Agrippa_ Declamatio de nobilitate & precellentia Fœminei sexus

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Agrippa: Declamatio de nobilitate & precellentia

Fœminei sexus.

This digital edition copyright © 2005 by Joseph H. Peterson.

Latin text based on 1529 edition: http://visualiseur.bnf.fr/Visualiseur?Destination=Gallica&O=NUMM-71692

English translation is based on:

Female pre-eminence, or, The dignity and excellency of that sex above the male :

an ingenious discourse / written orignally in Latine by Henry Cornelius Agrippa ... ;

done into English with additional advantages by H[enry]. C[are].

Published: London : Printed by T. R. and M. D. and are to be sold by Henry Million ..., 1670.

University of Minnesota: TC Wilson Library Annex Sub-Basement Mfilm 1771 444:4.



HENRI-CI CORNELII AGRIPPÆ

de Nobilitate & Præœcellentia Fœminei

sexus, ad Margaretam Augustam

Austriaco & Bur-

gundionum Principem[1529]

Expostulatio cum Ioanne Catilineti super expo-

sitione libri Ioannis Capnionis de uerbo mirifico

De sacramento Matrimonii declamation ad

Margaretam Alenconiæ duœm.

De triplici ratione cognoscendi Deum liber vnus

ad Guilielmum Paleologum Marcionem

Mantisserrati. Dehortatio Gentilis theologiæ ad Episcopum

Vasatensem.

De Originali peccato desputabilis opinionis

declamatio ad episcopum Cyrenensem. Regimem

aduersus pestilentiam ad eundem episco.

Female Pre-eminence:OR THE

Dignity and Excellency of

that

Sex, above the Male.

An Ingenious Discourse:

Written Originally in Latine,

by Henry Cornelius Agrippa, Knight,

Doctor of Physick, Doctor of both

Laws, and Privy-Counsellor to the

Emperour Charles the Fifth.

Done into English, with Ad-

ditional Advantages.

BY H.C.

1 Esdr. 3.12. Women are strongest.

LONDONPrinted by T.R. and M.D, and are to be soldby Henry Million, at the Sign of the Bible in

Fleet-street. 1670.

The Epistle Dedicatory.

TO HER

Most Excellent Majesty,

KATHERINE,By the Grace of God,

QUEEN of Great Britain,France, and Ireland, &c.

Madam,

His little Champion, wholong hath Brav'd theWorld in Your NobleSexes Defence, beingArriv'd in Your MajestiesDominions, and taught tospeak the English Dialect,

is with all Humility prostrated at Your RoyalFeet. The Original Tratise was Grac'd withthe propitious Regards of a Great Princess,The Illustrious Margaret of Austria,



afterwards Empress; whence this meanTranslation derives, an ambition, not to takeshelter under any less than SoveraignPatronage. Yet is not Your MajestiesGreatness, so much as Goodness, respectedin this Humble Address; that serious primitiveDevotion, exemplary Virtue, and otherexcellent Endowments, that render You moretruely Glorious, than all the magnificnet

Advantages of Your Most Illustrious Birthand Fortune. To Your Majesty this Discourseis necessitated to Appeal; for 'tis Your brightName alone, that can, being stampt thereon,(like Your Royal Consort's Effigies on Coyn)make it pass Currant in the opinion of theWorld; who no longer will be scandaliz'd atthe Title, nor think the Author too Lavish inWomens Praise, when they Reflect on YourMajesty, that Great Example of Female Pre-eminence, and Excellency, that have out-

done the mosr daring Hyperbolies, and notonly Justified, but Surpass'd in Life andMerit, whatever can be said in the behalf of Your Most Glorious Sex.

That Your Majesty, Encircled with allHappiness, may long remain a President of Piety to this Degenerous Age, and find asmany to Imitate as Admire Your RoyalVirtues, is the Prayer of

Your Majesties

Most Humble,Loyal, and Obe-

dient Subject,H. Care.

The Translators Preface.

In this giddy Age wherein each extravagant

opinion finds a welcome, and Conceits morewilde than any Bedlam-phrensie, have beenentertain'd with zeal, and promoted withpassion, an innocent Paradox may fairly hopefor Pardon at least, if not Applause.

Since (1.) Tyranny, (2.) Injustice, (3.)Ugliness, and (4.) Folly it self, have notwanted their respective Advocates amongstthe Learned, I see small reason whyAsserting the Pre-eminence of the FemaleSex, should too severely be censured.

(1.) Praised

byPolycrates,

andHisocrates.

(2.) By

Glauco.

(3.) ByPaco**nus.

(4.) ByErasmus.



But 'tis unjust to debar Readers of thattickling delight they take in finding faults, itbeing oftentimes all the consideration theyhave for laying out their Money. TheStationers humour and mine agree, Let thembut buy the Book, and then (being their own)use it as they please. I shall not thereforewaste time, either in Courting or Huffing theReader, (for both wayes are now commonly

used to surprize his good opinion,) but onlyendeavour to give an Impartial Account of the Author, and Design of the ensuingDiscourse.

To say much of the noble Agrippa, were toput an Affront on the Reader, (if he pretend atall to traffick in the Commonwealth of Learning) by supposing him a stranger to thatMan, who was justly admir'd as the Prodigyof his Age, for all kind of Science. That vastprogress he made, Tam Marte quam

Mercurio, in Arms no less than Arts; theTitles and Honours he acquir'd; the respectpaid him by most of the Grandees, andfamous Men, his Contemporaries; and thoseMonuments of Learning, wherewith he hathoblig'd Posterity; all speak him a Personabove the ordinary level of Mankind; to berankt only amongst those few noble Heroes;

Queis meliore Luto finxitpræcordia Titan.

Whom Titan with a gentle

Ray,Hath moulded of a purerClay.

[Cf. Juvenal,

XIV. 34-5.]

'Tis true, (like all great Wits) he took no littlepleasure in stemming the impetuous Tide of popular opinion, as if nothing had beenimpregnable against the puissance of hisparts. Hence he made that desperate (5.)Onset, to prove in particular, what Solomonwas content to affirm in the lump, That all

things are Vanity; and with an excess of Gallantry undertook singly to duel all Artsand Sciences.

(5.) HisBook of the

vanity of all

Arts and

Sciences.

Nor was this present Essay any other than asally of the same Generosity, that delights toengage on disadvantages, and bravely toassist the weaker party. After so manyslanderers (like ungratefull Mules, turningtheir brutish heels to kick those Paps whencethey receiv'd their first Nutriment) had dipttheir keen Pens in Gall, and fill'd their blackMouthes with Calumnies, to sully the Reputeof this fair Sex, our Author was too noble,not to think himself concern'd in itsVindication; Common Justice, no less thanpoint of Honour, obliging all to succour



oppressed Innocency. Hereupon theGenerous Agrippa enters the Lists, to assertthe Honour of the Female Party, against theimmerited obloquies of the Male, which hechooses to attempt, not after the low, timerousmethod of an Apology, the shallowInvectives of the Adversaries being unworthythe refute of his Pen; but like a politickGeneral, carrying the War into the enemies

Countrey, startles them with an expectedInvasion, and lets them know this noble Sexought to be the object of their veneration, norcontempt, being in all respects their superiour.

How prudently this Design was undertaken,or how well perform'd, I shall not fore-stallthe Readers opinion, so far as to determine;but must confess my self pleas'd with thatDiversion I met with in reading the Original;and thereupon to have attempted theTranslation, not without some Additions, andvariation, to render it more smooth andgratefull to the present Age, thinking I couldscarce better devote my vacant hours, than tothe service of that sweet Sex, which everyone deserving the Name of Man, cannot butlove; and to whom, whoever hath not forgothe had a Mother, is oblig'd to pay areverential esteem.

Yet is it no part of our Design to flatterWomen, but to put some check to the rude,

undeserv'd reproaches, cast on them by theMen: To acquaint the fair Sex with its naturalDignity, that they may scorn to act any thingunworthy of themselves: to treat them withvariety of real (not Romantick) Examples of true Piety, exact Chastity, sincere, unalterableAffection, and other rare, sublime qualities;whence inspir'd with a generous emulation,they may strive ti out-vye these ancientHeroinaes, and transcend the excellentPatterns here recommended; finding, that it isVirtue alone that can embalm their Memories,and render them still fresh and amiable, eventhen when Age or Sickness have plow'd theirFaces with wrinckled furrows, and sweptaway the sparkling Glories of their Eyes.

To conclude: If the captious World shall awhile lay aside its usual severities, andvouchsafe any Acceptance of these ourinconsiderable pains, (now confusedlyhuddled up in hast,) we shall use our utmostendeavours in the second Edition to deserve

that favour, by some further Additions andEmbellishments.



H.C.

To His Ingenious Friend

Mr. H. Care:

On his Pains in Translating, andRefining this quaint Discourse

of Female Pre-eminence.

'Tis bravely done, dear Friend! thus toEngageFor the Fair Sex, in this detracting Age,When vip'rous Tongues so virulently throweVenome at thise to whom their Lives theyowe,And each base Fopp poor Womens Judgedoth sit,Who thinks Railing at them proves him a Wit,And therefore Dams 'um, They'r all Whores,hee'l cry,Though's Mother and his Sister both standby:Nor want there Squires o'th' Quill to woundtheir Name,

And with foul Ink Bespatter their brightFame.But as when Royal Phæbus shews his Face,Those Sporads vanish which usurpt his place;So all these black-mouth'd screeching Birdsof Night,And by your Book put to eternal Flight:Your Book; For what you modestly do callTranslation, if with the OriginalIt be compar'd, 'twill easily be known,That the far better part on it is your own.You adde, correct, and so the Whole Refine,That 'tis no more Agrippa's now, but thine;He laid the Plot, but you the Language bring,And giv't a Dress as glorious as the Spring:Choice Words compos'd in Periods, thatsurprizeThe Ear with most harmonious Cadencies,Such charming stile, which France it self admir'd,Was thought t'have vanisht when Love-Dayexpir'd;Our English Prose seem'd sunk ever since

then,But now there's hopes you'l Buoy it up agen:For such fair Blossomes in your Youth,presageNo common Fruit from your maturer Age.



But what dost aim at? (for I must profess,In this Attempt, 'twill puzzle one to guess)Weary of retail-Love, by this Design,Dost thou intend to Court all Womankind?T' ingross their Favour, and ambitiously,Affect Loves universal Monarchy?Or do thy flames which to some one Aspire,Transport thee, the whole Sex thus to admire?

What e're it bem unto thy pains and wit,All Ladies must confess themselves in Debt;And to thee, whence such Ornament theyfind,They'r most ungratefull if they prove notkind.Their Snow-white Hands thy welcome Bookshall hold,And sometimes wrap't up in some silkenFold,In their sweet Bosomes suffer it to Rest,

(Ah! who'l not envy it when 'tis so Blest?)

[2]

DE FOEMINEI SEXUS

praecellentia L. Beliaquetus

Desine vaniloquax sexum laudare virilem

Plus aequo, laudum ne sit aceruus iners

Desine (si sapias) sexum damnare malignisFœmineum verbis, quae ratione carent.

Si bene lance tua sexum perpendis vtrumque

Fœmineo cedet quisquis virilis erit

Credere si dubites, & res tibi dura videtur

Haud alias visus nunc mihi testis adest

Quem nuper vigilans extruxit Agrippa libellum

Ante viros laudans fœmineumque genus.

[3]

CLARISSIMO VIRO DOMINO

Maximiliano Transsiluano Caroli

quinti Caesaris

Imperatorisque A consiliis Hen. Cor.

Agrippa S.D.

Anni ferme viginti retroacti sunt (splendide

Maximiliane) quo tempore in Dola Burgundiæ

Gymnasio pulpito donatus magna omnium



admiratione librum Ioan. Capnionis, de Verbo

Mirifico ad honorem diuae Margaretae Principis

nostræ interpretabat, habita in prælectione insigni

laudum suarum oratione. Instabant per id tempus

apud me plerique eius ciuitatis non infimæ sortis

viri, inter cæteros quem nosti Symon Vernerius

Dolanæ ecclesiæ Decanus, & Gymnasii

Procancellarilis vt prænominatæ Principi nonnihiloperis scripto dedicarem: contendebant omnes

improbis precibus, vrgebantque epistolis, &

ingerebant me hoc ipso haud non insignem

gratiam apud eandem principem initurum. Annui

nefas arbitratus tantorum virorum preces rejicere,

ac propositam mihi tantæ Principis gratiam

contemnere. Et cepi argumentum operis de

nobilitate & præcellentia Fœminei sexus, non

indignum ratus quod illi Principi potissimum

deuouerem dedicaremque quæ supra omnes

nostri æui præclaras mulieres fœmineæ nobilitatis

præcellentiæque vnicum exemplar visa est, vt se

præside ac teste libellus ille non parum

authoritatis caperet aduersus eos qui in fœmineo

sexu vituperando, nihil faciunt reliqui. Quod

autem ad id temporis cum ceptum hoc votum

meum apud celsitudinem suam non liberarim,

non loci distantia, non temporis effluxus, non

animi facilitas, non propositi mutatio, non etiamargumenti angustia, ingeniiue paupertas, sed

Catilineti cuiusdam calumnia in causa fuit (que

cuiusmodi fuerit ex ipsa nostra ad eumdem

expostulatione quam vna cum præsentibus ad te

mitto videre, licebit) cuius hypocrisi victus,

indignabundusque factus suppressi librum, usque

adhuc nolui tamen hac fidelia aliam quamuis

etiam pretiosum parietem dealbare, futurum

aliquem [4] confidens quo liber ille non essetamissurus suam dominam. Nunc itaque reuersus

in patriam hanc, equum putaui respondere fidei,

nec diutius differendum librum illum principi

nostræ offerre, qui illi ex stipulatione & voto

æquissimo iure debetur. Atque vt cognoscat me

interim temporis nec illius oblitum esse, nec

deuotam fidem vnquam deseruisse, nec pluris

valuisse apud me alienam nequitiam, quam

proprii animi constantiam virtutibus ac laudibus

eius impense fauentem. Quod si nunc tuaprudentia hoc meum consilium non improbauerit,

faciam vt libellus iste cum plerisque aliis meis

progrediatur in publicum, etiam si videam res



hæc quam sit exigua, & qua nulla elegantia

dicendi reddita. Sed volo libellum hunc quondam

in pueritia mea conscriptum, & nunc non nisi vt

in hoc exemplari vides tumultuario, alicubi

recognitum ipsi principi suæ (sicut apud

Canonistas (quos vocant) dicendi mos est) ex

nunc vt a tunc, vel cum æstimationis meæ iactura

oblatum iri. Dum interim ætate iam grandior,grauiori ac pleniori argumento, sublimiora &

digniora cælsitudini suæ parauero. Neque vero

velim Principem ipsam, ab his pueritiæ meæ

nugis, ingenium meum metiri: quod si experiri

velit, possit sibi etiam in maximis rebus & pace

& bello vsui fore. Proinde vero ne quis superbior,

aut eruditionis iactantior, contemptu mediocritatis

meæ, in ingenium nostrum ingratus hanc operam

nostram despiciat, calumnietur, mordeat, laceret,

tuæ Magnanimitati eandem, vna cum fœmineæ

nobilitatis splendore, cum muliebris excellentiæ

gloria insuper tuendam, defendendamque

commendo, speroque futurum me huius causæ,

quod viris fœminas prætulerim, facile veniam

obtenturum quod tantæ Principi hæc scripserim,

ac tua amplitudine hortante, tuenteque, ediderim.

Vale. Ex Antuerpia, xvi Kalendas Maii An. M.

D. XXIX.

Iuditium tuum expectabo

[5]

DIVAEMARGARETAE AVGVSTAE

Austriacorum Burgundionumque

principi

clementissimæ Henricus Cornelius

Agrippa, S. D.



EM HACTENVS

inauditam, sed a vera

haud absimiliem pro

viribus audacter

quidem, sed non sine

pudore aggressus sum

fœminei sexus

nobilitatem,præcellentiamque

describere. Certauit fateor intra me sæpius

audacia cum pudore. Nam ut innumeras

mulierum laudes, virtutes, summamque

præstantiam oratione velle complecti, plenum

ambitionis & audaciæ putabam, sic fœminas

maribus præferre, tanquam euirati ingenii plenum

pudoris videbatur. Hinc forte causans cur quum

pauci admodum de mulierum laudibus scribere

tentarunt. Nullus hactenus quod certo sciam

earum supra viros eminentiam adserere ausus est.

Proinde vero tam dignissimo sexui veras atque

debitas sibi laudes tacendo velut inuidere, &

præripere eumque suppressa agnita veritate suis

meriti suaque fraudari gloria, plenum

ingratitudinis arbitrabar atque sacrilegii. Quum

itaque inter has varias dissonasque sententias

anxius mecum [6] ipse hæsitarem, miro hoc

ingratitudinis, codemque sacrilegii metu, victopudore audacior effectus sum in scribendo, dum

metuo videri audacior, si tacerem, bonum omen

interpretatus, quasi eius rei prouincia, quam

hactenus eruditorum cœtus penitus neglexisse

videtur, mihi à superis relicta atque decreta

fuerit. Annunciabo itaque gloriam mulieris, &

honestatem eius non abscondam, tantumque abest

quod me assumpti argumenti pudeat, quandoque

si fœminas viris præferam, ob id mevituperandum putem esse, vt vix me excusatum

iri fidam, qui rem adeo sublimem humiliori quam

par est dicendi forma complexus sum, nisi me

cum temporis angustia & rei difficultas, tum

causæ æquitas tuerentur, tum quia nullo adulandi

assentandiue studio hanc operam aggressus sum

ideoque non tam studium fuit rhetoricis figmentis

officiosisque mendaciis verba in laudes ornare,

quam rem ipsam ratione authoritate, exemplis,

ipsisque sacrarum litterarum, & vtriusque iuristestimoniis commonstrare. Tibi autem

serenissima Margareta, cuius inter huius aeui

præclaras fœminas per uniuersum orbem



terrarum Apollo, Diana, dies Aurora, Vulcanus,

dii quinque non illustrarunt, cum generis

nobilitate, tum virtutum præstantia, & rerum

gestarum gloria, parem alteram hanc operam

nostram, ideo deuotam dedicatamque constituto,

ut te (quæ ad id virtutum fastigium ascendisti,

quod, cuncta quæ de fœminei sexus laudibus

prædicantur, vita & moribus superasti)præsentaneo exemplo, ac teste fidissima, eiusdem

sexus vestri decus, & gloria, quasi sole quodam

splendidius [7] elucescat. Vale felicissime

nobilissimarum mulierum simul ac principum

decus, & ornamentum, & gloria, modis omnibus

absoluta.

HENRICICORNELII AGRIPPAE DECLA-

matio de nobilitate & præcellentia

Fœminei sexus.EVS optimus maximus cunctorum

genitor, pater ac bonorum

utriusque secus fecunditate

plenissimus, hominem sibi

similem creauit, masculum &

fœminam creauit illos [Genes. prio.]. Quorumquidem sexuum discretio non nisi situ partium

corporis differente constat, in quibus usus

generandi diuersitatem necessaria requirebat.

Eandem vero & masculo & fœminæ, ac omnino

indifferentem animæ formam tribuit. Inter quas

nulla prorsus sexus est distantia. Eandem ipsa

mulier cum viro sortita est mentem, rationem

atque sermonem, ad eundum tendit beatitudinis

finem, ubi sexus nulla erit exceptio. Nam iuxtaEuangelicam veritatem [ Luc. 20. Mar. 12. Matth.

22.] Resurgentes in proprio sexu, sexus non

fungentur officio, sed angelorum illis promittitur

similitudo. Nulla itaque est ab essentia animæ

inter virum & mulierem, alterius super alterum

nobilitatis præeminentia. Sed utrisque par

dignitatis innata libertas. Quæ autem præter

animæ diuinam essentiam in homine reliqua sunt,

in iis muliebris inclyta stirps durum virorum

genus in infinitum pene excellit, quod tum [8]

demum ratum firmumque erit, quum id ipsum (&

quod institutum nostrum est) non adulterinis

lmighty God, towhose efficaciousWord all things owetheir original,abounding in hisown glorious

Essence with infinitegoodness andfecundity, did in the

beginning Create Man after his own likeness, Male and Female, created he them; the truedistinction of which Sexes, consists meerly inthe different site of those parts of the body,wherein Generation necessarily requires aDiversity: for both Male and Female heimpartially endued with the same, andaltogether indifferent form of Soul, theWoman being possess'd of no less excellentFaculties of Mind, Reason, and Speech, thanthe Man, and equally with him aspiring tothose Regions of Bliss and Glory, wherethere shall be no exception of Sex. Forthough at the last Trumpets universal Alarm,when our recollected bodies shall start upamazed, to find themselves releas'd from theirPrisons of Darkness, we may perhaps appearin our respective proper Sexes, yet shall wenot then either need or make use of Sex, butare promised by him who is Truth it self, a

Conversation resembling that of blessedAngels in Heaven. Hence 'tis evident, that asto the essence of the Soul between Man andWoman, there can no Pre-eminence at all bechallenged on either side, but the same innate



fucatisve sermonibus neque etiam logicis

tendiculis quibus multi sophistæ homines

illaqueare solent, sed cum optimorum authorum

patrociniis, rerumque gestarum veridicis historiis

ac apertis ratioibus, tum sacrarum literarum

testimoniis & utriusque iuris sanctionibus

ostensum est.

worth and dignity of both, the Image of theirCreator being stampt as fairly, and shining asbrightly in one, as t'other; whereas in all otherrespects the noble and delicate FeminineRace, doth almost to infinity excell thatrough-hewn, boisterous kind, the Male.

This may at first perhaps seem an oddAssertion, and extravagantly Paradoxical, but

will appear a certain Truth, when we haveprov'd it (which is our present undertaking)not with empty flourishes of words, or gawdyPaint of Rhetorick, nor with those vainLogical Devices, wherewith Sophisters toofrequently inveigle unwary understandings,but by the Authority of the most ApprovedAuthors, unquestioned Histories, and evidentReasons, as likewise with Testimonies of holy Writ, and Sanctions of both Civil andCanon Laws.

Principiò itaque ut rem ipsam ingrediar: Mulier

tanto viro [Gene. 3.] excellentior facta est,

quanto excellentius præ illo nomen accepit: Nam

Adam terra sonat, Eua autem vita interpretatur.

At vita ipsa quam terra est excellentior, tam viro

ipso mulier est præferenda. Neque est quod

dicatur debile hoc argumentum esse ex

nominibus de rebus ipsis iudicium ferre. Scimus

enim summum illum rerum ac nominumartificem prius cognouisse res quam nominasse,

qui cum decipi non potuit, eatenus nomina

fabricauit, quatenus rei naturam proprietatem &

usus exprimeret. [ In marg.: In autem de defen.

civi. col. iii in prin. in Institu. de Don. f.f. est &

aliud.] Ea enim est antiquorum nominum veritas,

testantibus id quoque Romanis legibus, ut ipsa

sint consona rebus, ac aperte rerum significatiua.

Ideo a nominibus argumentum apud theologos ac

iurisconsultos magni est momenti.

Quemadmodum de Nabal scriptum legimus,

secundum nomen suum stultus est, & est stultitia

cum eo. Hinc Paulus in epistola ad Hebræos [Ad

Hebræ 1.] ostensurus præcellentiam Christi, hoc

utitur argumento: Quia tanto melior angelis

effectus est (inquiens) quanto differentius præ

illis nomen hæreditauit. Et alibi: [Ad Philip. 2.]

Dedit illi nomen [9] quod est super omne nomen,

ut in nomine Iesu omne genu flectatur,cœlestium, terrestrium, & inferorum. Adde non

paruam iuris utriusque vim in verborum

obligationibus, in verborum significationibus, in

Since Names are signs of things, and that allmatter presents it self to us cloathed in words,the Learned have advis'd us in all Discourses,First, To consider diligently the Notations orAppellations of those things whereof weintend to Treat, which if we reduce topractice in our present Subject, we mayobserve, that Woman was made at first somuch more excellent than Man, by howmuch she had given her a Name more worthy

than he; the word Adam, signifying but Earth, whereas Eve, is interpreted Life;whence it seems, Woman is no less to bepreferr'd before Man, than Life it self beforesordid and contemptible Earth. Nor let anyweak heads fancy this argument lame orinvalid, because from names it passes

judgement on things, since it must beacknowledged, that the All-wise Contriverboth of names and things, well knew thethings before he imposed names on them; andtherefore (it being impossible he should bedeceived) did undoubtedly bestow on themsuch fit and apposite names, as might bestexpress their intrinsick natures and dignity.Nor is it only the holy tomgue that intimatesthis sexes Pre-eminence, the Latines too seemvery express in asserting it, amongst whomWoman is names Mulier, quasi Melior, asmuch as to say, better or more worthy thanMan. And in our English language, although

Some little wits at Woman rail

and ban,Swearing she's call'd so, quasi

woe to Man;Yet such vain derivations are toblame,



conditionibus & demonstrationibus, in

conditionibus appositus atque id genus

disputationibus, iuriumque apicibus

comprehendi, uti in illis ipsis comparibusque aliis

utriusque iuris titulis comprehendere licet. Sic

enim in iure arguimus a nominis interpretatione.

Item à vi verbi, atque vocabuli. Insuper & ab

etymologia nominis, & à nominis ratione, & àverborum ordine. Iura etenim ipsa haud segniter

considerant significationes nominum, ut ex illis

aliquid interpretentur. Cyprianus etiam adversus

Iudæos arguit primum hominem à quatuor mundi

cardinibus nomen adeptum esse, quasi

quod

sonat oriens, occidens, septentrio, meridies. Et in

eodem libro interpretatur idem nomen Adam,

quia terra caro facta est, quam vis talis expositiodiscrepat à traditione Mose, quum apud Hebræos

non quatuor literis sed tribus scribatur. Hæc

tamen expositio in tam sancto viro non est

vituperanda, qui linguam Hebraicam non didicit,

quam plures sancti & sacrarum literarum

expositores sine multa culpa ignorarunt. Quod si

mecum non habeatur similis licentiæ patientia, ut

liceat mihi ad arbitrium in fœminei sexus laudem

nominis Euæ pariformem etymologiam effingere,saltem hoc unum mihi dicere permittant [10] ex

Cabalistarum mysticis symbolis, ipsum nomen

mulieris plus affinitatis habere cum nomine

ineffabili diuinæ omnipotentiæ

, quàm nomen viri quod cum

diuino nomine nec in characteribus, nec in figura,

nec in numero convenit.

Since God himself did her Man's

help-meet name.Woman promote our joyes,partake our woes,But we men work our own, andtheir o'rethrowes.

Tis too great a derogation from the knownprudence and piety of our ancestors, to

imagine them at once so injurious andimpious, as to brand this noble Sex with aname, diametrically thwarting that characterwhich Heaven it self had given of its Nature.We may with much more probability, (theonly Compass to sail by in an Ocean of Etymologies) suppose the word, Woman, tobe derived quasi Woe man, she being theloadstone of Man's desires, and the soleadequate object of his affections, whom he isto woe, court, and settle his love on; or elsefrom With Man, abbreviated in thepronunciation, intimating the need Man hathof her presence and company, and his dullheartless condition without her. Society is thelife of Life, and Women the life of Society,compar'd with whom all other pleasures anddiversions are but flat and melancholy;whereof the Protoplast, even whilest he wasin his state of innocency, and had a garden of pleasure for his habitation, was not insensible;of whom thus a minor poet,

Adam alone in Paradise didgrieve,and thought Eden a desertwithout Eve,Untill God pittying his lonesomestate,Crown'd all his wishes with aloely mate.No reason then hath Man toslight or flout her,Who could not live in Paradisewithout her.

However if we shall not be allow'd thepriviledge of contriving for the honour of theFemale Sex, such advantageous etymologies,yet let us at least affirm from the mysteriouslearning of the Cabalists; that the Woman'sName in the original language, hath a muchnearer affinity with the ineffableTetragrammaton, or sacred name of theDivine Essence, than the Man's, which bearsno resemblance thereto either in characters,

figures, or number.

Sed in nunc supersedebimus: sunt enim paucis

lecta, paucis lecta, paucioribus intellecta, &

But waving (at present) this abstruser

mode of proof, as a matter read by few,



fusiorem narrationem requiunt quam ut hic

adscribi conveniat. Nos interim excellentiam

mulieris non à nomine modo, sed à rebus ipsis ac

muniis meritisque investigabimus. Scrutemur

itaque scripturas (ut aiunt) & ab ipso creationis

initio sumentes exordium quid dignitatis mulier

ipsa in primo productionis ordine supra virum

sortita est disseramus. Scimus quæcunque à Deooptimo maximo facta sunt, hoc potissimum

differre ut quædam eorum perpetuò maneant

incorruptibilia, quædam corruptioni, ac mutationi

subiecta sint, atque in his creandis, Deum hoc

ordine progressum ut à nobiliori unius incipiens,

in nobilissimum alterius desineret. Itaque creauit

primum incorruptibiles angelos, & animas: ita

namque contendit Augustinus animam primi

nostri parentis ante corporum productionem una

cum angelis creatam fuisse [ Augu. super Genes.

Ii. 7.]. Porro creauit incorruptibilia corpora, ut

cœlos ac stellas, ac elementa incorruptibilia

quidem, sed variis mutationibus obnoxia, ex

quibus cætera omnia quæ corruptioni subiecta

sunt, conflauit ex vilioribus per singulos

dignitatis gradus, rursus ascendendo ad universi

[11] perfectionem procedens [Gene. 2.]. Hinc

primum mineralia prodierunt post vegetabilia,

plantæ, & arbores, deinde zoophita, demumanimantia bruta per ordinem reptilia, natantia,

volantia, quadrupedia. Postremò verò creauit sibi

similes homines duos, marem inquem primum, &

postremo fœminam, in qua perfecti sunt cœli, &

terra, & omnis ornatus eorum, ad mulieris enim

creationem, veniens creator, quieuit in illa, ut

nihil honoratius creandum præ manibus habens,

in ipsaque conclusa & consummata est omnis

creatoris sapientia, atque potestas, ultra quamnon reperitur creatura alia, nec excogitari potest.

Cum itaque mulier sit ultima creaturarum, ac

finis, & complementum omnium operum Dei

perfectissimum, ipsiusque universi perfectio, quis

eam negabit super omnem creaturam præcellentia

dignissimam sine qua mundus ipse iam ad

unguem perfectissimus, & numeris omnibus

absolutus fuisset imperfectus, qui non aliter quam

in creaturarum omnium longe perfectissima

perfici potuit. Dissentaneum enim est &absurdum opinari, Deum in aliquo imperfecto

tantum opus per fecisse. Nam cum mundus ipse

velut integerrimus aliquis perfectissimusque

understood by fewer, and requiring a

more ample ample explication, than

our leisure, no less than the reader's

patience, can here allow of, we proceed

from words to things, and come to

investigate and display Female

Excellency, not barely from the name,

but in reality from its intrinsick worthand proper endowments; for long

jangling about nominals, whilest

substances fleet by unregarded, may

argue some smattering in Grammar, or

Sophistry, but no great stock of solid or

usefull learning.

Let us then (as we are commanded)

search the Scriptures, and dating our

discourse with the World's original,examine what dignity was alotted to

Woman above Man, by order of

Creation. We know that all things

made by the Almighty Architect, may

not unfitly be branched into these two

ranks, some remaining ever

incorruptible, others subject to

corruption and mutation; in the creation

of both which, Divine Wisdomeproceeded in a method of descension

and ascension, beginning with the more

noble of the one, and concluding with

the most noble of the other. Hence he

first created those purer essences,

immaterial angels and souls, (for so the

great St. Augustine contends, that the

soul of our first parent was created

together with the angels, before the

poroduction of his body) then the

incorruptible bodies, as the Heavens,

and those vast numbers of glorious

stars, wherewith the same are

embroidered; as also the elements,

incorruptible too, but obnoxious to

various mutations, of which last he

composed all other things liable to

corruption, beginning with the

meanest, and so proceeding upwardsagain by several degrees of dignity, to

the perfection of the Universe; so as

first minerals were brought forth, then



circulus à Deo creatus sit, oportuit illum in ea

particula absolui quæ omnium primum cum

omnium ultimo unitissimo quodam nexu in sese

copularet. Sic mulier dum creatur mundus inter

omnia creata tempore fuit ultima, eademque cum

authoritate, tum dignitate in ipso diuinæ mentis

conceptu omnium fuit prima, sicut de illa

scriptum est per Prophetam: Antequam cœlicrearentur elegit eam Deus, & præelegit eam. [12]

Ea siquidem est pervulgata philosophantium (ut

illorum verbis utar) sententia finem semper

priorem esse in intentione & in executione

postremum. Mulier autem fuit postremum Dei

opus introducta à Deo in hunc mundum velut

eius regina in regiam sibi iam paratam ornatam,

& omnibus muneribus absolutam. Merito igitur

illam omnis creatura amat, veneratur, obseruat,

meritoque illi omnis creatura subiicitur, atque

obedit, quæ omnium creaturarum regina est atque

finis, & perfectio, & gloria modis omnibus

absoluta. Quamobrem de illa Sapiens inquit:

Generositatem mulieris glorificat, contubernium

habens Dei, sed & omnium Dominus dilexsit

eam. Quantum etiam ratione loci in quo creata

est mulier, generis nobilitate virum excedit, sacra

nobis eloquia locupletissime testantur, quando

mulier in paradiso nobilissimo loco pariter &amœnissimo formata est cum angelis, vir autem

extra paradisum in agro rurali cum brutis

animalibus factus est. Postea creandam mulierem

traductus in paradisum. Ideoque mulier peculiari

quadam naturæ dote veluti assueta æditissimo

creationis suæ loco, quantumvis ab also

despiciens non patitur vertiginem, neque caligant

oculi eius, ut viris accidere solet. Prætereà si

contingat mulierem cum viro pariter in aquispericlitari omni externo adiutorio semoto mulier

diutius supernatat viro, citius subsidente

fundumque petente. Quod autem loci dignitas ad

hominis nobilitatem faciat, leges ciuiles sacrique

canones haud obscure confirmant, [13] &

omnium gentium consuetudo. Illud maxime

obseruat non solum in hominibus, sed quibusque

animalibus, etiam in inanimatis æstimandis, ut

quanto quæque dignioræ sunt orto loco tanto

generosiora censeantur. Quocirca Isaac præcepitfilio suo Iacob ne uxorem acciperet de terra

Canaan, sed de Mesopotamia syriæ conditione

meliore. Est haud dissimile quod est apud

sprouted up vegetables, plants, herbs,

and trees, afterwards plant-animals,

then living creatures in order, creeping,

swimming, flying, and four-footed, and

last of all he formed our first parents

after his own similitude, first the man,

and then the woman, in whom was

compleated the Heavens and the Earth,and all the glory of them, for after her

creation the great Creator rested, as

having nothing more honourable to

frame; and so well resented the

pleasure of having finisht this glorious

work so happily, that he instituted a

day of each seven to celebrate its

Festival. Woman then beingthe last of

the creatures, the end, complement,

and consummation of all the works of

God, what ignorance is there so stupid,

or what impudence can there be so

effronted, as to deny her a prerogative

above all other creatures, without

whom the World it self had been

imperfect; it being impossible the same

should be compleated, but in some

creature most perfect, and absurd to

dream, that Infinite Wisdome wouldconclude so noble a fabrick, with a

thing any way trivial or defective: for

the whole Universe being created by

God, as an entire and perfect circle, it

was requisite the same should be made

up, and finisht in such an exact and

absolute particle, as might with a most

strict tye unite and glew toghether the

first of all things with the last. Thus thewoman in relation to time indeed was

formed last, but in respect of dignity,

first of all conceived in the divine Idea,

(as 'tis written, Before the Heavens

were created I chose her;) the End ,

according to the Catholick Creed of

philosophers, being ever first in

intention, though last in execution: but

Woman was the End , and last work of

God, and introduced into the World,not unlike a queen into her royal

palace, Paradise her metropolitan

residence, being fitted and prepared



Iohannem [Iohan. 1.] dum Philippus diceret:

Invenimus Iesum filium Ioseph, à Nazareth dixit

ei Nathanael, à Nazareth potest esse aliquid boni.

before hand for her reception and

entertainment, where the Man seem'd

only her harbinger or attendant.

Deservedly therefore doth every

creature love, and pay respect and

homage to her, who is of all creatures

the queen, perfection, and glory; for

which cause the wise man saith, Heglorifies the generosity of the Woman,

having society with God, the Lord of

all hath loved her.

But further, in reference to the place of

her creation, how much Woman doth

surpass Man in dignity, sacred Oracles

liberally inform us, witnessing her to

be created in Paradise, a place no lessnoble, than pleasant and delightfull; but

the Man out of Paradise, in a rural

field, with irrational brutes. And

therefore as great personages, of noble

extraction, though by the malice of

Fortune reduc'd to extremities, retain

still some marks of grandeur, and a

mean different from the vulgar, so

Woman carries yet an air of Paradise,something that speaks her sublime

descent, her inclinations beign

generally more pious and devout, and

her countenance angelical, and (as

accustomed to that sublime place of her

first birth) she enjoys this peculiar

priviledge, that looking downwards,

though from never so high a precipice,

she is not seiz'd with that dizziness or

dimness of sight, which frequently in

such accidents happens to men. As also

if a man and woman together chance to

be exposed to danger by water,

(deprived of all external aid or

assistance) you may behold her a long

time floating on the chrystal

superficies, the compassionate element

seeming unwilling to contract the guilt

of destroying so much excellency;whilest the Man streight sinks, and

(like other gross bodies) tends to the

bottome, as his proper center. Now that



the dignity of the place of nativity

conduces not a little to the enobling a

person, both the civil laws, and sacred

canons plainly intimate, and the

custome of all nations confirms; and

that not only in men, but in all other

animals, yea inanimate creatures,

esteeming each so much more generousand noble, as they come from a more

worth place. Thus Isaac commands his

Jacob not to take a wife of the land of

Canaan, but of the then more renowned

country, Mesopotamia of Syria: not

unlike which is that in John, where

Philip relating, that he had found Jesus

of Nazareth, Nathanael (that true

Isreaelite) nimbly queries, If any thing

good could come thence?

Nunc ad alia pergamus: Præcellit mulier virum

materia creationis, propterea quod non ex

inanimato quopiam aut vili luto creata [Gen. 2.],

quemadmodum vir, sed ex materia purificata,

viuificata, & animata, anima inquam rationali

mentem participante diuinam. Accedit ad hoc

quod vir ex terra quasi suapte natura omnis

generis animantia producente cooperante cœlestiinfluxu à Deo factus est. Mulier autem supra

omnem cœli influxum ac naturæ promptitudinem

absque ulla virtute cooperante à solo Deo creata

est, in omnibus sibi constans integra, & perfecta

viro interim unius costæ iacturam faciente, ex

qua formata est mulier, videlicet Eua de Adam

dormiente, atque tam profunde ut ne costam

quidem evelli sentiret, quam Deum abstulit à viro

& dedit mulieri. Vir itaque naturæ opus, mulieropificium dei. Ideoque mulier diuini splendoris

plerunque viro capacior, sæpeque plena existit,

quod etiamnum, ex munditia & pulchritudine

ipsius mirifica facile videre licet. Nam quum

pulchritudo ipsa nihil est [14] aliud quam diuini

vultus, atque luminis splendor rebus insitus, per

corpora formosa relucens. Is certe mulieres præ

viris habitare ac replere abundantissime elegit.

Hinc mulieris corpusculum omni aspectu

tactuque delicatissimum, Caro tenerrimam, colorclarus, & candidus, cutis nitida, caput decorum,

casaries venustissima, capilli molles, lucidi &

protensi, vultus augustior, prospectusque hilarior,

But to proceed; as in order and place,

so also in matter of her Creation,

Woman far excells Man. things receive

their value from the matter they are

made of, and the excellent skill of their

maker: Pots of common clay must not

contend with China-dishes, nor pewter

utensils vye dignity with those of silver. One line drawn by Appelles his

exquisite pencill, is more to be

esteemed, than whole portraitures

perform'd by the slubbering hands of

vulgar artists. Woman was not

composed of any inanimate or vile dirt,

but of a more refined and purified

substance, enlivened and actuated by a

Rational Soul, whose operations speakit a beam, or bright ray of Divinity.

Man was taken out of the Earth, which

of its own nature, with the co-operation

of Celestial Influxes, is wont to bring

forth living creatures: but Woman,

above all influence of the Heavens, or

aptitude of Nature, without any

assisting virtue, or co-operating power,

was formed miraculously, by god

himself, out of that ribb taken fromdormant Adam's side, whereby Man

became maim'd and imperfect; and

thence ever since, as a needle that hath



facies omnium formosissima, ceruix lactea, frons

expeditus, spatiosus & splendidus, oculos habet

vibrantiores, micantioresque, amabili hilaritate,

& gratia contemperatos, supra hos supercilia in

tenuem gyrum composita, eademque cum decora

planitie, decenti distantia diuisa, è quorum medio

descendit nasus, æqualis & intra rectum modum

cohibitus, sub quo os rutilum, & tenellis labrisconformi compositione venustum intra quæ tenui

risu, dentes emicant, minutili & æquo ordine

locati, eburneo candore nitentes, illorúmque

quam viro paucior numerus quod neque edax

neque mordax. Circumsurgunt maxillæ,

genæque, tenera mollitie roseo fulgore rubentes,

verecundiæque plenæ, ac mentum orbiculare,

decenti concauitate iucundum. Sub hoc collum

habet gracile, & longiusculum, rotundis ex

humeris erectum, gulam delicatam & albicantem,

mediocri crassitiæ fultam vocem, & orationem

suauiorem, pectus amplum, & eminens, æquali

carne vestitum cum mamillarum duritie,

illarumque simul ac ventris orbiculari rotunditate,

latera mollia, dorsum planum & erectum brachia

extensa, manus teretes digitosque concinnis

iuncturis, [15] protensos, ilia coxasque habitiores,

suras carnosiores, extrema manuum pedumque in

orbicularem ductum desinentia, singulaquemembra succi plena. Ad hæc incessus gressusque

modestus, motus decentior, gestus digniores,

totiusque præterea corporis ordine atque

symmetria, figura ac habitudine longe lateque in

omnibus speciosissima, nullumque in tota

creaturarum serie, neque spectaculum adeo

mirandum, neque miraculum perinde

spectandum, ut nemo nisi cæcus omnino non

videat deum ipsum quicquid pulchritudinis capaxest mundus universus in mulierem simul

congessisse, ut ob id illam omnis creatura

stupescat, & multis nominibus amet, ac

veneretur, usque adeo ut usu venire videamus

quod incorporei spiritus, dæmonesque mulieres

sæpissime ardentissimis amoribus depereant, quæ

non fallax opinio est, sed multis experimentis

nota veritas. Atque ut omittam ea quæ poetæ

nobis de amoribus deorum, eorumdemque

amasiis tradidere, ut Apollinis, Daphne, Neptuni,Salmonea, Herculis, Hebe, Iole, & omphale,

cæterorumque deorum amasiis, & ipsius Iovis

admodum multis, Hoc tam divinum

suffered the magnetick touch, stands

alwayes trembling till he looks full on

its beloved North, so he can never rest,

till by taking a woman, and

incorporating her with himself, he

retreive that loss, and render himself

again intire and perfect, The rare art

exercised in rearing this Female-Fabrick, is not obscurely intimated by

the Divine Historian, in his Original

Language, where God is said to make

Man, but to have built Woman; that

implying but common work, this much

curiosity, and contrivance; insomuch

that Man seems little more than the

production of Nature, Woman, the

more immediate handiwork of the God

of Nature. And therefore for the most

part Woman is more susceptable of,

and replenisht with divine splendor and

irradiations, than Man, of which her

incomparable Neatness, and charming

Beauty, may be a pregnant evidence;

for Beauty is nothing but the brightness

or radiancy of Divine Light, shining in

created Essences, and casting on us its

glorious reflections from fair bodies, asillustriously as out weak eyes are

capable without dazleing to behold it.

And this most frequently chooseth to

reside in Woman, rather than Man;

whence she becomes beyond all

espression amiable and delightfull, her

flesh tender and delicate, her colour

bright and clear, her hair most

becoming, her locks (Cupids Fetters,and the only threads wherewith he

strings his bow) soft, long, and

glittering, her countenance more august

and majestical, her lokks more

sprightly, vivid, and jocund, a snow-

white neck, and large smooth high

fore-head, sparkling eyes, armed with

irresistable glances, and yet tempered

with a lovely grace and chearfulness,

arches over with stately eyebrows,(half Moons, that boast more conquests

than the proud Turkish ensigns) which

being divided with a beseeming, plain,



pulchritudinis munus diis, hominibusque amabile

sacra eloquia in mulieribus præ cæteris gratiarum

dotibus in multis locis celebriter commendant

[Gene. 6.]. Hinc legitur in Genesi quod videntes

filii Dei filias hominum quod essent pulchræ,

delegerunt uxores sibi ex illis quas voluerunt.

Legimus etiam de Sara Abrahæ quod fuit pulchra

præ aliis terræ mulieribus, imo pulcherrima. Sicservus Abrahæ cum vidisset Rebeccam eximiæ

pulchritudinis puellam, dixit tacitus secum: Hæc

est quam præparavit Dominus filio Abrahæ,

Isaac, & Abigail [16] uxor Nabal viri pessimi erat

prudens, & cordata, perinde atque speciosa.

Ideoque servavit vitam & facultatem viri sui à

furore David. Et malus vir per pulchram

mulierem servatus est. His namque verbis

allocutus est eam David: Vade pacifice in

domum tuam, ecce audivi vocem tuam, &

honorificavi faciem tuam, nam cum omnis

pulchritudo sit, vel spiritualis, vel vocalis, vel

corporea. Abigail tota pulchra fuit, & prudentia

spiritus, & facundia sermonis, & venustate

corporis, quo nomine mortuo viro suo Nabal

facta est una uxorum David. Et Bathsaba fuit

adeo insigni forma mulier, ut eius amore captus

David, illam post mortem viri desponsatam

reginali dignitate præ cæteris elevaret. ItemAbisag sunamitis quod esset puella pulcherrima,

propterea electa fuit ut accubando David

senescœntis iam regis calorem instauraret.

Quapropter & summis honoribus senex eam rex

augere voluit, & post mortem regis potentis

reginæ loco habita est. Huc spectant ea quæ de

mira pulchritudine reginæ Vasti legimus, atque

de Hester quæ illi prælata, illaque præstantior

fuit, nimis quam pulchra & decora facie. DeIudith etiam legimus cuius auxit Dominus

pulchritudinem, in tantum ut eam conspicati

stupore sint admirando affecti. De Susanna

denique quæ fuit oppido quam delicata, & specie

pulchra. Quid quod legimus etiam post varia

tentamenta Iob & eius ærumnas exantlatas præter

cætera quæ summa patientia meruit, dedisse illi

Dominum tres filias [17] pulcherrimas, tribus

charitibus longe gratiores, quibus mulieres in

universa terra speciosiores neutiquam inventæsunt. Legamus porro licebit sanctarum virginum

historias, nimirum mirabimur quam miræ

pulchritudinis et speciosissimæ formæ præ

and equal distance, her well

proportioned nose leads to her pretty

mouth, and that displaying with an

amorous smile, the rosie portals of its

soft ruddy lips, discovers a row of

inestimable pearl, her fine small teeth,

even, and out-vying ivory for

whiteness, yet fewer in number thanman's, as having less occasion to use

them, being neither great eater, nor

biter. Then her modest cheeks, whose

colours are so purely mixt, that lillies

and roses seem there to contend for

superiority, and her pretty round chin,

beautified with a love-dimple; a voice

she hath most sweet and inchanting;

breasts which seem two sphears of

snow, or swelling mountaines of

delight; long arms, little hands,

interwoven with a curious laberynth of

azure veins; long slender fingers,

nimble joints, and all parts of her body

plump, juicy, and attractive. Besides,

her gate is so modest, her motions

decent and natural, her gesture more

free and noble, her air more taking and

complacent, and the whole form, habit,and symmetry of her person, graced

with such innumerable charms, as

without injuring truth, we may affirm,

That in the whole series of creatures

there is nothing so much to be admir'd,

or miracle so deserving to be seen,

since in her alone all that have not their

eyes blear'd with prejudice, or envy,

may clearly see, the great Creator (whois the fountain of all that is good and

amiable) hath epitomized the beauty of

all his other works, for those

perfections which sparkle here and

there in them, are collected and

constellated in her, whom we may call,

a draught of the whole Creation in

miniature, or a copy of that vast

Volume done in exquisite short-hand.

Hence all creatures admire, love, andalmost adore her; for so (* Lib. 8. Nat.

Hist.) Pliny (that great clark of Nature's

Closet) relates, That the lion which



cæteris filiis hominum catholica ecclesia

solemniter illas collaudando decantet. Sed

omnium longe lateque principem immaculatam

Dei genitricem virginem Mariam, cuius

pulchritudinem sol & luna mirantur, è cuius

speciosissimo vultu tanta simul effulsit

pulchritudinis castimonia, atque sanctitudo, ut

licet omnium oculos pariter & mentesperstringeret, nemo tamen unquam mortalium

suis illecebris, vel minimo cogitatu corruerit.

Hæc etiam si fusius è sacris bibliis ubi toties de

pulchritudine facta mentio, idque ipsissimis pene

verbis ideo recensui, quo plane intelligamus

mulierum pulchritudinem, non apud homines

solum, sed & apud Deum c ohonestatam esse &

honore cumulatam. [ Numeri. 31] Proinde & alibi

legimus in sacris literis Deum præcepisse omnem

masculum sexum etiam pueros occidi, mulieres

vero pulchras servari. [ Deut. 21.] Et in

Deuteronomio permittitur filiis Israel pulchram

mulierem è captivis sibi deligere in coniugem.

spareth no other creature, trembleth at

a woman, and hardly proffereth her

that violence which usually he doth to

Man; as if Nature had taught that

savage animal the respects due to so

fair a presence. Nor is it only the

conceit of fond opinion, but a very

credible Truth, That even spiritualNatures, incorporeal Essences, and

Dæmons, have many times been

enamoured on Women with wonderfull

passion; for omitting those stories poets

tell us, of the Amours of their fabulous

Deities, as Apollo and Daphne,

Neptune and Salmonea, or rampant

Hercules with his three wenches, Hebe,

Jole, and Omphale, &c. The Holy

Scripture seems to intimate no less, as

in Genesis we find, That the Sons of

God seeing the Daughters of Men were

fair, took of them for their wives: to

which we might adde, (if it be not too

Apochryphal) the ill spirit Asmodeus,

who so jealously courted the Lady, that

he destroy'd all his rivals, in the history

of Tobit. Indeed these sacred rolls are

frequent in recommending this divineornament, Beauty, and furnish us with

various examples of its power and

excellency. Thereby it was Abigail

preserved her churlish husband's life

and fortune, from the fury of incensed

David; for thus the royal captain

accosts her, Return in peace, I have

heard thy voice, and honoured thy

face, (or as other versions render it, Accepted thy person.) All beauty is

either intellectual, vocal, or corporeal;

in each of which this Lady is recorded

to have been eminently accomplisht,

being both prudent in mind, eloquent

of speech, and beautifull in person; for

which excellency perfections, David

after Nabal's decease accepted her for

one of his wives. Hester's beauty was a

means to deliver her people out of the jaws of destruction, to which proud

Haman had devoted them. And fair

Judith's charms infatuating the besotted



general, preserved her nation from a

ruine which seem'd inevitable. After

those various temptations and tedious

afflictions of holy Job, Heaven (as if it

could not bestow a better earthly

reward on such a stupendious and

inimitable patience) blest him with

three daughters so sweet, fair, andattractive, that they surpast those

graces poets fable of, and the whole

World (bankrupt of such other

excellency) could not produce their

parallels. Who reading the legends of

the Sacred Virgins, can but admire in

them that transcendent beauty, which

the Church vouchsafes to celebrate

with such solemn Eulogies of honour?

especially that immaculate Virgin, the

blessed Mary, whose beauty is said to

be so exactly temper'd with chastity

and holiness, trhat though it captivated

all hearts, yet it never tempted any to

folly, so much as in thought. Not is

beauty only esteemed amongst men,

but seems also to be particularly

regarded even by God himself, (as

indeed how can he but respect his ownreflection.) Thus we sometimes read

him commanding all the males (even

children) should be slain, but the

women that were fair to be saved alive.

And in Deuteronomy, liberty is

indulged to the Israelites, to take one of

their captives to wife, if she were

beautifull, which otherwise was

unlawfull.

Præter hanc admirandam pulchritudinem etiam

honestatis quadam dignitate mulier dotata est,

But besides this charming excellency,

which not only invites, but commands

our admiration, Woman is endowed

with another natural ornament, not

vouchsaft to men; her hair growing to

that becoming length, as to veil those

more reserved parts, whereof modesty

commands concealment; and indeed of

that slushing virtue this sweet Sex may justly challenge the far greatest share,

it having been oft experienced, (*) that

in desperate diseases, they have chosen

(*) This

discourse inthe original

wasdedicated by

the author

Agrippa, tothe Princess

Margaret,

afterwards

wife toMaximilian,

Emperor,who was

herself a



quod viris non contingit: Nam capilli mulieris in

tantum promittuntur, ut omnes corporis partes

pudentiores operire possint. Adde quod has

corporis partes in naturæ operibus mulieri

contrectare, id quod viris adsolet usui [18] venire,

nunquam est necesse. Ad miram denique

decentiam natura ipsa mulieribus inguina

ordinavit non prominentia uti viris, sed intusmanentia, ac secretiori tutiorique loco seposita.

Porro natura plus verecundiæ contulit mulieribus,

quam viris. Quamobrem sæpissime contigit

mulierem inguinum periculoso abscessu

ægrotantem mortem elegisse, potius quam se

chyrurgi conspectu ac contrectationi obiiceret

medendam. Et hanc verecundiæ honestatem

etiamnum moribundæ mortuæque retinent, ut in

his patet maxime quæ in aquis pereunt. Nam

authore Plinio atque experientia teste, mulier

prona iacet pudori defunctarum parcente natura,

vir autem natat supinus. Accedit ad hæc quod

dignissimum in homine membrum quo maxime à

brutis differimus divinamque judicamus naturam,

caput est, & in eo potissimum vultus. Caput

quidem in viris calvitie deformatur, muliere

contra magno naturæ privilegio non calvescente.

Vultus insuper in viris barba illis odiosissima

adeo sæpe deturpatur, pilisque sordidis operitur,ut vix à beluis discerni possint. In mulieribus

contra ramanente semper facie pura atque decora.

Hinc lege duodecim tabularum cautum erat ne

mulieres genas raderent, ne quando barba

excresceret & pudor occultaretur. Munditiæ

etiam ac puritatis ipsius mulieris omnibus vel hoc

evidentissimum argumentum est, quod mulier

semel munde abluta, quoties post aqua pura

diluitur, aqua ipsa nullam recipit immunditiæmaculam. [19] Vir autem quantumcumque

ablutus, quoties denuo abluit, turbat aquam, &

inficit. Ad hæc naturæ ordinatione mulieribus per

loca secretiora singulis mensibus superfluitates

expelluntur, quæ viris per faciem multo

digniorem humani corporis partem continuo

emittuntur. Præterea cum inter cætera animantia

solis hominibus concessum sit ad coelum

attollere vultus, natura fortunaque mulieri in hoc

mirifice prospexerunt atque adeo pepercerunt, utsi casu fortuitove cadendum sit, mulieres fere

semper in tergum decidant, ac vel nunquam vel

non temere in caput vultumve prosternantur.

to expose themselves to Death's

imbraces, rather than to the view and

handling of chyrurgions [surgeons] for

cure. Nor can Death it self rifle them of

this modest bashfulness, for when

drowned, (as Pliny relates, and

experience proves) they lye in the

water with their faces downwards,Nature sparing their modesty, whereas

a man in such a case swims on his

back, exposing all his shame and

nakedness to publick view. further, the

most worthy part of us, whereby we

chiefly differ from brutes, is the head ,

and of that, especially the face. Now in

men, that noble member the head, is

often by age or other infirmity

plundered of hair, its native ornament,

and grows deformed with a despicable

baldness, from which misfortune

women by an extraordinary priviledge

of Nature are exempt. As likewise their

faces remain alwayes smooth and

comely; whereas men's are frequently

so beset with over-grown beards, and

sordid hair, that 'tis difficult to

distinguish them from beasts; whenceby the Law of the Twelve Tables, it

was provided, women should not shave

their cheeks, lest it might occasion the

growth of beards, and destroy their

native pudor [modesty] and

comeliness. Now of the cleanness and

purity of this sex, this oft-try'd

experiment cannot but be a proof

beyond exception; for when a womanhath once washt her self clean, let her

wash again in fresh water, and it shall

receive no spot or tincture of foulness;

but a man never so well washt, as oft

as he washes again, will still leave

behind some filth and sordities. Nor

may we omit, That Nature hath given

Women the greatest share in the

procreation of Mankind; for according

to the opinion of those great pillars of the Art of healing, Galen and

Avicenna, she contributes most to the

matter and nutriment of the birth,

fatal

instancehereof, for

breaking her

thigh by afall from a

horse as she

was hunting,she would

not permit

chyrurgions

to set it, butchose ratherto die

thereof, than

prostituteher modesty.

See Speed's

Chronicle.



Quid (quod ne omittamus) nonne in humani

generis procreatione videmus naturam viris

mulierem prætulisse? Quod hoc maxime

perspicuum est, quia solum muliebre semen

Galeno [Gal. 2. de spermate et 14, de utilitate

particularum] & Avicenna [Avi. doc. 5 fen prima

primi.] testibus, est materia et nutrimentum

foetus, viri autem minime, quod illiquodammodo ut accidens substantiæ ingrediatur.

Maximum enim ut ait lex, atque, præcipuum

munus est fœminarum concipere, conceptumque

tueri, obquam causam videmus plurimos

matribus similes esse, quia ex earum sanguine

procreatos. Idque plurimum in corporis habitu,

semper autem in moribus, si enim matres stolidæ

sunt, & filii stolidi fiunt, si matres prudentes, &

filii earum prudentiam redolent. Contra vero in

patribus qui si ipsi sint sapientes, filios ut

plurimum generant stolidos, & stolidi patres

sapientes producunt filios, modo sapiens mater

sit. Nec alia ratio est cur matres plus [20] patribus

diligant filios suos, nisi quia multo plus de suo

sentiunt, habentque in illis matres, quam patres.

Ob eandem quam dixi causam, etiam arbitror

nobis inditum esse, uti plus in matrem quam in

patrem simus adfecti, usque adeo ut patrem

diligere matrem solam amare videamur.Eademque de causa natura mulieribus tanti

vigoris lac contulit, quod non solum infantes

nutriat verum etiam & ægros restaurat, & adultis

quibusque ad vitæ columen sufficiat. Cuius

experimentum legimus apud Valerium [Val. li. 5.

ca. 4.] de plebeia, quadam iuvencula, quæ

matrem suam in carcere sic aluit, cum alioqui

fame esset peritura, quam ob pietatem salus matri

& utrique perpetua alimenta data sunt, carcerquein pietatis templum consecratus est. Constat

autem semper fere mulierem maioris esse pietatis

et misericordiæ, quam virum quod & Aristoteles

[Aristot. lib. de animalibus.] ipse fœmineo sexui

proprium tribuit. Quamobrem arbitror dixisse

Salomonem ubi non est mulier ingemiscit æger

[ Ecclesia. 26.], vel quod in inserviendo et

adsistendo valetudinariis miræ est dexteritatis, &

alacritatis, quod lac muliebre potissimum ægris

debilibus etiam morti vicinis præsentaneumremedium est, quo ad vitam restituantur. Hinc, ut

ferunt medici calor earumdem papillarum

virorum nimio senio confectorum pectori

which may be the reason that most

children resemble their mothers many

times in external features, but almost

alwayes in genius and inclinations; for

where mothers be simple, the children

generally prove fools, and where they

are wise, these are witty: but on the

contrary, the wisest fathers have mosttimes idiots to their sons, and foolish

fathers frequently get wise children,

provided the mother be but possest of a

competent stock of discretion. And

hence it should seem, mothers become

more fond and indulgent to children, as

being sensible of having a greater share

and interest in them; in requital

whereof for the same cause, we are

naturally more affected towards our

mothers than to our fathers, so as we

seem but to respect our father, and to

love only our mother. And this leads us

to make some reflection on that which

is our first commons in this World, our

mother's milk, a thing of that catholick

virtue, that it not only nourishes

infants, cherishes the sick, and restores

consumptive and languishing nature,but may in case of necessity suffice for

the preservation of life to persons of

any age, a notable instance whereof we

read in Valerius, of a poor young

woman, who therewith preserved her

aged mother in prison, that otherwise

had inevitable been swallowed up by

the devouring jaws of famine, whereby

She sav'd her life who gave

her life before,

And kindly did in kind her

milk restore.

Which signal love and tenderness not

only procured the old woman's release,

and a competent maintenance for her

and her daughter, but for a monument

thereof the goal was converted into theTemple of Piety, a virtue to which

women are almost ever more prone

than men; so that Aristotle recounts



applicatus, calorem vitalem in illis excitat

adauget, & conservat, quod ne Davida quidem

latuit, qui Abisaac sunamitem puellam delegit in

senio, illius calefactus amplexibus.

piety, mercy, and compassion, as

virtues peculiar to this sex. Nor is it

unusual for physitians to relate, That

the heat of young women's paps,

applyed to the breasts of persons won

out with age, doth stir up, augment,

and preserve the vital heat, of which

David not ignorant, when age hadsnow'd her silver hairs on his head, and

robb'd him of his youthfull vigour;

procured the fair young Shunamite for

his bed-fellow, that he might receive

warmth from her sweet caresses, and

cherishing imbraces.

Porro etiam hoc promptior est viro mulier [21] ad

sacrum illud generandi officium (ut omnibuspalam est) quod hæc quidem decennis & infra

viri, potens est ille vero longe succedat.

Prætereque nemini id obscurum est, solam

fetificantium mulierem postquam prægnans est &

ferre incipit uterum, nec ita diu etiam postquam

partu est soluta ad recensitum iam opus rursum

inclinatam, cuius vasculum (matricem vocant)

adeo usque humano conceptu adficitur, ut

aliquando mulier absque concubitu concepisse

legatur. Sic enim Physicus ille de muliere

quadam monumentis tradidit literarum, quæ virile

semen in balneo emissum adhauserit. Accedit ad

hoc aliud naturæ stupendium miraculum, quod

mulier prægnans si appetitus instigarit, impune

victitat carnibus incoctis, crudisque piscibus,

neque raro carbonibus, luto, lapidibus, metalla

quoque & venena, cæteraque huiusmodi, multa

sine noxa concoquit, & in corporis convertit

salutiferum nutrimentum. Quanta etiam præterhæc ipsa in mulieribus natura producere gaudeat

miracula, nemo mirabitur, qui philosophorum

medicorumque volumina perlegerit, quorum

exemplum, quod unicum duntaxat subiiciam,

præsto est & ad manum. In menstruo qui sanguis

præterquam quod à quartanis, ab hydrophorbia, à

morbo comitiali, ab elephantia, ab

impressionibus melancolicis, ac mania, & multis

id genus perniciosissimis ægritudinibus liberat,

aliaque permulta, nec minus admiratu digna

efficit, inter cætera miranda etiam incendia

extinguit, tempestates sedat, fluctuum pericula

Furthermore, to omit that women are

more early ready to accomplish thatgreat end of our being, generation, and

the propagation of posterity, than men,

and that stupendious miracle of Nature,

their longing, when many times

without danger they greedily feed on

raw flesh or fish, and not seldome on

coals, dirts, stones, and other trash,

which without damage they concoct,

and convert into healthfull nutriment:

We only at present adde, That

according to the traditions of

philosophers and physitians, ratified by

experience, women have obtained this

excellent book from the indulgence and

bounty of Nature, That in all diseases

whatever, they of themselves, from

their own proper stock, are furnisht

with remedies, and can cure

themselves, without praying in aid of any forreign help, or far-fetcht

medicament.

But that which transcends all wonder,

is, that Woman alone, without Man,

should be able to produce humane

Nature, which Man alone never could

pretend to; and yet this is commonly

affirmed by the Turks and other

Mahumetans, to be feazible; amongst

whom many are believed to be



arcet, noxia omnia pellit, maleficia solvit, ac

cacodæmones fugat. De his vero quæ [22] reliqua

sunt, plura ad præsens probare non est consilium.

Illud tamen adhuc addam auctarii vice, in

mulieribus esse iuxta philosophorum &

medicorum comprobatas experientia traditiones,

divinum donum omnibus admirandum quo

ipsæmet suis propriis dotibus in omni morborumgenere sibi ex seipsis mederi possunt, nullo etiam

exotico aut aliunde accersito adminiculo

accedente. Sed quod omnia superat mirabilia,

mirabilissimum illud ipsum est, quod sola sine

viro mulier humanam potuit producere naturam,

quod viro haud quaquam datum est. Quod

equidem apud Turcas, seu Mahumetistas in

confesso est, apud quos plures concepti

creduntur, sine virili semine, quos illi sua lingua

nefesogli vocant, & narrantur insulæ, ubi

fœminæ ventus afflatu concipiunt, quod tamen

nos verum esse non concedimus. Sola siquidem

virgo Maria, sola inquam hæc sine viro Christum

concepit ac peperit filium ex sua propria

substantia, & naturali fœcunditate. Est enim

beatissima virgo Maria vera & naturalis Christi

mater, ipseque Christus verus & naturalis virginis

Mariæ filius: dico autem naturalis, quia homo &

iterum naturalis virginis filius, quatenus ipsavirgo non fuit corruptæ naturæ obnoxia. Quo

circa neque etiam in dolore peperit, neque sub

potestate viri fuit, tanta fuit eius ex præveniente

benedictione fœcunditas, ut ad concipiendum

virili non indigeret opera. Inter bruta autem

animantia constat fœminea non nulla maris

expertia fœcunda esse ut vulturum fœminas ex

historia memoriæ proditum esse contra Faustum

tradit Origenes, sed & æquas quasdam zephyrostanta concipere comperit antiquitas de quibus

hæc canuntur:

conceiv'd without Fathers, whom in

their own tongue they call Nefesogli.

Stories likewise go of islands, where

the women are conceived to conceive

by the Wind; but this we dare not

admit into our Creed, for thereby we

should injuriously rob the blessed Mary

of her honour, whose alone prerogativeit was to conceive without the

knowledge of Man, when she brought

forth her natural Son, our Saviour, of

her proper substance, being

impregnated by the Holy spirit, and

remaining still a pure and immaculate

Virgin, such fruitfulness attending the

precedent Benediction, that she needed

not Man's help in reference to

conception. But of brute animals it is

more confidently affirmed, some

females conceive without the company

of the Male; as Origen against Faustus,

delivers on the credit of history,

concerning she-vultures; and Antiquity

of certain mares, which went to foal by

the fruitfull gales of Zephyrus, of

which the Poet,

[23]

Ore omnes versæ in zephyrum

stantrupibus altis

Exceptantque leves auras, & sæpe sine

ullis

Coniugiis vento gravidæ.

Iam quid de sermone dicam divino munere, quo

uno beluis maxime præstamus, quem

Trismegistus Mercurius eiusdem ac

Ore omnes versæ in

zephyrum stantrupibus altis

Exceptantque leves auras, &

sæpe sine ullis

Coniugiis vento gravidæ.

Standing on top of rocks,

the wanton Beast

Sucks in the gentle breises



immortalitatem pretii existimat. Et Hesiodus

optimum hominis thesaurum nominat. Nonne

sermone mulier viro facundior, magisque diserta

& abundans? Nonne quotquot sumus homines,

non nisi aut à matribus, aut à nutricibus primum

loqui didicimus? sane natura ipsa rerum

architectrix in hoc humano genere sagaciter

prospiciens, hoc muliebre genus donavit, ut vixuspiam mulier milia reperiatur. Pulchrum

profecto & laudabile eos viros præcellere, quo

cæteris animantibus homines potissimum

præstant. Sed à prophanis ad sacras literas ceu

postliminia redeamus, atque ab ipsis usque

religionis fontibus rem auspicemur. Scimus in

primis haud dubie propter mulierem viro Deum

benedixisse, quam benedictionem vir utpote

indignus habere non meruerat prius quam mulier

esset creata. Cui consonat illud Salomonis

proverbium, [Proverb. 18.] Qui invenerit

mulierem bonam, invenitbonum, & haurit

benedictionem à domino, Et illud Ecclesiastici:

[ Ecclesia. 26.] Mulieris bonæ beatus vir,

numerus annorum illorum duplex. Et nullus

homo potest in dignitate comparari illi, qui

dignus fuerit habere mulierem bonam. Nam ut ait

Ecclesiasticus: [ Eccle. 26.] Mulier bona est gratia

super omnem gratiam. Ideoque Salomon inproverbiis [Proverb. 12.] vocat illam coronam

viri. Et Paulus [ I. Corinth. 11.] gloriam viri:

definitur autem gloria, consummatio & petfectio

rei [24] quiescentis & delectantis in suo fine,

quando videlicet rei nil amplius addi potest ut

crescat eius perfectio. Mulier itaque

consummatio, perfectio, fœlicitas, benedictio et

gloria viri existit, atque ut ait Augustinus: Prima

humani generis in hac mortalitate societas.Idcirco illam omnis homo amet necesse est,

quam qui non amaverit, qui odio habuerit, ab

omnibus virtutibus & gratiis alienus est, nedum

humanitate, referenda forte istic essent cabalistica

illa mysteria, quomodo Abraam benedictus à Deo

per mulierem Sarah, decerpta à nomine mulieris

litera H, & addita nomini viri, & vocatus est

Abraham [Gene. 27. & 28.], quomodo etiam

benedictio Iacob illi sit, per mulierem, matrem

videlicet acquisita [Gene. 2.]. Sunt huius generisplura in sacris literis, sed hoc loco non

explicanda. Benedictio itaque data est propter

mulierem, lex autem propter virum, lex inquam

of the West;

Whence she grows

pregnant, and such Coles

you'd find

As fleet and nimble, at their

Sire, the Wind.

What shall we say of speech, thatdivine Faculty differencing us from

brutes, whereby the Soul puts

conceptions into words, and makes her

apprehensions audible, which the

profound Trismegistus prizes at no

lower rate than immortality; and the

poet Hesiod deservedly stiles our best

treasure. I appeal to each man's own

exerience, (and some I know have had

cause to observe it) whether women arenot naturally more eloquent of speech,

than men, and their tongues more apt

and voluble to cloath their thoughts in

language and express their sentiments

on any occasion. How sweet and

insinuating are their complements?

how close and home their objurations?

how sudden their answers? how

ingenious their retorts? how ready theirexcuses? how neat their evasions? how

irresistable their intreaties? Did not

every one of us first learn to speak

from no to tutors than our mothers or

nurses? and in this behalf Nature (like

a carefull governess) so wisely

provides for Humanity, that scarce ever

any of that sex are found dumb. Nor is

this sure any mean or vulgar honour,

but meriting the greatest regard, to

surpass men in that, wherein Man

himself chiefly excells other creatures.

But pretermitting these more vulgar

and prophane instances of feminine

superiority, let us return to sacred

letters, deducing the rivulets of our

discourse from the very fountains of

Religion; where we may observe, ThatMan was first blest for the woman's

sake, God vouchsafing no benediction

on him till after her Creation, as if



iræ & maledictionis, viro namque interdictus erat

fructus ligni, mulieri non item, quæ neque dum

creata erat illam enim Deus ab initio liberam esse

voluit, vir itaque comedendo peccavit, non

mulier, vir mortem dedit, non mulier. Et nos

omnes peccavimus in Adam, non in Eva,

ipsumque originale peccatum non à matre

fœmina, sed à patre masculo contrahimus.Ideoque vetus lex omne masculinum circumcidi

iussit, fœminas autem incircumcisas manere,

peccatum videlicet originis. In eo sexu qui

peccasset solummodo puniendum statuens.

Neque præterea increpavit Deus mulierem, quia

comederat, sed quia mali occasionem dedisset

viro, atque id quidem imprudens, [25] eo quod

per diabolum tentaretur. Vir itaque excerta

scientia peccavit, mulier erravit ignorans, &

decepta. Nam & à diabolo primo tentata est,

quippe quam cognovit creaturarum omnium

excellentissimam. Et ut inquit Bernardus: Videns

diabolus admirandam eius pulchritudinem, sciens

eam talem qualem antea in divino lumine

cognouerat, quæ super omnes angelos gauderet

colloquia Dei, inuidiam iecit in solam mulierem,

propter suam excellentiam. Quo circa Christus

natus huic mundo humilimus, quo sua humilitate

superbiam expiaret peccati, primi parentis, sexumassumpsit virilem, ut humiliorem, non sexum

fœmineum, sublimiorem & nobiliorem. Præterea

quia condemnati fuimus propter peccatum viri,

non mulieris, voluit Deus vt in quo sexu fuerat

peccatum in eo fieret & peccati expiatio, & qui

sexus ignorans deceptus erat, per eundem etiam

fieret vindicta. Ideoque ad serpentem dictum est,

quia mulier, vel quod verius legitur quia semen

mulieris caput eius conteret [Gene. 3.] non virneque semen viri. Atque hinc est forte quare ordo

sacerdootalis ab ecclesia commissus est viro

potius quam mulieri, quia sacerdos omnis

Christum representat. Christus autem primum

hominem peccatorem ipsum videlicet Adamum.

Ex hoc iam intelligitur Canon ille qui incipit [33

q. 5. hæc imago] hæc imago dicens mulierem

non esse factam ad imaginem Dei, scilicet ad

corpoream Christi similitudinem. Noluit tamen

Deus ipse inquam Christus filius esse viri, sedmulieris, quam eo usque honorauit ut ex muliere

sola carnem indueret. [26] Propter mulierem

namque Christus dictus est filius hominis, non

before he had been unworthy that

celestial favour. consonant whereunto

is that Proverb of Solomon, He that

finds a good woman, finds a good

thing, and shall receive a blessing from

the Lord. And that in Ecclesiasticus,

Blessed is the husband of a good

woman, the number of his years shallbe doubled. Nor indeed can any vye

dignity with him whose good fortune

'tis to enjoy a good wife; for (as the

same Siracides saith) she is a Grace

above all Graces: and therefore the

wisest of kings calls her, The Crown;

and the great Apostle, The Glory of the

Man: Now Glory is defined to be the

consummation and perfection of a

thing acquiescing and delighting in its

end, viz. when nothing more can be

thereto added to augment its perfection.

Therefore Woman being the

complement, feliciry, blessing, and

glory of Man, 'tis but requisite every

man should love and respect her

accordingly; and he that doth not do so,

or shall be to barbarous as to hate or

dis-esteem her, is not only a stranger toall virtues and graces, but a very rebel

against Humanity.

Hereto we might, perhaps not

improperly, refer those Cabalistical

mysteries, how that Abraham was

blessed of God in some respect through

means of his Wife Sarah; for by taking

the letter H from her name, and adding

it to his, he came to be called

Abraham. As also that Jacob's blessing

was acquired by a woman, his mother:

of which sort there are in Scripture

several other passages, not requisite

here to be unfolded. This may suffice

to let us see, that the blessing was

bestow'd for the Woman's sake, but the

Law given to the Man: to him was

forbidden the fruit of that unhappy tree,which set all posterities teeth on edge;

not to the Woman, who was not then

so much as created. For although St.



propter virum. Hoc est illud ingens miraculum,

quod admodum Propheta stupescit, quia mulier

circumdedit virum [ Hiere. 31. (Jer21.20)] quando

videlicet sexus devoratur à virgine, & Christum

portat in corpore. Etiam resurgens Christus à

morte, mulieribus primum apparuit, non viris [ Io.

20. Marc. 16.]. Nec ignotum est post Christi

obitum viros à fide discessisse, mulieres autemnusquam constat à fide & religione Christiana

defecisse. Porro nulla unquam fidei persecutio,

nulla hæresis, nullus in fide error à mulieribus

unquam emersit, secus constat de viris. Christus

traditus, venundatus, emptus, accusatus,

damnatus, passus, crucifixus, tandem morti

traditus, non nisi per viros. Imo etiam à Petro suo

negatus, à cæteris discipulis relictus, à solis

mulieribus ad crucem usque & sepulchrum

comitatus [ Luc. 24.]. Atque etiam ipsa Pilati

uxor, Aethnica plus conabatur salvare Iesum,

quam quisquam virorum etiam illorum qui

crediderant [ Matth. 27.]. Accedit huc quod tota

ferme theologorum scola asserit, acclesiam tunc

non nisi apud solam mulierem puta virginem

Mariam mansisse, atque, ob id & merito

religiosus ac sacer fæminei sexus appellatur.

Gregory (*) [Greg l. 35. Moral c. 16.]

read the Prohibition, you shall not eat ,

as though it were spoken to both Man

and Woman, yet the original delivers it

in the singular number. And St. Austin

(*) (Gen. ad Lat. lib. 8. cap. 17) [St.

Augustine] taketh away the doubt, and

telleth us, That by tradition the Womanreceiveth this Commandment from the

Man, not by immediate delivery from

God; which if so, we thence conclude,

That by reason thereof the Woman

might chance more easily to break this

Law, than the Man; since the All-

glorious Majesty of God that

commanded, should take deeper

impression in Man, than the equality of

person that related, could in the

Woman; the roaring of a lion being

more trembled at, than the braying of

an ass; the commands of a king more

powerfull, than the words of one's

companion. At most, when Woman

sin'd, she did it, poor Soul, unwittingly,

being deluded by the insinuating

Serpent: so that, it appears the Man

sinned against perfect knowledge, andthe positive command of his Maker;

the Woman out of ignorance, seduced

by the crafty wiles of the Tempter,

with whom for a considerable time she

disputed the matter, and lost not the

glory of the day without a fair combate

(?), though at last she fell an unhappy

trophy to his strategems: whereas no

sooner was that too-pleasing appleproffered to the Man, but without

scruple he greedily falls oon, and, rebel

as he was, would needs tast its fancied

sweetness, whose bitter rellish remains

to this day, and hath left on us those

original stains, which nothing but

Divine Blood can fetch out.

That Woman was first set upon by the

Adversary, may be an argument of herexcellency; for we know, that the

sharpest points are soonest blunted, and

the perfectest white most easily soil'd.



Envy strikes at the best,

who stand on high,

And fairest marks for

foulest oblaquy.

The black Prince of the Air, that subtle

degraded Seraphin, well knew Woman

to be the most accomplisht of allcreatures; and seeing (as St. Bernard

observes) her amazing beauty to be

such, as before his lapse he had beheld

in the Divine Light, and which above

the sublimest Hierarchies enjoys

Communion with God, did thereupon

meeryl out of envy, plot how he might

dismount her from that Throne of

Perfection, and endeavoured by his

malitious darts first of all to wound herinnocency, and sully her glory, whose

transcendent lustre above others, his

hellish nature could not but most of all

repine at. Nor want we further

intimation of the fair sexes dignity and

pre-eminence, if we reflect, That when

the promised seed of Woman, that

bruised this cursed Serpent's head, I

mean our blessed Savious, left thebosome of his Eternal Father, and the

splendors of inaccessible Light, to

become visible in these lower Regions,

and veiling the Majesty of his glorious

presence, cloath'd himself with humane

flesh, coming into the World in the

lowliest manner imaginable, that by his

humility he might expiate the pride of

our first Parents' sin; we may with all

humble reverence conjecture, That he

was therefore pleased to assume the

Male, as the meanest and inferior Sex;

contriving by his infinite wisdom, that

since Man's offence had reduced us all

into this forlorn condition, (for had the

Woman only sin'd, we never had had

such cause to cry out, Oh Adam! what

hast thou done? nor the Apostle to say,

In Adam we all dyed ) satisfaction forsin should be made in that Sex, from

whom that ocean of impiety which

overwhelm'd the World, had its first



source and origine. But although this

blessed Immanuel took not on him the

Female Sex, yet he so far honoured it,

as to assume his Flesh only from the

Woman; and is therefore entituled,

Filius hominis, in respect of her, not of

Man, (which our vulgar translations

seem to have forgot.) This was thatstupendious miracle, the contemplating

whereof put the admiring Prophet into

an extasie, That a Woman should

encompass a Man; that is, Christ be

conceiv'd in a pure Virgin's womb,

Impregnated without the contact of two

prolifick sexes; that Divinity should be

embroidered in an earthly Tabernacle,

and have its glories shut up in a cloud

of flesh, like Sun-beams in curtains of

chrystal [crystal]. Nor did our Lord

afterwards when he had dissolv'd the

powers of the Grave, and destroy'd

death's Empire by his miraculous

Resurrection, voiuchsafe his first

appearance to men, but women, who

are not known at any time to have

quitted the faith, or turn'd their backs

on true Religion; whereas menimmediately after his ascension began

to apostatize. Nor can it be proved, that

ever any persecution, heresie, schism,

or error in the church, had women for

its first authors, but alwayes men. By

that perfidious and cruell sex was our

blessed Jesus the Lord of Life, and

King of Glory, betrayed, sold, bought,

accused, condemned, crucified, andslain: yea when he was denied by his

own great confident, Peter, and

abandoned by all the rest of his male

disciples, even then the women left

him not, but accompanied him still to

the Cross and sepulchre; and Pilate's

heathen wife endeavoured more his

preservation, than any of the men

which profess'd belief in him. Whereto

we may adde, That almost all School-Divines concur in opinion, That the

Church at that instant remained wholly

and solely in a woman, viz., The Virgin



Mary; and therefore this Sex is

deservedly by them stiled sacred and

religious.

Quod si etiam quispiam cum Aristotele dicat

[Arist. lib. de animali.] inter omnia animalia

masculos esse fortiores, prudentiores &

nobiliores, huic respondet excellentior doctorPaulus Apostolus dicens: Quæ stulta sunt mundi

elegit Deus ut confundat sapientes & infirma

mundi elegit Deus, ut confundat fortia, &

ignobilia mundi, & contemptibilia elegit Deus, &

ea quæ non [27] sunt ut ea quæ sunt destrueret [I.

Corynth. 1.]. Nam quis inter viros in cunctis

naturæ gratiarum dotibus Adamo sublimior

extitit? [Gen. 2] at mulier illum humiliavit. Quis

Samsone fortior? mulier eius fortitudinemsuperauit. Quis castior Loth [ Iudich. 14. & 16.]?

mulier illum ad incestum prouocauit, Quis Dauid

religiosior? mulier eius sanctimoniam turbauit;

quis sapientior Salomone, [Gen. 19.] mulier eum

decepit. Quis patientior Iob? [2. Reg. 11.] quem

diabolus fortunis omnibus exuit [3. Reg. 11.],

familiam & filios occidit, ipsumque ulceribus,

sanie, dolore toto corpore oppleuit? tamen à

pristina animi simplicitate, patientiaque ad

iracundiam prouocare non potuit, prouocauit

autem mulier, in hoc diabolo superior

confidentiorque, quem ad maledicendum irritauit.

Quod si modo fas est vel Christum ipsum [ Matth.

15.] in hanc comparationem vocare, quo nihil

potentius, nihil sapientius, cum sit æterna Dei

sapientia, atque potestas, nonne à Chananea illa

muliercula sese superari passus est, dicente ipso:

Non est bonum tollere panem filiorum, & mittere

canibus. Illa contra respondente: utique Domine,nam & catelli edunt de micisquæ cadunt de

mensa Dominorum suorum, cum que iam vidisset

Christus, quia illam hoc argumento superare non

posset, benedixiti illi dicens, Fiat tibi sicut vis.

Quis Petro Apostolorum primo in fide ferventior?

[ Ioan. 18. Matth. 20. Marc. 14. Luc. 22.] mulier

illum non minimum ecclesiæ pastorem ad

negandum Christum seduxit, dicant quicquid

velint canonistæ, ecclesiam suam non posse

errare, Papa mulier illam egregia impostura

delusit. [24. q. 1. à recta Plati. de Ioan. 3]

Cæterum dicet quis, hæc magis in opprobrium

But if any object with Aristotle, That

the male is generally much the

strongest, and therefore to be more

valued; wedesire such to consider, howcontemptible a glory tis to boast of big

bones, or brawny arms, and what mean

trophies they can hope to raise to

themselves by excelling women, by

those advantages wherein they must

confess themselves inferior to hundreds

of beasts. If strength alone must give

the pre-eminence, let Men give place to

their horses, confess their oxen theirmasters, and pay homage to elephants.

But in truth they have little reason to

vaunt of the strength or prudence, the

valour or subtilty of their Sex, having

been alwayes shamefully baffled by

those whom they vainly call the weaker

vessels. What Man was ever able to

vye strength with Sampson, whose

single arm no better weapon'd than

with an asses jaw-bone, could at once

sacrifice a thousand and lives to his

fury? yet did this prodigious hero (like

Hercules) truckle to a distaff, and was

ridiculously captivated by a woman.

Who could boast a more severe

chastity than just Lot, whose righteous

soul did daily suffer pangs of grief and

indignation, seeing the Sodomite's

debaucheries? yet women easily inticedhim to ebriety and incest. Who more

religious than David? yet a bathing

Beersheba caused him at once to sully

the pure robes of his sanctity, with the

black stains both of adultery and

murder. Who so wise as Solomon, who

seems to have been Nature's Privy-

Counsellor, and to have had the honour

to behold her undrest? yet was not all

his wisdom amulet sufficient to guard

him against women's charms, but that

he still placed more felicity in their



mulierum vergere, quam ad laudem accedere.

[28] Cui mulieres ad hunc modum respondebunt.

Si alterum nostrum necesse est aut boni alicuius,

aut etiam vitæ iacturam facere, malo ego te

perdere quam me perditum iri, Idque exemplo

Innocentii tertii, qui in quadam sua decretali

epistola ad quendam Cardinalem à Romana se de

legatum scriptum reliquit. Si te vel me confundioporteat, potius te confundi eligam. Præterea

ciuilibus legibus etiam mulieribus indultum est,

ut liceat sibi consule re damno alieno. Atque in

ipsis sacris literis nonne sæpe benedicitur, et

extollitur iniquitas mulieris, plus quam vir

benefaciens? Nonne laudatur Rachel, quæ patrem

suum idola quærentem [Genes. 31.], pulchra

adinventione delusit? Nonne etiam Rebecca quia

per fraudem obtinuit Iacob benedictionem patris

[Genes. 27.], & postea cautius fecit declinare

fratris iram, Raab meretrix decepit eos qui

quærebant exploratores Iosue, & reputatur ei ad

iustitiam Egressa est Iahel in occursum Sisaræ,

dixitque ad eum intra ad me Domine mi, ac

petenti aquam dedit illi bibere de utre lactis, &

operuit illum iacentem, dormiente autem Sisara

ingressa est abscondite, percussitque clauum in

caput eius, & interfecit illum, qui se fidei eius

crediderat servandum, atque pro hac in signiproditione benedicta, inquit scriptura, inter

mulieres Iahel benedicatur in tabernaculo suo.

Legite historiam Iudich [ Iudich. 11], & notate

verba eius ad Olofernem. Sume inquit verba

ancillæ tuæ quoniam si ea secutus fueris

perfectum te faciet Dominus, veniens nunciabo

tibi omnia, ita ut adducam [29] te per mediam

Hierusalem, & habebis omnem populum Israel,

sicut oues quarum est pastor, & non latrabit velunus canis contra te, quoniam hæc mihi dicta

sunt per prouidentiam Dei, sopitumque blanditiis

Olofernem percussit in ceruicem, & abscidit

caput eius. Quod quæso, iniquius consilium, quæ

crudeliores insidiæ, quæ captiosior proditio ex

cogitari posset, & hanc idcirco benedicit, laudat

& extollit scriptura, & longe melior reputata est

iniquitas mulieris, quam vir benefaciens.

enjoyment, than in all the curious

contemplations and researches of

Philosophy; and even abandon'd the

worship of that God, who had

bestowed those stupendious parts on

him, to wantonnize in their imbraces.

Who more fervent and resolv'd in the

faith, than Peters, the chief of theApostles? yet a silly damsel caused that

great pastor of the Church thrice to

deny his Master.

But methinks I hear some whispering,

That all this makes more against than

for Women, and tends rather to their

infamy, than praise. To whom we

answer, That the evil of the before

recounted actions redounds chiefly toMen the actors, rather than to the

Women, who were only accidently the

occasion of them. And if the Sun's

lustre by dazling our weaker eyes,

bring on us any inconvenience, shall

we accuse his glorious brightness: or

rather ought we not to bewail the

imbecillity of our own Opticks, unable

to cope with so much splendor?Besides, admitting Women to be in

some of these cases criminal, we could

(if we delighted to be paradoxical)

alledge, That even the holy Scripture

seems to put a more favourable

construction on their lapses and

failings, than on Mens. Is not Rachel

commended, who with a neat invention

deluded her Father, in his search for

her Idols? And Rebecca, who by fraud

procured Jacob his father's blessing?

Rahab with a lye deceived those who

sought for Joshuah's spies, and 'tis

accounted to her for righteousness.

Jahel most perfidiously destroy'd

Sisera, as he lay innocently sleeping in

her tent, whither with an entire

confidence he had committed himself

for preservation; which signal treacherynotwithstanding, 'tos said, Blessed

amongst women shall Jahel be, &c.

Read the story of Judith; observe well



her dissembling insinuations to

Holofernes, and those flatteries

wherewith she having lull'd him to

sleep, cut off his head, for which she is

applauded and extolled to the sjies.

Lot's daughters pass uncondemn'd for

their incest; and yet their father is not

excused, but hath his successionexcluded from the Church of God.

Lascivious Thamur is defended, and

said to be more just than the Patriarch

Judah; and by that fraudulent incest

obtains the honour to be named in our

saviour's geneology. But 'tis time we

dis-entangle our self from this odd

digression and return to the prosecution

of our subject.[Nonne bonum operatus est Cain offerens in

sacrificium optimarum frugum primitias & eo

ipso reprobatus esta Deo? Esau nonne benefecit

dum pia obedientia venatur decrepito parenti

cibum, & interea defraudatur benedictione, &

odio habitus est Deo? Oza, dum, zelo religionis

inclinatam, & iam prope labantem arcam

sustinet, morte subita percussus est; rex Saul dum

Amalechitarum pinguiores hostias in sacrificium

parat Domino, deiectus regno etiam spirituinequam traditus est. Excusantur ob incestus

patris filiæ Loth, & non excusatur temulentus

pater, & successio eius eiicitur ab Ecclesia Dei.

Excusatur incestuosus Thamar, & dicitur iustior

patriarcha Iuda, & fraudulento incestu meretur

propagare lineam Salvatoris. Ite nunc viti fortes

& robusti, & vos prægnantia Pallade, ligata tot

fasciis scolastica capita, & totidem exemplis

contrariam illam probate sententiam, quod melior

sit iniquitas viri quam mulier benefaciens. Certe

non poteritis illam tueri, ni recurratis ad

allegorias, ubi tunc æqualis cum viro mulieris erit

authoritas.]

[Thispassage is in

the 1532

edition, butnot the 1529

edition.]

Sed modo revertamur præcellentiæ tam

fœlicissimi sexus, omnibus hoc vel

euidentissimum argumentum esse potest, quod

dignissima omnium creaturarum, cuius nec

unquam dignior fuit, nec futura est mulier fueritipsa inquam beatissima virgo Maria, cui si

quidem præter originale peccatum concepta sit,

ne Christus quidem quod ad eius humanitatem

There needs not any more evident

argument of this happy sexes pre-

eminence, than to reflect, That the

most worthy of all creatures that ever

was or will be, was a Woman, viz. theblessed Virgin. Nor is this any other

than one of Aristotle's own Arguments.

That kind of which the best is more



attinet maior erit. Est etenim Aristotelis validum

hoc argumentum, Cuius generis optimum est

nobilius, optimo, alterius generis hoc genus esse

altero nobilius, in fœmineo genere optima est

virgo Maria, in masculino non surrexit maior

Ioanne Baptista, atque hunc quantum excellat

virgo diua, quæ exaltata est super omnes choras

angelorum, nemo catholicus ignorat. Similiterargumentari licebit, cuius generis pessimum

peius est pessimo alterius, id genus esse ilia

quoque inferius. Iam vero scimus quia

vidosissima ac pessima creaturarum omnium vir

est siue ille fuerit Iudas qui Christum tradidit, de

quo ait Christus: bonum esset homini illi si natus

non fuisset [ Mar. 14.], [30] siue illo peior futurus

sit antichristus aliquis, in quo omnis potestas

sathanæ inhabitabit. Multos ptæterea viros

æternis cruciatibus damnatos prodit scriptura,

cum nulla uspiam mulier damnata legatur.

Accedit ad id testimonii etiam brutalis naturæ

quædam prærogatiua, quippe auis omnium

regina, atque nobilissima quæ aquila est, semper

fœminei, nunquam masculini sexus reperitur,

Phœnicem etiam auem unicam Aegyptii non nisi

semellam prodiderunt. E contrario autem regulus

serpens quem basiliscum dicunt omnium

venenatorum pestilentissimus non nisi masculusest, quem insuper impossibile est nasci femellam.

Præterea sexus huius excellentia, probitasque ac

innocentia vel his argumentis satis abunde

ostendi potest, quoniam malorum omnium ortus à

viris sit, à mulieribus minime. Primus quippe

protoplastes Adam ille legem domini transgredi

ausus, portas cœli obserauit & omnes nos peccato

mortique reddidit obnoxios [Gen. 3.]. Omnes

enim peccavimus, & morimur in Adam, non inEva. Huius perinde primogenitus inferorum

portas reserauit. Ille primus inuidus, primus

homicida, primus parricida, primus desperans de

misericordia Dei [Gene. 9.], primus digamus

Lamech [ Ibidem], primus ebrius Noh, primus

turpitudinem patris sui denudans ille filius Noe

Chamus [Gene. 10.], primus tyrannus simul ac

idololatra, Nemroth, primus adulter vir, primus

incestuosus vir, viri insuper primi cum

dæmonibus fœdera inierunt, ac prophanas artesinvenerunt. Viri filii Iacob primi vendiderunt

fratrem [Gen. 37. Exod. 1.], Pharao Aegyptius

[31] necauit primus pueros, viri primi contra

noble than the best of another kind, is

it felt more noble than that other kind:

now of the Female kind the Virgin

Mary is the best. In the Male there

arose not a greater than John Baptist;

and how much that sacred Virgin, who

is exalted above all the Quires of

angels, doth surpass him, there is noCatholick so ignorant but understands.

In like sort we may argue, That kind

whose worst is worse than the worst of

another kind? but we know, that the

worst and vilest of all creatures is Man;

whether we understand it of that

wretched Judas, who committed high

treason against the King of Kings, and

of whom 'tis said, It had been good for

him not to have been born; or whether

there shall hereafter arise an Antichrist

worse than he, in whom shall dwell all

the power of Satan. And here by the

way give us leave to remark, that the

Scriptures mention divers Men banisht

to eternal torments; whereas we

nowhere read of any woman damn'd.

But to proceed;

Nature herself gives a suffrage to our

assertion; for in all her productions,

when any thing is to be framed more

excellent than ordinary, she makes it a

Female. Thus the Eagle, the noblest of

birds, and Queen of all the winged

troops, is never found a Male. And the

wondrous Phoenix (to which the World

is too poor to yield a mate) is related

by the Egyptians to be ever of the

female sex. But on the contrary, The

King of Serpents, whom they call the

Basilisk, the most mortal of all

poisons, is alwayes, and cannot but be

a male, as the more proper receptacle

of venome and destructive qualities.

Whereas the excellency and innocency

of this other sweet-natur'd sex, which

we here recommend, is henceabundantly manifest, in that all those

black crimes and crying enormities

which incense Heaven, and infest



naturam luxuriati sunt, testibus Sodoma, &

Gomorra [Gene. 18.], quæ ob virorums celera

perierunt, celebres olim urbes, viros legimus

ubique temeraria voluptate digamos, multinubos,

multicubos, adulteros, fornicatores. Sic plurium

uxorum, concubinarumque viri fuerunt Lamech,

Abraham, Iacob, Esau, Ioseph, Moses, Sanson,

Helcana, Saul, Dauid, Salomon, Assur, Roboam,Abia, Caleph, Assuerus, & innumeri alii, qui

singuli plures uxores insuper & pellices &

concubinas habuerunt. Nec illarum coniugio

contenti ad explendam suam libidinem, etiam

cum earum ancillis se commiscuerunt. Mulierem

vero excepta una sola Betsabea nullam vsquam

reperimus, nisi uno solo viro semper fuisse

contentam, nec digamam insuper reperies ullam,

si ex primo marito prolem susceperat. Sunt enim

mulieres pudicita ac castitate viris ipsis multo

continentiores, quas quod infœcunde essent à

virorum concubitu sæpe ab stintuisse legimus &

alienam vero introduxisse uxorem sicut Sara,

Rachel, lia & aliæ multæ infœcundiores, quæ

ancillas suas introduxerunt, ut suscitarent viris

suis posteritatem [Gen. 16 et 30.].

Earth, derive their pedigree from men.

Adam the first man, first lockt up the

Gates of Paradise, and by presuming to

transgress the Law of his Maker,

rendred all us his unhappy posterity

obnoxious to sin, and consequently

entituled to the wages thereof, death.

And his first-born son unlockt theGates of Hell; first of all introducing

that infernal train, Envy, Murder,

Paracide, and Despair into the World.

The first that ventured on polygamy

was Lamech; the first drunkard, Noah;

the first setter up both of tyranny and

idolatry, Nimrod, that mighty hunter,

who thereby at once exercised his

cruelty both on body and soul. Men

they were that first establisht a

commerce with the Regions of

darkness, by treating and making

compacts with infernal spirits, and

inventing prophane arts. Men they

were whose raging lusts first

transported them to offer violence to

Nature, whereof the ruines of Sodom

and Gomorrah (once famous cities)

calcin'd by that unnatural heat, remainto this day a dreadfull monument. To

read of men that have abandon'd

themselves to all kind of brutish

sensualities; had two or more wives, or

been adulterers, or whore-mongers, is

not at all rare or unfrequent. How

many wives had Abraham, Jacob,

Esau, Joseph, Moses, Sampson, Saul,

David, Solomon, Roboam, Abashuerus(?), and a numberless number more,

who besides their wives, had

concubines; and yet not satisfied, could

not refrain tampering with their

servants and handmaids. But we find

not one woman (except Beetsheba)

mentioned, but was content with one

man; nor any that made a second

choice, if she had issue by the first: for

women are naturally far more chast andcontinent than men; insomuch that

perceiving themselves unfruitfull, they

have oft abstained from their husband's



bed, and brought in others to supply

their places, as Sarah, Rachel, Leah;

and others voluntarily offered their

maids to their husband's embraces, to

raise them up posterity.

Sed quis obsecro virorum, quantumcunque senex,

frigidus, sterilis, ac rei uxoriæ ineptus, tantæunquam aut pietatis, aut clementiæ extitit in

uxorem, ut aliquem suo loco substitueret, qui

feracem uxoris uterum fœcundo semine irroraret?

quamvis huiusmodi leges Lycurgum, atque

Solonem olim tulisse legamus, videlicet si quis

ætate provectior, & nuptiis intempestivior,

aliterue [32] in venerem ignavior puellam

despondisset ut liceret uxori ex adolescentibus &

necessariis unum aliquem robote moribusque

conspicuum deligere, qui cum illa dulcitercolluderet & luctaretur, modo partus æditus

mariti adfereretur, nec idcirco alienum aut

adulterinum dici quod nasceretur, leges quidem

illas latas legimus, seruatas autem non legimus,

non tam virorum duritia, quam mulierum

continentia illas recusante.

But what man pray ever was there,

though never so old, cold, impotent, orunfit for chamber-practice, that had

either so much piety or pity, as to

substitute any in his place, that might

impregnate his wife's fruitfull womb

with a generous off-spring. We read

indeed, that Lycurgus and Solon

(persons rankt by antiquity amongst the

wisest of legislators) establisht laws to

this effect, That if any man weakned

with age, or otherwise uncapable of sacrificing to Venus, and performing

the Rights of the Nuptial Bed, had

taken a young wife, she should not be

confin'd wholly to his fumbling

courtship, but might make choice of

some sprightly young friend, to pay her

those arrears of benevolence, due from

her insolvent husband, whose issue

should be deemed the husband's to allintents, and not at all illegitimate. But

we find not these ordinances put in

practice; no so much by reason of the

men's obstinacy in obstructing, as the

women's modesty and continency,

refusing the liberty thereby indulged.

Innumeræ sunt adhuc præclarissimæ fœminæ,

quæ cum insigni pudicitia etiam coniugali

charitate viros omnes longe vicerunt, cuiusmodiAbigail uxor Nabal, Arthemisia Mausolei, Argia

Pollinicis Thebani coniux, Iulia Pompei, Portia

Catonis, Cornelia Gracchi, Messalina Sulpitii,

Alceste Admeti, Hypsicratea Mitridatis Pontici

regis coniux, Dido quoque Carthaginis conditrix,

Romanaque Lucretia, atque Sulpitia Lentuli. Sunt

infinitæ aliæ quarum virginitatis & pudicitiæ

fides ne morte quidem potuit immutari, quarum

exempla sese offerunt, Athlanta, Calidonia,

Camilla Volsca, Iphigenia græca, Cassandra &

Crise. Accedunt his Lacedemoniæ, Spartiatæ,

Milesiæ, atque Thebanæ virgines, & innumeræ

Nor are examples wanting of divers

illustrious ladies, surpassing the best of

men, not only in an exact and rigidchastity, but also for entire conjugal

affection. Some out of a passionate

tenderness, not enduring to survive

their husbands, have violently cast

themselves into the graves or funeral

piles, together with the beloved corps.

Others have thought no tomb but their

own bodies, worthy to inshrine the

ashes of their dearest mates. How

religiously have they preserved their

love's flames, as pure and undecaying

as vestal fires? What means have they



aliæ quas nobis numerant Hebræorum,

Græcorum, Barbarorumque historiæ quæ

virginitatem pluris quam regna, quam denique

vitam ipsam fecerunt. Quod si etiam pietatis

exempla requirantur, inter cætera sese offerunt,

Claudia vestalis erga patrem, & plebeia illa

iuuencula de qua supra locuti sumus in matrem.

Sed obiiciet istis zoilus aliquis Samsonis, Iasonis,Deiphœbi, Agamemnonis exitialia coniugia [33]

ac huiusmodi tragœdias, quas si quis linceis

oculis (vt aiunt) introspexerit, comperiet falso

uxores accusari, quarum nulla vnquam contigit

viro bono improba. Non enim nisi malis maritis,

malæ uxores sunt, quibus licet bonæ aliquando

eueniant, sæpe eorundem vitio corrumpuntur.

Putas ne si licuisset mulieribus leges condere,

historias scribere, quantag tragœdias scribere

potuissent de virorum inæstimabili malitia, inter

quos plurimi reperiuntur, homicidæ, fures,

raptores, falsarii, incendiarii, proditores, qui

etiam tempore Iosue [ Iosuæ. 7.] ac Dauid regis [2

Reg. 19.], tanta multitudine latrocinabantur [3.

Reg. 4.], vt suorum agminum principes

constituerent, sed & hodie adhuc infinitus est

illorum numerus. Hinc omnes carceres viris

repleti, cruces undique omnes virorum

cadaveribus onuste. At contra, mulieres omniumartium liberalium, omnisque virtutis ac beneficii

inuentrices extiterunt, quod & ipsa artium

virtutumque fœminina nomina præcipue

ostendunt. Cui & illud notabile accedit, quod ipse

quoque terrarum orbis, à fœminarum nominibus

nuncupatur, videlicet ab Asia nympha, ab Europa

Agenoris filia, a Libia filia Epaphi, quæ &

Aphrica dicitur. Denique si per singula virtutum

genera iter sit mulier, vbilibet principem locumobtinebit. Mulier enim fuit, quæ primo

virginitatem Deo deuouit ipsa virgo Maria, quæ

ex hinc meruit esse mater Dei. Mulieres

prophetæ, semper diuiniore spiritu afflatæ sunt

quam viri. Quod testibus Lactantio [ Lactan. li.

insti], Eusebio [ Euseb. de præpa. euang.], [34] &

Augustino [ Aug. de ci. dei] de Sybillis notum est.

Sic Maria Mosi soror erat prophetes [ Exod. 15.],

et captiuo Hieremia uxor auunculi eius nomine

Olda [4. Reg. 22.], peritura populo Israël [Israel]supra viri vices prophetes suscitatur [2. Paralip.

34.]. Scrutemur sacras scripturas, et videbimus

mulierum in fide cæterisque virtutibus

left unattempted? What hazards have

they not embraced, to serve those to

whom Hymen's sacred Band hath

united them? Witness Cornelia, who so

dearly affected her Pompey, that she

would not suffer him to go into the

wars, (though he were the World's

Terror) unless her self in person mightwait on him. Witness Demotia, who

having lost her Leosthenes, could not

find her self, and therefore through

solitariness made a speedy voyage to

death after hijm. Witness Sulpitia, who

being adjudged to stay, and watched

that she should stay at rome, when her

husband Lentulus was banisht thence,

did yet (notwithstanding the Senate's

command, her princely father's charge,

the love of her city and country, the

loss of friends and family) alone

expose her self unto the danger of the

night, beguiled the watchfull eyes of

her strict guard, brake forth of the city,

and lacquted after him along the fields,

until she became the joyfull companion

of his wofull banishment, so little she

esteem'd all the World's felicity inregard of her dear Lentulus; and for her

Lentulus so willingly she incurr'd

whatsoever misery. Witness Panthæa,

Rhodogune, Laodemia, Martia,

Valeria, Portia, Lucretia, Penelope,

Alcinoe, and millions more, whose

singular fame herein as it hath caused

Antiquity to invest them in eternal

shrines of honour, so may theirrehearsal enforce Posterity to receive

them as the fruitfull patterns of

imitation, and so dar proselyte the

bitterest Woman-hater, as to convert

his aversion into an admiration of this

sexes heroick vertues; especially if in

his thoughts to these miracles of

affection, he adde those mirrours of

chastity, who have bravely slighted all

both temptations and torments topreserve their honour, which they not

only scorn'd to prostitute for sordid

gain, or aiery titles, fror a flattering



constantiam, supra viros longe commendatam, vt

in Iudith, Ruth, Hester, quæ tanta gloria

celebratæ sunt, vt sacris quoque voluminibus

nomina indiderint. Abraham ille, quem licet ob

fidei firmitatem scriptura iustum vocauerit,

quoniam credidit Deo, subiicitur tamen uxori suæ

Saræ, & domini voce præcipitur ei: Omnia

quæcumque dicit tibi Sara, audi vocem eius. SicRebecca firmiter credens, pergit ad

interrogandum Deum, & eius responsione

condigna, audit oraculum: Duæ gentes in vtero

tuo, & duo populi de ventre tuo diuidentur. &

vidua Sareptana credidit Heliæ, licet rem

difficilem sibi diceret. Sic Zacharias ab angelo de

incredulitate redargutus obmutuit. Et Elizabet

uxor sua, vteto & voce prophetat ac

commendatur, quia fideliter credidit, quæ

deinceps commendat beatissimam virginem

Mariam, dicens [ Luc. 2]: beata quæ credidisti

quæ dicta sunt tibi & domino. Sic Anna

prophetes, post Simeonis revelationem

confitebatur Deum, et loquebatur de eo omnibus

volentibus audire, qui exspectabant

redemptionem Israël. Et erant Philippo quatuor

filiæ virgines prophetantes [ Acto. 21.]. Quid

dicam de Samaritana ille, cum qua Christus

loquebatur ad puteum [ Ioan. 4.], & saturatus fidecredentis, cibos respuit Apostolorum [ Math. 15.].

Accedit ad hæc fides [35] Chananeæ ac mulieris

illius quæ fluxum sanguinis patiebatur. Nonne

etiam fides & confessio Marthæ similis erat

confessioni Petri? Et in Maria Magdalena quanta

fuerit fidei constantia, ex Evangeliis nobis notum

est. Ipsa namque dum sacerdotes & Iudæi

Christum crucifigunt, plorat, ad crucem unguenta

portat, quærit in tumulo, Hortulanum interrogat,Deum recognoscit. Pergit ad Apostolos,

resurrexisse nunciat. Illi dubitant, ista confidit.

Quid rursus de Priscilla illa sanctissima fœmina;

quæ Apollo virum apostolicum, & in lege

doctissimum Corinthiorum episcopum erudivit.

Nec turpe fuit Apostolo discere à muliere quæ

doceret in ecclesia. Adde insuper quæ martyrii

patientia & mortis contemptu, fidei suæ

constantiam testatæ sunt, non esse virorum

numero pauciores. Neque hic silentioprætereunda est mater illa mirabilis, & bonorum

memoria digna, quæ in conspectu suo pereuntes

crudeli martyrio septem filios non solum bono

complement, or prodigal treat, but also

withstood the importunities of

Grandees, and defi'd the menaces of

tyrants, valuing their virgin purity more

than crowns, or kingdomes, or Life it

self; as the Calidonian Atlanta, the

Volcian Camilla, the Grecian

Iphigenia, Cassandra, and Crase, anddivers Lacedemonian, Spartan, Theban,

and other virgins, whos enames are

embalm'd in History, for the wonder

and imitation of Posterity,

But here perhaps some barking Zoilus

may interrupt us, by objecting the datal

matches of Sampson, Jason,

Deiphobus, Agamemnon, &c. and

those tragedies thence ensuing: inmost, if not all which, if we narrowly

inspect all circumstances, we may

easily find the women to be wrongfully

accused; for scarce ever do ill wives

happen to any but bad husbands, and

such as by their own vitious examples

debauch them, and teach them to be

wicked by a president. We are more

easily sway'd by patterns, than byprecepts: every example is a most

pleasing invitation, where the eye is

guided unto present action, not the ear

fed with fained speculation. A

lascivious husband will make a wanton

wife; a spend thrift husband an

extravagant wife; and a modest, honest,

careful husband, a modest, honest,

carefull wife. We should therefore take

St. Austin's [St. Augustine's] counsel,

and such as we would have our wives

appear unto us, the same should we

first approve our selves to them. 'Tis an

impudent and impious fellow (saith

Seneca *) [(*) Ad. I** Epist. 94.] that

requires of his wife an undefiled bed,

yet he himself defiles it. For this reason

(as Diogenes struck the father, when

the boy swore, because he had taughthim no better) so in some places the

husbands are punisht only for the faults

of their wives; as in Catalonia,



animo ferebat, sed fortiter hortabatur ad mortem,

atque ipsa per omnia in Deo confidens, post filios

pro patriis legibus consumpta est. Nonne etiam

Theodelina Bauarorum regis filia Longobardos,

ac Greisilla Henrici primi imperatoris soror,

Ungaros et Clotildis Burgundiqnum regis filia,

Francos: & Apostola quædam infimæ sortis

fœmina, Hiberos singulæ innumeros populos adChristi fidem conuerterunt? Denique hic

religiosissimus sexus solus vel maxime is est, in

quo in hunc [36] diem usque fides catholica, &

pietatis continuata opera refulgent. At ne cui

dupium sit, mulieres omnia ea posse quæ viri:

exemplis rem ipsam agamus, & comperiemus

nullum vnquam egregium facinus in vlla virtutum

genere à viris perpetratum, quod à mulieribus

non sit æque præclare factitatum. Claruerunt in

sacerdotio olim apud gentes Melissa Cybeles, à

cuius nomine ceteræ deæ sacerdotes, Melisse

postea dictæ sunt. Item Hypeccaustria sacerdos

Mineruæ, Mera Veneris, Iphigenia Dianæ

fuerunt, & fœminæ Bacchi sacerdotes, multis

nominibus claræ, vt Thyades, Menades, Bachæ

Eliades, Mimallonides, Aedonides, Euhyades,

Bassarides, Triaterides. Apud Iudæos quoque

Maria Mosse soror una cum Aaron sanctuarium

ingrediebatur, & tanquam sacerdos habita est. Innostra autem religione, licet mulieribus sacerdotii

functione interdictum sit, scimus tamen historiis

proditum, mulierem aliquando mentito sexu, ad

summi pontificatus apicem conscendisse. Nec

obscuræ sunt ex nostris tot sanctissimæ abbates

& moniales, quas antiquitas non dedignatur

vocare sacerdotes. Claruerunt in prophetia apud

omnis regionis gentes, Cassandra, Sybillæ, Maria

Mosi soror, Delbora, Holda, Anna, Elizabeth,quatuor Philippi filiæ, & multæ aliæ recentiores

sanctæ fœminæ, quales Brigida & Heldegardis.

whoever is cuckolded, payeth a summe

of money; and in Paris, he rides in

disgrace through the city, the cryer

proclaiming these words before him,

So do, so have; from which our English

custome of ridings is not much

different. Nor do these deplorable

consequences alwayes arise from anyextream ill habit or disposition of

wither of the parties, but from their

indiscreet conjuncture; their tempers

disagreeing cause their discord, and

their humours being contrary, are unfit

for so close an union; such jarring

notes can produce no harmony, but

rather dismal effects: as a fiery vapour

inveloped in the arms of a cold cloud,

breaks forth with amazing flashes, and

terrible thunderclaps. A mature

deliberation is requisite before such an

eternal bond be entred into: The mutual

affection of each party; the consent of

parents; the approbation of friends; the

tryal of acquaintance; the special

observation of disposition, genius,

kindred, education, and behaviour,

ought seriously to be weigh'd, beforeone conclude for the better, for worse,

and tye that Gordian knot, which

cannot be loosed till death cuts it. Now

then if a man make his choice with

these due respects, his marriage cannot

but prove a merry age, and be crown'd

with joy and felicity, because he is

guided by Prudence, which never

faileth her followers. But if not, hemay well be stiled a fool, since he is

hurried on with passion, and a giddy

fancy, which easily impoison the best

designs. He therefore that is truely

wise, cannot but choose a vertuous

wife, and by consequence live happily

with her; and if any take one that

proves vitious, it argues his own folly,

and so by good reason he ought

patiently and without repining toendure her, as the effect of his own

inconsiderateness, and not to

aggrandize his misfortune, by





survey of all kinds of virtues and

excellencies, we shall find that women

may in each without usurpation

challenge the principal place. If we

look of Chastity, 'twas a Woman first

vow'd virginity to God. If the gift of

prophesie [prophecy] be required,

Lactantius, Eusebius, and St. Austin[St. Augustine], can tell us with what a

divine spirit the Sybils were inspired:

and holy Writ records Miriam the sister

of Moses, and Olda, Jeremiah's unkle's

wife; and no less than four sisters,

daughters of Philip, all eminent

prophetesses. If constancy and

perseverence in virtue be regarded, you

will find Judith, Ruth, and Hester, so

gloriously celebrated by the holy Spirit,

Inditer of those sacred Volumes, that

the books themselves retain their

Names. If a lively, vigorous, and stable

faith be expected, we shall see Men

generally come short of Women. The

poor widdow of Sarepta believed the

Prophet Elias, though the things he told

her could not but to carnal reason

appear in the shape of impossibilities.Zacharias was reprehended for his

infidelity by the Angel, and struck

dumb; but his wife Elizabeth

prophesies both with her womb and her

voice, and loudly celebrates the praises

of the blessed Virgin Mother, saying,

Blessed art thou who hast believed the

things which are said unto thee by the

Lord. To omit the Samaritan Woman,with whom Christ entertain'd discourse

at the well, and being satisfied with the

more acceptable dainties of her stedfast

faith, refused the Apostles provsion.

And that irresistable belief of the

Woman of Cananaa; her who had the

issue of blood, who seemed to storm

Heaven, and offer a welcome violence

to their Saviour, not to be put off with

any denial. Was not the faith andconfession of Martha equal to that of

Peter? What a noble constancy of faith

and resolution do we find in Mary



Magdalen, verifying that saying, She to

whom much was forgiven, loved much.

For when the priests and Jews, blinded

with rage and ignorance, crucified that

Messias, whom they had so long

passionately expected, she stands

weeping by the Cross, a floud of tears

flowing from her fair eyes, to see thosestreams of blood and water trickle from

his precious side. Afterwards she

brings spices and precious oyntments

to embalm his body; but missing it in

the tomb, enquires of the supposed

gardiner, and soon acknowledgeth him

to be God; goes with as much speed as

joy (?) to the Apostles, and tells them

her Lord is risen: They all doubt the

miracle, or rather deride her narration,

as if 'twere only some dream of her

melancholly fancy; but still her

confidence continues, and her faith

remains unshaken, even when all those

pillars of the Church seem'd weak and

tottering. What shall we say of holy

Priscilla, who instructed Apollo, a

person learned in Law, and (as

Ecclesiastical histories inform us)Bishop of Corinth, which great

Apostolical Man was so much a

stranger to the pride and conceited

humour of our giddly Age, that he

thought it no shame to learn of a

woman what he might teach in the

Church.

If we consult primitive histories, and

turn over martyrologies, we shall find,

those women who have testified their

faith in the flames of martyrdome, and

embraced death and torments, rather

than renounce true Religion, not to

have been out-numbred by the men, all

which particularly to enumerate we

should be infinite: only give us leave

not to forget that wonderfull matron,

deserving a place in all good men'smemories, who not only with a divine

and incredible patience, beheld her

seven sons perishing in her sight by



cruel martyrdome, but also

couragiously exhorted them to death;

and putting her entire confidence in

God, was afterwards her self destroyed

for the laws of her countrey.

To this good natur'd Sex, (as

instruments of providence) wholenations stand indebted for their faith,

and owe their conversion. Did not

Theodilina, the daughter of the King of

Bavaria, convert the Lombards? Greisil

the sister of the Emperour Henry the

First, the Hungarian? Clotidis, the

daughter of the King of Burgundy, the

Francks? and a poor she-Apostle of

very mean extraction, the Hiberti? each

of them illuminating with the brightbeams of the Christian Faith, many

thousand souls, which before lay

groping in the hellish darkness of

Pagan superstition and idolatry. By this

method of beneficence, doing good to

the better part of those we converse

with, and promoting the eternam

Concerns of Mankind, is trur Honour

only acquir'd. This alone is the Royal Road to that immense Glory, which

will still remain fresh and sparkling,

when Pyramids shall lye buried in

rubbish, and the noise of victories be

forgot; for so Divinity assures us, They

that turn many to righteousness, shall

shine as the Stars in the Firmament for

ever and ever.

But lest any scrupulous heads should

doubt of Women's abilities, to dispatch

all those affairs which are usually

transacted by Men, let us joyn issue,

and try the matter by examples, and we

shall find, That never any difficult

office was manag'd, hazardous

undertaking attempted, or brave,

generous exploit achieved by Men, but

the same hath been perform's asfamously, and with as much dexterity

and success ub every respect by

Women. That of old they were priests,



is evident; for Melissa amongst

Gentiles was so eminent in the

Priesthood of the Goddess Cybele, that

all that succeeded her were called

Melissa. and to pass by Hyperaustria,

the Priestess of Minerva; Mera of

Venus; Iphigenia of Diana, &c. it may

be nothing unpleasant to repeat thosevarious names, wherewith Bacchuse's

she-priests were honoured, as Thyades,

Bacchæ, Menades, Eliades,

Mimallonides, Ædonides, Eubyades,

Basarides, Triaterides, &c. Amongst

God's own people too, the Jewes,

Mary, Moses's sister, used to

accompany Aaron into the Sanctuary,

and was by all reverenced as a priest.

Nor are there wanting at this day many

holy Recluses, whom Antiquity

scrupled not to call (Sacerdotes)

Priests.

Famous for prophesie hath this Sex

been amongst all Nations; witness

Cassandra, all the Sybils, Moses his

sister, mentioned but now, Deborah,

Hulda, Anna, and others of old, besidesdivers more modern, as Bridget,

Hildegard, &c.Præterea in magica siue bonorum, siue malorum

dæmonum inexpugnabili disciplina præ cæteris

Circes, atque Medea longe mirabiliora [37]

effecerunt, quam vel ipse Zoroastes, licet huius

artis inuentor à pluribus credatur. Insuper in

philosophia præclaræ extiterunt Theano vxor

Pythagoræ, eius denique filia Dama in

exponendis paternis sententiarum inuolucris

clara. Item Aspasia & Diotima Socratis discipulæ

& Mantinea ac Philesia Axiochia, Ambæ

discipulæ Platonis. Extollit denique Plotinus

Geminam, atque Amphicleam, laudat Lactantius

Themisten. Exultat Christiana ecclesia in diua

Caterina, quæ sola puella omnem illius æui

sapientum doctrinam longe superauit. Nec nobis

hoc loci Zenobia regina Longini philosophi

discipula, memoria excidat, quæ ob effusam &

candidam literarum peritiam Ephinissæ accepitappellationem, cuius opera sacrosancta

Nicomachus Græca reddidit. Ad Oratoriam &

Poesim vadamus. En se nobis offerunt Armesia,

In Magick, or the inexpugnable

discipline of good or ill spirits, (which

many talk of, most condemn, and few

understand,) Circe and Medæa wrought

more wonders than Zoroaster himself,

though most believe him the first

inventer of these black Arts.

For profound knowledge in the

abstrusest parts of Philosophy, were

eminent, Thaana, Pythagoras his wife,

and his daughter Dama, excellent at

explaining her father's mysterious

Sentences; Aspasia and Diotima,

scholars of Socrates; Philesia and

Axiochia, both disciples of Plato;

Plotinus extols Gemina and Amphiclea;

Lactantius applauds Themiste; theChristian Church glories in St.

Katherine, a Lady that alone for

learning surpast all the wisest Men of



cognomenta Androginea, Hortensia, Lucera

[Lucretia], Valeria, Copiola, Sapho [Sappho],

Corinna, Cornificia Romana, & Erimna Telia seu

Tesbia, quæ epigrammatista cognominata fuit. Et

apud Salustium Sempronia, apud iurisconsultos

Calphurnia, & nisi vetitum esset hodie mulieribus

literas discere, iamiam adhuc haberentur

clarissimæ doctrigæ excellentores ingeniomulieres quam viri. Quid de hoc dicendum est,

quod sola natura ipsa, mulieres facile omnium

disciplinarum artifices superare videntur. Nonne

grammatici se benedicendi magistros iactant,

atque id nos longe melius discimus à nutricibus

& matribus, quam à [38] grammaticis? Nonne

Grachorum eloquentissimam linguam, mater

Cornelia formauit, et Sylem Aripithi Scythiæ

regis filium Istrinei mater Græcam linguam

docuit? nonne semper in introductis apud exteras

gentes coloniis nati, pueri matrum sermonem

tenuerunt? Non aliam ob causam Plato &

Quintilianus de deligenda pueris nutrice idonea,

tam sollicite statuerunt, vt pueri lingua atque

sermo recte discreteque formaretur.

that Age. Nor may our memory here

without an unpardonable crime, let slip

the mention of Longinus; the

Philosopher's excellent pupil Queen

Zenobia, for her vast knowledge in

Letters, and clear understanding, called

Ephinissa, whose devout works

Nichomachus rendred into Greek. If weproceed to those soul-charming

faculties, Oratory and Poesie, behold a

whole troop crowd about us; as

Armesia, surnamed Androgenia,

Hortensia, Lucretia, Valeria, Copiola,

Sappho, Corinna, Erimna, Telia, or

Tesbia, surnam'd the Epigrammatist;

Sempronia in Salust; and amongst the

lawyers, Calphurnia.

'Tis a proud self-flattering conceit of

the Bearded-Tribe, to arrogate all

learning to themselves, or think the

noble Female Sex incapable of making

as generous flights towards the top of

Parnassus, as they. Women's

Phantasies are much more quick and

searching; their memories as tenacious

and faithfull; their judgements as solid;all their faculties as ready, and their

thirst after knowledge and fame no less

intentive, than Men's. Why then should

they not with the same advantages,

make at least an equal progress in

Literature? 'Tis true, our male Dictators

strive to monopolize Learning, and

having by a brutish custome barr'd the

Doors of the Muses' Temple against

Women, do now pretend they are

unable and unfit to enter: yet vain are

these their envious designs, to depress

or cloud the Glories of this Sex: for

indeed Women by nature alone do

excell the Professors of Arts, even in

those particular Arts which they

pretend to; those Sciences and

accomplishments which Men acquire

not without a vast expence of time,waste of spirits, and other

inconveniencies, being all in Women

as it were innate and con-natural. That



this may not seem a naked affirmative,

or inconsiderate rant, be pleas'd to

consider, That although Grammarians

proudly boast themselves masters of

the Art of well-speaking, as if all must

be dumb, or at least barbarous, that

have not submitted to the tyranny of

their Perula; yet we learn far better tospeak from our mothers and nurses,

who are continually engaging us to

prattle, and correcting the errors of our

lisping Tongues, than from the crabbed

instructions of those supercilious

pedagogues. 'Twas Cornelia's industry

that form'd her sons' the Gracchi's

tongues, to such an admired height of

eloquence; nor had the king of

Scythia's son Siles any other tutor to

teach him the Greek Tongue, but his

mother Istrinea. When colonies are

planted, and several nations mingled,

do not the children alwayes retain their

Mothers' languages? For which reason,

both Plato and Quintilian have been so

exact in giving precepts for the choice

of a fit nurse, that children's speech

may rightly be ordered, and discreetlymoulded from their infancy.

Iam uero nonne & Poetæ in suis nugis & fabulis,

ac Dialectia in sua contentiosa garrulitate à

mulieribus uincuntur? Orator nuspiam adeo tam

bonus aut tam felix, ut suadela uel meretricula

superior sit. quis Arithmeticus, falsum

supputando, mulierem soluendo debito, decipere

potest? Quisue Musicus hanc cantu, & uocis

amœnitate æquat? Philosophi, Mathematici,Astrologi, nonne in suis diuinationibus, &

præcognitionibus non raro rusticis mulieribus

inferiores sunt, & sæpissime anicula medicum

uincit? Ipse Socrates uir omnium sapientissimus,

si Pythio testimonio fides habenda est, iam natu

grandior à muliere Aspasia adhuc quiddam

discere non dedignatus est, sicut nec Apollo

Theologus à Priscilla erudiri ueritus est. Quod si

etiam prudentia requiratur, exemplo sunt Opis

inter deas relata, Plotina Traiani uxor,

Amalasuntha Ostrogothorum regina, Emilia

Scipionis uxor, quibus accedit Delbora mulier

Are not the Poets in their trifling fables

surpast by hundreds of old Women?

and Logitians in their contentious

brawlings out-done by each

Billingsgate-Fish-wife?

Your smooth-tongu'd Orators seem

almost almighty in words, and able atpleasure to raise or calm the passions,

by the Magick of their rhetorick; yet

where was there ever any of them so

happy, but that a pretty obliging Wench

would out-go him in the art of

persuasion? What subtle Arithmetician

is able to mis-reckon a Woman when

he goes to pay her a debt, or cheat her

of a penny by all his rules of practice

or falshood? What musitian [musician]

can equal her for singing; or dare

compare the squeaking of his Crowd to



prudentissima uxor Labidoth, quæ ipsa ut legitur

in libris Iudicum, aliquamdiu super populum

Israë [Israel] iudicauit, [39] ascendebantque ad

eam filii Israël [Israel] in omne iudicium. Quæ

etiam recusante Barach, hostilem pugnam ipsa

dux Israëlitici exercitus electa, hostibus cæsis

fugatisque uictoriam reportauit. Legitur præterea

in regum historia Attaliam reginam regnasse, &iudicasse per septem annos in Hierusalem. Atque

Semir amis post mortem Nini regis iudicabat

populos quadraginta annis. Et omnes reginæ

Candaces Aethiopiæ prudentissimæ

potentissimæque regnarunt, de quibus mentio est

in Actibus Apostolorum. Mira autem de illis

narrat fidus ille antiquitatis scriptor Iosephus.

Huc etiam accedit Nicaula regina Saba, quæ

veniens à finibus terræ audire sapientiam

Salomonis, & testimonio domini condemnatura

est omnes uiros Hierusalem. Fuit & Thecnites

quædam sapientissima mulier, quæ Dauid regem

interrogatione concludit, enigmate docet,

exemplo Dei mitigat. Nec hic prætere unda sunt

Abigail & Bethsaba, quarum illa uirum suum

liberauit ab ira Dauid, & post mortem uiri sui,

facta est regina & uxor Dauid. Altera autem

Salomonis mater filio suo regnum prudenter

impetrauit. Porro in rerum inuentionibus exemplostint Isis, Minerua, Nycostrata. In condendo

imperio & urbibus, Semiramis uniuersi orbis

monarchiam tenens, Dido, Amazones. In

bellorum certaminibus, Thomiris Massagetarum

regina, quæ Cyrum Persarum monarcham deuicit.

Item Camilla de gente Volscorum, Valisca [40]

Bohemiæ ambæ potentes reginæ. Item Indorum

Pande Amazones, Candæes, Lemnenses,

Phocensium, Chiarum, Persidæque mulieres.Legimus de aliis multis illustrissimis mulieribus,

quæ mira uirtute uniuersæ nationi suæ, in summa

rerum desperatione salutem restituerunt. Inter

quas est Iudith, quam beatus Hieronymus his

uerbis extollit, inquiens: Accipite Iudith uiduam

castitatis exemplum, triumphali laude, perpetuis

eam præconiis declarate. Hanc enim non solum

fœminis, sed & uiris imitabilem dedit, qui

castitatis eius remunerator, uirtutem talem tribuit,

ut inuictum omnibus, uinceret, et insuperabilemsuperaret. Legimus adhuc quia mulier quædam

sapiens, uocauit Ioab, & dedit in manus suas

caput Sibæ inimici Dauid, ut conseruaret Abelam

the melody of her ravishing voice?

A silly Grammar's predictions have

often been answered with suitable

events; whilest the prognosticians of

great mathematicians, and famous star-

readers, (that boast themselves of

Heaven's cabinet-Councel) serve onlyto prove their authors either lying

fools, or flattering knaves. How

frequently is the art of the most

eminent physitians [physicians] forc'd

to veil to the skill of a countrey-

matron? who with an ordinary receipt

chases away those sullen distempers,

which bid defiance to all the slops and

hard words levied against them by

Master Doctor.

Nor need any of these artists resent this

ill, since Socrates, the wisest of Men

(if you'l credit an Oracle) thought if no

shame in his wisest Age to learn of

Aspasia: nor did Apollo the Divine

blush to receive instruction from good

Priscilla.

Having thus briefly vindicated the fair

Sexes reputation in the schools, we

next proceed to the Court and Camp,

and find them there not at all deficient

in policy of State, or that civil

prudence requisite for the conduct of

humane affairs: not so ignorant as

many imagine, in State-craft; that

refined skill which dis-imbroils the

intrigues of the Court; which teacheththe Science of War, and the dexterity

of treating for peace; Women's wits

having generally been esteemed more

quick and ready in sudden exigents,

and most fertile and dexterous for the

plotting and carrying on any politick

design, or subtle contrivance.

No stratagem did warriour

e're devise,

Which first he learnt not

from their catching eyes.



ciuitatem, quæ erat mater ciuitatum in Israë. Et

mulier quædam iaciens fragmentum molæ, allisit

caput Abimelech, & confregit cerebrum eius,

executurum vindictæ Dei super Abimelech, quia

fecerat malum coram domino, contra patrem

suum, interfectis per eum septuaginta fratribus

super uno lapide. Sic Hester Assueri regis uxor,

non solum liberauit populum suum à morteturpissima, sed insuper summa honore decorauit.

Obsessaque à Volscis urbe Roma, Cn. Martio

Coriolano duce, quam armis uiri urbem

defendere non poterant. Veturia magno natu

mulier, ac Coriolani mater filii obiurgatione

seruauit. Arthemisia irruentes sibi Rhodios &

classe exuit, & insulam domuit, [41] erecta in

urbe Rhodia statua, quæ perpetuum stigma illi

inureret. Iam quis satis laudare poterit puellam

nobilissimam (licet humili generæ ortam) quæ

anno Christianorum M.CCCC.XXVIII. occupato,

per Anglos Franciæ regno Amazonis more,

sumptis armis primamque aciem ducens, tam

strennue feliciterque pugnauit, ut pluribus præliis

superatis Anglis, Francorum regi iam amissum

regnum restitueret. In cuius rei perpetuam

memoriam apud Genabum oppidum quod

Aurelianum uocant, in ponte qui est super

Ligurim fluuium sacra statua puellæ erecta est.Possem innumeras adhuc ex Græcorum,

Latinorum, Barbarorumque, tam ueteribus quam

recentioribus historiis præstantissimas mulieres

recensere, quod, ne in grande nimium opus

turgesceret, breuitati studere uolui.

Of these she-Machiavils and feminine

Hectors, history copiously affords us

examples; as Opis, reverenced by the

Ægyptians [Egyptians] as a Deity;

Plotina, the wife of Trajan;

Amalasmutha, the Queen of the

Ostrogoths; Deborah, to whom in all

cases of difference the Israelitesrepair'd for judgement, and rescu'd

themselves from slavery, by a

memorable victory under her conduct.

Semiramis, who for forty years with

much honour and renown governed the

Assyrians; and Candaces, Queen of

Ethiopia, no less eminent for prudence,

than power and magnificence, of whom

some mention is made in the Acts: but

wonders are related by that worthy

Register of Antiquity, Josephus, for

laying the foundations of Empires, and

building cities; Semiramis, Dido, and

the Amazons, for both skill and success

in war; Thomiras, Queen of the

Massagetæ, who conquer'd Cyrus, that

great monarch of the Persians; as also

Camilla, of the Nation of the Volci;

and Valisca, of Bohemia, both potentQueens. To whom might be added the

Indian Pande, and the women of

Phocia, Chios, and Persia; with many

other illustrious Viragoes, who in the

greatest exigencies, and most desperate

shocks of Fortune, have preserv'd their

gasping countreys; of whom the noble

Judith and fair Hester deserve to lead

the van, as the glory of their own, andshame of the other Sex. Whilst Rome

stands, the name of that grave matron

Vetruria, will be famous; who by

checking the inordinate rage of her son

Coriolanus, preserv'd that emperial

city, the young captain at his Mother's

perswasions desisting from his

unnatural hostility against his Mother-

Countrey. Nor can the brave

Arthemisia want her due applauses,who destroy'd the Rhodian Navy that

invaded her, and to return the civility

of their intended visir, subdued their



island, erecting an ignominious statue

in the midst of their chief city, to

remain there as a perpetual brand of

infamy and reproach.

The English Nation were most

ungratefull, should they ever forget

their obligations to this Sex, to whosecontagious resolution alone, they owe

their deliverance from the insufferable

tyranny of the Danes. Nor is the most

Christian King less engaged, whose

tottering crown was once refixt on his

ancestor's head by a Female hand. That

strange ridling prodigy of valour, Joan

of Arc, (celebrated by some as a saint,

and branded by others for a Witch,)

when the English had almost spredtheir victorious Ensigns over the whole

Kingdome of France, and wanted little

to compleat its total conquest, taking

arms like an Amazon, arrested their

fortune, put a stop to the torrent of

their victories, and by degrees restor'd

the withering de Laces to their former

lustre; in honour of which gallant

Enterprise, a statue sacred to hermemory stands erected on the bridge at

Orleans.

Nam scripserunt de illis Plutarchus, Valerius,

Bocacius & plures alii. Hinc est quare non tam

multa de mulierum laudibus dixerim, quam

plurima reticuerim, quippe qui non sum tam

ambitiosæ ceruicis, ut mulierum infinitas

præstantias atque uirtutes tam pauculo sermoneme posse complecti præsumam. Quis enim ad

percensendas infinitas mulierum laudes sufficiat,

à quibus omne nostrum esse, omnisque humani

generis conseruatio, quod alias in breui

petriturum esset, omnisque familia & respublica

dependet. Quod nec Romanæ urbis conditorem

latuit, qui dum mulieribus careret, cum Sabinis

raptis eorum filiabus, bellum asperrimum inire

non [42] dubitauit, cogllouit namque eiusmodi

imperium, si mulieres non adessent breui

periturum. Tandem capto à Sabinis capitolio,

cum media foro collatis signis cruentissime

An innumerable catalogue could we

here produce of most excellent women,

out of both ancient and modern

histories of the Grecians, Romans, and

other nations; Plutarch, Valerius,

Boccace, and many others, havingwritten largely of them: but we study

brevity, that our Work may not

overflow its intended limits; for we

fancy not those over-grown Treatises

which are divided into Tomes and

Volumes; so that we shall not here say

so much in Women's praise, but that

we shall conceal much more that

might, and deserves to be said; being

not so extravagantly ambitious, as to

undertake to comprehend or display the

infinite excellencies and virtues of that



pugnaretur, intercursu mulierum inter ambas

acies prælium cessauit, factaque tandem pace, &

percusso fœdere perpetuam amicitiam inierunt.

Quamobrem earum nomina Curiis imposuit

Romulus, uolentibusque Romanis, in publicis

tabulis exceptum est, mulierem nec molere, nec

coquinariam facere, uxorem à uiro, uirum ab

uxore aliquid dono accipere uetitum, quo bonaomnia communia esse scirent. Hinc tandem

consuetudo emersit, ut sponsam introducentes,

dicere iuberent, ubi tu ego, denotantes ubi tu

dominus, ego domina. Ubi tu herus, ego hera,

deinde cum regibus exactis Cariolano Martio

duce Volscorum legiones ad quintum lapidem

castrametatæ essent, per mulieres auersæ sunt,

pro quo beneficia insigne templum fortunæ

muliebri dedicatum est. Magni insuper honores

dignitatisque insignia, senatusconsulto illis

collata. Cuiusmodi sunt, quod in uia superiori

loco incedant, uiris insuper quibusque illis in

pedes assurgentibus, locumque cedentibus.

Præterea uestes purpureæ cum fimbriis inauratis,

gemmarum etiam ornatus, et inaures anulique &

torques illis concessa, posterumque imperatorum

lege cautum, ut quoties alicubi statutum fiat,

prohibens deferri certas uestes aut ornamenta,

mulieres sub illo non comprehendi. Hæreditatumquoque & bonorum [43] successionibus donatæ

sunt, legibus etiam permissum est, mulierum

funera, quemadmodum illustrium uirorum

publicis laudibus celebrari. Siquidem cum

mittendum ad Delphicum Apollinem munus

esset, ex Camilli uoto, nec foret auri tantum in

urbe, mulieres sponte corporis ornamenta

contulere. Porro in eo bello quod Cyrus contra

Astyagen gessit in fugam conuersa Persarumacie, mulierum castigatione reprehensa est, ac

denuo instaurata, insignemque illis uictoriam

dedit. Ob quod facinus lege cautum est à Cyro, ut

persarum reges urbem ingressuri, singulis

mulieribus singulos auri nummos persoluerent.

Quod etiam Macedo bis eam urbem ingressus,

toties erogauit. Insuper et prægnantibus munus

duplicari iussit. Sic à priscis illis Persarum

regibus atque Romanis, ab ipsis inquam Romanæ

urbis imperiique incunabulis, mulieres omnisemper honoris genere donatæ sunt. Porro abipsis

imperatoribus non minus ueneratæ. Hinc

Iustinianus imperator etiam in legibus condendis,

Sex, in so curt a discourse. What

mortal's pen, or angel's tongue, is

sufficient to enumerate and proclaim

their praises, on whom depends our

very being, and the preservation not

only of particular families, and

republicks, but of all humane kind,

which without them would soon decay,and the World in one century droop

into a solitary Desart.

This Rome's first founder well

understood; and rather than want

Women, chose to incur a sharp

hazardous War with the Sabines, for

stealing away their daughters, without

whom his intended Empire had quickly

mouldred away, and never arriv'd atthat proud Grandeur, to give Laws to

all the World. Upon which quarrel,

when afterwards the Sabines intending

a rescue, had taken the Capitol, and a

bloody fight was begun in the midst of

Rome's market-place, the good-natur'd

women rushing in between both

armies, their husbands on the one side,

their fathers on the other, procured bytheir entreaties a cessation from that

unnatural conflict, which ended in an

indissoluble peace, both nations being

glew'd together in perpetual amity.

Whereupon Romulus caused the

women's names to be inrolled in the

Courts; and by common consent it was

enacted, That none of them should be

put to grynde, or do kitchin-drudgery,

or any such servile employment; nor

should receive any thing as a gift from

her husband, nor he from her; that they

might not dream of any particular

propriety, but know, that whatever

either of them enjoy'd, was common to

both: for he that makes a present to his

wife, offers an injury in a complement,

pretending to entitle her to that by his

donation, which is hers before in herown right. This gave birth to that

custome, when the Bride was brought

home, to use these solemn words; Ubi



uxorem consulendam adhibendamque censuit. Et

alibi dicit lex, quod uxor coruscat, merito in

honore ut sentiat eius fulgorem, ut in quantum uir

in altum tollitur, tantum & coniunx eius. Sic uxor

imperatoris dicitur imperatrix, & uxor regis

regina, & uxor principis princeps & illustris

undecunque sit nata. Et Ulpianus ait: Princeps,

hoc est imperator legibus est solutus. Augustaautem quæ est uxor imperatoris, licet legibus

soluta non est, princeps tamen eadem illi

priuilegia contulit, quæ ipse habet. [44] Hinc est

quod illustribus mulieribus iudicare permittitur,

& arbitrari, atque ut possint feudum inuestire &

inuestiri, & inter Vasallos quid iuris decernere.

Ad idem facit quod fœmina potest habere seruos

peculiares sicut et uir, potestque mulier iudicare

etiam inter extraneos, potest etiam nomen indere

familiæ, sic quod filii denominentut à matre, non

à patre. Habent & circa dotes grandia priuilegia.

Hinc inde in diuersis locis in corpore iuris

expressa, ubi etiam cauetur quod mulier honestæ

uitæet famæ pro debitis ciuilibus incarcerari non

debeat, imo iudex pœna capitis punitur, qui

ipsam carceri mancipauerit. Quod si sit suspecta

de delicto in monasterium trudatur, aut

mulieribus incarceranda tradatur, quia teste lege

mulier melioris est conditionis quam uir, tumquia in eodem genere delicti, plus peccat uir

quam mulier, hinc uir in adulterio deprehensus,

capite punitur: sed mulier adultera in

monasterium retruditur. Plura priuilegia colligit

Azo in summa sua super titulo ad

senatusconsultum Velleianum, et Speculator de

renunciationibus. Illi etiam ueteres legum latares,

ac reipublicæ artifices uiri sapientia graues,

scientia prudentissimi, Lycurgus inquam & Platocum scirent ex philosophiæ penetralibus

mulieres, nec animi excellentia, nec corporis

robore, nec dignitate naturæ uiris inferiores, sed

ad omnia æque habiles, statuerunt mulieres cum

uiris in luctationibus & gymnasticis exerceri,

etiam in omnibus quæ ad bellicam pertinent [45]

disciplinam, in artu, in funda, iactu lapidum, in

sagittando, in armorum dimicatione tam equestri

quam pedestri, in castrorum positione, ac in

acierum ordinatione, in ducendo exercitu, & (utbreuiter dicam) omnia eademque mulieribus quæ

uiris exercitia communia tribuerunt. Legamus

antiquitatum fide dignos scriptores, comperiemus

tu, Ego; (that is) Where you are Jack,

I'll be Jill; Where you are Master, I

will be Dame.

After the expulsion of Kings, when the

Forces of the Volsci, who had

espoused the Tarquin's quarrel, were

advanc'd within five miles of Rome,they were beat back by the sole

courage of the women; for which

gallant service a famous Temple was

built, dedicated to Female-Fortune; and

many notable marks of dignity and

honor conferr'd on them by decrees of

the Senate: as to have the upper hand

in walking, the men standing up, and

giving place when they pass by; as

likewise leave to wear purple withgold-fringe, ear-rings, jewels, gold

chains, and other ornaments. And by a

law of later Emperours, women were

enabled to succeed in inheritances, and

take administrations; and suffered to

have their funerals publickly celebrated

with encomiastick orations, as well as

the most illustrious men. And twas

provided, That in all edicts prohibitingthe wearing of any apparel, women

should not be included: an indulgence

they well deserv'd, since they knew so

well how to part with their ornaments

on a good occasion. For when Camillus

had vow'd a present to Apollo of

Delphos, and the whole city could not

yield gold enough to make up the

summe, the women freely open'd their

cabinets, and brought in their rings,

bracelets, &c. so ready were they to

support the honour of their countrey,

though with the loss of what their Sex

is said most to delight in. In the War

which Cyrus waged against his

grandfather Astiages, the Persian army

being put to flight by the prowess of

the Medes, was reinforc'd by the

seasonable reproof and exprobation of the women; for thereupon shame and

indignation infusing fresh courage,

they fac'd about again, routed their



in Getulia, Bactris, Galletia morem fuisse uiros

mollicie deditos, mulieres autem agros colere,

ædificare, negotiari, equitare, præliari & cætera

facere, quæ modo apud nos uiri factitant. Apud

Cantabros uiri mulieribus dotem dabant, fratres à

sororibus nuptui dabantur, filiæ hæredes

designabantur. Apud Scythas, Thraces, & Gallos

mulieribus uirisque communia erant officia. Et debello paceque agentes, mulieres iudicio

consultationibus adhibebantur, quod percussum

cum Hannibale Celtarum fœdus in hæc uerba

demonstrat. Si quis Celtarum iniuria à

Carthaginensium aliquo affectum se conqueritur,

eius rei Carthaginensium magistratus aut

imperatores qui in Hispania fuerint iudices sunto.

Si quis Carthaginensium ab ullo Celtarum iniusti

quippiam passus fuerit, Celtarum de ea re

mulieres iudicium faciunto. Sed uirorum nimia

tyrannide, contra diuinum ius, naturæque leges

præualente, data mulieribus libertas. Iam, iniquis,

legibus interdicitur, consuetudine usuque

aboletur, educatione extinguitur. Mulier namque

mox ut nata est, à primis annis domi detinetur in

desidia, ac uelut altioris prouinciæ [46] incapax,

nihil præter acus & filum concipere permittitur.

Ubi exinde pubertatis annos attigerit, in mariti

traditur zelotipum imperium, aut uestaliumergastulo perpetuo recluditur. Publica quæ que

officia legibus sibi interdicta sunt. Postulare in

iudicio licet prudentissima non permittitur,

repelluntur. Præterea in iurisdictione, in arbitrio,

in adoptione, in intercessione, in procuratione, in

tutela, in cura, in testamentaria & criminali

causa. Item repelluntur in uerbi pei prædicatione,

contra expressam scripturam, qua promisit illis

spiritus sanctus per Iohelem inquiens [ Iohel. 2.:Et prophetabunt filiæ uestræ, quemadmodum &

Apostolorum ætate publice docebant, sicut de

Anna Simeonis, & filiabus Philippi, atque

Priscilla Aquilæ notum est. Sed tanta est

recentium legis latorum improbitas, qui irritum

fecerunt mandatum Dei propter traditiones suas,

quod mulieres alias naturæ eminentia, &

dignitate nobilissimas, pronunciarunt cunctis uiris

conditione uiliores. His itaque legibus mulieres

uiris tanquam bello uictæ, uictoribus cederecoguntur, non naturali non diuina aliqua

necessitate aut ratione, sed consuetudine

educatione, fortuna & tyrannica quadam

pursuers, and came off, crowned with

the lawrels of victory; for which good

service Cyrus ordain'd, That as oft as

the kings of Persia entred the city, they

should bestow on each woman a

medal, or piece of gold; which was

frequently performed accordingly; yea,

and doubled to such as were with child.

Thus were women, by those ancient

princes of Persia, and the valiant

Romans, from the very infancy of their

Empire, treated with all kind of respect

and honour; and to this day, by how

much each nation is more civiliz'd, and

refin'd from Barbarism, so much

greater liberty and honour do women

there enjoy. Nor is there a surercharacter of a noble birth, or any thing

that sooner discovers a generous

education, than a respective carriage,

and complacent deportment towards

Ladies.

That the renowned Justinian had a

particular veneration for this Sex, is

evident; for that he thought fit toconsult his wife in the modelling of his

Laws, and framing those Institutes,

whose excellent prudence all

succeeding generations have admired

and no wonder, since the Law it self

affirms, That the Wife shines in an

equal sphear of honour with the

Husband; so as how much soever he is

preserved in dignity, so much she too,

is advanc'd. Thus an Emperour's wife is

stiled Empress, and a King's, Queen,

and a Prince's, the Princess, and

illustrious, though they are never so

meanly descended. So Ulpian, The

Prince (he means the Emperour) is

absolv'd and free from the coercive

power of the laws, but the Empress his

wife, though of herself she be not faced

therefrom, yet her husband confers onher the same privileges which he has

himself. Hence by the Civil Law 'tis

permitted to noble Women to judge,



occasione id agente Sunt præterea, qui ex

relligione auctoritatem sibi corrogant in mulieres,

& ex sacris literis suam probant tyrannidem,

quibus illud Evæ maledictum continuo in ore est:

Sub potestate uiri eris, & ipse dominabitur tui.

Quod si illis respondeatur Christum abstulisse

[47] maledictum, obiicient rursus idem ex dictis

Petri [Petri. 3.], cui accedit & Paulus [ Ad Collos.3.]: Mulieres uiris suis subditæ sint, mulieres in

ecclesia taceant. Sed qui nouerit uarios scripturæ

tropos, eiusdemque affectus, facile cernet hæc

non nisi in cortice repugnare. Est enim is ordo in

ecclesia, ut uiri præponantur in ministerio

mulieribus, sicuti Iudæi Græcis in promissione.

Non tamen est acceptor personarum Deus, in

christo enim nec mas, nec fœmina, sed noua

creatura. Quin et pleraque uiris propter duriciem

cordis eorum in mulieres permissa sunt sicut

Iudæis quondam concessa repudia, quæ tamen

mulierum dignitati nihil officiunt, quin &

deficientibus errantibusque uiris, mulieres in

uirorum opprobrium potestatem habent iudicii. Et

ipsa regina Saba iudicatura est uiros Hierusalem.

Qui ergo iustificati per fidem effecti sunt filii

Abrahæ, filii inquam promissionis subiiauntur

mulieri, & obnoxii sunt præcepto Dei ad

Abraham inquientis [Genesis. 21.]: Omniaquæcumque dicit tibi Sara, audi uocem eius.

Nunc tandem ut me quam breuissime recolligam,

ostendimus præcellentiam muliebris sexus, à

nomine, ab ordine, à loco, à materia, & quid

dignitatis mulier supra uirum sortita sit à Deo, De

inde à religione, à natura, ab humanis legibus,

iam uaria autoritate, ratione et exemplis

promiscue demonstrauimus. Tamen non tam

multa diximus, quam plurima adhuc dicendareliquerimus, quia non ambitione commotus, aut

[48] meæ commendationis causa ueni ad

scribendum, sed officio & ueritate. Ne tanquam

sacrilegus, tam denoto sexui debitas sibi laudes

(ut talentum mihi creditum suffodiendo) impia

quadam taciturnitate surripere uidear sisilerem.

Quod si quis me curiosior à nobis præteritum

aliquod argumentum repererit, quod huic operi

nostro ad struendum putet, ab illo me non argui

sed adiuuari credam, quatenus bonam hancoperam nostram, suo ingenio doctrinaque

meliorem reddiderit. Ne ergo opus ipsum in

nimis magnum uolumen exeat, Hic illius finis

arbitrate, purchase, sell, and decide

controversies between their tenants, or

vassals, and sometimes to retain

peculiar servants, and give name to a

family, so as the children shall be

called by the Mother's name, not the

father's, with several other privileges,

in relation to their dowers, exprest indivers places throughout the whole

body of the Law: Which also provides,

That a woman of honest fame shall not

be imprisoned for debt; and that the

judge who shall commit her, shall in

such case be liable to capital

punishment: And if she be apprehended

on suspicion of any crime, she shall be

put into a Monastery, or delivered to

the custody of persons of her own Sex.

Moreover, a woman in the eye of the

Law is of a better condition than a

Man, so that in the very same kind and

degree of crime, he is esteemed a

greater offender, and worthy of severer

punishment than she. Hence a man

found in adultery is punisht with death,

the woman only shut up in a

monastery. Many other privileges of women you may read, collect by Azo,

in his summe on the title,

Senatusconsultum Velleianum, and

Speculator of Renunciations, and

others.

No wonder then if those ancient

legislators, men grave for their

wisdome, and prudent for science,

Lycurgus, I mean, and Plato,

understanding by their diligent

researches into the most profound parts

of Philosophy, that Women were not a

whit either for excellency of wit,

strength of body, or dignity of nature,

inferiour to Men, but equally able in all

respects whatever; did thereupon

ordain, That Women should exercise

together with Men in wrestling, andother publick games and pastimes; and

as well as Men, make an inspection

into all things appertaining to Martial



esto.

[FINIS]

discipline, as shooting, slinging,

casting stones, darting, handling of

arms, both on foot and horseback,

pitching of tents, leading up,

marshalling, and setting armies in

array, &c.

Let us peruse the volumes of crediblehistorians, and they will assure us, That

by the custom in Getulia, Bactria, and

Galletia, the Men devoted wholly to

ease, made much of themselves at

home, whilst the Women tilled the

ground, built, negotiated, rid up and

down, went to the wars, and transacted

all those affairs which among us are

managed by Men. That amongst the

Cantabrians, the Men brought theWomen portions; the brothers were

dispos'd of in marriage by the sisters;

and the daughters were the heirs. That

among the Scythians, Thracians, and

other nations, all offices were

undertaken by Women, as well as Men.

And in their Treaties Women were

concern'd; as appears by the league

made between Hannibal and the Celtæ,in these words: If any of the Celtæ

complain that he is injured by any of

the Carthaginians, let the magistrates

or commanders of the Carthaginians

who shall be in Spain, judge thereof. If

any Carthaginian shall receive damage

from any of the Celtæ, let the Women

be judges of the same. Nor did the

ancient Brittains [Britains] and Picts

regard any difference of sex, for the

soveraign command, but usually went

to war under the conduct of Women, as

both Tacitus and Beda witness.

From what has been said, appears

conspicuously, as if written with Sun-

beams on a wall of chrystal, That this

Sex are not incapable of, nor were in

the primitive and more innocent Agesof the World, debarr'd from managing

the most arduous of difficult affairs, till

the tyranny of Men usurpt the dispose



of all business, and unjust laws, foolish

customes, and an ill mode of

education, retrencht their liberties. For

now a woman (as if she were only the

pass-time of Men's idle hours, or a

thing made merely for trifling courtiers

to throw away their non-sensical

complements on) is from her cradlekept at home; and as incapable of any

nobler imployment, suffered only to

knit, spin, or practice the little

curiosities of the Needle. And when

she arrives at riper years, is delivered

to the tyranny of a jealous-pated

husband, or cloistered up in a Nunnery;

all publick offices are denied them;

implead, or sue at Law in their own

names, though never so prudent, they

must not; no jurisdiction they can

exercise: nor make any contract that is

valid without their husband's license;

and several other hard impositions they

have laid on them.

By which unworthy, partial [i.e.

"biased"] means, they are forc'd to give

place to Men, and like wretchedcaptives overcome in war, submit to

their insulting conquerors, not out of

any natural or divine reason, or

necessity, but only by the prevalancy

of custome, education, chance, or some

tyrannical occasion; yet might

Women's excellent good natures

possibly perswade them calmly to

undergo this servitude, did not the

male-usurpers adde shame and

reproach to their tyranny. But as all

slavery is miserable in the account of

generous minds, so that which comes

accompanied with scorn and contempt,

stirs every one's indignation, and can

be endur'd by none whom Nature does

not intend for slaves, as well as

Fortune. Although 'tis evident; That

unto Woman-kind the World owethhalf of its life, and Man is indebted the

whole of his love, she being the only

adequate object of his affections on



earth; yet Custom spreading like some

epidemick contagion, hath made it

common to undervalue this Sex, and

bespatter their reputation with all kind

of opprobrious language, and

slanderous Epethites. Each idle

Poeraster hath a Rhime to reproach

them; and every phantastick gull ascandalous sonnet or musty Proverb to

impeach their honour; particular

reasons whereof, many may be gather'd

from the divers humours of their

accusers. Some will dispraise that

Woman, whom before they ador'd,

because her modesty has repell'd their

unchast desires. Some turn their

amorous complements of wooing, into

a barbarous stile of railing, because for

want of desert they obtain not Love.

Many love not Women, because they

know not how to love them; and most

of all Men being evil themselves, love

but few things that are good, and

thence entertain Women with hatred.

Some to make ostentation of their

parts, and acquire the title of wits, few

with any shew of reason, and none onany just cause, have yet filled the

World with pamphlets, things no less

idle in themselves, than disgracefull to

Women. But Oh unmanly Men, and

stain of your Sex! Is this a point of

Manhood, or any ornament of your

valour, to busie your selves for

disgrace of Women? Is this the

thankfull tribute you return to theauthors of your Being? Is this the

recompense you afford them for their

sorrow a nd pains at your birth, for

their care and diligence in your

infancy, for their love and tenderness,

their assistance and endearments

throughout your Life? Such and so

many obligations should not (methinks)

be so easily cancelled, not such

courtesies forgotten, much less soinjuriously remembred, as to be repaid

with causeless detraction, and

immerited invectives. But why speak



we to these Men of Gratitude, the

greatest of virtues, who never were

acquainted with any virtue at all? It can

be no great dishonour to be evil spoken

by them, who never learn'd to speak

well of any.

We shall not therefore so vainly spendour own or the reader's time, as to take

notice of all those black scandals by

them cast on this fair Sex, they being

only fluxes of gall, or the purgings of

idle brains: only one we must briefly

examine, which seems more plausible,

and passes for currant in the vogue of

the World; and that is, their terming

Women, Necessary Evils. This is

indeed the common Tenure, and thecomical wits think they have very

judiciously spoken, when thus they

have designed them; which yet in truth

is no other than an egregious Solecism;

an error almost blasphemous. That they

are necessary, we needs must grant;

since he that made Man, saw it was not

good that Man should be without them.

That they are Evils, we utterly deny;since he that made Woman, saw that

all he made was good. Is Woman good

then in the judgement of God, and in

your conceit also necessary? then

change your phrase, and henceforth

stile her, A necessary good . Those very

terms, Necessary, and Evil, are

inconsistent: All things that are

necessary for Man, are good; food is

necessary, it is good; apparel

necessary, it is good; the Fire, the Air,

the Earth, the Water necessary, they

are good: Women necessary, therefore

good . For else if we suppose God has

bound Man in so hard a condition, that

some things are necessary for him, yet

evil, we both impair the wisdome of

God, and detract from his goodness.

To conclude: If Woman be so

necessary for Man, and he of himself

so weak and impotent , that he could not



even in Paradise live without her; If

Abraham the friend of God be

commanded, by no less Authority than

the voice of Heaven, to hear his wife

Sarah whatsoever she should say to

him; If Nature have so illustriously

markt out Women for the most

excellent of all creatures, and crown'dthem most prodigally with the choicest

of her ornaments; Since they in no

respect come short of the most

celebrated Heroes, and that their names

and gallant actions have swell'd the

records of Fame, and stand register'd

there with such obliging Eulogies; what

remains but that without delay we

render them those homages which such

extraordinary merits challenge? Let us

no longer dis-esteem this noble Sex, or

abuse its goodness, or usurp on its

prerogative. Let us allow them those

Privileges which God and nature have

invested them with. Let us re-enthrone

them in their Seats of Honour and Pre-

eminence. Let us regard them with that

reverence that is due; pay them that

devotion that becomes us; and treatthem with all that respect and

veneration which belongs to such

Terrestrial Angels.

Thus have we endeavored to shew the

pre-eminence of the Female Sex, from

the name, order, place, and matter of

Creation; and what dignity bounteous

Heaven has vouchsaft thereto above the

Male. We have also promiscuously, yet

plainly, demonstrated the same from

Divinity, Nature, Humane Laws,

various Authority, Reason, and

Examples, yet have we not said so

much, but that we have left much more

unsaid: for we took not up our pen in

this cause out of ambition, or design to

purchase applause by ostentation of

wit, or reading; but meerly asconscious of our duty, and out of

loyalty to Truth, that we might not

seem sacrilegiously to rob this worthy



Sex of its due praises, by an envious

silence.

But if some more curious Head shall

find (as easily he may) any argument

by us omitted, which he shall judge

proper to be here inserted, we shall be

ready to acknowledge our obligationsto him; esteeming it a courtesie, not an

injury, if by his wit and learning he

render this well-intended Work of ours

better; to which, lest it swell to too

great a volume, we here affix a final

period .

FINIS.

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Agrippa_ Declamatio de nobilitate & precellentia Fœminei sexus