Againe , in their loue a woman is compared to a pommis-stone , for which way soeuer you turne a pommis stone , it is full of holes ; euen so are womens hearts , for if loue steale in at one hole , it steppeth out at another .

They are also compared vnto a painted ship , which seemeth faire outwardly , & yet nothing but ballace within her ; or as the Idolls in Spaine , which are brauely gilt outwardly , and yet nothing but lead within them ; or like vnto the Sea , which at some times is so calm , that a cockbote may safely endure her might , but anon againe with outrage she is so growne , that it ouerwhelmeth the tallest ship that is .

A froward woman is compared to the wind , and a still woman vnto the Sunne : for the Sunne and the wind met a traueller vpon the way , and they laid a wager , which of them should get his cloake from him first ; then first the wind began boisterously to blow , but the more the wind did blow , the more the traueller wrapped and gathered his cloake about him ; now when the wind had done what he could , and was neuer the neerer , then began the Sun gently to shine vpon him , and he threw off , not onely his cloake , but also his hat and ierkin : this morall sheweth , that a woman with high words can get nothing at the hands of her husband , neuer by froward meanes , but by gentle and faire meanes she may get his heart-bloud to doe her good .

As women are compared vnto many things , euen so many , and many more troubles commeth galloping after the heeles of a woman , that young men beforehand doe not thinke of ; for the world is not made all of ote-meale , nor all is not gold that glistereth , nor the way to Heauen is not strewed with rushes , no more is the cradle of ease in a womans lappe . If thou wert a Seruant or in bondage before , yet when thou doest marry , thy toile is neuer the neerer ended , for euen then and not before , thou doest change thy golden time for a drop of hony , which presently afterwards turneth to be as bitter as wormwood .

Yet there are many young men which cudgell their wits , and beate their braines , and spend all their time in the loue of women , and if they get a smile or but a fauour at their Loues hand , they straight-way are so rauished with ioy , yea so much , that they thinke they haue gotten God by the hand , but within a while after they will finde that they haue but the Deuill by the foot . A man may generally speake of women , that for the most part thou shalt find them dissembling in their deeds , and in all their actions subtill and dangerous for men to deale withall : for their faces are lures , their beauties are baytes , their looks are netts , and their wordes charmes , and all to bring men to ruine .

There is an old saying goeth thus , that he which hath a faire wife , and a white horse , shall neuer be without troubles ; for a woman that hath a faire face , it is euer matched with a cruell heart , and her heauenly lookes with hellish thoughts ; their modest countenance with mercilesse mindes , for women can both smooth and sooth : they are so cunning in the art of flattery , as if they had bin bound prentice to the trade , they haue Sirens songs to allure thee , and Xerxes cunning to inchant thee : they beare two tongues in one mouth like Iudas , and two hearts in one brest like Magus ; the one full of smiles , and the other full of frownes , and all to deceiue the simple and plaine meaning men , they can with the Satyre out of one mouth blow both hot and colde .

And what of all this ? why nothing , but to tell thee that a woman is better lost then found , better forsaken then taken . Saint Paul saith , that they which marry , doe well , but he also saith , that they which marry not , doe better : and he no doubt was well aduised what he spake . Then , if thou be wise , keepe thy head out of the halter , and take heed before thou haue cause to curse thy hard penny-worth , or wish the Priest speechlesse which knit the knot .

The Philosophers which liued in the olde time , their opinions were so hard of marriage , that they neuer delighted therein , for one of them being asked why hee married not ? he answered , that it was too soone ; and afterwards when he was old , he was asked the same question ; and he said then that it was too late : and further he said , that a married man hath but two good daies to bee looked for , that was the marriage day , and the day of his wiues death : for a woman will feed thee with hony , and poyson thee with gall . Diogenes was so dogged , that hee abhorred all women , and Augustus wished , that he had liued wifelesse , and died childlesse .

On a time one asked Socrates , whether he were better to marry , or to liue single ? and he made answere ; which soeuer thou doest , it will repent thee : for if thou marriest not , then thou wilt liue discontented , and dye without issue , and so perhaps a stranger shall possesse thy goods : and if thou doest marry , thou shalt haue continuall vexations , her dowry will be often cast in thy dish , if she doe bring wealth with her : againe , if she complaine , then her kinsfolke will bend the brows , and her mother wil speake her pleasure by thee : and if thou marriest onely for faire lookes , yet thou maiest hap to goe without them , when thou lookest for them : and if thou marriest one that is fruitfull in bearing of children , then will thy care be the more increased ; for little doth the father know what shall be the end of his children : and if shee be barren , thou wilt loath her ; and if honest , thou wilt feare her death ; and if vnhonest , thou wilt be weary of thy life : for when thou hast her , thou must support her in all her bad actions , and that will be such a perpetuall burden vnto thee , that thou hadst euen as good draw water continually , to fill a bottomlesse tubbe .

A Gentleman on a time said to his friend , I can helpe you to a good marriage for your sonne : his friend made him this answer ; My sonne ( said he ) shall stay till hee haue more wit ; the Gentleman replied againe : saying , If you marry him not before hee hath wit , hee will neuer marry so long as he liueth .

For a married man is like vnto one arrested , and I think that many a man would flie vp into Heauen , if this arrest of marriage kept them not backe . It is said of one named Domett as that hee buried three wiues , and yet neuer wet one handkercher , no not shed not so much as one teare : also Vlisses , he had a Dog which loued him well , and when that Dog died , he wept bitterly , but hee neuer shed one teare when his Wife died : wherefore if thou marriest without respect , but onely for bare loue , then thou wilt afterwards with sorrow say , that there is more belongs to house-keeping then foure bare legges in a bed . A man cannot liue with his hands in his bosome , nor buy meat in the market for honesty without money : where there is nothing but bare walls , it is a fit house to breed beggers into the world : yet there are many which thinke when they are married , that they may liue by loue : but if wealth be wanting , hot loue will soone be cold , and your hot desires will be soone quenched with the smoke of pouerty . To what end then should we liue in loue , seeing it is a life more to be feared then death ? for all thy mony wastes in toyes , and is spent in banqueting , and al thy time in sighes and sobbes , to thinke vpon thy trouble and charge which commonly commeth with a wife : for commonly women are proud without profit , and that is a good purgation for thy purse ; and when thy purse is light , then will thy heart be heauie .

The pride of a woman is like the dropsie ; for as drinke increaseth the drouth of the one , euen so money enlargeth the pride of the other : thy purse must be alwaie open to feed their fancy , and so thy expences will be great , and yet perhaps thy gettings small : thy house must be stored with costly stuffe , and yet perhaps thy Seruants starued for lacke of meat : thou must discharge the Mercers book , and pay the Haberdashers man ; for her Hat must continually be of the new fashion , & her Gowne of finer wool then the sheepe beareth any : she must likewise haue her Iewell-box furnished , especially if she be beautifull ; for then commonly beauty and pride goeth together , and a beautifull woman is for the most part costly , and no good huswife ; and if she be a good huswife , then no seruant will abide her fierce cruelty ; and if shee be honest and chaste , then commonly she is iealous : a Kings crowne and a faire woman is desired of many .

But he that getteth either of them , liueth in great troubles and hazzard of his life : he that getteth a faire woman is like vnto a Prisoner loaden with fetters of golde : for thou shalt not so oft kisse the sweet lippes of thy beautifull wife , as thou shalt bee driuen to fetch bitter sighes from thy sorrowful heart , in thinking of the charge which commeth by her for if thou deny her of such toyes as she stands not in neede of , and yet is desirous of them , then she will quickly shut thee out of the doores of her fauor , & deny thee her person , and shew her selfe as it were at a window playing vpon thee , not with small shot , but with a cruell tongue shee will ring thee such a peale , that one would thinke the Deuill were come from Hell , saying , I might haue had those which would haue maintained me like a woman , whereas now I goe like no-body : but I will be maintained if thou wert hanged : with such like words she will vex thee , blubbering forth abundance of dissembling teares ( for women doe teach their eies to weepe ) for doe but crosse a woman , although it be neuer so little , shee will straightway put finger in the eye and cry : then presently many a foolish man will flatter her and intreat her to be quiet : but that marres all , for the more shee is intreated , shee will powre forth the more aboundance of deceitfull teares , and therefore no more to be pittied , then to see a Goose goe barefoote ; for they haue teares at commaund , so haue they wordes at will , and oathes at pleasure ; for they make as much account of an oath , as a Marchant doth , which will forsweare himselfe for the getting of a penny . I neuer yet knew woman that would deny to sweare in defence of her own honesty , and alwaies standing highly vpon it , although she be ashamed to weare it in winter for catching of colde , nor in summer for heat , fearing lest it may melt away .

Many will say , this which I write is true , and yet they cannot beware of the Deuill , vntill they are plagued with his Dam ; the little Lambe skips and leapes till the Fox come , but then he quiuers and shakes : the Beare daunces at the stake , till the Dogges be vpon his backe : and some men neuer feare their money , vntill they come into the hands of theeues ; euen so some will neuer bee warned , and therefore us not to be pittied if they be harmed : what are women , that make thee so greedily to gape after them ? Indeed , some their faces are fairer and beautifuller then others , some againe stand highly vppon their fine foot and hand , or else all women are alike : Ione is as good as my Lady , according to the Countrey mans Prouerbe , who gaue a great summe of money to lye with a Lady , and going homewards , he made a greeuous mone for his money , and one being on the other side the hedge heard him say , that his Ione at home was as good as the Lady . But whether this bee true or no , my selfe I doe not know , but you haue it as I heard it .

If thou marriest a woman of euill report , her discredit will be a spotte in thy brow , thou canst not goe in the street with her without mocks , nor amongst thy neighbours without frumps , and commonly the fairest women are soonest intised to yeeld vnto vanity : hee that hath a faire wife and a whetstone , euery one will bee whetting thereon ; and a Castle is hard to keepe when it is assaulted by many , and faire women are commonly catched at : hee that marrieth a faire woman , euery one will wish his death to enioy her ; and if thou be neuer so rich , and yet but a Clowne in condition , then will thy faire Wife haue her credit to please her fancy , for a Diamond hath not his grace but in gold , no more hath a faire woman her full commendations but in the ornament of her brauery , by which meanes there are diuers women , whose beauty hath brought their husbands into great pouerty and discredit by their pride and whooredome : a faire woman commonly will goe like a Peacocke , and her Husband must goe like a Woodcocke .

That great Giant Pamphimapho , who had Beares waiting vpon him like Dogges , and he could make tame any wild beast , yet a wanton woman hee could neuer rule nor turne to his will .

Salomon was the wisest Prince that euer was , yet he lusted after so many women , that they made him quickly forsake his God which did alwaies guide his steppes , so long as he liued godly .

And was not Dauid the best beloued of God , and a mighty Prince ? yet for the loue of women he purchased the displeasure of his God Sampson was the strongest man that euer was ; for euery lock of his head was the strength of another man , yet by a woman he was ouercome ; hee reuealed his strength , and payed his life for that folly . Did not Iesabel for her wicked lust cause her husbands blood to be giuen to dogs ?

Iobs wife gaue her husband counsell to blaspheme God and to curse him .

Agamemnons wife for a small iniury that her husband did her , she first committed adultery , and afterwards consented to his death .

Also the wife of Hercules , she gaue her husband a poysoned shirt , which was no sooner on his backe , but did sticke so fast , that when hee would haue plucked it off , it tore the flesh with it .

If thou wilt auoyd these euils , thou must with Vlisses bind thy selfe to the mast of the ship , as hee did , or else it would haue cost him his life ; for otherwise the Syrenian women would haue intised him into the Sea , if he had not so done .

It is wonderful to see the mad feates of women , for she will be now merry , then againe sad ; now laugh , then weep ; now sicke , then presently whole ; all things which like not them , are naught : and if it be neuer so bad , if it like them , it is excellent : againe , it is death for women to bee denied the thing which they demand : and yet they will despise things giuen them vnasked .

When a woman wanteth any thing , shee will flatter and speake faire , not much vnlike the flattering Butcher , who gently claweth the Oxe , when hee intendeth to knock him on the head : but the thing being once obtained , and their desires gained , then they will begin to look bigge , and answere so stately , and speake so scornefully , that one would imagine they would neuer seeke help , nor craue comfort at thy hands any more . But a woman is compared vnto a shippe , which being neuer so well rigged , yet one thing or other is to be amended : euen so giue a woman all that she can demaund to day , yet she will be out of reparations to morrow ; and want one thing or other .

Women are called night Crowes , for that commonly in the night they will make request for such toyes as commeth in their heades in the day : for women know their time to worke their craft , for in the night they will worke a man like waxe , and draw him like as the Adamant doth the Iron , and hauing once brought him to the bent of their bowe , then she makes request for a Gowne of the new fashion stuffe : or for a Petticote of the finest stammell : or for a Hat of the newest fashion . Her husband being ouercome by her flattering speech , partly hee yeeldeth to her request , although it be a greefe to him for that he can hardly spare it out of his stocke , yet for quietnesse sake , he doth promise what she demaundeth , partly because he would sleepe quietly in his bed : againe euery married man knowes this , that a woman will neuer bee quiet , if her mind be set vpon a thing , til she haue it .

Now , if thou driue her off with delayes , then her forehead will be so full of frownes , as if shee threatned to make clubs trump , and thou neuer a blacke carde in thy hand : for except a woman haue what she will , say what she list , and goe where shee please , otherwise thy house will be so full of smoke , that thou canst not stay in it .

It is said , that an olde dog and a hungry flea byte sore ; but in my minde , a froward woman biteth more sorer ; and if thou go about to master a woman , in hope to bring her to humility ; there is no way to make her good with stripes , except thou beat her to death : for doe what thou wilt , yet a froward woman in her frantick mood will pull , haule , swerue , scratch and teare all that stands in her way .

What wilt thou that I say more , oh thou poore married man ? If women doe not feele the raine , yet heere is a showre comming which will wet them to the skinnes : A woman which is faire in shew , is foule in condition : shee is like vnto a glow-worme , which is bright in the hedge , and blacke in the hand ; in the greenest grasse lyethhid the greatest Serpents : painted pottes commonly hold deadly poyson : and in the cleerest water the vgliest Tode ; and the fairest woman hath some filthines in her .

All is not gold that glistereth : a smiling countenance is no certaine testimoniall of a merry heart , nor costly garments of a rich purse : men doe not commend a Iudge , for that he weareth a Skarlet gowne , but for his iust dealing ; no more are women to be esteemed of by the ornament of their brauery , but for their good behauiour ; yet there is no riuer so cleere , but there is some durt in the bottome : But many a man in this land , we need not goe any further for examples , but heere wee may see many fooles in euery place snared in womens nets , after a little familiarity and acquaintance with them : I thinke if they were numbred , the number would passe infinite , if it were possible , which for the loue of wantons haue lost their voyages at Sea to their great hinderances , and many other haue neuer regarded the farre distance which they haue beene from their countrey and friends , vntill they had consumed their substance , and then being ashamed to returne home againe in such bad sort , I meane , by weeping crosse , and pennilesse bench , many of them rather choose to deserue Newgate , and so come to Tiburne , far contrary from the expectation of their friends and Parents , which had otherwise prouided for them , if they had had grace , or would haue beene ruled .