jane ANGER her Protection for Women.  
To defend them against the SCANDALOVS reports OF a late Surfeiting lover, and all other like Venerians that complain so to bee ouercloyed with womens kindness.  
Written by Ia: A. Gent.  
At London Printed by Richard jones, and Thomas Orwin. 1589.   

To the Gentlewomen of ENGLAND, health.  
GEntlewomen, though it is to be feared that your settled wits will advisedly comdemne that, which my cholloricke vain hath rashly set down, and so perchance, ANGER shal reap anger for not agreeing with diseased persons: Yet( if with indifferency of censure, you consider of the head of the quarrel) I hope you will rather show yourselves defendants of the defenders title, then complainantes of the plaintiffs wrong. I doubt iudgement before trial, which were injurious to the Law, and I confess that my rashness deserveth no less, which was a fit of my extremity. I will not urge reasons because your wits are sharp and will soon conceive my meaning, ne will I be tedious least I prove too too troublesone, not over dark in my writing, for fear of the name of a Ridler. But( in a word) for my presumption I crave pardon, because it was ANGER that did writ it: committing your protection, and myself, to the protection of yourselves, and the iudgement of the cause to the censures of your just mindes.  
Yours ever at commandement, Ia: A.   

To all Women in genenerall, and gentle Reader whatsoever.  
FIE on the falsehood of men, whose minds go oft a madding,& whose tongues can not so soon bee wagging, but strait they fall a railing Was there ever any so abused, so slandered, so railed vpon, or so wickedly handled undeservedly, as are we women? Will the Gods permit it, the Goddesses stay their punishing iudgments, and we ourselves not pursue their vndoinges for such devilish practices? O Paules steeple and Charing cross. A halter hold al such persons. Let the streams of the channels in London streets run so swiftly, as they may be able alone to carry them from that sanctuary. Let the stones be as Ice, the soles of their shoes as glass, the ways steep like Aetna,& every blast a Whyrl-wind puffed out of Boreas his long throat, that these may hasten their passage to the devils haven. Shal Surfeiters rail on our kindness, you stand stil& say nought, and shall not Anger stretch the veins of her brains, the strings of her singers, and the lists of her modesty, to answer their Surfeitings? Yes truly. And herein I censure all you to aid and assist me in defence of my willingness, which shall make me rest at your commands. Fare you well.  
Your friend. Ia. A.   

A Protection for Women. &c.  
THE desire that every man hath to show his five vain in writing is unspeakable, and their mindes are so carried away with the manner, as no care at all is had of the matter: they run so into rhetoric, as often times they overrun the bounds of their own wits, and go they know not whether. If they haue stretched their invention so hard on a last, as it is at a stand, there remaines but one help, which is, to writ of us women: If they may once encroach so far into our presence, as they may but see the lining of our outermost garment, they strait think that Apollo honours them, in yielding so good a supply to refresh their sore ouerburdened heads, through studying for matters to indite off. And therfore that the God may see how thankfully they receive his liberality,( their wits whetted, and their brains almost broken with botching his bounty) they fall strait to dispraising and slandering our silly sex. But judge what the cause should be, of this their so great malice towards simplo women. doubtless the weakness of our wits, and our honest bashfulness, by reason whereof they suppose that there is not one amongst us who can, or dare reprove their slanders and false reproaches: their slanderous tongues are so short, and the time wherein they haue lauished out their words freely, hath been so long, that they know we cannot catch hold of them to pull them out, and they think we will not writ to reprove their lying lips: which conceits haue already made them cocks and wolde( should they not be crauened) make themselves among themselves bee thought to be of the game. They haue been so daintely fed with our good natures, that like jades( their stomachs are grown so quesse) they surfeit of our kindness. If we will not suffer them to smell on our smocks, they will snatch at our petticoats: but if our honest natures cannot away with that vnciuil kind of jesting then we are coy: yet if we bear with their rudeness, and be some what modestly familiar with them, they will strait make matter of nothing, blazing abroad that they haue surfeited with love, and then their wits must be shown in celling the maner how.  
Among the innumerable number of books to that purpose, of late( unlooked for) the new surfeit of an old lover( sent abroad to warn those which are of his own kind, from catching the like disease) came by chance to my hands: which, because as well women as men are desirous of novelties, I willingly red over: neither did the ending therof less please me then the beginning, for I was so carried away with the conceit of the Gent. as that I was quiter out of the book before I thought I had been in the midst thereof: So pithy were his sentences, so pure his words, and so pleasing his style. The chief matters therein contained were of two sorts: the one in the dispraise of mans folly, and the other, invective against our sex, their folly proceeding of their own flattery joined with fancy,& our faults are through our folly, with which is some faith.  
The bounteous words written over the lascivious king Ninus his head, set down in this old lover his Surfeit to be these ( demand and haue:) do plainly show the flattery of mens false heartes: for knowing that we women, are weak vessels soon overwhelmed, and that bounty bendeth every thing to his beck, they take him for their instrument( too too strong) to assay the pulling down of us so weak. If we stand fast, they strive: if we totter( though but a little) they will never leave till they haue overturned vs. Semeramis demanded: and who would not if courtesy should be so freely offered: Ninus gave all to his kingdom, and that at the last: the more fool he: and of him this shal be my censure( agreeing with the verdict of the surfaiting lover, save onely that he hath misplaced and mistaken certain words) in this maner.  


fools force such flattery, and men of dull conceit:  
Such frenzy oft doth haunt the wife( Nurse wisdom once rejected)  
Though love be sure and firm: yet Lust fraught with deceit.  
And mens fair words do work great wo, unless they be suspected.  
Then foolish NINVS had but due, if I his judge might be,  
Vilde are mens lusts, false are their lips, besmer'd with flattery:  
himself and crown he brought to thrall which passed all the rest  
His footstool match he made his head, and therefore was a beast.  
Then all such beasts such beastly ends, I wish the Gods to sand,  
And worse too if worse may be: like his my censure end.    
The slothful king Sardanapalus with his beastlike and licentious deeds are so plainly disciphered, and his had end well deserved, so truly set down in that Surfeit, as both our iudgments agree in one.  
But that Menalaus was served with such sauce it is a wonder: yet truly their Sex are so like to bulls, that it is no marvell though the Gods do metamorphoze some of them, to give warning to the rest, if they could think so of it, for some of them will follow the smock as Tom Bull will run after a town cow. But, least they should running slip and break their pates, the Gods provident of their welfare, set a pair of tooters on their foreheads, to keep it from the ground, for doubtless so stood the case with Menalus, he running abroad as a Smel-smocke, got the habit of a Coockold, of whom thus shall go my verdict.  


The Gods most just do justly punish sin  
with those same plagues which men do most forlorn,  
If filthy lust in men to spring begin,  
That monstrous sin he plagueth with the horn.  
their wisdom great whereby they men forewarn,  
to shun vild lust, lest they will wear the horn.   

deceitful men with guile must be repaid,  
And blows for blows who renders not again.  
The man that is of Coockolds lot afraid,  
From Lechery he ought for to refrain.  
else shall he haue the plague he doth forlorn:  
and ought( perforce constrained to wear the horn.   

The greek, Acteons badge did wear, they say,  
And worthy too, he loved the smock so well,  
That every man may be a Bull I pray,  
Which loues to follow lust( his game) so well.  
For by that means poor women shall haue peace  
and want these jars. Thus doth my censure cease.    
The greatest fault that doth remain in us women is, that we are too credulous, for could we flatter as they can dissemble, and use our wits well, as they can their tongues ill, then never would any of them complain of surfeiting. But if we women be so so perilous cattle as they term us, I marvell that the Gods made not fidelity as well a man, as they created her a woman, and all the moral virtues of their masculine sex, as of the feminine kind, except their Deities knew that there was some sovereignty in us women, which could not be in them men. But least some snatching fellow should catch me before I fall to the ground,( and say they will adorn my head with a feather, affirming that I rome beyond reason, seeing it is most manifest that the man is the head of the woman, and that therfore we ought to be guided by them,) I prevent them with this answer. The Gods knowing that the mindes of mankind would be aspiring, and having thoroughly viewed the wonderful virtues wherewith women are enriched, least they should provoke us to pride, and so confounded us with Lucifer, they bestowed the supremacy over us to man, that of that Cockscombe he might onely boast, and therfore for Gods sake let them keep it. But wee return to the Surfeit.  
having made a long discourse of the Gods censure concerning love, he leaves thē(& I thē with him) and comes to the principal object and general foundation of love, which he affirmeth to be grounded on women:& now beginning to search his scroll, wherein are taunts against us, he beginneth and saieth that we 'allure their hearts to us: wherein he saieth more truly then he is ware off: for we woe them with our virtues,& they wed us with vanities, and men being of wit sufficient to consider of the virtues which are in us women, are ravished with the delight of those dainties, which 'allure& draw the sences of them to serve us, whereby they become ravenous hawks, who do not onely seize vpon us, but devour vs. Our good toward them is the destruction of ourselves, we being well formed, are by them foully deformed: of our true meaning they make mocks, rewarding our loving follies with disdainful floutes: we are the grief of man, in that wee take all the grief from man: we languish when they laugh, we lye sighing when they sit singing, and sit sobbing when they lye slugging and sleeping. Mulier est hoins confusio, because her kind heart cannot so sharply reprove their frantic fits, as those mad frenzies deserve. Aut amat, aut odit, non est in tertio: she loveth good things, and hateth that which is evil: shee loveth iustice and hateth iniquity: she loveth truth and true dealing, and hateth lies and falsehood: she loveth man for his virtues,& hateth him for his vices: to be short, there is no Medium between good and bad, and therefore she can be, In nullo tertio. Plato his answer to a vicar of fools which asked the question, being, that he knew not whether to place women among those creatures which were reasonable or unreasonable, did as much beautify his divine knowledge, as all the books he did writ: for knowing that women are the greatest help that men haue, without whose aid& assistance it is as possible for them to live, as if they wanted meat, drink, clothing, or any other necessary: and knowing also that even then in his age, much more in those ages which should after follow, men were grown to be so unreasonable, as he could not discide whether men or bruit beasts were more reasonable: their eyes are so curious, as be not all women equal with Venus for beauty, they cannot abide the sight of them: their stomachs so queasy, as do they taste but twice of one dish they strait surfeit, and needs must a new diet be provided for them. Wee are contrary to men, because they are contrary to that which is good: because they are spurblind, they cannot see into our natures, and we too well( though we had but half an eye) into their conditions, because they are so bad: our behaviours alter daily, because mens virtues decay hourly. If Hesiodus had with equity as well looked into the life of man, as he did presisely search out the qualities of us women, he would haue said, that if a woman trust unto a man, it shal fare as well with her, as if she had a weight of a thousand pounds tied about her neck, and then cast into the bottomless seas: for by men are we confounded though they by us are sometimes crossed. Our tongues are light, because earnest in reproving mens filthy vices, and our good counsel is termed nipping injury, in that it accords not with their foolish fancies. Our boldness rash, for giuing Noddies nipping answers, our dispositions naughty, for not agreeing with their vilde mindes, and our fury dangerous, because it will not bear with their knavish behaviours. If our frowns be so terrible, and our anger so deadly, men are too foolish in offering occasions of hatred, which shunned, a terrible death is prevented. There is a continual deadly hatred between the wild boar and tame hounds, I would there were the like betwixt women and men unless they amend their manners, for so strength should predominate, where now flattery and dissimulation hath the vpper hand. The Lion rageth when he is hungry, but man raileth when he is glutted. The tiger is robbed of her young ones, when she is ranging abroad, but men rob women of their honour vndeseruedlye under their noses. The Viper stormeth when his tail is trodden on,& may not we fret when al our body is a footstool to their vild lust: their unreasonable mindes which know not what reason is, make them nothing better then bruit beasts. But let us grant that Cletemnestra, Ariadna, Dalila, and Iesabell were spotted with crimes: shal not Nero with others innumerable,& therefore vnnameable join hands with them and led the dance? yet it grieves me that faithful Deianira should be falsely accused of her husband Hercules death, seeing she was utterly guiltless( even of thought) concerning any such crime, for had not the centaurs falsehood exceeded the simplicity of her too too credulous heart, Hercules had not died so cruelly tormented, nor the monsters treason been so unhappily exeented. But we must bear with these faulces, and with grrater then these, especially seeing that he which set it down for a maxim was driven into a mad mood through a surfeit, which made him run quiter besides his book, and mistake his case: for where he accused Deianira falsely, he would haue had condemned Hercules deservedly.  
Marius daughter endued with so many excellent virtues, was too good either for Metellus, or any man living: for though peradventure she had some small fault, yet doubtless he had detestable crimes. On the same place where down is on the hens head, the comb grows on the Cocks pate. If women breed woe to men, they bring care, poverty, grief, and continual fear to women, which if they be not woes they are worse.  
Euthydomus made six kind of women, and I will approve that there are so many of men: which be, poor and rich, bad and good, foul and faire. The great Patrimonies that wealthy men leave their children after their death, make them rich: but dice and other marthriftes happening into their companies, never leave them till they bee at the beggars bush, where I can assure you they become poor. Great eaters being kept at a slender diet never distemper their bodies but remain in good case: but afterwards once turned forth to Liberties pasture, they graze so greedily, as they become surfeiting jades, and always after are good for nothing. There are men which are snout-faire, whose faces look like a creamepot, and yet those not the faire men I speak of, but I mean those whose conditions are free from knavery, and I term those foul, that haue neither civility nor honesty: of these sorts there are none good, none rich or faire long. But if wee do desire to haue them good, we must always tie them to the manger and diet their greedy panches, otherwise they will surfeit. What, shal I say? wealth makes them lavish, wit knavish, beauty effeminate, poverty deceitful, and deformity ugly. Therefore of me take this counsel 

esteem of men as of a broken Reed,  
Mistrust them still, and then you well shall speed.    
I pray you then( if this be true, as it truly cannot bee denied) haue not they reason who affirm that a goose standing before a ravenous Fox, is in as good case, as the woman that trusteth to a mans fidelity: for as the one is sure to loose his head, so the other is most certain to be bereaved of her good name, if there be any small cause of suspicion. The fellow that took his wife for his cross, was an ass, and so we will leave him: for he loved well to swear on an ale pot, and because his wife, keeping him from his drunken vain, put his nose out of his socket, he thereby was brought into a mad mood, in which he did he could not tell what.  
When provender pricks, the jade will winch, but keep him at a slender ordinary, and he will be mild enough. The Dictators son was crank as long as his cock was crowing, but proving a crauin, he made his master hang down his head.  
Thales was so married to shameful lust as he cared not a straw for lawful love, whereby he shewed himself to be endued with much 'vice and no virtue: for a man doth that often times standing, of which he repenteth sitting. The roman could not( as now men cannot) abide to hear women praised, and themselves dispraised, and therfore it is best for men to follow Alphonso his rule: let them be deaf and mary wives, that are blind, so shal they not grieve to hear their wives commended nor their monstrous misdoing shall offend their wives eiesight.  
Tibullus setting down a rule for women to follow, might haue proportioned this platform for men to rest in. And might haue said. every honest man ought to shun that which detracteth both health and safety from his own person, and strive to bridle his slanderous tongue. Then must he be modest,& show his modesty by his virtuous and civil behaviours: and not display his beastliness through his wicked and filthy words. For lying lips and deceitful tongues are abominable before God. It is an easy matter to entreat a Cat to catch a Mouse, and more easy to persuade a desperate man to kill himself. What Nature hath made, Art cannot mar,( and as this surfeiting lover saith) that which is bread in the bone, will not be brought out of the flesh. If we cloath ourselves in sackcloth, and truss up our hair in dishclouts, Venerians will nevertheless pursue their pastime. If we hid our breasts, it must be with leather, for no cloath can keep their long nailes out of our bosoms.  
We haue rolling eyes, and they railing tongues: our eyes cause thē to look lasciviously,& why? because they are given to lechery. It is an easy matter to find a staff to beate a Dog, and a burnt finger giveth sound counsel. If men would as well embrace counsel as they can give it, Socrates rule would be better follewed. But let Socrates, heaven and earth say what they will, Mans face is worth a glass of dissembling water: and therfore to conclude with a proverb, writ ever, and yet never writ enough of mans falsehood, I mean those that use it. I would that ancient writers would as well haue busied their heads about disciphering the deceits of their own Sex, as they haue about setting down our follies: and I would some would call in question that now, which hath ever been questionless: but sithence all their wits haue been bent to writ of the contrary, I leave them to a contrary vain, and the surfaiting lover, who returns to his discourse of love.  
now while this greedy grazer is about his entreaty of love, which nothing belongeth to our matter: let us secretly ourselves with ourselves, consider howe and in what, they that are our worst enemies, are both inferior unto us,& most beholden unto our kindness.  
The creation of man and woman at the first, he being formed In principio of dross and filthy day, did so remain until God saw that in him his workmanship was good, and therfore by the transformation of the dust which was loathsome unto flesh, it became putrefied. Then lacking a help for him, GOD making woman of mans flesh, that she might bee purer then he, doth evidently show, how far we women are more excellent then men. Our bodies are fruitful, whereby the world increaseth, and our care wondeful, by which man is preserved. From woman sprung mans salvation. A woman was the first that believed,& a woman likewise the first that repented of sin. In women is onely true Fidelity:( except in her) there 〈◇〉 ●●nstancie, and without her no housewifery. In the time of their sickness we cannot be wanted,& when they are in health we for thē are most necessary. They are comforted by our means: they nourished by the meats we dress: their bodies freed from diseases by our cleanliness, which otherwise would surfeit unreasonably through their own noisomnes. Without our care they lye in their beds as dogs in litter,& go like lousy Mackarell swimming in the heat of summer. They love to go handsomely in their apparel, and rejoice in the pride thereof, yet who is the cause of it, but our carefulness, to see that every thing about thē be curious. Our virginity makes us virtuous, our comditions courteous,& our chastity maketh our trueness of love manifest. They confess we are necessary, but they would haue us likewise evil. That they cannot want us I grant: yet evil I deny: except onely in the respect of man, who( hating all good things, is onely desirous of that which is ill, through whose desire, in estimation of conceit we are made ill. But least some should snarl on me, barking out this reason: that none is good but God, and therfore women are ill. I must yield that in that respect we are il,& affirm that men are no better, seeing we are so necessary unto them. It is most certain, that if we be il, they are worse: for Malum malo additum efficit malum peius:& they that use il worse then it should be, are worse then the il. And therefore if they will correct Magnificat, they must first learn the signification therof. That we are liberal, they will not deny sithence that many of them haue ( ex confessio) received more kindness in one day at our hands, thē they can repay in a whole year:& some haue so glutted themselves with our liberality as they cry No more. But if they shal avow that women are fools, we may safely give thē the lye: for myself haue heard some of them confess that we haue more wisdom then need is,& therfore no fools:& they less thē they should haue,& therfore fools. It hath been affirmed by some of their sex, that to shun a shower of rain,& to know the way to our husbands bed is wisdom sufficient for us women: but in this year of 88. men are grown so fantastical, that unless we can make them fools, we are accounted unwise. And now( seeing I speak to none but to you which are of mine own Sex,) give me leave like a scoller to prove our wisdom more excellent then theirs, though I never knew what sophistry ment. Ther is no wisdom but it comes by grace, this is a principle,& Contra principium non est disputandum: but grace was first given to a woman, because to our lady: which premises conclude that women are wise. Now Primum est optimum,& therefore women are wiser then men. That we are more witty which comes by nature, it cannot better be proved, then that by our answers, men are often droven to Non plus,& if their talk be of worldly affairs, with our resolutions they must either rest satisfied, or prove themselves fools in the end.  
It was my chance to hear a pretty story of two wise men who( being cousin german to the town of Gotam) proved themselves as very asses, as they were fools:& it was this. The stealth of a ring out of a wise mans chamber, afflicted the losers mind, with so grievous passions, as he could take no rest, till he went to ask a friends counsel, how he might recover his loss. Into whose presence being once entered, his clothes vnbuttened, made passage for his friends eiesight unto his bosom: who seeing him in such a taking, judging by his looks that some qualm had risen on his stomach, the extremity whereof might make his head to ache, offered him a kertcher. This distressed man half besides himself, howled bitterly that he did mistake his case,& falling into a raving vain, began to curse the day of his birth,& the Destinies for suffering him to live. His fellow wise-man, mistaking this fit, fearing that some devil had possessed him, began to betake him to his heels: but being stopped from running by his companion, did likewise ban the cause of this sudden change,& the motion that moved the other to enter his presence: yet seing how dangerously he was disturbed,& knowing that by no means he could shun his company, calling his wits together( which made him forget his passion) he demanded the cause of the others grief: who taking a stool& a cushion sate down and declared that he was vndon● through the loss of a ring which was stolen out of his window: further saying. Sir, is it not best for me to go to a Wise-woman to know of her what is become of my ring? The other answering affirmatively, asked this: if he knew any? between whom, many wise women reckoned, they both went together for company, where we will leave them.  
Now I pray you tell me your fancy, were not these men very wise, but especially did they not cunningly display their wisdom by this practise? Sithence that they hope to find that through the wisdom of a woman, which was lost by the folly of a man. well, seeing according to the old proverb: The wit of a woman is a great matter: let men learn to be wiser or account themselves fools: for they know by pactize that we are none.  
Now sithence that this ouercloied and surfeiting lover leaveth his love, and comes with a fresh assault against us women let us arm ourselves with patience& see the end of his tongue which explaineth his surfeit. But it was so lately printed, as that I should do the Printer injury should I recite but one of them, and therfore referring you to book his surfeit in love, I come to my matter. If to enjoy a woman be to catch the devill by the foot, to obtain the favour of a man is to hold fast his damme by the middle: whereby the one may easily break away, and the other cannot go without he carries the man with him.  
The properties of the Snake and of the eel are, the one to sting, and the other not to be held: but mens tongues sting against nature, and therefore they are unnatural. Let us bear with them as much as may be, and yield to their wills more then is convenient: yet if we cast our reckoning at the end of the year, wee shall find that our losses exceed their gains. which are innumerable. The property of the chameleon is to change himself: But man always remaineth at one stay, and is never out of the predicamentes of dishonesty and unconstancy. The stinging of the Scorpion is cured by the Scorpion, whereby it seems that there is some good nature in them. But men never leave stinging till they see the death of honesty. The danger of pricks is shunned, by gathering roses glove fifted: and the stinging of Bees prevented through a close hood. But naked dishonesty and bare inconstancy are always plagued through their own folly.  
If mens solly be so unreasonable as it will strive against Nature, it is no matter though she rewards them with crosses contrary to their expecations. For if Tom fool will presume to ride on Alexanders horse, he is not to be pitied though he get a soul knock for his labour. But it seems the Gentleman hath had great experience of Italian courtesans, whereby his wisdom is shewed. For Experientia praestantior arte: and he that hath Experience to prove his case, is in better case then they that haue al unexperienced book cases to defend their titles.  
The smooth speeches of men are nothing unlike the vanishing clouds of the air, which glide by degrees from place to place, till they haue filled themselves with rain, when breaking, they spit forth terrible showers: so men gloze, till they haue their answers, which are the end of their travell,& then they bid modesty adue, and entertaining Rage, fall a railing on us which never hurt them. The rancknesse of grass causeth suspicion of the serpents lurking, but his lying in the plain path at the time when woodcocks shoot, maketh the patient passionate through his sting, because no such ill was suspected. When men protest secrecy most solemnly, beleeue them lest, for then surely there is a trick of knavery to be discarded, for in a Friers habit an old Fornicator is always clothed.  
It is a wonder to see how men can flatter themselves with their own conceits: For let us look, they will strait affirm that we love, and if then Lust pricketh them, they will swear that love stingeth us: which imagination onely is sufficient to make them assay the scaling of half a dozen of us in one night, when they will not stick to swear that if they should be denied of their requests, death must needs follow. Is it any marueil though they surfeit, when they are so greedy, but is it not pity that any of them should perish, which will be so soon killed with unkindness? Yes truly. Well, the onset given, if we retire for a vantage, they will strait affirm that they haue got the victory. Nay, some of them are so carried away with conceit, that shameless they will blaze abroad among their companions, that they haue obtained the love of a woman, unto whom they never spake above once, if that: Are not these froward fellowes, you must bear with them, because they dwell far from lying neighbours. They will say Mentiri non est nostrum, and yet you shall see true tales come from them, as wild geese fly under London bridge. Their fawning is but flattery: their faith falsehood: their faire words allurements to destruction: and their large promises tokens of death, or of evils worse then death. Their singing is a bait to catch us, and their playinges, plagues to torment us:& therfore take heed of them, and take this as an Axiom in logic and a maxim in the Law, Nulla fides hominibus. Ther are three accidents to men, which of al are most vnseperable. Lust Deceit, and malice. Their glozing tongues, the preface to the execution of their vilde mindes, and their pens the bloody executioners of their barbarous manners. A little gaule maketh a great deal of sweet, sour: and a slanderous tongue poisoneth all th● good partes in man.  
Was not the folly of Vulcan worthy of Venus floutes, when she took him with the maner, wooing Briceris? And was it not the flattery of Paris which intysed helen to falsehood? Yes truly: and the late Surfeiter his remembrance in calling his pen from raging against reason: sheweth that he is not quiter without flattery, for he putteth the fault in his pen, when it was his passion that deserved reproof. The love of Hipsicrates and Panthea, the zeal of Artemisia and Portia, the affection of Sulpitia and Aria, the true fancy of Hipparchia and Pisca, the loving passions of Macrina& of the wife of Paudocrus( al manifested in his Surfeit) shal condemn the vndiscréetnes of mens minds: whose hearts delight in nought, save that only which is contrary to good. Is it not a foolish thing to bee sorry for things unrecoverable? Why then should Sigismundus answer be so descanned vpon, seeing her husband was dead,& she thereby free for any man. Of the abundance of the hart, the mouth speaketh, which is verified by the railing kind of mans writing. Of al kind of voluptuousness, they affirm Lechery to be the chiefest,& yet some of thē are not ashamed to confess publicly, that they haue surfeited therwith. It defileth the body,& makes it stink,& men use it: I marvel how we women can abide them but that they delude us, as( they say) we deceive thē with perfumes.  
voluptuousness is a strong beast, and hath many instruments to draw to Lust: but men are so forward of themselves thereto, as they need none to hail them. His court is already so full with them, that he hath more need to make stronger gates to keep them out, then to set them open that they may come in, except he will be pulled out by the ears out of his kingdom. I would the abstinence of King Cyrus, Zenocrates, Caius Gracchus, Pompeius and of Francis Sforce Duke of milan,( recited in book his Surfeit in love) might be presidents for men to follow, and I warrant you then we should haue no surfeiting. I pray God that they may mend: but in the mean time, let them be sure that rashness breeds repentance, and treacherous hearts, tragical ends: False Flattery is the messenger of foul Folly, and a slanderous tongue, the instrument of a dissembling heart.  
I haue set down unto you( which are of mine own Sex) the subtle dealings of untrue meaning men: not that you should contemn al men, but to the end that you may take heed of the false hearts of al,& stil reprove the flattery which remaines in all: for as it is reason that the hens should be served first, which both lay the eggs,& hatch the chickens: so it were unreasonable that the cocks which tread them, should be kept clean without meat. As men are valiant, so are they virtuous: and those that are born honourably, cannot bear horrible dissembling heartes. But as there are some which cannot love heartily, so there are many who lust uncessantly,& as many of them will deserve well, so most care not how if they speed so they may get our company. wherein they resemble entry, who will be contented to loose one of his eyes that another might haue both his pulled out. And therefore think well of as many as you may, love them that you haue cause, hear every thing that they say,(& afford them noddes which make themselves noddies) but beleeue very little therof or nothing at all, and hate all those, who shall speak any thing in the dispraise or to the dishonour of our sex.  
Let the luxurious life of Heliogabalus, the intemperate desires of Commodus and Proculùs, the damnable lust of Chilpericus and Xerxces, Boleslaus violent rauishings, and the unnatural carnal appetite of Sigismundus Malotesta, be examples sufficiently probable to persuade you, that the hearts of men are most desirous to excel in 'vice. There were many good laws established by the romans& other good kings yet they could not restrain men from lechery: and there are terrible laws allotted in England to the offenders therein, all which will not serve to restrain man.  
The Surfeiters physic is good could he and his companions follow it: but when the Fox preacheth, let the goose take heed, it is before an execution. Fallere fallentem non est fraus, and to kill that beast, whose property is onely to slay, is no sin: if you will please men, you must follow their rule, which is to flatter: for fidelity and they are utter enemies. Things far fetched are excellent, and that experience is best which cost most: Crownes are costly, and that which cost many crownes is well worth God thank you, or else I know who hath spent his labour and cost, foolishly. Then if any man giveth such dear counsel gratfuly, are not they fools which will refuse his liberality. I know you long to hear what that counsel should be, which was bought at ●o high a price: Whererfore if you listen, the Surfeitert his pen with my hand shall forthwith show you.  
At the end of mens faire promises there is a Laberinth,& therefore ever hereafter stop your ears when they protest friendship, lest they come to an end before you are ware whereby you fall without redemption. The path which leadeth thereunto, is Mans wit, and the miles ends are marked with these trees, folly, 'vice, mischief, Lust, deceit,& Pride. These to deceive you shall bee clothed in the raimentes of fancy, virtue, modesty, love, Truemeaning, and Handsomnes. Folly will bid you welcome on your way,& tel you his fancy, concerning the profit which may come to you by this journey, and direct you to 'vice who is more crafty. He with a company of protestations will praise the virtues of women, showing how many ways men are beholden unto us: but our backs once turned, he fals a railing. Then mischief he pries into every corner of us, seeing if he can spy a cranny, that getting in his finger into it, he may make it wide enough for his tongue to wag in. Now being come to Lust: he will fall a railing on lascivious looks,& will ban lechery,& with the Collier will say, the devill take him though he never means it. Deceit will give you faire words,& pick your pockets: nay he will pluck out your hearts, if you be not wary. But when you hear one cry out against lawns, drawn-works, Periwigs, against the attire of courtesans.& generally of the pride of al women: then know him for a wolf clothed in sheeps raiment, and be sure you are fast by the lake of destruction. Therfore take heed of it, which you shall do, if you shun mens flattery, the forerunner of our undoing. If a jade be galled, will he not winch? and can you find fault with a horse that springeth when he is spurred? The one will stand quietly when his back is healed, and the other go well when his smart ceaseth. You must bear with the old lover his surfeit, because he was diseased when he did writ it, and peradventure hereafter, when he shal be well amended, he will repent himself of his slanderous speeches against our sex, and curse the dead man whith was the cause of it, and make a public recantation: For the faltering in his speech at the latter end of his book affirmeth, that already he half repenteth of his bargain,& why? because his melody is past: but beleeue him not, though he should out swear you, for although a jade may be still in a stable when his gull back is healed, yet he will show himself in his kind when he is traueiling: and mans flattery bites secretly, from which I pray God keep you and me too.  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

A sovereign salve, to cure the late Surfeiting lover.  

IF once the heat, did sore thee beat,  
of foolish love so blind:  
sometime to sweat, sometime to freat  
as one bestraught of mind:   

If wits wear take, in such a broke,  
that reason was exiled:  
And woe did wake, but could not slake  
thus love had thee beguilde:   

If any wight, unto thy sight,  
all other did excel:  
whose beauty bright, constrained right  
thy heart with her to dwell:   

If thus thy foe, oppressed thee so,  
that back thou could not start:  
But still with woe, did surfeit thoe,  
yet thankless was thy smart:   

If nought but pain, in love remain,  
at length this counsel win,  
That thou refrain, this dangerous pain,  
and come no more therein.   

And sith the blast, is overpast,  
it better were certain:  
From flesh to fast, whilst life doth last,  
then surfeit so again,  
vivendo disce.   
jo. A.   

Eiusdem ad Lectorem, de Authore.  
THough, sharp the seed, by Anger sown  
we all( almost) confess:  
And hard his hap we ay account,  
who Anger doth possess:  
Yet hapless shalt thou( Reader) reap,  
such fruit from ANGERS soil.  
As may thee please, and ANGER ease  
from long and weary toil.  
Whose pains were took for thy behoof,  
to till that cloddye ground,  
Where scarce no place, free from disgrace,  
of female Sex, was found.  
If ought offend, which she doth sand,  
impute it to her mood.  
For ANGERS ●age must that assuage,  
as well is understood.  
If to delight, ought come in sight,  
then deem it for the best.  
So you your will, may well fulfil,  
and she haue her request.  
jo▪ A.  
FINIS.   

A fault escaped in C. the first page., 7 lines from the end.  
For: it became putrefied.  
red: it became purified.