps I am, yet let men note well this one thing That they that I have named have been of vicious living As Adam and Aeneas with the three English men That in Scotland prysovers were, let us merke well then The acts of all these five; for which I have them blamed In Oxford in Cambridge, I think not one that named Might be which could by reason good defend Or they●● lewd pagentes played so much as one's commend, For sooner may a man by sophistry wellprove, The mouse and the O●●phant very well to love, Between foxes and geese perpetual amity To woves and the lambs, unfaynede friends to be Then their deceits to womenkinde before by me expressed, May by any learned man be proved to be honest I do not therefore repent myself, that I have on me take This light and easy enterprise for all good women's sake Although I know assuredly that divers will evil talk I am nothing 〈…〉 aid there with, sith god on earth did walk And could not please nor satisfy all men no kind of way Shall I then look to do that thing that god could not do, nay Wherefore though goodmen do it praise, & evil do discommend It forceth not (the truth to say) and thus I make an end. ¶ FINIS. ¶ Imprinted at London, in Paul's Church yard at the Sign of the Swain by john h King.