¶ A Dialogue defensive for women/ against malicious detractoures. ¶ The Prologue. ¶ To the right worshipful and his singular good master Arthur Hardberde▪ Robert Vaghane sendeth most hearty greeting. TO you master Arthur, my service premised As reason of right, requireth to recompense Your gentle heart, which hath not despised Afore this time, to take with benevolence My writings unworthy, full of vain sentence which kindness considered, good cause doth constrain And duty me driveth▪ to do my diligence with some small gift, for to requite again. ¶ Your bownteous benygnytie, imboldeth my rudeness This treatise following, unto you to dedicate which to mine hands, occurryde doubtless As I on my journey, was riding but late By a friend of mine, with whom I was associate As by chance I asyghted, at a certain place which willed me then, that I would algate So forth and talk with him, a little space. ¶ Than secretly, he did unto me commit Against detraction, this dialogue defensive For the woman sakes, both necessary and fit when privy reprehendeth, against them list to strive Of whose vice the circumstance, he plainly doth describe That through avarice, the sin insatiable detractors swarm, as bees about an hive where felonous flattery, to them is profitable. ¶ I took the volume, and read therein apace And well perceived at the first sight It was feigned in favour, of one in your case Howbeit I would not ask him, what she height But unto him, I said anon full right what is your mind, that I herein do shall For fain I would, if it lay in my might Your mind accomplish, what soever befall. ¶ I would said he, if it your pleasure were That you would vouchsafe, at my hand to take This little small volume, your name for to bear whose fantasy with feigning, is set for to make Lest slander perchance, his sharp sown out shake To move me malice, which only mean rest Your name may cause, such noises to asslake Therefore present it, where as you think best. ¶ Than in my mind, I thought that you were Your cause considered, and also your estate Most worthy to whom, I might send or bear It to present, or else to dedicate And because it declareth, how the Pies do prate And what them causeth, such prating to use I trust in God, it shall your mind recreate Through to read it, if you will not refuse. ¶ And of your thanks, to me I require No part at all, sens mine is not the pain But of your gentleness, I humbly you desire That he may have thanks, that labours doth sustain And as to myself, no thake I will claim Sens thank to pain, is ever consequent Yet notwithstanding, while life doth remain Mine heart and service, shall be at your commandment. ¶ This Dialogue, as diamond dearly dight And as a (week) most worthily wrought Shining with eloquence, as star doth of light Me thinks that you, of reason most ought As she that with pain, experience hath bought Have in your custody, as answer for your cause As the free Falcon, hath you herein taught Yourself to defend, against pies and dawse. FINIS. ¶ Robert Vaghane to the reader. REde gentle Reader, all rigour set apart Only with indyfferencye, ponder this argument Be not weighed with wilfulness, that oft doth truth subvarte Enterlet no partiality in judgement Remember this rule, that justice in election Taketh no place in will nor affection. ¶ Bend not then in judgement, although perchance Unto the hath be extended, a ancient occasion requiring against women, to have thy defiance Do not consent, to such a light parswasyon Ever consider, it is a made affection To judge all imperfect, though one lack perfection. ¶ Railing without reason, void of humanity Outraging and lewd, for lack of intelligence Blinded through ignorance, with mists of sensuality Evermore the Pie, setteth out her sentence Relating her malice, by unjust accusation This shall ye perceive, by the Falcon's declaration. ¶ Bestow not then thy labour, to prate with the Pie Unjustly accusing, thy nowrysshe and mother Reed and record, how the Falcon doth reply Defending the femalles, with Authors one and other Evermore alleged, and noted in the mergent The gentle reader, to satisfy and content. FINIS. ¶ The Author speaketh. IN the month of December, when phoebus the bright with his motion had entered in to the first degree Of Capricorn, when long is the night And the day time, most in brevytie Than snows lieth deep, upon the hills high waters congyled, in to ice hard and thick Trees, plants, and Herbs, seem than to die Few things growing, appear to be quick The wether most bitter, with winds sharp and cold Causeth great company, together to resort Unto the fire side, where ale good and old Merely they drink, their hearts to comfort Early in a morning, in this month of Decembre From sleep I arose, and to my study went Before all things than, I did remember That time of every man, should fruitfully be spent At the first by chance, I red an oration Most pleasantly set forth, with flowers rhetorical describing the monstrous vice of detraction The daughter of eunye, the fury infernal whose pestilent poison, as canker doth creep Among all people, in City, Tower, and Town bringing Innocentes, in to pains deep And from their good names, it doth them cast down By reading this Author, I was pensive in my heart As one that had proved, his words to be true Sorrows constrained me, to lay this book apart The remembrance thereof, my pains did renew Anon I espied in the Orient That dame Aurora, to me did appear And the Son with his beams, as gold resplendent To our Orizont, began to draw near with speed than my study, and books, I did forsake Intending all thoughts, from my mind to expel And toward a Forest, the way did I take Nat far from the parties, where I did dwell In this Forest fair, as I walked a while Beholding high trees, with arms long and wide Suddenly within the space of a mile An Arbour most pleasant, there I espied To that place of pleasure, for my recreation with speed I approached, it made my heart light Anon I was taken, with great admiration Of all the fair pleasures, when I had a sight This place was environed, with Hedgyes three Of Hauthorne thick, three dyches deep cast Three waters there were, which I did see In to the Arbour by them, as I passed Okes that were old, in the first hedge were growing And Elines in the second, that large were and long In the third Hedge, with bows down bowing Many trees together, were thrust in a throng The Ash and the Asp, with his leaves that do quake The Box and the Beyche, together did stand The Cork causing slippers, to crack and to crack with the Ewe tree, a defence to this land The Plane and the Poplar, there I did see The sallow, the Pine, and the Maple round The holy with his pricks, and the walnut tree with the Fyr and the Hasyll, hanging to the ground In the mids a Cypress, I did espy bordered with olives, in circle round And under the Cypress, down did I lie where benches on each side, were made above the ground These trees to behold, in my mind I did muse Of all kinds there growing, and in order set All pleasures worldly, I would refuse To have such an Arbour, if I might it get Such flagraunt savours, such odours sweet I never felt in the month of May Against all dolour, a medicine most sweet Is to this Arbour, to take the ready way As in this place pleasant, myself I did comfort with savours sovereign, and colours good for sight A Falcon and a Pie, to the same did resort And over my head, in the Cypress they did light Great strife was between them, with argumentation Their opinions contrary seemed unto me The Pie prated fast, with moche contention And said that her sentence, needs true must be. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ The Falcon most gentle, with sober behaviour Said jangling words, the troth do not try And few wise men, I think do favour The lightness of a prating Pye. ¶ The Pye. ¶ The Pie than answered, with words full of yar And said, my sayings I will never deny Of women I look, to have no hyar Nought is their nature, their wits not worth a fly. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ All things said the falcon, Deut. 32. of God's creation As scripture recordeth, Gen. 10. be perfit in their kind woman was create, by divine operation perfit in body, in reason, will, and mind. ¶ The Pye. ¶ perfit? who there said the Pie I the pray Perfection in woman, shall never take place Vnperfyt she is, and rude always In body, and in soul, void of all grace. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ In the old law, thou mayst plainly see Said the Falcon, that God's creatures all Be sound and perfit, without deformity A bongler or a butcher, thou cannest not God call But if thou wilt scripture, leave and forsake And fly unto reason, with me to contend In what thing tell me, did God woman make So unperfect, that thou canst not her nature commend. ¶ The Pye. ¶ In her body said the Pie, she lacketh perfection Both faint and feeble, labours to sustain Hearted as an hen, she needeth protection She can neither suffer the wind, nor the rain. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ If strength of body, with huge and great quantity pre-eminence quoth the Falcon, do prove and infer Among all creatures, than man in dignity To divers brute beasts should far be under In Lion, Elephant, Bear, Bull, and Bore quantity in body, boldness, strength, and might In plenty and abundance, be seen evermore No man hath like, thou mayst see with thy sight Yet these beasts all, be subject to man For all their hougenes, he is highest in degree wherefore gifts bodily, neither may nor can pre-eminence in nature, prove where they be If shape of body, that seemly is in sight If countenance comely, if beauty give perfection Than must thou needs grant, that woman of right Aught before man, be taken in election But corporal qualities, as beauty, strength, or shape Boldness or greatness, no proof can make Of nobility in man, in him though thou them lap Sens brute beasts of nature, these qualities take And like as their presence, no dignity can bring Unto man nor perfection, so on the other side Their lack and absence of imperfection nothing Can prove in woman, in whom they do not bide. ¶ The Pye. Yet human perfection, than said the Pie In gifts of the soul, doth chiefly consist As reason and knowledge, thou cannest not deny Nor against this verity, thou cannest not resst ¶ The Falcon. ¶ I grant said the Falcon, that the power intellective Of the soul, with reason and liberty of will Set man in perfection, as his gifts primitive By help whereof, Gods laws he doth fulfil. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Than prove shall I lightly, that woman is Vnperfyt said the Pie, and bestial of kind Sens these powers spiritual, by nature she doth miss And none of them all, in her thou mayst find Of knowledge she hath, no more than a Calf In judgement as wise, as a Capon or a Gander And the troth of her to speak, in this behalf Her wit is apish, and in lewdness doth wander To rail and to scold, no tongue she doth lack To invent mischief, she is not to seek Of craft and deceit, she hath a great pack But in goodness, her wit is not worth a leek. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ That woman hath these powers rehearsed above Of the soul said the Falcon, that add such perfection Unto mankind, by reason I shall prove That in this matter, shall be her protection Theffect without the cause, can never be found For between them, there is mutual relation Let this be of my reasoning the ground And hark what shall follow, in true declaration Knowledge in learning, as in the arts seven In natural philosophy, and moral also To make disputation, of the bodies of heaven And of earthly creatures, in their places lying so Faculties and crafts, to invent and find out And chances to tell, are they come a long season All these to be th'effects, no man doth doubt Of the intellective power, the will and the reason. ¶ The Pye. ¶ what woman, I pray the than said the Pie These gifts have had, that effects thou dost call Except thou be doubtless, disposed to lie Thou cannest rehearse none, neither great nor small. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ I can said the Falcon, rehearsal to the make Of more such women, than thou hast in the conditions gentle, wherefore good heed take And thou shalt here named, more than two or three Carmentes the maid, first did invent Our latin letters, as writers do tell Her industry and labour, with will and intent In memory perpetual, do cause her to dwell The ix virgins pure, that musyes we call The vii arts liberal, did first to us find And pleasant poetry, containing matter moral Under Fables feigned, these maids did combined Mynerua, which also Pallas was named As goods was taken, of art and sapience Because that in Grecia, she first set and framed plants, shrubs, and trees, as Authors give evidence The use of armour, the helmet, and breast plate with enginings wonderful, and fortresseys strong For wars with her policy, she did first excogytate The rehearsal of her acts, requireth time long Diotima a maiden, high knowledge had In philosophy, through whose fame and report Socrates the Philosopher, most grave and sad To her commyne Lecture, did come and resort Leontium also, a woman most wise Against Theophrast, with orations did contend And works most excellent, she did devise Against detractors, women to defend Paula and Eustochium, were learned right well Unto whom Hierome, of high estimation epistles and works, the troth for to tell divers did write, for their recreation In our country native, women thou mayst see In both tongues expert, the Latin and the Greek In Rethorycke and poetry, excellent they be And with pen to indite, they be not to seek If women in youth, had such education In knowledge and learning, as men use to have Their works of their wits, would make full probation And that of men council, they need not to crave. ¶ The Pye. ¶ These Examples excel, if they be unfeigned Said the Pie, for women to the stars they extol In natural knowledge, now am I constrained To grant that woman hath, moche in her noll. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ I shall prove said the Falcon, that supernatural Knowledge in woman, may well take place prophecy I mean, the gift celestial In to the soul infused, by especial grace Cassandra daughter, to Pryamus the king A lady most fair, did show the destruction Of noble Troy, when it was most flourishing That by Paris acts, it should come to confusion The ten maidens gentiles, that Varro doth call The Sybylles, this gift of prophecy received Of marvels they did speak, before they did fall Such as trusted their sayings, were not deceived Sybylla Tyburtyna, Lactant. q̄ gentiles did write in her book That messias in Betheleem, of a maid should be borne And that in Nazareth, man's nature he took Man to redeem, that by sin was forlorn Sybylla Erythrca, as Lactancyus doth record The process of the Passion, most plainly doth express How the jews unjustly, their sovereign Lord Oppressed with pains, and deadly distress His buffyttes, his scourging with whips that did cut His crown of throne, with pricks sharp and long The eisell and gall, that to his mouth were put These things she describe, and all his other wrong The Eclipse of the Son, that made men to quake with works that were wonderful, seen at that season His dolorous death, that amendeds did make For man's misdeed, and for his high treason All these she describe, by divine revelation Long time before they came to effect And as saint austin maketh recitation Of domes day, De civit. Dei. li. 18. sect. 110. the fearful signs she did detect In the acts of the Apostles, Luke doth recite Act. 110. How philip the evangelist, had daughters four All virgins clean, with whom was the sprite Of prophecy, as they Sybylles had before wherefore since women, such knowledge have had Both natural pure, and nature exceeding who doubteth in this, except he be mad whither they have reason, with the power of understanding But these two powers, set man in perfection And from brute beasts, they do him exclude women have the same, as I have made induction Ergo they be perfit, I may well conclude. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Although I must grant, that they of nature be perfit said the Pie, Esa. 14. made by God's creation So is the devil, yet in Hell lieth he By divine sentence, in endless damnation. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ What meanest thou, that murderer to mind Said the Falcon, that man did take in his snare Our disputation, is of woman kind which unto the devil, thou mayst not compare. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Between two extremes, Arystot. that in qualities agre comparison may be made, than said the Pie The devil and woman, be like in degree Their end is to have, an evil destiny. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ why women said the Falcon, make me relation More than men, such fortune should have Sens man and woman, be of God's creation Mat. 〈◊〉 He denieth no mercy, to them that do it crave. ¶ The Pye. ¶ where vice is reigning, 〈◊〉 come ●os. ●0 than said the Pie punishment must follow, thou knowest right well All vice reigneth in women, this is no lie Therefore in pains, they must needs dwell. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ The Falcon than answered, mild in his mode saying Pie from thy railing, thyself remove christ that suffered death, racked on a road Forbid that ever, thou should this prove. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Prove said the Pie, what mastery is this? who put man I pray thee, in his first creation From Paradyse, that place of pleasure and bliss But woman, through the devils temptation? And therefore doubtless, I may her well call The fountain and wellspring, of all calamity For through her pride, sin original Did ysshewe with death, to all her posterity And like as the first woman, Eve I do mean Did sow the seed, of all iniquity So sith her time, women maintain All sin and vice, in most enormity wavering they be, and light as the wind Crewellas' Tigers, than lucifer more proud And trust in them, no man can find She is no woman, that can lie loud Of carnal pleasures, they be insatiable In battyll, bloody bold Barones' for them die woman to man, was never profyttable But full of cost, who can this deny? ¶ The Falcon. ¶ A proverb proved said the Falcon, I find The barking of a Cur, no King can restrain So no man can cause, the malicious mind Of the prating Pie, from railing to refrain. ¶ The Pye. ¶ A prater I am called, because I it the nail Even upon the head, than said the Pie when I say the troth, thou sayest I rail Yet my true sayings, thou cannest not deny. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Nothing said the Falcon, is more repugnant Unto the troth, than thy sayings all And that may be proved, by reasons abundant Deduced of principles theological From Parydyse pleasant, as thou dost say Adam was expulsed, Gen. ●0. with his posterity That Eve was full cause, I do say nay whom thou dost call, the mother of misery As Eve God's commandment, there did transgress So did Adam, as the story doth tell The son of a maid, their offence did redress whose death did break, the brasones durres of hell Now for as much, Psal. 14. 〈◊〉. as disobedience Of both our first parents, God's rat did provoke It was not all only, the woman's offence whereby mankind, did suffer God's stroke And as divines make declaration If Adam had never, 21. 〈◊〉. distinct. ●2. consented to sin In Paradyse mankind, should have had habitation Although Eve before, to offend did begin wherefore thou janglar, now mayst thou well see Against our first mother, thy unjust accusation saying that man is proved, cause for to be As well as the woman, of all tribulation. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Than chattered the Pie, and said with high voice Though it be so, as thou tellest to me Beware yet in women, lest thou rejoice They will deceive thee, by mutability. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ who is said the Falcon, all times at one stay Through this world wide, Eccle. 1. and never mutable Man is subject, to passions always His life in this world, must needs be variable. ¶ The Pye. ¶ I grant said the Pie, but this is my mind All women of promise, be ever unstable Their fantasies change, and turn as the wind And double be their deeds, this is no fable. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ In revolving of stories, said the Falcon then Of women steadfastness, much mayst thou read On the contrary part, thou shaft find of men That they have been false, in word and in deed what kingdoms noble? what Cities of price By treason have perished, as chronicles tell contrived through the false device Of cowharde Captains, that there did dwell who betrayed the high king, our saviour jesus Pains for to suffer, with extreme passion But judas unjust, and traitor untrue which hanged himself, through desperation Aeneas with Antenor, Troy did betray And gave it to the Greeks, that were void of compassion Than perished that City, as the story doth say The treason of those Traitors, caused great lamentation Few fields be fought, without treason I dare say Of one part or other, few kingdoms be won without privy packing, for treason doth decay more cities and countries, than battyll axe or gone If steadfastness were stablished, substantially in men And gravity were groved, in rulers that be light If promise were performed, if the commandments ten Of man were well observed, both by day and night Then constant I might call him, but since the faith faileth And treason with all vice, in him hath taken place Therefore him to praise, syttell it availeth For mutable he is, and turneth in small space That women be constant, and true as fine steel Examples we read, of Penoclope And Lucrecya, that sorrows did felt Both matrons noble, as stories do say Hester the queen, 〈…〉. fair Judith most chaste As scripture doth say, their people did save From cruel death, when all hope was passed Among the men, such grace God them gave who can describe, with pen or with tongue The constant virtue, of Susan most kind Unto her husband, the story is long In Danyell the Prophet, Dan. 〈…〉. thou mayst it find The mother of the Machabeiss, that vii were in number Exhorted her children, martyrdom to take Her steadfastness caused, all men to wondre No pain could cause her, the faith to forsake The woman of Chananee, Ma. 150. of Chryst was commended For her faith unfeigned, and steadfast belief By her prayer devout, her daughter was amended That by vexation of a devil, suffered moche grief Of virgins most chaste, what need I to speak As Katherine, Margaret, and many thousands more No Tyrayne could cause them, their vows to break Their thastyte to save, they suffered much woe At Christ'S death, Marci. 140. when the Apostles all Their master did leave, through mutabylytie Men were found light, and trundling as a ball In them was no faith, but infidelity In one woman than, all faith did remain when men did shrink, and turn as the wind Mary Christ'S mother, it is that I mean No sorrow could cause, her faith to untwind Examples for this matter, almost innumerable I could here recite, if time would permit That women of deed and word, be right stable But here be enough, for them that have wit. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Yet women said the Pie, be great confusion Unto all men, for in battle bold Of blood they have caused, oft great effusion Of their mischief, moche in stories is told. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Thy fables feigned, make small probation Unto thy purpose, the Falcon did say when didst thou read, in true declaration That women cause batteyll, by night or by day. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Did not fair Helen, than said the Pie Of Troy the city, cause the destruction when the strong walls, with towers and towrrettes high By the Greeks did fall, and had there subversion. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ where malice is reigning, there false accusation Doth follow said the Falcon, in field and in town Therefore of Troy, thou sayest the desolation was caused by Helen, the woman of renown Did not Alyxaunder, his lust to fulfil son to king Priam's, by strength steal away Fair Helen from the Greeks, against her own will when she her hands wrong, how cannest thou say nay If weeping tears, if sygtes sore and sad If lamentation, might then have prevailed Fair Helen had escaped, Paris most mad From Grecye in to Troy, with her when he feased And though battyll bloddye, with murder most miserable Between these two nations, enshewed to their pain The adulterate it caused, by deed detestable which could not from lust, his body restrain what mountain mighty, what sees rough and deep Have men passed through, as beasts without wit Their rayging hath caused, good women to weep with violence constrained, their lust to admit Such myschyfes many men, oft have precured And yet they cease not, the same to support As to wching this matter, I am full assured All their madness fully, I can not report. ¶ The Pye. ¶ I can report than, said the Pie That women be cruel, and love to be in strife Cursed no cain, thou canst not deny Angry as the wasp, widow, maid, and wife. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ The fair Falcon answered, with words that were wise saying Pie thou art peevish, and blind as a block No man with reason may the suffice Thy malice is marvelous, and stiff as a stock Thou railest against reason, when thou dost impute Yar unto women, with cruel condition For unto the contrary, I shall dispute Their patience and pity, in perfit dilection Heat causeth yar, Arystotle in man and in beast Of yarfull heart, crewelnes doth spring where cruelty doth dwell, compassion hath no rest For contraries together, Arystotle can have no biding what causeth fierceness, in Lion, wolf, and bear In Boars that be brim, and mastyffes much of might which all in their rayging, in pieces rend and tear Their praise that they take, by day or else by night what moveth man, so fierce for to be And cruel of deed, as beast would and wild But heat causing yar, when he without pity In war doth destroy, the mother with the child And like as heat fervent, yar doth inflame In man and in beast, and cruel them doth make So colons contrary, crewelnes doth tame Causing man and beast, to shiver and to quake women in their nature, be cold as a key In respect of men, wherefore inclination To be yarfull or cruel, from them is a way And petty most tender, in them hath habitation who is so sad, of crewelnes to here In spoiling or murdre, as these women be For frays and for feyghtynges, they make heavy cheer Upon every man's hindrance, they take great petty what weeping tears? Luce. 2● what sore lamentation Did women make, in Jerusalem Vyon the lambs death, taking compassion That borne was of mother, Mat. 10. and maid in Bethleem But men at that time, as beasts rayging mad Their high king and maker, did nail to a tree At that season tell me, whither men had Like unto women, compassion and petty. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Admit that thy reasons, did fully conclude For women said the Pie, as thou dost infer Yet profit from them, thou must needs exclude Their husbands they bring, in det and danger Ease they love all, to labour they disdain wafters they be of money, meat, and cloth And from the black bowl, they can not refrain To speak all I know by them, I am loath. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ I am full loath, the Falcon did say Unto the Pie, such railing to here Nothing is true, thou speakest here this day Thy fables be feigned, and false this is clear A woman's office, as Arystotle taught In his Econymyckes, primseco noca. ●0. is ready for to make Such things for sustenance, as to her be brought Her family to feed, that pains and labours take All richesse procured, by night or else by day Through the man's travail, in field or in town The wife with her wisdom, must keep from decay And suffer no profit, in loss to fall down By practs I prove, in places as I pass The prudent policy, in such gubernation Of women that wisely, the world do compass In most honest manner, to their commendation what labour of body, do they oft sustain what break of sleep, when they should rest take with honesty their husbands, and house to maintain These things to fulfil, no pains they forsake Men divers I have know, to waste, spill, and spend At drinkings and games, such richesse as they had when women full busylye, did labour to amend Their husbands lewdness, that made them full sad wherefore since women, their duties do fulfil As I have declared, without feigned fable They rail without reason, and speak all at will That say unto men, they be not profyttable crying in his cradle, at his first beginning when man doth lie rocked, not able to stand who doth him than feed, with meats nourishing But woman that to help him, doth put to her hand who can women lack, in sickness or in health To wash and to wring, and meats to prepare A comfort they be, in poverty and wealth Unto all men, to whom they repair And therefore scripture, Gen. 10. doth woman call An helper to man, in every distress when fortune faileth, and causeth him to fall chief remedy she is, of all his heaviness And though thou Pie prating, by unjust accusation All kinds of vice, to women hast object Yet in all virtues, they have delectation And therefore of God, I think them effect Humble they be, and lowly in heart pitiful and patient, with sober behaviour And continence from them, doth never depart with diligence for virtues, they do ever labour. ¶ The Pye. ¶ How canst thou them virtuous, and chaste of life call Said the Pie, that men by subtile provocation Move unto vice, and cause them to fall No devil unto woman, is like in temptation Meandre the flood, that maketh men to muse And laborious labyrynth, that Dedalus devised Such windings and turnings, never did use As women in temptation, for men have contrived All gifts of nature, they incline to provoke Man unto pleasure, and his reason to blind And with Cupydes dart, to give him a stroke Thus clean and fresh men, in bondage they bind Their countenance smiling, as the messenger of love Their eyes most wanton, ever roll and turn Upon sights seemly, and all things above Because love them burneth, they desire to burn Their hands and fingers, for this they keep white Dashed full of rings with many a precious stone To show their pretty feet, they have great delight On their toes how they trip, to see it is alone They laughed, they speak, they sing, they dance The lusts of love, in youth, to inflame Their garmentis be garnished, after the guise of France And to use painted words, their tongues be not lame They breasts they lay forth, as a Boucher doth his flesh To be sold in the shambles, and over them they lay A fine lace of silk, with an owche that is fresh Or else a small chain, that was gotten in their play And as an horse master, that to a fair doth bring His Horses all plaited, the mane and the tail So women their hear, as gold wire shining They wrap, plead, and plat, young lovers to assail But Paul unto Tymothe, 〈◊〉 Timoth. 20. a document doth give Unto all women, such fyghtnes to despise And so doth Peter, 1. Pe. ●0. which saith they should live not in wanton apparel, but in sad and sober wise I dare not now speak, how some do counterfeit The colours of their faces, as they were natural Strange hear also, for their heads they do get Of their musks, posies, & pommanders, I make no rehearsal All these pretty tricks, these pretty dames do use In to Venus' dance, young Rufflers to assure How canst thou Falcon say, but their gifts they abuse Defend them in this matter, thou canst not I am sure. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Stop there said the Falcon, and hark to me a season For thy bragging boasts, lightly I shall make base And declare unto thee, by invincible reason That deliberate discretion, in the doth take no place Shameless thou art surely, thus shamefully to speak That man to vice is moved, by woman's provocation For women of clean living, be oft moved to break Their chastity by churls, that chafe them by temptation what painted words, woman's love to allure what tokens that be trick, do these men use what rings, what hearts of gold fine and pure which women do utterly contemn and refuse And when by such tokens, men can not obtain Their purpose and will, than they do invent Letters of love, expressing their pain And privily by messengers, they be forth sent If letters be contemned, if writings take no place Than labours do lovers, in their own persons take They ride and they run, many miles in small space And move honest women, chaste life to forsake with sighs seeming sorrowful, their folly they express with weepings their words, be mixed for to move Pytefully complaining, of deadly distress Thus women to deceive, all wiles they do prove But if all their glossings, their matters can not speed If their tokens with their trynkettes, & letters be despised Than oft constant women, they bring in great dread when by violent oppression, they have them defylled Dyna that to jacob the patriarch, Gen. 34. was daughter By Sychem was oppressed, as scripture doth tell In punishment of his violence, there followed great slaughter Among all the people, that in his city did dwell In the city of Gabaa, Iud●●. what abomination Did men commit, against the levities wife The wide world may wondre, of their bestial fashion For among them by oppression, the woman lost her life Did not Anon, 11. Reg● 130. that soon was to david the king chaste Thamar oppress, his sister natural After which act, he had not long liking For absolon his brother, gave him wounds mortal Lucrecya the Roman a matron right famous Defiled by oppression, of Tarquimus soon After the deed, both shameful and vyldynous On a sword that was sharp and keen, she did rone Such dolour deadly, his heart did oppress Through the deed most detestable, by violence committed That death most dreadful, to end her distress Before life in efection, she thought to be admitted Many thousands more of maids, widows, and wives Most tyrannous torments, as writers do tell Have suffered, and also have lost their lives Their chastity to save, and tyrants to repel They be received, ergo I may conclude Upon thy words, that authority they bring And from my sayings, all fables the exclude As touching the examples, of women's good living But now to return, after long digression To our matter intended, mine examples declare That men much have used, crafty instigation women to wrap, in the devylled net and snare And as provocation, hath been in times passed Of men much used, the cleanness to subvert Of women continent, so such as live chaste Be now provoked, from elennes to avert They be not women, that their gifts do abuse Of nature and of grace, and to vice them apply But men most sensual, that study and muse Daily their lust to fulfil in lechery Now I pray the Pie plainly, as it is in thy thought Speak here thy mind, whither more doth provoke The man that doth seek, or the woman that is sought The troth hereof should cause thee, thy railing to revoke Dost thou not daily, with thine eyes see How men mazed with love, to women make shoot And on the other part, few or none they be Of women to whom such vice, thou mayst impute. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Now am I constraynted, to grant said the Pie By reason and experience, that all provocation Of man cometh commonly, for I can not deny Of thy sayings and examples, the sufficient probation But yet for their raiment, all gorgeous and gay Reprehended of the Apostles, both Peter and Paul In excuse of the werars, what canst thou now say If this matter thou defend, than wise I the call. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Full sharp be the sayings, said the Falcon in deed Of these two Apostles, that raiment reprehend And decking of women, yet if thou take good heed Thou shalt find that women, they little byscommende Saint Austen to these sayings, August●. answer doth make Of both these Apostles, and saith that none offence Riseth of raiment, when women do take Unto discretion, diligent advertence If after the custom, of their country they use Raiment right royal, and according to their state Secluding vain glory, if they do refuse All purpose in lovers, lust carnal to instigate Than sin is avoided, for who so decked was In garments most gorgeous, as Hester the queen As the beams of the Son, shining through the glass with gold and pearls, to glister she was seen Even so did Judith, herbewtye augment with apparel of great price, that caused admiration Yet these women both, for their good intent Of scripture deserved praise, and commendation. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Thou seemest said the Pie, all manner to commend And use of raiment, be it never so vain Yet Paul unto Tymothe, did utterly intend All women from vanity, in raiment to restrain. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ nothing I think less, said the Falcon I the tell Than against the sayings, of Paul for to speak All vanity in raiment, the Apostle doth repel All vanity in the same, my mind is to break. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Be plain in thy terms, said the Pie I the pray And distinctly declare, what thy meaning is By vanity of raiment, for nothing can I say To the if thy mind herein, I do miss. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ So oft said the Falcon, as women raiment use Against the guise of their country, or above their degree And power be decked, so oft they take and choose In wearing their apparel, follysshe vanity vanity in raiment, also I do call when for praise or vain glory, raiment is worn Or else to provoke, and cause men to fall In to lust of the body, when reason is forlorn. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Do not women said the Pie, their raiment abuse All these four ways, which thou dost express In most vain manner, thou canst not excuse Herein the femyne sex, nor their lightness redress. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ I know not said the Falcon, the surety to say That any so live, but if thou such find what canst thou infer, now in the way Of reasonning, against the whole kind. ¶ The Pye. ¶ If one be nought, so be all the rest I say said the Pie, of the femyne gendre For among them all, she that is best would be loath of her life, a reckoning to render. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ In raising unreasonable, thou ragest against right Said the Falcon, when thou dost of few women's vice Infer all the rest, in their living to be light If thou hearken thy blind err, shall be open at a trice Some men be murderers, should I therefore call All mankind murderers, some thieves and traitors be Should I therefore say, all men do fall In to the same vice? no that were madness plainly Because Cayn did murdre, Gen. 40. therefore did his brother Abel the same, Mala. 1. Esau was reject And forsaken of God, in the womb of his mother was therefore jacob refused of God, ad ●0. 90. and also neglect horrible heresies these blind sayings be If they be defended, and by scripture confounded And who is so blind, but he may well see That these saying? against women of reason, be not grounded For what railing heretycke, so shameless canst thou find To say that our Lady, the virgin most pure was light in her living, or corrupt in her mind Because pleasure some women, to lust did allure Cease therefore thy sayings, and railing most rude Condemn not a multitude, that innocent is As though from all goodness, thou wouldest them exclude Because that a few, be found to do amiss Because that a few, be both light and vain In raiment and apparel, against the Apostles rule Thou mayst not therefore, of the whole flock complain As though every woman, from virtue did recoil But many there be, to sayings evil so prone And daily in the same, accustomed to sleep That slanders cansing many, to sigh and to groan As pastimes they take, when Innocentes do weep. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Yet the master said the Pie, may lawfully speak Of his servant his pleasure, be it false or true Like manner the husband, doth not God's precept break when he is wife's sorrows, with slander doth renew. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Blind was the first err, and every naked nought But this is moche worse, said the Falcon in very deed christ that man's soul, with his death dearly bought Forbid that this err, come in christian man's creed Dost thou not find, daclared in scripture That Chryst is the fountain, johannes 140. of troth and verity That man hath by grace, he hath by his nature This troth is the way, to the celestial city As troth man to heaven, doth condyth and guide So by falseness and lies, that nocyvous be Slanderers suddenly, to hell slip and slide where ever they shall rest, in careful calamity For david the prophet, Psal. 14. in his Psalm doth record That sclaunderars and liars, to endless perdition Shall fall by just sentence, of the heavenly lord when sin shall be rewarded, with right retribution The wise man also, Sapped. 1. beareth witness to this matter And saith that the mouth, the soul doth slay and kill Of that man which delighteth, of slanders to clatter And the names of good people, with detraction to spill Now for as much, as deadly detraction To all people is damnable, no state or degree Excepted at all, therefore dreadful damnation All men deserve, that of their wives sclaunderars be And it is commonly said, that on the devil to lie Offence and sin it is, is it not than offence Against christian women, with sclaundars out to cry Of whose gentle nature, man should speak in defence Paul saith that man, Ad eph. 5 should love his wedded wife As his own body, and cherish her always Against Paul they do plainly, that love to be in strife with their wives, whose names with slander they decay Peace therefore Pie, and this opinion pevyshe That men may rail their pleasure, speak thou no more For slander is a matter, of all other most thievish The offence thereof doubtless, deserveth sorrows sore And if blind affections, thou wouldest set aside And elfish envy, from thy heart clean expel Than wouldest thou say, that reason in men doth not bide That with railing, the fame of women hurt and quell For in case that any, be found lewd or light In so great a number of women, as there is Thou mayst not at their vice, jest or tail by right But be heavy and sorry, for such as do amiss And in this behalf to say, I dare be bold That none, the hole kind of women doth slander Except he be such, as was nought young and old And blindly by vice, liveth in the devils danger. ¶ The Pye. ¶ I grant said the Pie, that slander is nought And lightness in judgement, that causeth moche woe But if mean lives & women's, were to the bottom sought Of men than of women good, thou shouldest find more. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ This doubt to dyscuse, to no man it pertaineth Said the Falcon, for God this matter must try But experience, and also scripture me constraineth The rather to women, in this behalf to wry For scripture me teacheth, that all kinds of sin More by man than woman, had rote and beginning And practise doth prove, that continuance therein Of men most chiefly, hath eade and maintaining The first murdre by crooked Cayn, Gen. 40. was committed when innocent Abel, to death he did drive incontinent Lamech, Ibidem. began admitted For against stimulations, he would not strive No first drunkard, Gen. 90. whose filthiness his child Chain did discover, his brethren it perceiving Abhorred that deed, wilful and wild And covered the privities, cause of their conceiving first tryan was Nemrath, Gentsis. 10. &. 11. first idolater was he He set nought by God, by his lightening, nor his thondre The tower of Babel he builded, that all men might see Than divided were the tongues, that made men to wondre The sin against nature, both brute and bestial Men first did commit, Gen. 19 as scripture doth record Of .v. Cities the people perished, great and small In punishment of that sin, by the high king & lord Pharaoh of Egypt, Exodi. 1. that Tyrant stiff and flout first Innocentes did murdre, and to death did them dress For the murder of those children, Exo. 14. he died without doubt The red see him swallowed, with his people more and less And like as these offences, had first original Beginning of men, so continuance they have Of men most chyfely, which daily to them fall From enormities they labour not, their souls for to save For who doth kill and murdre, in batteyll that is bold who robbeth and spoleth, both by see and by land who Tyranny doth use, that maketh hearts cold who Innocentes doth kill, with a bloody hand who? but man set on mischief this vice doth commit As lewdness were lawful, all vice he doth take In the snare he lieth sleeping, the knot is fast knit No kind of crime crooked, he will forsake In sessions and in Lies, who is perjured but he Great oaths that be odious, no man refuseth And lechery is laudable, in every degree Both simony sinful, and usury man useth And although some women, to these sins do fall Above rehearsed, yet in respect of men Their number is nothing, or else very small For against one of them offending, of the other there be ten▪ ¶ The Pye. ¶ I think said the Pie, that thy sayings now be indifferent against men, for practyes doth express That few of these vices, in women we may see which thou hast rehearsed, but in men they be doubtless For murdre and robrye, that openly is done simony, usury, and treason untrue Brybrye that changeth, that judge as the moan heresies and schisms, that dissension do renew Perjury and rybawdrye, with polling and oppression All these sins sensual, that fowl and filthy be Of man be much used, I must needs make confession much more than of woman, that from these seemeth free. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Yet man at his danger, as though well he were Doth laugh said the falcon, so sin doth him blind If his sin he did see, than change would his cheer Perceiving to his maker, how he is unkind His breast he would beat, for mercy he would call For his deeds of damnation, he would kneel on his knee And many salt tears, from his cheeks than should fall If he his works wicked, did ponder as they be. ¶ The Pye. ¶ As it ought to be said the Pie, thou dost speak But as thou dost speak, so shall it not be while man is here living, God's laws he will break Cease therefore thy sayings, by the council of me. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Than shall I return, to make repetition Of our matter first moved, said the Falcon in this place Thou saidest that all women, do lack perfection Of body and their souls, be void of all grace A pertly I have proved, that as perfit they be In body as man, and their souls have creation Unto the image, of the high trinity Thuo perfit they were create, by divine operation That deepness of wit, with reason profound In women take place, mine examples express For the vii Aries liberal, had their first ground And invercyon by women, this is doubtless Aptness also, and pronytie they have Unto all kinds of virtue most pure with diligent endeavour, they have laboured to save Their souls from all vice, and grace to procure And furthermore Pie, I have made declaration That women in living, the men do excel Confounded I have, thy false accusation And reasons I have used, thy railings to repel Of scripture sometime, the sayings I have sought histories profane, and experience most sure The documents of Doctors, forth I have brought For the feminine sakes, their right to recure. ¶ The Pye. ¶ By thy process said the Pie, as I can perceive Thou concludest all women, virtuous to be Because that a few, virtues did receive whereof examples, thou dydes recite to me At the length thou dost take for final conclusion That women in their living, far men do excel As though they alonely, of grace had infusion This utterly from men, grace thou wilt repel. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Nat so said the Falcon, for that is not my mind Grace from all men, utterly to exclude Nor by mine examples, thou canst not find That all women virtuous, I intend to conclude But this conclusion, of all my sayings take That to knowledge and virtue, women apt be And if of their lives, comparison thou make More godly than men, they seem unto me. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Their proctor thou art made, said the Pie I perceive A reward to receive, their part thou dost take But when they with doblenes, shall the deceive I think than this office, thou wilt forsake. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ The troth to defend, why should I refuse A proctor to be, the Falcon did say Innocentes to help, we should our wits use In their causes just, and help them always None other reward, to receive I desire But troth to try forth, and malice to subdue This brought to pass, than have I my hire For than shall be known, the false from the true And where as by doubtenes, I shall be deceived (As thou sayest of women) that can not so be For doubtenes of those, is never conceived In whose hearts is plains, and simplicity. ¶ The Pye. ¶ I see said the Pie, with the to contend Against the femyne gendre, I am much unable As one overcome, therefore I make an end For little it availeth, before the to fable. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Yet one thing of thee, or thou from hens fly I demand said the Falcon, what moved thy mind In all thy sore sayings, so shamefully to lie with railing outrageous, against woman kind whither their nature, their words, or their living Thy tongue have provoked, to deadly detraction Or rather by rashness, of envy proceeding Their fame to defaulke, thou hast delectation. ¶ The Pye. ¶ Their nature is good, than said the Pie And so be their deeds, the troth for to tell Malice me moved, of women to lie Sister to Megaera, the raging fiend of hell. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ why dost thou than women, more than men slander The Falcon did say, with thy words that be wild Sens men by deeds deadly, live in more danger Of soul than women, which seem undefiled. ¶ The Pye. ¶ The lowest part of the hedge, is trodden down Under foresaid the Pie, when the highest is forborn woman's power is small, in field and in town Therefore I them slander, therefore I them scorn Men rule and govern, by see and by land promotions and profits, by them I may have Therefore to catch somewhat, in to my hand▪ I laud them, I flatter them, when I begin to crave He that willeth with wealth, in this world lead his life Placebo he must play, his knee both bow and bend Flaterars far of the best, and live without strife when plains with troth, great men do offend Their appetites to please, my mind I apply As they say I say, be it wrong or right Sometime I grant, sometime I deny Young Rufflers to please, whole wits be full right. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ Than if thou shuldes plainly, and as the troth is Thy mind against men, said the Falcon express Rebuke they should have, of praise they should miss And thy style against women, than woldes thou redress. ¶ The Pye. ¶ I grant said the Pie, but yet adulation Needs must I use, great men to content And against women, my common detraction These two to continue, is my full intent Avarice of mind, that is insatiable adulation to use, hath given me occasion And so hath envy, the vice detestable Provoked detraction, with false accusation. ¶ The Falcon. ¶ The Falcon most fair, much moved in his mind Against the Pies words, and open confession with sighs sore, ascending from his heart kind In lamenting manner, made this exclamation O world most wretched, O time infortunate O blindness most beastly, O life without light O virtue, O grace, from man's soul separate The deeds of darkness, have put forth his sight Now reason is blinded, by sin sensual And judgement corrupt, by offence customable will wandereth wyldly, by appetite carnal All powers of man's soul, be found reprovable Flaterars most false, that fables can feign Great men accept, and to council take Plains and justice, be exiled clean And oppression causeth, Innocentes to quake extorsion is extolled, and rigour doth rule Detraction and derision, with nobles do dwell verity and petty, from these men recoil And falseness with flattery, true plannes do quell All these seem lawful, to men that be of might Their wills and pleasures, they take for a law with raging and railing, they run against right For small is their learning, their wits not worth an haw O Pie most peevish, how canst thou such praise And Innocentes condemn, whose deeds deserve laud The hearts of plain people, thou dost disease which covet in troth, to live without fraud But saying my sayings, can take no place In hearts that be hard, congealed with vice No remedy I find, but prayer for grace That many from his sin, may wake and aryce. ¶ The Author. ¶ When these words were spoken, the Falcon took flight The Pie for to punish, that fled fast away Of them both shortly, I lost there the sight And whomwarde I walked, from that Arbour gay Anon I drew forth, the argumentation Of these two birds, the Falcon and the Pie As you have hard me make recitation Nothing from their sayings, my style I did wry The people to profit, my purpose is plain No man to displease, with word or with will But deadly detraction, I would restrain That causeth many men, their souls for to spill The prince of peace pearls, the lamb immaculate That suffered sorrows sharp, sin to suppress And with his blood, Apoc. 1. washed out souls concamynate On the Altar of the Cross, the devil to depress He grant by his grace, that charity may spring In every man's heart, as flowers spring in May Than God shall we love, our heavenly king And envy expel, that our souls doth decay Than reason shall rule our deeds with discretion Between man and man, love shall be unfeigned ¶ Therefore, when thou shalt come to her sight which will be shortly, as far as I guess Say thou art send, to plead in her right As in the quarrel, of thine own mistress Than shall she see, what thou canst express For her defence her right to recure And from detractors, that would the suppress In her Cypress coffer, she will keep the sure. FINIS. ¶ Thus endeth the Falcon and the Pye. Anno dn̄i.. 1542. ¶ Imprinted by me Robert wire/ for richard banks. ¶ Cum privilegio regali/ ad imprimendum solum. per septem annum. Robert wire. The printer.