❧ OF THE NOBILITY AND EXCELLENCY OF WOMANKIND. almighty God the maker & nourisher of all things, the Father and goodness of both male and female, of his great bountyfulnes, hath create mankind like unto himself, he made them man and woman. Gen. 1. The diversity of which two kinds, standeth only in the sundry situation of the bodily parts, in which the use of generation requireth a necessary difference, He hath given but one similitude and likeness of the soul, to both male and female, between whose souls there is no manner difference of kind. The woman hath that same mind that a man hath, that same reason and speech, she goeth to the same end of blysfulnes, where shall be no exception of kind. Luc. 20. For after the evangelical truth, Marc. 12. they that rise in their own proper kind, Matt. 22. shall not use the office of their kind, but the likeness of angels is promised unto them. And thus between man and woman by substance of the soul, one hath no higher pre-eminence of nobility above the other, but both of them naturally have equal liberty of dignity and worthiness. But all other things, the which be in man, besides the divine substance of the soul, in those things the excellent and noble womanhood in a manner infynytely doth excel the rude gross kind of men, the which thing we shall plainly prove to be true, not with counterfeit and fair flattering words, nor also with the subtle sophimes of Logic, wherewith many sophisters were wont to blind and deceive men, but by the authority of most excellent auctors, and true writers of histories, and with manifest reasons, yea with the testimonies of holy scripture, and by the ordinances and constitutions of laws. ¶ first to enter into this matter the woman is made so much more excellent than man, in how much the name that she hath received, is more excellent than his. For Adam soundeth Earth, but Eva is interpretate life: and as much as the life doth excel earth. so much the woman is to be preferred above the man. Nor there is no cause why this should be called a feeble argument, to give judgement of things by the names. For we know, that the high artificer and maker of things and names, first did know the things, before he named them, which for as much as he could not be deceived, for this purpose he made the names, that it might express the nature, property, and use of the thing. For the truth of antyque names is such, as the very Roman laws testify, that the self names are consonant to the things, and manifest significations of them. Therefore an argument of the names of things amongs divines and lawyers, is of great weight. As we read written of Nabal, after his name is a fool, and foolishness is with him. Of this Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews, Hebr. 1. purposing to show the excellency of christ useth this argument, saying: that he is made as much more excellent than the angels, as he hath enherited a name more excellent than they. And in an other place, God hath given him a name, Phil. 2. the which is above all names, that in the name of jesus, every knee shall bow both of things in heaven, of things upon earth & of things under theearth. Further (this thing to approve) there is no small strength of laws, comprehended and contained in the bonds of words, in signification of words, in conditions and demonstrations, in conditions annexed, and such other kinds of disputations, and high points, and titles of the law, as in the same titles, and other like, a man may perceive. For so we make argument and reasons in the law of the interpretation of the name, also of the strength of the word and vocable. Moreover, of the interpretation of the name, and also of the dyfynytion, and composition and order of the word. For the laws themselves do quickly and sharply consider the significations of the names, that of them they might some thing interpretate. ¶ Also Cyprian against the jews argueth, Cyprl. de montibus Syna et Zion that the first man, Adam, received his name of the iiii. principal parts of the world, that is, East, west, North, and south, and in the same book he doth expound the same name, Adam, because earth was made flesh, although such exposition doth differ from the tradition and teaching of Moses, since among the Hebrews it is not written with four but with iii letters. Yet for all that, this exposition in so holy a man is not to be dispraised, for as much as he was not learned in the Hebrew tongue, the which very many saints and expositors of holy scripture, to their small blame knew not. But if I can not have like leave and liberty for the praise of womanhood, after my mind and judgement, to use like etymology and declaration of the word and name of Eve, at the least let me be suffered to speak this one thing out of the mystical decrees, and agreeable wills of the Cabalistis, the very name of a woman to have more affinity with the ineffable and inenarrable name of the divine power almighty, called Tetragrammaton, than the name of man, the which with the name of god, neither in letters nor in figure, nor in number doth agree. ¶ But now we will leave these things, for they be red of few, and of fewer understand & they require a longer process than is meet to be spoken of here. In the mean season, we will search out the excellency of womanhood, not of the name only, but of the very things, duties, and merits. Therefore let us (as they say) search the scriptures and taking our ground at the first creation, let us dispute and reason, what dignity woman obtained above man, when she was first made. We know, that whatso ever god almighty made, do chiefly differre in this point, that certain of them should abide and remain for ever more incorruptible and without putrefaction, and certain should be subject unto corruption, mutability and change. And in creating those things, god proceeded forward, after this order he began at the more noble and excellent of one thing, and ended at the most noble of an other. And thus he created incorruptible angels and souls: for so doth saint Augustyne dispute & reason, Aug. sup. Gen. li. 7. that the souls of our first parents, were created with angels, before the bodies were made. Furthermore he created incorruptible bodies, as the heavens, the stars and the elements incorruptible, but subject to divers mutations: of the which he made all other things that be subject unto corruption. From the more viler by several degrees and orders of dignity, again ascending and going up unto the perfection of the hole world. first he made minerals: than things vegetable plants and trees: after that things livings, Gen. 2. than brute beasts, some creeping, some swimming, some fleeing. Finally he created two creatures like to himself, first the male, and last the female: in which female, the heavens, the earth, and all the goodly ornament of the same, were perfeyted and fully finished. For the maker coming to the creation of woman; rested at her, as having before his hands nothing more honourable to be made, and in her all the wisdom and power of the creator came to conclusion and end: after the which there can no creature be found or imagined. Than seeing a woman is the last of creatures, the full end, most perfect of all God's works, and of the same the very perfection: who woldeny a woman to be the most worthy & most excellent of all creatures? without whom the very world, now being finished, and in all things most perfectly accomplished, should have been unperfect, the which could none other wise be perfected, than with the most perfectest of all creatures. For it were against reason and a thing, unseemly to think, that god would finish sogret a work in any unperfect thing. But because the world itself, as the absolute, hole, and most perfect circle, was created of god, the same circle must needs be ended in that little part, which might couple and join within itself the first of all things with the last of all things with one knot. So a woman, when the world was made, was the last in time, and last made: and the same woman partly in authority, but chiefly in dignity, was the first of all things, conceived in the mind of god as it is written of her by the prophet: Before the heavens were made, god did chose her, and he chose her, before all other creatures. For this is a common conclusion among philosophers (if I may use their words) Arist. vl. 8. de auditu. The end always is in the first intention, and in the deed is the last. So a woman was the last work of god, form into this world as queen of the same, into her prepared palace, garnished with all pleasures plentifully. Therefore every creature worthily loveth reverenceth & serveth her, and worthily is subject, and obeyeth unto her, which is of all creatures the absolute queen, end, perfection, & glory by all ways and means. Wherefore the wise man saith, Sapi. 8. Who so hath god with him, rejoiceth, and in heart commendeth the gentle nature of woman, ye and the lord of all things himself loveth her. ¶ By reason of the place also, in which the woman was created, how far she passeth man in nobleness, holy writ doth witness unto us most plentifully. For where the woman was made in Paradyse, a place most noble and pleasant, among angels: the man was made without Paradyse, in the wyelde field among brute beasts. Afterward, to th'intent, that woman should be created, he was brought into Paradyse. And therefore the woman, endowed with the peculiar gift of Nature, as she were accustomed to be in the highest place of her creation, though she look down ward from never so high a place, yet she neither suffereth nor feeleth any whitling or swimming in her heed, ne her eyes dafyl not, like as it is wont to chance to men. ¶ Furthermore, if it chance a woman to be in like peril of drowning with a man, she without any outward help, swimmeth a loft longer than the man, which sooner sinketh, and goth down to the bottom. ¶ And that the dignity of the place maketh moche to the nobility of man, the civil law and humane constitutions do plainly affirm, and the custom of all nations doth chiefly observe this thing, not only in men, but also in other beasts, yea and in the estimation of things having no life: For the more worthy place, that any thing is born or brought up in, the more noble it is judged. Wherefore Isaac commanded his son jacob, that he should not take a wife of the land of Canaan, but of Mesopotamie in Syria, being of better estimation. And unto this, is not much unlike, which is spoken in the gospel of john, Io. 1. where Philip said: We have found jesus the son of joseph of Nazareth. And Nathanael said to him: What good can come out of Nazareth? But now let us speak of other matters ¶ A woman doth pass a man in the material substance of her creation. For she was not made of any creature wanting life & soul, or of the vile clay or dirt, as the man was, but of a matter purified and lively, having a reasonable soul, and a godly mind. Furthermore, god made man of the earth, which naturally bringeth forth all kinds of beasts and lively creatures, by the working together of the hevenloy influence: but the woman, above all heavenly influence and promptues of nature, and without any other operation & power, was only made of god, full steadfast and perfit in all things, the man in the mean season losing one of his rib, of the which she was made, that is to say, Eve of Adam sleeping, and that so sound, that he could not feel his rib plucked away. And thus, man is the work of nature, and woman the work of god. And therefore the woman is many times more apt and meet then the man, to receive the heavenly light and brightness, and is oft replenished thet with: which thing is easy to be seen, by her cleanliness, & marvelous fair beauty. For seeing that beauty itself is none other thing, but the clear brightness of god's visage naturally set in things, right fair shining in the beautiful bodies of creatures: he therefore hath chosen women before men, to be far more endowed, and most abundantly replenished therewith. The proper body of a woman in sight and feeling, is most delicate and pleasant: her flesh soft and tender: her colour fair and clear: her skin soft and slyke, her head comely, and decked with hear soft like silk, long, and shining like the gold wire: her countenance sober: her look and cheer merry and pleasant: her face most fair of all creatures, her neck white as milk: her forehead large and high: her eyes rolling and shining like crystal, very amiable gladsome and gracious: her brows above them, well set together in proper thine circles, with a comely plainness, divided equally with a feat distance, between the which, out of the midst, descendeth the nose straight and treatise: under the which is her ruddy mouth, with soft and tender lips, full properly proportioned: within the which, when she smileth, her teeth do shine forth, being but little ones, and set in equal order, as white as the ivory, and not so many in numbered as a man hath, for she is neither great eater, bytar, nor gnawer: And round about them rise up her jaws, & cheeks, with tender softness, as ruddy as rose, and replenished with shamefastness: her chin round, with a pretty pit therein. Under this she hath a small neck, somewhat long and straight upright from her round shoulders, with a delicate weasand, whytely, and meanly thick and big: her voice small and shrylle: her speech low and sweet: her breast broad and well set out, clothed with even flesh and hardness of her paps, which are round and even as her belly is: her sides are soft and tender: her back plain and straight her arms long and full: her hands white and soft, with fingers long and small, stretched forth a length from the joints, and properly set and knit together: her hips, thighs, and legs, well brawned fleshy and full: her finger's ends and toes are proper & round, like a little circle, and all the parts of her body well furnished with humour. More over, her pace and going is right comely: her moving honest: her port and cheer very commendable: and in the order of all the body, in shap figure proportion and disposition above all other she is far the fairest creature. In all the hole heap of creatures, there is no thing so wonderful to see, ne no miracle so marvelous to behold. In so moche, that there is no man, except he be stark blind, but he may see, that god himself coniested and heaped together in woman, what so ever was beautiful in all the holle world: which causeth every creature to be astonied and amazed at her: yea and many ways they loven and worship her: in so much that we see it chance oft times, that the bodilesses spirits and devils are ardently taken and ravished with the beauty of women, out of all measure: which opinion is not false, but the truth by many experyences is notably known. And to pass over those things, that the poets have left to us in writing, of the love of the gods, and of their lovers & coneubines, as of Apollo, Daphne's, Neptunus, Salmonea, Hercules, Hebe, jole, Omphale, and of the other God's lovers, ye and many of jupiters' himself: This gift of beauty so divine, so beloved of god and man, holy writ in many places doth highly commend and praise, above all other gifts and qualities. Gen. 9 For it is red in Genesis, That the children of god, seeing the daughters of men that they were fair, did chose and took unto them wives, such as they liked. We read also of Sara, the wife of Abraham, Gen. 12. that she was fair, yea the fairest of all women on the earth. So when the servant of Abraham, Gen 24. had seen Rebecca, a maid of excellent beauty, he said secretly to himself, This is she, which god hath prepared for Isaac the son of Abraham. And Abigail, the wife of the wicked churl nabal, was prudent wise and fair: whereby she saved the life and goods of her husband from the fury of king David. 1. Reg. 15. and the evil man was saved by the fair woman, for David said to her these words: Go peaceably into thy house: loo, I have hard thy voice, and honoured thy face. For saying that all beauty is, either spiritual, vocal, or corporal, Abigail was all fair, in prudency of spirit, in eloquence of speech, and beauty of body: which caused David, after the death of nabal her husband, to take her to his wife. 2. Reg. 11. And Bathsaba, was a woman of so excellent beauty, that David, being ravished and taken with her love, after the death of her husband, exalted her above all other, to be his wife & queen. Also Abisag, 3. Reg. 1. a Sunamite, by reason she was a maiden most fair, was chosen out, to lie with king David, waxing very old, to restore his natural heat. Wherefore the aged kings will was, highly to advance her in honour. And also after the death of this mighty king, she was entertained as a queen. Hester. 1. et. 2, We read of the excellent beauty of queen Vasti and also of Nester, which was preferred before the other, because she was more goodly and fair of face. We read of judith, Iu. 8. et. 10. whose fairness god so much increased, that all that beheld her, were wonderfully amazed. Dan, 13. And shortly to speak we read that Susanna was very delicate goodly and beautiful. We read also, job vlt. in fine. that after Job'S divers temptations, vexations, and grievous troubles finished, besides all other things, which his great patience deserved, god gave unto him three daughters fairer than the three Charites, yea there were found no where so fair women. More over, we may read histories of holy virgins, doubtless to our great wonder, how far, how beautiful they were above all other the children of men, whose laud and praise the catholic church doth solemnly sing: but specially the praise of the immaculate and undefiled princess, the mother of god, the virgin Marie: whose fair beauty the son and moon wonder at, from whose most fair visage, so great clearness of beauty, with chastity and holiness did shine, that although she moved the minds, and likewise the eyes of all men, yet for all that, no mortal man at any time, was alured or enticed by her beauty, once to think amiss. ¶ Those things (all though some what at length) I have rehearsed unto you, and that almost the very self same words out of holy scripture, where mention of beauty is so oft made: to the intent we should plainly perceive, that the beauty of women is not only among men, but also of god highly esteemed and honoured. ¶ In an other place of holy scripture we like wise read, Num. 31. that god commanded all the men, and men children, to be slain: but the fair women to be saved. Deut. 21. In the book of Deuteronomy it was permitted to the children of Israel, each to choose him a fair woman to wife, of those that were taken prisoners. ¶ And besides this wonderful beauty, woman is endowed with a certain dignity and worthiness of honesty, which is not given to man: for the hear of her head hangeth down so low, that it will cover and hide all the privy parts of her body. Farther, it is not needful for a woman, to handle these parts of her body, in the works of Nature, which man customably useth to do. Finally Nature hath so wonderfully wrought for the comeliness of woman, that her privy parts nr not so apparent as man's, but set in a place more secretly. And nature hath given more shamfasines to woman than to man. Wherefore it hath oft chanced, that a woman, grievously diseased in her prime parts, hath chosen rather to die, than to abide the sight and handlynge of the surgeon, to be cured and healed. And this shamefast honesty they observe and keep, both in dying, and after they be dead: as it appeareth by them that be drowned. For as Pliny and experience witnessen, a woman lieth grovelling when she is dead by the favour that nature beareth to her shamefast honesty: but a man swimmeth upright on his back. Farther, the most worthy part of man, whereby we chief differre from other brute beasts, and do represent the divine nature, is the head, and in it chief the countenance. Truly a man's head is deformed with baldness, and contrary, a woman by the great privilege of nature, is not bald. Moreover, the countenance and face of man is (by the beard to him hateful) so oft defiled and hid with filthy hears, that scarce from brute beasts he may be discerned, in woman contrary wise, the face doth always remain pure and comely. Wherefore it was decreed in the law of the xii tables, that women should not scrape nor shave their cheeks, least at any time the beard should grow out, and shamfastenes be hid. also of the cleanness and purity of woman, this may be to all men the most evident argument and token: That a woman once washed clean over, as oft as she is washed afterward in clean water, that water receiveth no spot of uncleanness: but a man, be he never so clean washed, as oft as he washeth again, troubleth and fouleth the water. Furthermore, Nature hath so ordained, that women avoid superfluous humours by secret parts, that men avoid by the face, the most worthy part of man's body. And where it is granted to man above all other beasts to have the face and sustenance looking up to heaven: Nature and fortune have provided so wonderly for woman, and showed so great favour, that if she chance to fall, she seldom or never falleth on her head or face. ¶ Shall we over pass, the preferrment of nature to woman above man, in the procreation of mankind? Which thing is thus very well perceived. For only the woman's seed (as witnessen Galen and Avicen) is the matter and nourishment of the child, Galen. 2. de Sparmate &. 14. de utilitate particularum. avi doc. S Fen. 1. primi. and not the man's, which is but an accident to the substance. For as the law saith, the greatest & chiefest office and duty of woman, is to conceive, and to save that is conceived. For which consideration we see very many to be like their mothers, by reason they be begotten of their blood: and this likeness is very oft well perceived in the proportion and making of their bodies, but it is always in their manners. For if the mothers be foolish, the children prove foolysshe also. If the mothers be wise, the children shall have a sent thereof. But contrary wise it is in the fathers. For though they be wise, ye many times they get foolish children. and foolysshe fathers get wise children, so that the mothers be wise. And there is none other reason. why mothers more than the fathers, should love their children, but that the mothers perceive, that their children have, and so they have in deed, in them more of their mother's substance, than of their fathers. For this cause, that I have showed you: I suppose it naturally graft in us, to be more kind and loving to our mothers, than to our fathers. In so much, that we seem to love our father meanly, and to love our mother heartily. And for this cause, Nature hath given unto women, milk of so great strength and virtue, that it not only nourisheth infants and babes, but also restoreth such as are brought low by sickness, and is a sufficient food, to preserve the life of those, that are of perfect age. As we read an example in Valerius Maximus, Val. li. 5. cap. 4. of a certain young woman, which with the milk of her breasts nourished her mother in prison, that otherwise should have famished for hunger. For the which pitiful deed, her mother was delivered out of prison, and unto them both a perpetual living was given. And of that prison, they made a Temple, and called it, The temple of Pity. ¶ It is well known, that for the more part, a woman hath always more pite and mercy than a man. Which thing Aristotle doth attribute to womankind, Arist. de anima. as a thing appropried thereunto. Eccle. 36. Wherefore Solomon saith: Where as is no woman, there the sick man waileth: either because, that in serving and helping the sick, she is full diligent, or else by reason of her merry cheer, she is full comfortable: or else because that woman's milk is the chief and principal relief for such as be feeble & week, yea being brought to deaths door, they are thereby restored again unto health. And the physicians say: That the heat of a woman's breasts and paps, laid and joined to the breastis of feeble old men, consumed a way by age stirreth up increaseth, and conserveth in them lively heat. Which thing was well known to David, that in his old age chose the maiden Abisag, a Sunamite, with her collynges & clippinges to heat & keep him warm. Also woman is rather ready and more prompt to the holy office of generation, than man, as it is well known. ¶ Further it is a wonderful miracle of Nature, that a woman breeding child, sore longing for it, hath eaten raw flesh, raw fish, coals, earth, stones, metals, poisons, & many such other like things, which without hurt she doth digest, convert, and turn into the wholesome nutriment and substance of the body. Now great miracles and marvels, that nature hath endowed woman with, shall he find, that readeth thoroughly the volumes and books of philosophers and physicians: which for brefenes we here overpass. ¶ Now let us speak of speech and language, which is the gift of god, and by which one thing we pass and are better than all other brute beasts: Trismegistus Mercurius judgeth it to be of as great price, as much worth, and as good a thing, as immortality. And Hesiodus nameth it the chiefest treasure of Mankind. And is not a woman better spoken, more eloquent, more copious and plentiful of words than a man? Do not all we, that be men, learn first to speak of our mothers, or of our nurses? Truly nature herself, the former of things, sagely providing for mankind, gave this gift to womankind, that scarce in any place ye shall find a dumb woman. Is it not right fair and commendable, that women should excel men in that thing, in which men chief pass all other beasts? But from profane matters, let us return home again to holy scripture, and begin at the very fountains of our religion. ¶ We know surely, that god blessed man for woman's sake which blessing the unworthy man deserved not to have, till the woman was created and made, wherewith Solomon in his proverbs agreeth: Pro. 18. Who so findeth a good woman, findeth a good thing, and receiveth an wholesome benefit of the lord. And it is written Ecclesiastici. 26. Happy is the man, that hath a virtuous wife: Eccle. 26. For the number of his years shall be double. And no man may be compared to him in dignity, that for his worthiness hath a good woman. For as Ecclesiasticus saith: Ibidem. A good woman is a gift above all other gifts. And therefore Solomon in his proverbs calleth her, Pro. 12. the crown of her husband: and Paul, 1. Cor. 11. the glory of man. For glory is defined to be the accomplishment and perfection of a thing, resting and delighting in his end: that is to say, when nothing more may be added, to increase or amend the perfection thereof. A woman therefore is the end, perfection, felicity, benediction, and glory of the man: and as Augustin saith: the first society and company of mankind in this moral life. Wherefore of necessity every man loveth her, whom who so ever will not love, but hate, is a stranger not only to all humanity and gentleness, but also to all virtue and grace. And to speak again of the Cabalistical mysteries, Gene. 17. Abraam was blessed of god by the woman Sarah, and taking the letter H, from the woman's name and putting it to the man's, called him Abraham. Gene. 17. &. 28. Also the blessing of jacob was gotten him, by a woman, his mother. There be many such examples in holy Scripture: but not to be showed in this place. ¶ Thus blessing was given for the woman, and law for the man: The law I say, Gen. 2. of anger and of curling. For why, the fruit of the tree was forbidden to the man. but not to the woman: which was not then created. For god would her to be free from the beginning. Therefore the man sinned in eating, not the woman. The man gave us death, not the woman. And all we sinned in Adam, not in Eua. And we took orygynalle sin of our father the man, not of our mother the woman. And therefore the old law commanded all the malekind to be circumcised, but the females to remain uncircumcised: that is to wit, he ordained the original sin to be punished only in that kind, which had trespassed. Furthermore, god rebuked not the woman, for that she had eaten, but because she gave occasion of evil unto the man, and that did she unwarely, enticed thereto by the devil. The man knew well he did amiss: but the woman being deceived, erred ignorantly. For she was first tempted of the devil, whom he knew to be most excellent of all creatures. And as bernard saith: The devil, seeing her wonderful beauty, and perceiving her to be such one, as he had known before in the godly light, which above all angels, should rejoice with the speech of god: conceived envy only against the woman for her excellency. Wherefore Christ borne into this world most humble and low, to th'end he would with his great humility make satisfaction for the sin of pride, committed by our forefather: he took upon him manhood, as the more humble and lower kind, and not womankind, the more higher & noble. Furthermore, because we were condemned for the sin of the man, and not of the woman, god would, that in what kind the sin was committed, in the same should be the purgation of sin: and by the same kind, which ignorantly was deceived, we should also be revenged. Therefore it was said unto the serpent, that the woman, or more truly, the seed of the woman, should break his head, and not the man, nor the seed of the man. And perchance, hereof it came, that the order of priesthood is of the church rather committed to the man, than to the woman, because every priest doth represent Christ, and Christ, the first man, that is to wit, the sinner Adam. To this purpose, we understand the Canon, that beginneth, Haec imago, which saith that a woman was not made to the image of god, but to the similitude of Christ. Yet for all that I say, that he being very god) I speak of Christ (would not be the son of man, but of a woman, the which he so highly honoured, that of a woman only he took flesh and blood. For only for the woman, Christ was called the son of man, and not for the man. ¶ This is that great miracle, Hier. 31. at the which the prophet so much marveled: that a woman comprehended man, when a virgin conceived mankind, and bare Christ in her body. ¶ Also Christ rising up again from death to life, joan. 20. appeared first unto women, not to men. And it is not unknown, Mat. 16. that after the death of Christ, men fell from the faith: but it was never known, that women slipped and fell from Christian faith and religion. Farther, there was no persecution of the faith at any time, no heresy, no error in the faith, that arose and came by women, but by men. Christ was bought and sold, accused, condemned, scourged, hanged on the Cross, and at the last put to cruel death only by men. Yea, he was denied of his own Peter, forsaken of his other disciples, Luc. 24. and only accompanied waited upon and followed of women unto the cross and grave. Matt. 27. Also the very wife of pilate, an heathen woman, went about, and laboured more to save jesus than any man, yea any of these men, that believed in him. Furthermore almost the hole school of divines affirm & say, that the church did than remain only with the woman, that is to say, with the virgin mary. And therefore woman kind is worthily called religious, devout, and holy. But yet if any man wolsey with Aristotle, Arist. de anima. that among all beasts and living creatures, the male kind is more valiant, strong, wise, and noble: Unto him, a more excellent man, the great doctor, the holy apostle saint Paul will answer and say: 1. Cor. 1. Those things that be folyishe before the world, god hath chosen, that he might confound wise men: and those things that be feeble and weak in this world, he hath chosen to confound the mighty: & the vile and despised before the world god hath chosen: yea & those things, which be nothing, & of no reputation: that he might destroy those things, which be in price & much set by. Gene. 2. For who among men, in all gifts of nature and of grace was higher than Adam? yet a woman brought him low. judic. 14. &. 16. Who was stronger than Samson? A woman overcame his strength. Gene. 19 Who was more chaste than Loath? A woman enticed him to incest. Who was more religious than David A woman disturbed his holiness. .2. Reg. 11 3. Reg. 11. Who was more wiser than Solomon? a woman deceived him. Who was more patient than job. whom the devil striped out of all his goods, killed all his family, and children, and filled all his body full of boils and soores, and yet for all that he could not provoke him from the old simplicity of his mind: but the woman enticed him (and in that she was more higher and constant than the devil) and so vexed him, that he cursed god. And if it might be leeful to make any comparison with Christ, who is most mightiful and most wise, for he is the eternal and everlasting wisdom and power of god: Matt. 15. did he not suffer himself to be overcome of that poor woman of Chanaan? saying himself. It is not good to take the chyldernes bread, and cast it to dogs. She answered and said, Truth lord, never the less, the dogs eat of the crumbs, which fall from their master's table. Now when Christ perceived, that he could not over come her with that reason, he blessed her, saying: Be it unto the as thou desirest. ¶ Who was more hot and fervent in the faith of Christ, joan. 18. than Peter? Matt. 20. A woman made him, Marc. 14. so great a minister of Chrystis Church, Luc. 22. to deny Christ. Let the canonists crack what they will, Plaut. 8. that their Church can not err, a woman pope moked her by a goodly imposture and deceyre. ¶ But now some men will say, that those things redound rather to the dispraise than praise of women. Unto whom women shall make this answer: If it were so, that one of us two, must needs lose either goods or life, I had leaver to lose thee, than to be lost myself: And that by the example of Innocentius the third, which in a certain pistle decretal, written unto a cardinal ambassatour, sent from the See of Rome, saith: If one of us twain must needs be confounded, I would rather choose to have the confounded. ¶ Moreover, it was provided by the civil laws, that women might lawfully look to their own profit, to other men's hindrance. And in holy writ, is not the iniquity of a woman praised more than a man's well doing? is not Rachel praised, Gene. 31. which by a proper sleight deceived her father seeking unto idols? Gene. 27. Was not Rebecca lauded, which by craft got her son jacob the blessing of his father? And afterward by policy caused him to escape the anger of his brother. The harlot Raab deceived those, joshua. 2 which sought for the searchers and spies of joshua: and it was imputed unto her for righteousness. jahel went out to meet Sisar, judic. 4. and said unto him: My lord, come into me. And asking water, she gave him to drink of the bottle of milk, and covered him, as he lay sleeping. And while Sisara lay and slept, she entered in privily, & struck a nail in his head, and slew him, which had put his trust in her promise and fidelity, to be saved. And for this notable treason, the Scripture saith: Blessed is jahel among women, and jahel shallbe blessed in her tabernacle. ¶ Reed the story of judith, and mark her words unto Holofernes. She said: Sir take and understand the words of thy hand maid. For if thou wilt follow & do after these words, the lord shall make the perfit, and shall bring thy matter to prosperous effect. I shall come and show all things unto thee, so that I shall lead the through the mids of Jerusalem, and thou shalt have all the people of Israel, like as sheep without a shepherd, and not so much as one dog shall bark against the. For those things are showed me by the wisdom and providence of god. And thus by her flattering she struck of Holofernes head, as he lay and slept. I pray you, what wickeder counsel, what crueler deceits, Pro. 18. what craftier treason could be invented? And yet holy Scripture blesseth, praiseth, and extolleth her, and the iniquity of the woman is reputed far better, than a man's well doing. But now let us return to our purpose. ¶ Of the excellency of so happy a kind of women, this also may be to every man an argument most evident, that the most excellent of all creatures, than which never was, nor never shallbe a more worthy, I mean the most blessed virgin Mayre, was conceived with out original sin: and she was not inferior to Christ, touching his humanity. ¶ This is a strong argument of Aristotle: Of what kind the best is nobler than the best of an other kind, that kind must needs be nobler than the other. In the feminine kind, the best is the virgin mary, in the masculine, there arose none greater than john baptist: but how far doth the holy virgin excel him, which (as every catholic man knoweth) was exalted above all the orders of angels. Likewise a man may reasounc. Of what kind the worst is wars than the worst of another kind, that kind is lower than the other. Now we know, that the most vyciouse and worst of all creatures, is a man, whether it be judas, that betrayed Christ, of whom Christ saith: It had been good for that man, if he had not been borne: or whether any Antichrist shall come hereafter, wars than he, which shall be endowed with all the power of Satan. More over, holy writ showeth many men to be condemned to everlasting torment: but we read in no place, of any woman so condemned. Farther, as a witness to our purpose, there is a certain pretogative given to the brutalle nature. For the queen of all birds, and the most noble, is the Eagle, which is always found of the female kind, and not of the masculine. Also this is clear, that the bird of Egypte, calid Foenix, whereof there is never but one at oones, is a female. But contrary wise, the serpent Regulus, called also Basiliscus the most pestilent of all venomous beasts, is only masculine, of which kind it is not possible to find & female. Farther the excellency of this kind, the virtue & innocency, is by these arguments and reasons abundantly enough declared. For the beginning of all evil cometh by men, and not by women. Certainly the first man Adam, Gene. 3. boldly breaking the commandment of god, did shut up the gates of heaven, Gene. 4. and made us all subjects to sin and death. For all we have sinned (and must die) in Adam, not in Eua. Whose first begotten son opened hell gates. Man was first envious, first a murderer, first the slear of his parents, the first dispayrer of the mercy of god: Gene. 9 the first that had two wives, Lamech: the first drunkard Nohe: the first that discovered the filthiness of his father, Gene. 10. Nohes son Cham: the first tyrant and idolater Nembroth: the first adulterer: the first defouler of his kinswomen: Men also first made confederacies with finds, and invented cursed witchcrafts. Certain men, Gene. 37. the sons of jacob, first sold their own brother joseph: Exod. 1. Pharaoh, the Egyptian, first slew children. Men first sinned against Nature, as witnessen Sodoma and Gomorrah, Gene. 18. the which sunk for the sins of men, some time being most famous and noble cities. We read in every place, that men, for their tasshe voluptuous pleasure, had two wives, many wives, many lemans: they were adulterers and fornicators. Of this sort, that had many wives, many concubines, were Lamech, Abraham, jacob, Esau, joseph, Moses, Sanson, Helcana, Saul, David, Solomon, Assur, Roboam, Abia, Caleph, Assuerus, and innumerable other, the which had every one, many wives, harlots, and concubines. Nor being content to mary many, to fulful their lust & pleasure, but also meddled with their maidens. And we read not, that any woman (except only Batsabea) was content to have any more, but always one husband. Nor ye shall not find, that any woman married two husbands. if she had a child by her first husband. For women in cleanness of living and chastity, are far more continct than men: the which (as we read) because they were barren, have abstyned from dying with their husbands, & have brought in other, to lie with their husbands, as Sara, Rachel, and many other unapt to generation, which brought in their hand maidens, that their husbands might get children to succeed them. But what man I pray you, were he never so old, cold, barren, and unapt for generation, was ever of so great pity or mild stomach toward his wife, that he would substitute another man in his place, to sow fruitful seed in his wives plentiful garden? And although we read, that king Lieurgus and Solon made laws in old time, that is to wite, if any man being over aged, unmeet for marriage, or otherwise unlusty to do the deeds of Venus, had married a maiden, it should be lawful for his wife, to choose a goodly, and a tall young man, to dally and play with her, and the child gotten between them, should be ascribed to her husband, and not to be called a bastard: and though those laws were made and established, yet we read not, that they were kept, not so much through the sturdiness of the men, as by the chastity of the women refusing those laws. ¶ There be innumerable excellent women, Arist. de anima. which with notable cleanness of life, and perfect wifely love, have far passed all men: as Abigail, the wife of nabal: Artemisia, the wife of Nausoleus': Argia, 1. Cor. 1. the wife of Policinis, a Chebane. julia, the wife of Pompeius: Portia, the wife of Cato: Cornelia the wife of Gracchus: Messalina, the wife of Sulpice: Alceste, the wife of Admetus: Hypsicratea, the wife of Mithridates, king of Pontus: and also Dido, the builder of Carthage, and the roman Lucrece: and Sulpitia, the wife of Lentulus. There be innumerable other, whose hearts were so fixed on vyrgynitie and chastity, that the very death could not remove them: of whom th'examples are manifest and plain: as Athlanta, Calidonia, Camilla, Volsca, Iphigenia of Grece, Cassandra, and Crise. With these gone the virgins of Lacedemonye, of Spartan, of Milesia, & of Thebes, with other innumerable, of whom the stories of the Hebrews, of the Greeks, and of other Nations, do make mention, the which esteemed virginity above kingdoms, yea and above their very lives. ¶ If the examples also of pity and loving kindness be required, among all other Claudia Vestalis toward her father, and that poor young woman (of the which we spoke afore) towards her mother, are wonderful. ¶ But here some envious fellow will object against those things, the deadly marriages of Samson, of jason, of Deiphobus, of Agamemnon, and such other tragedies, on which (as saith the proverb) if a man look thoroughly, with clear eyes, he shall find, that their wives are falsely blamed, of the which never chanced unto a good man one ill. For ill wives never chance, but to ill husbands: unto whom all though the good sometime chance, yet their husbands vices make them nought. ¶ If it had been lawful for women to make laws, too write histories, how great tragedies (trowye) would they have written of the inestimable malice of men, among whom many been murderers, thieves, ravishers of virgins, perjurers, robbers, burners of houses, traitors: jusue. 7. of whom also, 2. Reg. 19 in the time of joshua, 3. Reg. 4. & David the king so great a multitude were murderers & robbers, that they were able to make princes capitains over their companies. Yea and at this day there is an infinite number of them. For all prisons be filled with men, and all the gallows in every place be loaded with the carcases of men. But contrary wise, women were the first inventors of all honest crafts, of all virtue and benefits. Which thing the very names of sciences and virtues, being of the feminine gender, do plainly specify. Whereof this is a notable proof, that the circuit of the hole world is called by the names of women: that is to say of the Nymph, Asia. of Europa, the daughter of Agenor, of Libya, the daughter of Epaphus, the which is also called Aphrica. And finally to recite all kinds of virtue, a woman shall every where obtain the highest place. For the virgin Mary was a woman, the which first did vow her vyrginitie to god, and thereby deserved to be the mother of god. The women prophets were evermoore inspired with a more divine spirit, than the men, Which thing is well known, by that Lactantius, Lactam. lib. insti. Eus de prep. Euangel. August de ci. dei. Eusebius, and Augustine witnessen of the Sibylles. ¶ So Marry, the sister of Moses prophesied: And when jeremy was taken prisoner, his uncles daughter Olda, Exod. 15. rose up and prophesied beyond man's reach, 4. reg. 22. to the people of Israel, 2. Para. 34 atte the point ready to perish. Let us search holy scripture, and we shall find, that women in constancy, in faith, and in other virtues are commended far above men, as in judith, Ruth, Hester, the which with so great glory and praise were celebrate and honoured, that holy books bear their names. Rom. 4. And all though Abraham, Genes. 15. &. 21. for the steadfastness of his faith, is called in scripture a just man, by cause he surely believed in god: yet for all that, he must submit himself to his wife Sara. Gene. 25. For by the voice of the lord he was commanded thus: What so ever Sara saith to the here her voice. So Rebecca, believing steadfastly, went to ask god certain questions, and she being reputed worthy, hard this oracle or answer of god. Two manner of folk are in thy belly: and two manner of people shall be divided from thy belly. And the widow Sareptana gave credence to Helias, all though it were hard to believe that he told her. So zachary, Luc. 1. rebuked of the angel for his incredulity, was dumb: and his wife Elizabeth, with her womb and voice prophesied: & is praised, because she believed faithfully. and she afterward, praised the most blessed virgin Mary, Luc. 2. saying: Blessed art thou, which didst believe those things, that were spoken to the of the lord. So Anna the prophetess, after the revelation of Simeon confessed god, & spoke of him to all that would here, which looked for the redemption of Israel. Act. 21. And philip had four virgins to his daughters, joan.. 4. which did prophecy. Matt. 15. What shall I say of her the samaritan, Marc. 7. with whom Christ spoke at the well: Mat. 9 and being fed with the faith of this believing woman, Mar. 5. refused the meat that the apostles brought? Luc. 8. To these may be joined the faithful woman of Chananee, joan. 11. and the woman Matt. 16. diseased with the bloody Luce. 7. flix. joan 19 Was not also the faith and confession of Martha, Matt. 27. like the Mar. 16. & 17. confession of Peter? Luc. 23. & 24. The Gospel witnesseth, Act. 18. how great constancy of faith was in Mary magdalen. For while the priests and jews crucified Christ, she weepeth, she bringeth ointments unto the Cross, she seeketh in the Tomb, she asketh the gardener for him, she aknowledgeth god, she goeth to the apostles, and showeth them, that he is risen. They were in doubt thereof, but she believed it verily. again, what shall I say, of that holy woman Priscilla, the which instructed Apollo, apostolycke man, perfitly learned in the law, and bishop of the Corinthians? Nor it was no shame for a postell, to learn of a woman, what he should teach in the church. ¶ Moreover, they that have showed the steadfastness of their faith by suffering of Martyrdom, and by the despising of death, be no fewer in number than men. 2. Mach. 7. Nor that wonderful mother should be left unspoken of, so worthy to be remembered, the which not only beheld her vii sons put to death, by most cruel martyrdom but also she boldly exhorted them steadfastly to die. And she above all things trusting in god, was after her children cruelly put to death, for the maintenance of the laws of her country. ¶ Did not also Theodelina, the daughter of the king of bavarians, convert the Lombard's to the faith? And Greisilla, the sysrer of Henry the first Emperor, convert the Hungarians? & Clotildis, the daughter of the king of Burgundia, convert the French men? And a certain woman called Apostola, of a low degree, converted the Hiberians. Each of them turned innumerable people unto Christis faith. And finally, this is the only and special religious kind, in whom unto this day the catholic faith, and the continual works of virtue and goodness do flourish and shine. ¶ But to the end that no man should doubt women to be as able to do all those things that men can, let us handle the matter with examples: and we shall find, that there was never noble nor worthy act, in any kind of virtue, done by men, but that as noble hath been done by women. In doing sacrifice, as the paynims in old time used, Melyssa Cibele's was the minister, after whose name, the other Goddesses, that used the priests office, were called Melyssae. Also Hypeccaustria was Minerva's minister, Mera of Venus, Iphiginia of Diana. And the ministers of Bacchus, were very notable, as Thyades, Menades, Bacche, Eliades, Mimallonides, Eonides, Eubiades, Bassarides, Triaterides. Also among the jews, Mary Moses sister, entered with Aaron into the Sanctuary, Sanctuary, a place consecrate or hallowed. and was taken as a minister or priest. And although women be forbidden in our religion, to use the order of priesthood yet it appeareth by histories, that a woman on a time by counterfeiting her kind, was bishop of Rome. There have been in Christis church, many abbasses and nuns, which in old time men disdained not to call holy ministers. There have been among all nations, that excelled in prophesying, as Cassandra, the Sybils, Mary Moses' sister, Delbora, Holda, Anna, Elyzabeth, the four daughters of Philip, & many other holy women of later time, as Brigida and Heldegardis. Furthermore, in the invincible art magic, whether it came of good spirits or bad. Circe's and Medea wrought far greater wonders than Zoroaster himself which as many suppose, was the first finder of the said science. More over in philosophy, many have been very excellent, as Theano the wife of Pythagoras, and Dama his daughter was right famous, in opening and declaring her father's obscure & dark sentences. Also Aspasia and Diotima, Socrates scholars, & Mantinaea and Philesia Axiochia, both scholars to Plato. Finally Plotinus highly praiseth Gemina and Amphiclea, Lactantius Themisten. Christis church rejoiceth in saint Caterine, which being but a little maid, did far pass in learning, the wise men of that time. ¶ Let us not forget in this place the queen Zenobia, scholar to the philosopher Longinus, which for her great virtue and cunning was called Ephenissa, whose holy works Nichomachus translated into Greek. ¶ Let us speak of the orators art, and of poetry, Behold here cometh Armesia, surnamed Androgenea, Hortentia, Lacera, Valeria, Copiola, Sappho, Corinna, Cornificia the Roman, Erymna, Telia, or Thesbia, which was named an Epigrammatist, in Saluste Sempronia, in the law civil Calphurnia: And were it not, that women in our time are forbidden, to give them to good learnings, we should even now, have women more excellent in wit and learning than men. What should we hereof say, that women only by nature are seen to excel the very artificers in all sciences? Do not the Grammarians take upon them, to be the masters of eloquence? And that do we far better learn of our nurses and mothers, than of the Grammarians. Did not Cornelia form and fashion the tongues of her most eloquent sons Gracchi? Did not Istrineus mother, teach Syles the son of Aripithus, king of Scythia, the Greek tongue? did not the children borne of them that were sent to inhabit in strange countries, always observe and keep their mother's tongue, among strangers? Surely for none other cause Plato and Quintilian so diligently ordained a meet and convenient nurse for children to be chosen, but that the chyldernes tongue & speech might be rightly and discreetly formed. ¶ But now, be not the poets in their trifles & fables, & the logicians in their contentious talking overcome of women? There was never orator so good or so happy, that in persuasion could get the upper hand of an harlot? What arithmetrician by false reckoning, could deceive a woman in payment of her det? or what physician can compare with a woman in singing and sweetness of breast? Be not these Philosophers, these astrologians, in their divynations & forknowleges many times inferiors to the country wives? yea & very oft-times a silly old woman excelleth the physician: Socrates himself (above all other reckoned the most wise man) being very aged, did not disdain to be taught of the woman Aspasia. Like as Apollo, a man so well learned in Christis doctrine, was not ashamed to be taught of the woman Priscilla. ¶ Now for prudency, you may take for examples those women. Opis for her wisdom counted a goddess: Plotina wife of Troianus th'emperor: Amalasuntha, the queen of Ostrogottes: Emilia the wife of Scipio: with whom reckon Delbora, the wife of Labidoth, judic. 4. a marvelous wise woman, which (as we read in judicum) was a certain time judge over the people of Israel, and the children of Israel came up to her for judgement in all causes. And when Barach refused to go against their enemies, except she would go with him, Delbora was chosen captain of the host of Israel: and slaying and discomfiting their foes, she returned home with victory. ¶ More over, 4. Reg. 2. 2. Par. 22. it is red in the fourth book of kings, that queen Attalia reigned, & was sovereign judge in jerusalem seven years space. And Semiramis, after the death of king Ninus, judged the people xl years. And all the queens of Ethiope, called Candaces, were most wise, and reigned most mightily: of whomit is written in the acts of the apostles. Act. 8. And marvelous things of them speaketh the faithful writer of antyquytie josephus. 3. Reg. 10. Also Nicania, 2. Paral. 9 the queen of Saba, Matt. 12. came from the end of the world, Luce. 11. to here the wisdom of Solomon, and as Christ witnesseth, she shall condemn all the people of Jerusalem. And there was a certain wise woman of Thecoa, 2. Reg. 14. which concluded king David's demand with a question, 1, Reg 25. with a riddle she taught him, 3. Reg. 1. and by the example of god, suaged his wrath. Nor here we should not forget Abigail and Bathsaba, of which two Abigail delivered her husband, from the wrath of David, and after the death of her husband she was queen and wife of David. The other, the mother of Solomon, by her prudency obtained, that her son was king. ¶ More over, in the Invention of things, Isis, Minerva, Nicostrata, be examples. In ruling of realms, and building of cities women excel: Semiramis was the sovereign governor of the universal world: Dido was the builder and queen of Carthage: the Amazons were most worthy in war and politic in peace. In the bold bickerings of battle, what a woman was Thomiris the queen of Massagetaries? She overcame Cyrus the great conqueror and puissant king of Persians. Also Camilla, of the Volscians, and Valisca of Boheme, were two most mighty queens. We read of many other most noble women, which by their wonderful power and policy, in most extremity, and when there was no hope of help looked for, recovered their country, and restored it to wealth again. Among whom is judith, which saint Jerome highly praiseth with these words: Take judith the widow, the example of chastity, declare her with triumphant praise and perpetual commendation. For god gave her to be an example, not only for women, but also for men to follow, which for a reward of her chastity, armed her with such virtue, that she vanquished him that was invincible to all men, and subdued him, that no man could overcome. ¶ Further, 1. Reg. 20 we read, that a certain wise woman called unto her joab the captain, and delivered into his hands the head of Siba, the enemy of David, to the intent to save the city Abela, from destruction, which was the chief city of Israel. judic. 9 And a certain woman, threw a piece of a mill stone upon Abimelechs' head and broke his brain pan, executing the vengeance of god upon Abimelech, because he had done ill before god against his father, in slaying lxx of his brother upon one stone. ¶ So Hester, Hest. 7. 8. the wife of king Assuer, not only delivered her people from the most shameful death but also made them right honourable. ¶ when Coriolanus with the Volscians, had besieged Rome, & so sharply assailed it, that the Romans were not able to defend themselves against him: an ancient woman Veturia his mother, so handled the matter, that she overcame his rage and fury, and reconciled him again to the Romans. Artemisia, when the Rhodians came fiercely upon her, both disappointed them of their navy of ships, and conquered that Island, and set up her Image within the city of Rhodes, as a perpetual note of infamy unto them. ¶ How moche do the French men praise a young damsel, Anno dnni 1428. which being descended of a low lineage, took upon her after the manner of the Amazons, to lead the forward of the army: & she fought so valiantly, and had so good chance, that the French men believed verily, that by her prowess, they recovered the realm of France out of the english men's hands: And therefore, to the perpetual remembrance of her, they made an image of a maiden to be set up in orleans on the bridge over the river of Liger or Loier. I could yet rehearse out of the histories of the Greeks, of the Latins, and other barbarous nations innumerable moste excellent women, but to the end this work should not be to great a volume, I studied to be brief. For plutarch, Valerius, Bocatius, and many other have written the praise of noble women: And therefore I have spoken but little of their praises, but over passed very many things. For why, I am not so presumptuous, to think myself able, to comprehend in few words, the infinite nobilities & virtues of women. For who is able thoroughly and perfectly to recite the infinite praises of women, of whom we take all our life and substance, and in whom is all the conservation of mankind, the which else should perish and decay in short time: on whom also every family and common wealth dependeth? This thing was well known to the builder of Rome, which because he lacked women, ravy shed and carried away the Sabines daughters, not doubting the cruel war that should follow thereupon. For he knew, that such an empire would in short time perish, if they wanted women. And at last, when the capitol was taken by the sabines, and that in the mids of the market place, they fought most cruelly hand to hand, with the sudden running of the women between both the hosts, the battle cessed: and at the last a peace being made, and a truce taken, they concluded a perpetual amity. For the which cause Romulus registered these women's names in the courts and court rolls. And it was by the Romans assent decreed and written in the common tables, that women should not grind at the quyrne, nor drudge in the kitchen: nor the husband should not say: Wife, I give the this: nor the wife: Husband, I give you this: because they should know, that every thing between them was common. And hereof at length grew a custom, that when the new wedded wife was brought home, she would say: ubi tu, ego, that is where you be lord, I am lady: where you be master, I am mistress. Moreover, great honours tokens of high reverence and dignity were done to women by decree of the Senators, as these: that in the way they should go on the upper have: and that men should rise on their feet unto them & give them place. Furthermore, it was granted them, to wear purple garments, embrowdred about with gold, ornaments deeked with precious stones, rings at their ears, & chains of gold about their necks. And it was at the last decreed by the emperors laws, that as oft as any statute was made in any place, forbidding ornaments or apparel to be worn, women should not be comprehended under that law. Also it was granted them, to receive heritage and succession of goods, & the funerals of women to be celebrated and honourably kept, as the funerals of noble men were. For why on a time when a gift should be sent to Apollo Delphicus, as Camillus had vowed, and that there was not so much gold in the city: the women of their own good wills, brought in the jewels and ornaments of their bodies. ¶ And in the war that Cyrus made against Astyages, the Persians army was by the castigation of women reprehended, and being newly restored again, obtained a right worthy victory. For the which deed Cyrus made a law, that kings of the Persians entering into the city. should pay to every woman a piece of gold. The which thing also king Alexander, entering twice into that city paid twice. Ye and more over, he commanded the gift to be doubled to women with child. So from the most ancient kings of the persians and Romans, yea from the very beginning of the city of Rome and empire, women were had in all high honour and reverence: and the very emperors themselves esteemed them most highly. For justynian the emperor, in making of lame, thought it convenient, to have the counsel and advise of his wife. And in an other place, the law saith, that the wife shineth in the honour of her husband, and the brightness of his dignity beautifieth her, for the higher the husband is advanced in honour, the higher is his wife. So the emperors wife is called empress, the kings wife queen, the princes wife, the princess: and is thereby ennobled, how low so ever she be of birth. And Ulpian the lawyer saith. A prince that is to say, the Emperor or king, is above the laws, and although the empress is bond by the laws, yet the emperor freely granteth her as great privileges as he hath himself. Wherefore it is permitted unto noble women, to judge, to arbytrate and decide matters, to do and take homage and fealty, to keep courts, and minister justice among their tenants. And for this purpose, the woman may have covenant servants of her own, as well as the man may: and a woman may be judge, yea among strangers. She may also give name to her family and kindred: so that the children shallbe named after their mother, and not after their father. And in diverse places of the law civil, women have, touching their doweries, many great privileges granted them. Where among other things it is ordained, that a woman of good name and fame, shall not be imprisoned for debt, and the judge, that committeth her to prison, shall lose his heed. If she be suspected of any fault, she shall be put into a monastery or secret place, or else be delivered to women, to be imprysonde by them. For the law saith, A woman is of better state and condition than a man: and also in one self kind of offence, the man trespasseth more than the woman. Wherefore the man taken in adultery, loseth his head: but the woman adulterer is put into a monastery. Azo the Lawyer gethereth more privileges for the women in his Sum and brief Annotation upon the title named, Ad Senatus consultum velleianum, & Speculator upon the title De renuntiationibus. ¶ Also the ancient law makers and stablyshers of common wealths, the most grave, wise, and prudent men, Lycurgus I say, and Plato, knowing very well by the secrets of Philosophy, that women were not inferiors to men, neither in excellency of mind, nor in strength of body, nor in dignity of Nature, but like able unto all things, decreed and made laws, that women should exercise such masteries as men used, yea all feats pertaining to the war, in the bow, in the sling, in hurling of stones, in shooting, in fighting in armour, as well on horse back as on foot, in pitching of tents, in setting men in array, and couducting of an host: and to be brief, they ordained, that women should as commonly as men use all manner exercises. Let us read writers of antiquity, worthy to be believed, and we shall find, that in Getulia, Bactris, and Galletia, the manner was, that men gave themselves to ease and delicacy, and the women to blow and till the fields, to build, to buy and sell, to ride, to go on warfare, and to do all other things, which now among us the men do. Among the Cantabrians, men gave dowry to the women, brethren were given to marriage by their sisters, daughters were appointed to be heirs. Among the Scythians, the Thracians, and French men, all worthy deeds were as commonly done by women as by men, and in matters concerning war and peace, women were called to council, to give their advise and sentence. Which thing the Truce that the Celtes made with Hannibal, doth well declare to be true, by these words: If any of the Celtes complain, to have had wrong of any of the Carthaginences: of that thing let the rulers & officers of the Carthaginences, or else the capitains which shall be in Spain, be judges: If any of the Carthaginenses hath had any wrong done him, by any of the Celtes, let the women of the Celtes be judges, and determine that thing. But by the great tyranny of men, prevailing against the laws of god and nature, such liberty was given to women. ¶ Thou wilt say, that is now forbidden by laws, abolished by custom, extincted by education. For anon as a woman is borne even from her infancy, she is kept at home in idleness, & as though she were unmeet for any higher business, she is pmitted to know no farther, than her needle and her thread. And than when she cometh to age, able to be married, she is delivered to the rule and governance of aielous husband, or else she is perpetually shut up in a close nounrye. And all offices belonging to the common weal, be forbidden them by the laws. Nor it is not permitted to a woman, though she be very wise and prudent, to plead a cause before a judge. Furthermore, they be repelled in jurisdiction, in arbitrement, in adoption, in intercession, in procuration, or to be gardens or tutors, in causes testamentary and criminal. Also they be repelled from preaching of god's word, against express and plain scripture, in which the holy ghost promised unto them by johel the prophet, johel. 8. saying: And your daughters shall prophecy and preach: like as they taught openly in the time of the apostles: as it is well known, that Anna the widow of simeon, the daughters of Philip, and Priscilla, the wife of Aquila did. But the unworthy dealing of the later law makers is so great, that breaking god's commandment, to stablish their own traditions, they have pronounced openly, that women otherwise in excellency of nature, dignity, and honour most noble, be in condition more vile than all men: And thus by these laws, the women being subewed as it were by force of arms, are constrained to give place to men, and to obey their subdewers, not by no natural, no divine necessity or reason, but by custom, education, fortune, and a certain tyrannical occasion. ¶ Furthermore, there be some men, which by religion, claim authority over women, and they prove their tyranny by holy scripture: the which have this cursed saying, spoken to Eve, continually in their mouth: Genes. 2. Thou shalt be under the power of man, and he shall have lordship over the. But if it be answered unto them, that Christ took away that cursed saying: they will object again the words of Peter, ●. Pet. 3. with whom Paul agreeth, Ad col. 3. saying: Ad eph. 5● Let women be in subjection of their husoandes. Let women in the church keep silence. But he that knoweth the divers figures of Scripture, and the effects of the same, shall soon see, that these things be not repugnant but in the rind. Rom̄. 2. For this is the order in the church, Act. 10. that men in ministration shall be preferred before women: like as the jews in promission are before the Greeks: yet nevertheless God is not accepter of persons. For in Christ neither male nor female is of value, but a new creature. And many things were permitted unto men, for the hardness and cruelty of their hearts against women: as in times past divorces were granted unto the jews, which for all that nothing hurteth the dignity of women: But when men commit offence and err, the women have power of judgement over them, to the great shame and rebuke of men. And that quiene Saba shall judge the men of jerusalem. Therefore they, which being justified by faith: are become the sons of Abraham, the children I say of promission, be subdued to a woman, and bounden by the commandment of god, saying to Abraham: what so ever Sara saith unto thee, follow it. ¶ Now at last, Gene. 21. briefly to recollect, first, I have showed the great excellency of womankind, by her name, order, place, and matter, and what great dignity she hath obtained of god above man: Farther I have declared it by religion, nature, human laws, by divers authorities, reason and examples, mingling one with an other. And yet have I not so much said, but that I have left moche more unspoken. For neither Ambition, nor the cause of mine own commendation, but my duty and the very truth moved me to write: lest that I, as one committing sacrilege (holding my peace) should seem privily to steal and bribe away by a certain wicked silence, from so noble a kind, the laudes and praises due to it, as it were, burienge in the ground the talent that god hath given me. But if any man more curious than I, shall find any argument or reason, that hath escaped me, which he thinketh worthy to be added to this my book, I will not reckon myself blamed, but rather helped thereby, in that this my work, by his wit and cunning, he wool make better. Therefore lest this work should grow to over great a volume, here I make an end FINIS. A Londini in aedibus Thomae Bertheleti typis impress Cum pri. nilegio ad imprimendum solum. ANNO. M.D.XLII.