A lytle and bryefe treatyse, called the defence of women and especially of Englyshe women, made agaynst the Schole howse of women.

¶ Here begynneth the booke called the Defence of Women , made by Edwarde More . VEnus vnto the for help , good lady I do cal , For thou wert wont to graunt request , vnto thy seruaunts al , Euen as thou dyddest help alwayes , Aeneas thyne owne chylde , Apeasing the god Iupiter , with countenaunce so mylde , That though that Iuno to turment hym , on Iupiter dyd prease , Yet for the loue he bare to the , dyd cause the wyndes to cease , I pray the pray the muses all , to helpe my memorye , That I may haue ensamples good , in defence of femynye , Them to defend of dyuers thynges as slaunders many fold , I haue taken vppon me , as a Champyan bold , Replye that lyst agaynst me I wyll them well Assure To spende my tyme in theyr defence , whyse my lyfe shall indu● Although I want the grauytye , of Cato that was sage , Which hard it is to fynde , in any of myne age , And Ciceros eloquence is very hard to fynde In a curtyer truly , accordyng to my mynde Senecaes breife sentences , although that I do wante Within Curtius style kepe me can I skant yet Salust south in wrything trewth , I trust I shall attayne And as directly as I can , declare my matter playne , Fyrst I wyl make it manyfest that women beare much blame And men are more infaut , deseruyng styll the same , As the litle cobwep taketh the small flye , The swallowe fleyng through easely passyng by And as the pore & nedy man hanged is sometyme When the rycher skapeth , for a greater cryme , So doth the sely woman of eche degree and sorte Runne in slaunder vnde●erued , by meanes of mens reporte Wherby thys proue●be sheweth playne no lesse true then olde That thei moost ofte that w●rst may , the candle vse to holde This to be true , what better profe then by Eue may be brought Which dyd Adam attempt , to do that thynge was noughe Dyd not the deuyll endeuor , to reclayme her to hys fy●●e Bycause he knew her feblenes , not able to resyst What was the deuel ? man or woman I wold some good deuyne Wold take the paynes thys questyon to vs once to defyne Aman , I thynke in dede , of Lucy●e●s owne trayne For of a woman dyuell , I neuer red certayne Whan Lucyfer fyrst fill into the pyt of hell At gods appoyntment for hys pryde therin styll to dwell There fell with hym a numbre moe of men , whose sodeyne fall All women yet remaynyng here , may rue the tyme and all Had not the serpent tempted Eue , who cold ●s sermyse ? So shamfull acte to bryng her forth of ioyfull paradyse And besydes all thys , when she delyuered had To Adam the forbidden fruyte , to taste & hym had bad She knew then no deceyt , I dare for her appose , And Adam then to tast therof , I thynk sure myght haue chose , For she reherst the word , addyng no whyt more To that the synfull serpent , had to her told before : And yf that he to Adam fyrst , had cum , no dowt he myght Haue tempted hym a ●well as Eue thys thyng declareth it ryght Predestinate she was therto , to withstand it , not knowing how All Chrysten men ought to lament therfore I make abowe And not to cast it in her teeth , and on her thus to iest , A foule byrde it is perdye defyleth his owne nest Wherfore cam he to Eue ? I haue tolde you before Her lacke of strenght & nothyng els , was caus● of her forlore , yf lack of strength bew●y , wyt , in women be detecte At lyeth not in them , these sayd thyng to correcte Nature fourmeth solks accordyng is to gods wyll , In god it lyed and wan els then to make or spyll . But Adam beyng ruler of see and eke of lande That Eue to hym was subiect , it may well now be skand And hauyng strenght sufficient , wanting no wght but grace So wolde offende our sauyour Christ to lese that ioyfull place Wherin he fell no woe , wherin dyd nothyng mys To lede hys lyfe in heauenly ioye , who can saye well by thys And yet men wyll transpose the faute to seely Eue But no man that the trouth doth rede , wyl them I thynk beleue Wherfore I trust I haue , declared here at large That fawth commytted by the men , are layde to womens charge Consydre now theyre ponishement appoynted by our lord To helpe my saynges somewhat , no dout it wyl acccorde With daunger of theyre lyues , theyr children they do beare Theyres ouerthrouges in labor , hys meruell to heare And after they be borne what dilygence they wse To bryng them vp in fearing god ; no labour they refuse , And we do dayly see suffyciently exprest How nurses often wake when most men take theyr rest . Wolde Iesus haue bene borne , of Mary vyrgyn myldee And humbled hym selfe to her as a louyng chylde Onles that they were innocent and as the do pretende Styffe stowt nor arrogant , nor ready to offende Alas may I saye than , that any Christen man Shuld wryte such thynges by women that synce the world began I dare well saye , they neuer dyd , nor yet so much as thought How much to blame are men to saye , that women be so nought And them thus to vpbrayde , with theyr barre passyng loue , with wanton eyes & sugred lippes wher 〈…〉 they moue with all theyr myght & mayne , to follow wanton wyll Wherin our poet doth recyte , they haue neuer theyre fyll How farre from all the truth , how lyke it soundes a lye By reasons moe them one or two , thus may all men it trye , The hoter that the contrey is the proner to offende And to venery , more lyke to condiscente , The people are , and as I haue ofte rede Where wyues are ryfest , there , a man may best be spede . And on the other partye the colder that is . The lesse desyre and appetyte they haue to do amysse And besydes all thys , the fayrer that they be , To more resorte of men there is , them to beholde and see The more resort of men in daunger son●r runne What dayly drystes do men deuyse ? vntyll they haue them wunne wyth Rome make I comparison if I may be so bolde And England do affirme to be then it farre passing colde , Wherby I meane in dede that Romaynes are more bent Then Englysh women be to such thynges to consent Lesse wander they abrode , wherby the byting ayre Can theyr bewty in no point dyminish and appayre Which of sundry wayes , the next way is of all As I haue shewed a lytle before , customers to call Where our Englysh women do spare themselfes no whyt But vp and doune the fyeldes to and fro do flyt The Ladyes to the Court do dayly take theyr traydes Besydes a trayne of seruyng men , accumpannied wyth maydes That be the wether foule , or be the wether fayre To wether being open theire bewty must appayre wherby a man may iudge that of the people twayne In Englysh women to be more chast , farre then the Romaine This ●l●o I do note and thinke to be moost true That most of al by yelosy daunger doth ensue To men ( in min● opynion ) no people vse it more In lookyng st 〈…〉 vnto theyre wyues , as I haue told before Wherby it fareth thus with them , to be a prouerbe ryfe To iudge the romayne harl●t , better then the wyfe which vse not so frequent in England wherby we Englyshmen do well auoyde that perlous yoperdye Now o● Romaynes haue I redde ▪ innumerable good As tyrff of all , of Lucres that cam of noble blood when Tarq●yn the proude , desyred her company Lyuy wyll the same affyrme and testifye , Thys Tar●uyn ) whome I named ) dyd prese to do that dede which caused her and also hym not very well to spede Fyrst wyth fayre wordes began he Lucr●s to entrete And when they could not take affecte , then he began th threte with his naked sword , to take away her lyfe , Alas good Brtitus where wert thou ? to succor then thy wyfe And fynally agaynst her wyll Tarquyn lay her by The cryme is deedly for a kyng to do such vylany which when by hym was dun , away and he was gonne She sendeth for her husband and kindred eche one And bearyng in her hand , with her a naked knyfe In presence of them all , she ended there her lyfe But before she dyed as Lyuye doth reporte with a heuy hart ( god wot ) spake after such a sorte O my husband deare why do I lyue thys daye Syth that ( but not wyllyngly ) I haue the now betraye And most against my harte the godes do know right well That feare of death and nothing els , was cause now that I fell Tarquin the proud hath rauyshed me thys nyght wherwith she wept full pyteously , her teares distilling bright From her eyes , and sodeinly , dyd thrust into her harte The knyfe , so ended she her lyfe , in dedly woe and smarte Alas , what hart so hard , as is the merble stone yf he had sene thys dolefull syght , wolde not haue made gre●te mone For her , who lyeng ded as white as any lylly whose cruell death dyd playnly she wand for her testyfy That she was voyde from vice , not giltie of that gylt And yet in satysfaction her hart blud there she spylt Lucres of Cu●hay●e also is come vnto my mynde which to Curylans shewed her selfe so kynde That beyng but a straynger borne and her deperted froe Dyed for very sorow , the story telleth soe , why loued she an other , alas , syth she was wedde Marryed she was against her wyll she had as leue ben dedde As hym to husband take , but that she might not chuse For ather frendes commaundement she durst hym not refuse So that not only she , but tother of her sorte Are to be lamented much , as voyde , of all cumforte For of these twayne they must do one , with god eyther nedes glose , Orels if god they please , theyr parentes strayt way lose , 〈◊〉 appy be they I say then , whose choyse to chuse is free For though they haue but lytle , no dought they shal agree What saye ye nowe to Ouyds wyfe , which banyshed to bee Desyred much , & leaue al thinges in Rome where she was free With her husbande to haue gonne , to take such parte as he What fayth there is in womankynde , a blynde man may wel see Sulanna also and Iudith with dyuers others moe Out of scriptures colde I bring , but nede requyreth not soe , For of forrayne examples these are ynough to dewe yet shall I one recite whiche also is moost trewe A kyng there was that in the warres , had taken a greuous wounde Hys surgens had assured hym , it wold neuer be sounde Onles that all the nenom , that therin dyd lye hydde were sucked out by mans mouth the king sayd God forbydde The Quene that hearing , hold her pease vntyll that it was nyght When the kyng was sounder aslepe , that heare him blow she might Arose a● softly as she coulde , and so by suchyng ofte Had gotte the ●enom clene forth , that done , with clothes softe She dressed hym ●●ll handsomly , and wrapt it vp agayne And helede hym with medycens so that he felth no payne what dylygence wolde man requyre ? what seruyce of hys wyfe What pledge of loue wolde he els haue ? then to saue hys lyfe wyth hassarde of her owne whiche she ought moost defende Let men therfore remembre this , & theyr euyl tonges amende The doughter two of Ioth , that lay theyre father by Dyd in a good intend the world to multyply And many thynges we reade permitted were by gode In the olde Testament and in the newe forbode For if the brother spared had the syster in those dayes The world could not haue ben in crest I think no kind of wayes To comme now to our cuntrey women , why shuld men in them dought And saye they be replete wyth vyce synce stranngers be without Although that I haue authors none , but all that I endight Long synce in author olde , I haue them redde full ryght Whych beyng but payngans horne , I herein so much trust That I beleue assuredly they wryt nothyng but iust And I my selfe but lyttle more then . xx . yeares of age An Englysh man borne also , by nature nothyng sage Onles I shuld declyne from all my progeny Whose myrth theyre mery worke , wyll show and testyfye Syth my mother tongue I dyd well vnderstande I had no maner of delight in storyes of thys lande Whych beyng true in dede , no meruayle thys at all Though that my cuntrey womens actes , to mynde I can not call yet hath there bene within my tyme for nede I colde them name That for the loue they bare to men , refused no kynde of blame , Thyr husbandes whylest in pryson lay , transgressors of the lawe Deseruyng in beath for theyre offence , and beyng styll in awe Haue presed to the prese , of the thych through and trust As gree 〈◊〉 chylde as they myght goe therein you may me trust And neuer ceased vntyll they cam vnto the rulers face And meekely knelyng on theyr knees , obteyned had theyr grace And set theyr husbandes free agayne who had none other hop● To ende theyr lyues no kynde of waye but only by the rope And in the tyme that Bullayne was , besegede wyth our hostes I know yet certayne that do lyue , that went out of our costes Left theyr frendes & kynsfolke elie to Bullayne toke theyr way Unto theyr husbandes & their louers , skant restyng night or day Untyl they had accumplished theyr yourney with great paine where w●●e one found her husband wel . iiii . found their louers slaine what heauy , hartes had they , that founde theyr louers dedde ? Smal ioye I thynke they wold haue had , another strayt to wed what teares were shede by them ? what syghinge from the hart ? what sodayne sorow , heuynes , anguish , gryef , & smarte ? Suffred those pore soules no pen can wryte , nor yet tonge well expres Nor hart can thynke nor wyt deuyse , the some of theyr distresse , As warre is counted pleasaunt to them not tryeng the same So many thynk it but a sporte , to beare a louers name A louer to be named an easy thynge perdye And yf they loue vnfaynedly , what loue is they shall see Unto the burning ●euer compare it I may well , what ease there is therin , the sych therof can tell Of these two thinges if that the choyse offree were to me And that of them they one I must chuse no remede To be syc●e with loue or els the plage to haue The plage I wold fyrst chuse of b●th so god me saue The one within a weeke relesseth all the payne The other in the harte tyll death doth styll remayne Although a louer might , accumplish nestores yeares which liued three hundred winter long , in authors as appreares Of loue yet dyuers time shuld fele the woe and smart Thought more 〈…〉 uye then the ●edde lyeth at the louers hart As I my selfe may wel assyrme , which tryed haue the same And so may m●● as well as I , that couht it now no game , These thinges well wayed then yf men of stomock stout Say loue to intollerabl● I put you out of dout Great ●e●uale it ys I promise you that womens fe 〈…〉〈◊〉 able to ●eare out so well , their do●efull hea●●●●es Alas their tendreharies were oft lyke for to brast 〈◊〉 that teares of water sault di●illed from them 〈◊〉 yet some besydes theyr selfes with loue are oft certaine Of them ( more pyty ys ) with vs th●re d●re● 〈◊〉〈…〉 there is perchaunce ●hat will of me enquire Meruayling much that any man with loue is set a fire And women with the same may or can take ●●at● Thinking it to be a thing which chaunceth very rat● For if that men and women loue , why do they disagree In consentyng eche to other thys daunger they may 〈◊〉 This may be aunswered diuers ▪ wayes , and first of al by this That not one man what degre , so euer that he is To l●u● a●●ynde of women , nor yet one woman can Fy 〈…〉 in her hart ( I dare well say ) to fansy euer● man what auayleth it then how may he flee that payne , 〈◊〉 he loue that woman well that loueth hym not a 〈…〉 And on the other parte of a womans chaunce be so Now may we then in lyke wy●e scape hys pay 〈…〉 and ded●y wo● Agayne if men presume to farre , aboue theyr owne degree yf that they loue and can not spede , how can they then it ●lee But men there be and not a fewe which do presen●e to loue And meaning nothing els but maydens myndes to moue To loue agayne to the e●●ent theyr purpose to obtayne which when they haue , do draw away , and leue to loue agayne Thus with sundry dryftes are , maydes and wyues deceaue● And ofte of theyre virgynite by men , maydes are bereued which being lostand gonne , what great losse can be what better thing haue maydens now , then theyre virginite whiche causeth them to wayle & wepe as haue they cause to iu●● and though the other meane good faith , doth make than to mi●trust Of lyke handling of a wydow . I can declare right well Betwene Dydo & Ieneas , as Uyrgyll doth it tell A●neas Tro●e beyng won , and all the towne was breut Fled vnto the see , with troyans by consent Councell ▪ helpe and a●d of Uenus the g●ddes Of loue that was & hys mother as Poetetes do express● Take shipping for to sayle vnto a land which prophelies did shew before shuld come into hys hand He so long laye vpon the see , his vytaill being spent Arryued in good Dydoes land whiche when she hard she went Unto him to her that was , a straunger as I rede And dyd obeysaunce , vnto hym , and home with her dyd lede As one that all nobilitie dyd very much regarde He wanted no good cheare y wis , no cost for hym was sparde Contin 〈…〉 ●e wyth all hys men in her courte certayne dayes An 〈◊〉 them selfes well as Poet Uyrgyll sayes Required Ieneas Dydoes loue which when she graunted had And ●itayl●s to his ships be carried that she bad Aen●a● away sayled , skant byddyng her far well Nor for his 〈…〉 tertainement thanked her oue dell , At leste wyse c●m no more at her , nor yet vnto her sent which moued gentle Dydo much , & made her ●eartrelent ●emembryng that her bene●yt●es vppon hym so beshowed Mere not regarded , but for them cruelte was showed And that ●e●●eas noble was , she thought hym to be iust And well the wyst that now she had put her whole trust In one that her deceaued had , no meruayle was it than Though neuer after that she durst credyt any man That Englyshmen 〈◊〉 maydes also , haue playde the selfe same feat I shall declare vnto you here , but fy● on all de●eat Of Englyshmen vppon a thyne , there were in Scotlande three , whiche taken were as prysoners in pryson put perdee , And there were lyke to lye , the ordre of that lande To abyde ny remedy , ye may well vnderstande 〈◊〉 ▪ t●ey had theyr rasisons ●ayed which how it might arise , without strendes , the sel●●s but poore , they cold not weldeuyse , Untyll at last that one of them , more crafty then the rest Had tolde his fellowes to be donne , what he thought was best That is to wyt that one of them which was the handsomes man Shuld fayne hym 〈◊〉〈…〉 ding sycke , in the best wyse that he can Of wha●●yfease thynke yee of layned loue y wys ▪ which to be true , no dout at aly , ye may percyue by thys The ●●aler had a doughter , that was excedyng fayre Unto these Englysh men wolde diuers tymes repayre And 〈◊〉 myth them of many thynges at last one of the three Whose lot it was and chaunce the dyssembler to now to be ( The other twayne with drawing them as was agreed before ) Uppon the ●aylers Doughter looked , & syghed wondrous sore , And causyng her to syt hym by , ( as was hys owne reporte ) with 〈◊〉 herte and cos●●●enaunce , spake to her in thys sorte A wold I had in syelde bene●●ayen , but fortune wolde not so , But that I shulde yet lenger lyue in dedly payne and wo All my cuntrymen , that euer prysoners were , Dyd neuer so vnguo yet hart with them , I know wellbere For besydes that impris●nment is odyous to the ●re There is a thyng whiche more then that doth dayly turment me , In so much that I therwith in lyfe coulde not remayne Onles that one thyng now and then restored my lyfe agayne , My meanyng and intent hereby , I wold fayne that you knewe I wyll my selfe declare yt playne , yf that you wyl be trewe And swere vnto me by your fayth , you wyl it not dysclose But secretely within your brest , you shall the same repose , She sware vnto hym by and by , that honest if it weare No liuing creature on the earth ▪ by her therof shuld heare , No dought ( sayde he ) I put in you , but credyt do your othe Beyng bolde to tell you that , before which I was lothe , When I do prison fyrst , amonges the rest was brought For my harde handlyng here , tooke exceding thought But when I called to mynde , for what cause here wely They had as iust a cause , to mourne , me though , as I It chaunced not longe after , that , as we three sate here Your bewtie brighter then the sonne , vnto me dyd appere Reuolyng I then in my mynde , my harde and cruell fate On fortune could not chuse but rayle , for chaunging myne estate In my natyue countrey , of gentles come and borne Here I lye replete with woe , as one that is forlorne Besydes all thys , your loue , so perced hath my harte That remedyles I wayle and wepe , and dudble all my smarte And sythes I am now bonde , and lede thys carefull lyfe Only may I wysh you , to be my lawfull wyfe , Desyre ( I wolde ) and eke beseche of loue , Onles I knew assuredly I shuld you nothing moue , Being in this case , which if that I were free your loue vnto an Englyshe man , you wolde not graunt perdee But graunt that you colde loue , me onles I were a large How shulde I able be , of your to take the charge ? But if that I conueyed were , strayte out of thys lande And safe in my countrey were , I wyll ye vnderstande And kyng were of the same , none on the earth but you Shulde be the crowned Quene therof , to god I make a vou , What auayleth thys my talke ? to what purpose speake I thys ? Sith I know ryght well of you , that I shall mys , But yet I can not chuse , my harte doth cause me so Or els opprest with carkes and cares I think wold breake in to Now you haue herd my case , consyder well the same Could you loue an Englysh man , or do you hate the name , In south be you assured , that if you can me fauor And vnto husband take , I lyst not now to glauor And euen as I loue you , so to loue me agayne you shall diminish all my grief , sorow , thought and payne , I shall you not forget , whilon that I lyue Onles I speake euen as I think , neuer may I thryue Therwith he wepyng fast , the teares distillyng fro Hys eyes , gaue her a Iudas kysse , alas why dyd he so ? When she had herd hym speake , the wordes exprest before Thynkyng no lesse in dede but that he longed sore And doted in her loue , hauyng no mystrust But thought by hys perplexitie that he was very iust Her tendre hart then melted to see hym in that case Wept and sobbed woundrous sore , that for a certen space , She cold not speake one word , for sheddyng teares so fast Her hart she thought immediatly , wold verely haue ●rast When she had cesed her wepyng , and th agony was past Pausyng with her selfe a while , sayd vnto hym at last where that you wysh your chaunce had bene , before this to be slaine No cause there is ywys , that dye you shuld so fayne , And that your dobble improsoment , you lay vnto my charge yt lyeth in my pouer to set you now at large , For whither you loue your contrey , and set but lyght by me , Or whyther you loue vs both a lyke , I can now set you free And in accusing me , to hate the Englysh name , Without a tryall of the same , in dede you are to blame , To aunswere you therfore , as dyrectly as I can I had rather marry you , then a Scottysh man And plyght me here your troth , for so I thinke it best And I shall do the some , and graunt you your request Leade me with you home , & there do you me wed According to your Englysh lawes , to bourd and eke to bed Money for our charges ynough I shall prepare , And for your sake the residue , shall the better fare , He swore vnto her othes ryfe , that all thinges shuld be so well sayd she to morrow night , we foure , away wyll go So when the nyght appoynted cam , the ●ayler toke hys rest Hys Doughter tooke of money , as much as she thought best The keyes she stale away that lay vnder his hedde The prison gate then openyng , away them three she ledde which when they were escaped theyr peryll and theyr payne , As crafty kaytyfes worthy death , dyd send her back agayne , ye moderators of the scoles , ye iudges of the bench was not this a heynous cryme , to vse a louing wench Who for very loue of one , dyd make them also free And well contented was , with hym away to flee Leuyng countree father , mother , brother kyf and kyn But when she was betrayed , what sorow was she in ? Fyrst , what was her fathers gryef ? the prisoners beyng lost , What sorow to his harte ? and to his purse what coste ? And when he knew hys doughter to be ledde waye , In what a traunce was he ? no man I think can saye Hys wyfe and eke his sonne , and all the wenches kyn Lamented much and dyd bewayle , her foolysh parte therin And the sely wench , was in worst case of all Not knowing for her life on her what shuld be fall Wh●rfore she went not home agayne for feare as I do gesse But ledde her lyfe tyll death dyd come , in wofull heauynes , Thus may ye se exprest , the nature here of men , And yet they wyll affirme women worse then them Uyrgyll once appoynted to haue layen a woman by Perswaded her therto , there was no remedy And when that she perceyued , that he wold haue no nay . So that you come this night ( saith she ) I wyl your mid obay , I my selfe do lye ( quod she , in a chaumbre hye And my husband lieth beneth , in a chambre bye wherfore I can not well deuyse , how in you may be brought No kynde of way but only thus , which now I haue be thought 〈◊〉 wyll let doune a basket , by a corde perdee , By meanes whereof you sitting in , shal be drawen vp to mee● ●yrgyll trusting so , his purpose to obtayne According as it was a greed , at night he cam agayne , Where he founde the basket by a lyne let downe in dede And quyckly leping in trusted well to spede When knowledge that she had , aboue , that Uyrgyll was therin She plucked hym halfe way vp , that donne to make a pyn Of woode or some lyke thing , she put her selfe in vre Wherunto she tyed the rope for flydyng made it sure , So that Uyrgyll when no way , escape knew how he myght Of force he was constrayned there to tarry all the nyght Untyll the next morninge , that it was brode lyght daye Where when that he es●yed was , al folkes at hym had playe Thus it is ryght euydent and manifestly she wede That women are ryght honest , and men are very lewede As touching the apparayll now , which women vse to weare Theyr verdyngalles and cassockes , the perting of their heaee Wherwith that they waxe proude our Pote sayth sure , At home lyke dyuelles they be , abrode lyke aungelles pure , These thinges lowfull to be , and tolerable toe , By reasons good and probable , I shal it strayt wayes shoe A woman hauing nothing but at her husbandes hande That he thus maynteneth her it may now welbe skande Who is then in moost fau●t ? who ought to beare the blame ? Not she that weareth them , but he that byeth the same , Tollerable not withstanding , that such apparayle is What harme lyed hydde therein , I wolde fayne knowe but this First , to a cassocke ( I am 〈◊〉 ) lesse cloth they do allowe Then to agonne or frocke , wherfore consyder now ? More profyt is it farre , lesse cost also perdye Honest therfore his , it can none other be , For Tully in his Offices , sheweth by wordes exprest That nothing can be profitable , onles it be honest , To the parting of theyr heare and showing of the same , yf men do the lyke thyng , why beare they then no blame ? In combing of theyr berdes , in strokyng them full ofte . In wassyng them with wassyng balies , in lookyng all alofte In plaitting of them diuers wayes , in byndyng them in bandes Wherein their hole delyght alwayes , consystes and standes No meruayle then though women lerning it of men Do combe and plat theyr heare , & dresse it nowe and then yet women be dispraysed where men are moost in faute Examples such to gyue theyr wyues , which they acompt so naught yf a precher shulde vs teach , drunkennes to shun , And hedlong to that vyce , he hym sel●e shuld run , Who were in most fault who were most worthy blame , He that herde the sermone , or he that preced the same , As touching now theyr verdingalles , which do men much offende I deferre them not tyll now as hard for to defende For as men in thother thinges haue bene in greatest cryme , So can I not holde them excused , at thys present tyme , Who fyrst inuented vardingalles it must be called to mynde And by whom also they were made , we must in lykewyse fynde Taylers ( as I gesse ) were the fyrst founders then What kynde of people be they women or els men The most of all our fashyous of garmentes whiche we vse , Of what so euer sorte they be playne or els dyffuse , Straungers them inuent , of straungers them we lerne As by our Spanysh hose & shoes , a man may well dyscerne , The french gownes & the Duche , which women vse to were And also theyre french hoodes , theym broddyng of theyr heare , From Fraunce & Flaunders fet were , by merchandes of our lande They tought their wiues to were that sawe it may be vnderstande For women trauaill not to see the countreyes farre , For although they wolde , theyr husbandes yet wold then therof quite barre But if there be anoueltye chaunced in Almayne , Fraunce , Flaunders , Italy , Portyngale , or Spayne , Or any other regyons where men haue ledde theyre lyues At theyre commyng home , they declare it to theyre wyues , And some for lacke of newes , some thinges they do deuyse Accompting it a shame , there be some so precyse , To know nothing al all and so long tyme to spende Wherfore to bringes home nouelties , they alwayes do entend And tollerable itys ( the south to say ) in those That a yoyrney vnto Rome , vnto themselfes haue chose , For thei that come from th●nce , as one doth specyfye May tell a lye or twayne , by Romes authoritie , what pride can the pore verdyngalles increase in women kynde The stuf that goeth to the same , is easy for to fynde As ●ustian or buckram , lystes and eke redde cloth A costly thing I promise you that men shuld be so wroth Suppose , they be of veluet sylk or cloth of gold what wyttyman is he ? ther with fynd fault that wold Although for money often times there is debat & strife And for the same many a man in time hath lost hys lyfe Yet money is not euyll , nor ought to beare no blame The only fawt remainth in them , that do mysuse the sa●nt , So garmentes , I affirme , what so euerthat they be , Are decent for all wemenkinde , regarding theyre degre As sone may a man , in a begger fynd , As proude an ●art as in a lorde which groweth out of kind The prouerbe semeth contrary to iudge pryde in the lord For èuyl doth a lordes hart and a beggers purse accord where excessyue talke is layd to womens charge , And that men cast it in theyr teeth , theyr tongues to run at large Graunt it so to be , as it is not verely But that they be thus staundred alas what remedy yet were it but a small fault , in authors syd we ●ynde True to be and credyble , wordes to be but winde , Theyr tonges I think offended haue , on earth no lyuing man And if thei had , forthat that men , neyther will nor can , With them once beare , how farre they run a●●raye ye shal perceyue if that ye note , sain●t Peter who doth saye , ye men bere with your wyfes whiche weker vesselles be , But yet the weke the burden bere , as ye may herby see Many husbandes all the day , sytting at the wyne , At night comyng relyng home as dronken as are swyne , Theyr wyses therof ashamed be , and then strayt way exhort At home to tarry and be merry to flee all such resort wherwith the men waxe angry , theire wyfes be so bold And if they speake a lytle loud , men say strait away they skold wherfore I meruaile much and so do moe then I That women beare so great a blame , & no cause to be why And fynally to conclude , I haue the greater ruth That innocentes shuld slaundred be , but time shall trye the truth . ¶ Finis .