¶The prayse of all women / called Mulierū Pean. Uery fruyt­full and delectable vnto all the reders.

¶ Loke & rede who that call. This boke is prayse to eche woman.

WHat tyme y e crabbe hꝭ course had past
And Phebus atteyned the Aquarye
The selfe same time whā it frose fast
Amyddes the moneth of Ianuarye
I in my bedde, and slepe in myne eye
A sodeyne assemble before me dyd appere
And women they semed by abyte and chere.
❧ A wake they sayde, slepe nat so fast
Consyder our grefe, and howe we b [...] blamed
And all by a boke, that lately is past
Whiche by reporte, by the was fyrst framed
The scole of wom [...]n, none auctour named
In prynte it is passed, lewdely compyled
All women wherby be sore reuyled.
☞ Consyder therin, thyne owne good name
Consyder also our infamye
Sende forth some other, contrary the same
For thyne and outs, bothe honestye
The Pean thou wrote, and lyeth the bye
Be quycke herein, prolonge nat thus
As thou woldest our sauour, nowe do for vs
¶ Amongest all other, one b [...]ldely prest
Obey sayd she shalt thou / be thou ned so strong
Her male & he [...] [...]antell, she threwe on my brest
For I am she sayd she, thou hast do most wronge
A wake a wake, thou slepest ouer longe
Uenus am I cleped, my name shall nat be hyd
Nowe sharpen thy pen, and wryte as a the byd.
❧ Of trueth it is, wryte on quod she
The nature of man inclyneth to synne
Rather than vertue, and reason is why
Eche nature dothe ende, as it dothe begyn
Salte wyl be water, thought none be therin
The tre of the cote, dothe take his verdure
The fruyte whe [...]by, is knowen swete or soure.
☞ So at y e begynnyng, where man had that vse
Of wyt and reason, to be ruled by
By cause he offended, he made excuse
The faute allegynge, to the femynye
God to haue dysceyued, yf it wolde haue be
And as he tho, to lye begon
So to this daye, he holdeth on.
¶ Of vs pore women customably
Without cause iust, to rayle and iest
No nature naturate, vnder the skye
Fysshe, fowle, worme, ne beest
But with theyr owne kynde, the lyue at rest
Man of all other, of maners so rude
Can nat saye well by his symylytude.
❧ A great abuse, and shamefully holde
Suche frowardnes, in hande to haue
The selfe same thynge, whiche most they shulde
Laude and loue, it to depraue
And that of nede▪ whiche most they craue
So to improper, great foly it is
For in no wyse they may vs longe mys.
Recorde the goodnes, of god almyghty
At the creacyon, whiche he began
Perceyuynge it coulde nat endure a ryght
Without any helpe made to the man
Faciamus (sayde he) and made Eue than
The woman the man, to helpe and assyst
It foloweth therfore, we can nat be myst
¶ Howe be it, ye men fast pore and prye
All that ye may vs women agayne
Nothynge lefte out, ye may come by
Of holy wrytte, nor thot poetes do fayne
All is alledged as thynge certayne
And what that makes nat, for your purpose
Shall be interpretate, with a lewde glose.
❧ Exemples many, faynt and feble
Mo than ye may well iustyfye
And saye it is a thynge impossyble
Any one good woman founde to be
Whiche euyll sayenge to ratyfye
A sence of Salomon ye aledge, which sayth
Mulierem fortem quis inueniet.
☞ But as to that thou shalt nat tary
Lenger than nedes to make reporte
As at this tyme them to contrary
By any exemple, the nexte to retor [...]
Taken an nowe of the lyuynge sorte
Contynue thy processe, tyll thou may espye
A place therfore more necessary.
❧ Howe shulde this worlde contynued be
Man I meane in his most nede
Were nat women, what were ye
Examples many, hereof may ye rede
And ouer that ye se in dede
Howe by the vertue of the femynyne face
Myrth encreaseth, and thoughtes gyue place.
Pri. Re. xviii.
☞ Exempled in Saule, whan he shulde fyght
Agay [...]st the armye phylystyne
Had neyther herte, courage [...]e myght
Ne wyst nat what to do the [...]in
With hongry thought hym selfe to pyne
Had nat the woman hym counseyled and f [...]
For feare in that fury, Saule had be deed
¶ Whan ye lye sycke and lyke to dye
Who then attendeth you vnto.
Were nat the woman, there myght ye lye
Donge in your denne, as bestes do
The woman is euer redy to go
For this and that to watche and wake
You to recouer many labours to take.
❧ If that your fynger other hede ake
Or elles what ayleth you, hande or fote
There can no medycyne the payne a [...]ake
Without the woman be your bote
Lappe you warme in clothes softe
A kercheyffe bonde vnto your hedde
And in her armes bere you to bedde.
¶ Nyght and day than must she wak [...]
And redy be at the fyrst call
A culles or some caudel make
As for the sycke dothe best befall
Oneles the woman come withall
No man can get hym vp to sytte
Therof to taste morsell or bytte
❧ Thus of y e woman great pleasures ye haue
Whiche man to man can nat suffyce
And yet ye do vs all depraue
Sayenge we be neyther sadde ne wyse
And that no profyte by vs doth ry [...]e
Where as in trueth recorde I can
As many aryse as by the man.
☞ A woman playne dyd fyrst inuent
Ou [...]. me­th▪ li.v.
All maner grayne to inne and sowe
Ceres named by comune assent
And for her wysdome, the people dyd knowe
Honours diuyne they dyd her shewe
And as her merytes dyd than expresse
They named her the good goddesse.
¶ And in lyke maner a woman founde
Isido. l [...].i. ant. ix.
The letters fyrst that we nowe wryte
The A.B.C. as they do stande
Wherby we vse our myndes to endyte
One to another ful and perfyte
Carmenta call [...]d as I remembre
Mother vnto the famous Euander.
❧ Pallas the doughter of Iupyter
August. de ciuita lib. v [...]i. & Oui. in fast. &c.
Through her entere and pured brayne
The goddesse named of the artyfycer
Of wolle and oyle, fyrst founde the vayne
For whiche inuencyon the story is playne
Preferred she was before Neptune
To gyue the name to Athenes towne.
☞ Soppho the poetresse dyd also fynde
With the harpe to synge the tune to wrest
Whiche greatly conforteth mannes mynde
With syghes of sorowe ouer prest
i. Reg. xvi.
Saule the kynge coulde neuer haue rest
Tyll Dauyd had harpyd a fytte or two
The malygne spryte, wolde nat hym fro.
¶ The Sybbilles .xii. dyd prophecy
The sone of god shulde man become
One of them shewed the mystery
Unto Octauyan in the sonne
Many is the yeres, that syth is ronne
And yet the churche dothe occupye
The selfe same Sybbilles prophecye.
❧ Hystoryes many I coulde forth lay
That maketh wel with the feminye
Of lyke sentence I dare well saye
And grounded on good auctoryte
Howe be it because that poetry
Is taken nowe in suche despyte
Of other reasons, I wyll thou wryte
❧ But fyrst this questyon, [...]ske quod she
Demurely, and after a gentyl rate.
To whom be holden more are y [...]
Unto the man that you begate▪
Or to the woman puerperate
I knowe no reason for your excuse
But that it shulde your selues confuse.
☞ As sone as the woman, dothe conceyue
Full dyuers is her appetyde
Bothe bely and hert dothe ryse and heu [...]
The stomake seldome satysfyde
For many sondry meates prouyde
Longe for more than she may gete.
And many a sory morsell ete.
¶ In case she may it nat optayne
Harde she escapeth with the lyfe
And in her labour suche is the payne
That as god knoweth the vrgent grefe
Without a gracyous prerogatyfe
Ware thynge, no doubte, impossyble
She shulde escape, and after haue hele.
❧ And whan she is delyuered
Syke and wepe contynually
And as ye knowe but lytell consydered
With many a man, the more blame he
Who but the woman must keper be
Prouyde for euery ragge and cloute
And in her armes bere you aboute.
❧ In case the man suche labour shulde tak [...]
I meane to bere you to and fro
His armer and shulders wolde so ake
That lame he wolde be of bothe two
The sely woman hathe neuer do
What in her armes and in her lappe
Nyght and daye she must you wrappe
☞ Lytell or nothynge may she rest
But alwayes besy you for to kepe
Aryse and fede you with her brest
And all to styll you whan ye wepe
Where of your selfe, ye can scant crepe
She must be redy to gyue you pappe
From wynde & wether, you warme to lappe.
¶ The man may lye and snowre full fast
Whan that the wyfe must watche and wak [...]
Out of the bed her armes cast
The cradell to rocke tyll they bothe ake
The babe also vnto her take
And whan he is vnclene beneth
Must be content with many yll breth
❧ Shyfte hym ofte, wype and wesshe
Clou [...]es and clothes newe prepare
And be it harde or be it nes [...]e
She woman must do a way the ware
Thus hathe the mother all the care
All the labour and dyssease
Where as the father dothe what hym please.
☞ When that ye drawe nere, xii. monethes old [...]
Than may the woman nother rest ne sytte
But [...]uer dadle you in sure holde
Tyll tyme that ye haue founde your fyt
Her brestes ye [...]ere with many a byt
And scratche also with your sharpe nayles
And yet the woman you neuer fayles.
¶ Where as the man wolde sure dysdayne
And be therwith impacyent
And peraduenture stryke agayne
Nother be eftsons so dylygent
If ons ye dyd hym dyscontent
For as ye se when hym myslyketh
The man dayly his chylderne stryketh
❧ The mother tendreth them alway
And scant can suffer them in the wynde
Of them in doute bothe nyght and day [...]
Lest any male chaunce shulde them blynde
Ough [...] you nat then to the woman to be kynde
Howe be it ye haue no better sporte
Than of the woman euyll to report [...]
☞ Some saye the woman had no tonge
After that god had her create
Untyll the man toke leues louge
And put them vnder her palate
An aspyn leffe of the dyuel he gatte
And for it moueth with euery wynd [...]
They saye womens tongues be of lyke kynde.
❧ I saye the fable rehersed before
The trueth well knowen is but a lye
All the clerkes that euer were
Do wryte the same and testefye
That god made all thynge parfetlye
Howe shulde the woman then t [...]nge haue none
And be of goddes creacyon,
☞ Because that Eue our prime parent
The wyll of god dyd ons transgresse
They blame all women in lyke consent
And make them selfe alwayes fauteles
There be of women as of men doutles
All be it that dyuers haue offended
Yet ought nat all to be reprehended
¶ All maner clothe is nat lyke fyne
Nor yet all men complexyoned lyke
Some more of colour, some more sanguyne
Some malancolye, some fleamatyke
Some longe and small, some shorte and thycke
Nat euery man of one compleccyon
Nor euery woman of one condycyon
☞ Why shulde the woman then be blamed
More than [...]he man, and he lyke bad
Me thynkes ye ought to be ashamed
And also in conscyence sore adrade
In case that ye any conscyence had
Ro. ii.
Wytnes saynt Paule; it doth no man beseme
Worse of a nother than of hym selfe to [...]ome
¶ Admytte that woman [...]yrste offended
The man persuadynge to transgres
A woman was she, the faute that amended
By meane of her great humblenes.
Genises.
Of mannes restore the chefe foundres
Eue was she that made vs thrall
And Mary was she that [...]oused all.
❧ And ouer that in genesye
I fynde it wryten, that god dyd make
The woman for man an helpe to be
Nat of vyle erthe out of the lake
But of a rybbe that he dyd take
Out of the mannes ryght syde
And the woman made of thynge well tryde
☞ Lyke as ye s [...] by experyenc [...]
Golde torged [...]f leade▪ [...]ren and tynne
And is hym selfe in his fyrst essens
No better than the matter he was fyrst in
And nowe more valued than man wyn [...]
Lyke so dyd god the femynyne
Plasmate of the ma [...]culyne.
¶ Ye se also the ryche Rubies
And other stones of hye [...]eco [...]e
Set in golde at poynt deuyse
And in thynge of small value
In symblable wyse hy [...]rselfe Iesu
Wolde of the woman i [...]carnate be
Mayden and wyfe his mother Mary.
❧ And sythe that god the woman create
Of thynge thus pured, and nat the man
To the ende she shulde helpe hym algate
Of congruence it foloweth than
That in no wyse mysse ye can
The man (as who sayeth) is the adiectyue
And the woman is playne the substantyue.
☞ For as wytnesseth the accidence
The adiectyue may nothyng do
Oneles it be vnder pretence
Of other substance put therto
The man [...]nlyke effecte also
Without the wonans helpynge hande
By hym selfe may nat longe stande
¶ Yf a man without womans consent
Myght haue redrest the fyrste offence
It had nat neded the omnipotent
To hau [...] come hym selfe to make y • admendes
The woman was chosen by diuyne assenc [...]
To be through her humylyte
The well of our tranquily [...]y.
❧ And who that lysteth the trueth to try [...]
Shall fynde in the Bible thorowe & thorowe
That god dyd fauoure the femynyne
Many tymes as well as you
And in the woman dyd of renewe
Agaynst all naturall dysposycyon
In steryll age parentall fruycyon.
☞ As fyrst in the boke of Genesy [...]
Ge. iii. i. Reg. i. Iudici. xiii. iiii. Reg. iiii.
Of Ioseph, Isaac, and Samuell
With other mo in places sondry
As of Sampson ye may fynde well
Lyke of the Sunamyte befell
The Bible rede and ye shall fynde
That these were borne past course of kynde.
¶ And in lyke case Elyzabeth
Luce. i.
The mother, of holy Iohan Baptyst
Saynt Anne also as scrypture sayeth
Conceyued Mary mother of Chryst
Mary also that man neuer wyst
Math. i.
Conceyued by grace both god and man
Mayden & mother bothe nowe and than
❧ Thus haue ye sure certifycate
That god muche fauoureth the femyn kynde
Sythe he hym selfe after suche rate
Tendreth in them the deuout mynd [...]
And furthermore no doute I fynde
That god permytted man to make
Wonders many for the womans sake.
☞ As fyrst we fynde by diuine s [...]yracyon
iiii. Reg iiii.
Done by the prophet Helysy [...]
A lytell oyle and all by myracle
Made to encrease and multyply
Ibedem.
And to his hostyes by prophesye
Gaue a chylde, and to the same wyfe
Ibedem.
Restored he sone from deth to lyfe.
❧ Ouer tha [...] it may nat be nayde
Whan man had broken the precepte
Seynge hym selfe so nakedly arayde
For shame amonge the leues [...] crepte
God hym called, he no [...]ot [...] stepte
But blamed the woman for his consent
To fortyfye his his euyll entent
❧ But what sayde god, loke and rede
Genes.
Maladicta terra in opere tuo
Cursed be the erthe thou dost on fede
And swete for thy lyuynge thou shalt also
Mynde had he none to call for grace tho
So where god made hym of erth or than
Yf he cursed the erth, he cursed man
¶ So of the woman it can nat be sayde
For she of a rybbe was made before.
But for she was so lyghtly betrayde
Penaunce she had, but nat so sore
Curst was she nat, howe be it euermore
God sayde in chyldynge whan she dyd lye
With sorowe her sede shusde multyply.
❧ That man was curst oft we rede
Gene. 9.iiii. re. ii Tren. i [...]. et Mala. ii.
Besydes that I rehersed haue
As Chayn and Cham for theyr lewde dede
And those y t the prophet dyd mocke & depraue
With other (no fewe) where as god gaue
Many tym [...]s vnto the woman
His blessynge as well as to the man.
❧ Thus all thynge pondred in balance play [...]
God fauoureth alwayes the femynitye
We then to haue them in dysdayne
Standeth nat well with equytye
And who so sayde the good rare be
I durst auenture my heed to lose
To proue he lyeth that maketh that glose.
¶ Thousandes or two I dare well say
Of them that yet here lyuyng be
In ful recorde forth bryng I may
And seke nat farre out of the countre
I coulde also many [...]estly
Dyuers rehers and theyr names tell
The place assygnynge where they do dwell.
☞ Howe be it as nowe it shal suffyce
Nf them that gone be many yeres past
Example to take and this treatyse
By theyr goodnes to make sure and fast
That none hereafter presume to cast
Fables forged of wylfull mynde.
Agaynst the deuout femynyne kynde·
¶ Abraham maryed one Sara [...]
Genes [...] xiiii.
A perfyte woman as other be mo
In worde and dede alwayes redy
To be obedyent hym vnto
God bad Abraham that he shulde go
Out of the lande Cananye
In to Egypt from his kyn nye
❧ Howe be it before he thyder came
In his conce [...]te thus waded he
Called his wyfe, and sayde good dame
One thynge I wyll thou do for me
By meane dere wyfe of thy beautye
I doubte yf thou be knowen my wyfe
That I perchaunce shall lose my lyfe.
☞ Say therfore my suster thou arte
That I may fare the better for the
I shall (she sayd) with all my har [...]e
And elles what do, that ye byd me
To helpe you in necessyte
There shall no p [...]rsone haue knowlege other
But that ye be my naturall brother
¶ So into Egypte whan that they came
Sarra was sent for to kynge Pharao
And for her sake was Abraham
The better take with frende and fo
Her brother she called hym, he bad her so
Howe be it god punysshed the p [...]ople sore
Tyll Pharao ot her had made restore
Ge. xx.
❧ And in lyke maner afterwarde
When that he came to G [...]ratye
Abraham the bette [...] farde
By reason of his w [...]e Saray
God lykewys [...] punysshe [...] greuously
So that the kynge [...]bym [...]lech
Gaue hym his wy [...]e wi [...]h a so [...] cheke.
☞ Lyke case befell with Isaac
And Rebecca his trusty wyfe
Whiche in lykewyse dyd her forsake
And all for to enlength his lyfe
The woman was his prerogatyfe
Howe saye ye nowe by your lewde fable
Were nat these women profytable.
¶ God preserued Sarra twyse
And ons Rebacca gracyously
In case that they had done amys
It had be longe of the man suerly
God wolde there shulde be no suche foly
In the woman yf ye marke well
Recorde Saara the doughter of Raguel.
❧ To s [...]uen dyuers maryed was she
Thobi. vi. & .iii.
And alwayes mayden arose them fro
Because the man wolde by and by
Hys carnall lust with her haue do
No reuerence gyuen the sacrament vnto
At nyght the deuyll was there alwaye
And strangled them before the daye.
☞ Preserued was the femynyne
Bycause she was so vertuous
S [...]rangled were the masculyne
Because they were so vycyous
Sodome and Gomore, the lecherous
In brymstone we rede dothe boyle & bran
Ge. xx.
For the myslyuynge of the man
❧ The doughter of Iacob amyable Dyne
For the foule rape vpon her done
Geneses xxxiii.
Her bretherne two brought to ruyne
The c [...]te and slewe the masculyne echon [...]
Emmor the father and Sychem the son
God wolde they shulde suche reuel mak [...]
And on the men suche vengeaunce take
☞ Of Dauyd the doughter fayre Thamar
ii. Reg. xiii.
Whom her owne brother Amon by name
Faynynge hym sicke and she nat ware
Agaynst her wyll, she nat to blame
Unlawfully vsed to his owne shame
Longe tyme bewayled her euyll chaunce
In token playne she toke repentaunce
Iosue. ii
¶ Because Raab dyd them defende
From Iosue sent to Ierico
Holy wryte dothe her commende
And iustyfye her lyfe also
Luce. vii.
Mary magdalyne another of tho
For her great [...]ayth and contrycyon
Of all her crymes she had remyssyon
❧ Wherby apereth playne and euydent
What grace is gyuen the femynyne
For small offence so sore to repent
Recorded in Thamer and in Dyne
Where stubberne and styffe is the masculyne
A [...]am [...]o wytnes whiche had no grace
Mercy to aske for his trespace.
☞ And furthermore admyt the case
That many women haue sore offended
And thousandes mo done well ofte hase
Shulde all the name be dyscommended
Bycause the best nombre be reprehended
If that shulde be reporte me then
What myght be spoken of the men
¶ Large be the volumes in euery nacyon
For euer in cronycle to remayne
Yf ye perceyue, and note the fasshyon
Euydens ynoughe ye shall haue playne
Agaynst one woman, men twayne
Ye twenty I dare auowe doubtles
Whiche be improued for theyr lewdenes
❧ In token that man shulde be content
His wyfe to loue especyally
Genesis xxi
Abraham had strayte commaundement
To folowe the mynde of Sarai
And so expulsed by and by
Agar his harlot out of hys house
Agaynst her maystres presumptuous.
☞ Howe be it because of repentaunce
For none example of lyke foly
God dyd accept her meke penaunce
And quyte for gaue her by and by
The aungell was sent and bad her hye
Home agayne and knowe her dame
And god wolde multyply her fame.
Ibidem.
❧ Agayne she came, her maysters content
And [...]ate Abraham one Ismaell
Which pas [...]ynge all other was more feruent
And passynge reason more cruell
Than euer yet ye harde of [...]ell
His ly [...]e durynge to warre he was mouyd
He loued no man, nor none hym loued.
☞ So can be nat rede of any woman
Namely in wryttynge autentycall
To be so cruell as was this man
At warre to be with one and all
O that ye men can fyght and braule
And kyll [...]che other comenly
Whiche is nat sene in the femynyne.
¶ Howe be it there is founde in holy wryt
That some women haue done lyke case
Nat to them selfe but marked to it
Of god onely, b [...] specyall grace
Suche dedes marcyall to brynge to passe
Iudith. xiii.
That man myght nat Iudyth to wytnes
Whiche slewe alone myghty Holofernes.
❧ And in lyke case of Delbora
Whom god electe his prophete to be
The deth to declare of Sisara
Iudic. iiii.
Where and whan to sygnyfye
And gaue her also more specyally
Knowlege in many other cause
And made her iudge ouer the lawse,
☞ At mount Thabor as sh [...] dyd tell
Iudic. v.
T [...]is captayne dyscomfe [...] fled out of y e thronge
The wyfe of Abner named Iah [...]l
Sisara slewe lyenge a longe
God strengthed the woman & the laude strong
Unto the femynyne lesse and more
[...] to the man no [...]rayse therfore.
¶ Abymalech that ferefull kynge
[...]i. re. x [...] ▪
At lyege lyenge before Thebes
A [...]one that on the wall dyd hynge
A woman thr [...]we into the prease
And on the he [...]d hyt hym doub [...]les
S [...]we him starke, and [...]o therby
The lyege gaue ouer, this is no lye
❧ Who was the cause that Abela
Was nat by Ioab beaten downe
[...]i. re. x [...].
Who kept the deed but good Raspha
The woman onely dyd [...]aue the towne
And [...]or her dede, ought haue renowne
I me r [...]p [...]rte, nowe howe saye ye
Be nat the women prayse worthye.
☞ Sythe god them marked gracyously
[...]i. Reg. xxi.
Unto the [...]e deades before specyfyde
It can nat be [...]ayde to them playnly
Neyther of malyce ne yet of pryde
[...]or synguler wysdome in then tryde
God pre [...]erred the w [...]man than
Suche thynges to do before the man
Hester. vii.
¶ Of synguler wysdome note quene Hester
The kynge her husbande whiche dyd pacyfye
Where Aman the wretche dyd mo [...]e Assuer
Uengeaunce to haue taken on Mardochye
And the Iewes to haue slayne generally
With pe [...]y & wysdome she dealed so than
That she sauyd the Iewes and hanged Aman.
❧ Of thousand thousandes there was nat one
Unto Ioab the woman sent
That coulde procure for Absolon
A fenall peace wi [...]h his parent
ii. Reg. xix.
Dauyd t [...]e kynge dyd [...]one consent
At the womans request the Bible to recorde
To call his sone home and be his good lorde.
☞ The prophet also called Nathan
Of counseyle preuy with his souerayne
Perceyued well theyr myght no man
Of his full mynde Dauyd refrayne
iii. Re. i.
But Adonyas shulde be kynge and raygne
Sent Barsa [...]e to hym forth on
And she obtayned for Salomon.
¶ A [...]d further where as the Egypcyan kynge
Agaynst the Hebrewes sore moued was
Exo. i.
Bycause he se theyr encrease and sprynge
A [...]uaunsed moche in euery place
Commaundement gaue for any case
The mydwyues of the Hebrean lyne
To kyll and slee all masculyne.
❧ And this we rede in places two
But god wolde nat the excercyse
Ibedem.
So that the woman wolde it nat do
But made excuse, after this wyse
Abhorringe the shamfull enterpryse
And sayde the Hebreans, in theyr nedes
Can helpe them selfe and do suche dedes.
☞ Aboute whiche tyme holy Moyses
Into this worlde was brought & borne
Exo. ii.
Thre monethes kept in secretnes
Magre Pharao, thoughe he had sworne
In a v [...]ele of russhes, to haue be lorne
Cast in the water, to synke or to swyme
Redy was the woman, & she saued him.
¶ The doughter of Pharao fered nat
Compassyon her moued inwardely
Herynge hym crye, and se hym flote
Commaunded her maydens that wass [...]ed her by
A norse to get, and mod [...]rly
She hym adopte to be her sonne
God wolde haue thus, by the woman done.
❧ The prophete also good H [...]ly
Unto the woman from god was sent
iii. Reg. xvii.
B [...]cause Galaad and Samary
No moysture had from the fyrmament
And careth stone drye, for punysshement
The wydowe of Sarapt, the prophete fedde
Or elles parchaunce he had ben deed.
❧ And in lykewyse the S [...]amyte
Moued her husbande be [...]ylye
And in conclu [...]yon optayned it
iiii. Re. iiii.
A place to make for Helysye
The prophete of god, nece [...]sarye
Thus ho [...]ped they him, in an habitacle
After the latyn called a cenacle.
☞ Who was the cause that duke Naaman
Was helyd of his foule lyppecye
iiii. re. v
No doute the fayre yonge wo [...]an
Taken with the robbers of Syrye
Becau [...]e she spake and pray [...]ed Helysye
The kynge sent Naaman into Israell
Where in shorte space he had his heel.
¶ Who was the fyrst I praye you who
That praysed god for vyctorye
After that drent was Pharao
E [...]odi.
Loke in the boke of Exodye
And ye shall fynde it was Mary
Mary the [...]yster of Aaron
With [...]ounde of tympane she played vpon.
❧ What tyme Dauyd the gloriouse kynge
Aged sore and [...]e [...]led fast
[...]i. Re. i.
A vyrgyn toke a tendre thynge
For no [...]ynne, but for he dyd wast
Pre [...]erued therby, tyll at the la [...]t
By very course of naturall kynde
The [...]oule to god he vp resynde.
☞ Where yonge Abya weke and feble
Ibidem. xiiii.
Had layne longe seke contynually
To knowe yf it were possyble
He shulde recouer or elles dye
The woman was sent this no lye
T [...]e wyfe I meane of Ieroboas
Into Sylo was sent to Ahyas.
¶ I praye you who dyd fyrst dy [...]crye
The euyll entent of Achytophel?
The mayden escryed the conspyracye
ii. Reg. xvii.
Wherby the kynge escaped paryll
Ionathan and Achymaas she dyd it tell
For had it nat [...]e shortly knowen
Kynge Dauid had ben all to hewen.
❧ To whom I praye you dyd Selysye
Declare the derth that shulde ensewe
To the man or the woman howe saye ye
If that ye can, disclose it nowe?
The woman it was that fyrst it knowe
iiii Reg viii.
She tolde her husbande as a kynde wyfe
Wherby at lenght she saued his ly [...]e.
☞ Who but the woman of Bahurye
Saued the lyfe of Ionathas?
ii Reg. xvii
If Ab [...]alon myght haue come hy [...] [...]y
He neuer had sene Dauid in the face
Neyther his compe [...]e A [...]hymaas
A cursed vowe dyd them discrye
A [...]lessed woman kept them secrye.
i. Reg. xxv.
❧ Had nat ben Abygall
The gentle wyfe of the churle Nabal
Dauyd had folowed his othe and wyll
And lefte hym nat one great ne small
Upon the morowe to haue pyst on the wall
She sent him vytayle, and went also
And made hym his frende, that erst was his fo.
iiii. Re. xi.
☞ And as I remembre good Iosabeth
Doughter vnto the kynge Ioram
Yonge Ioas saued from the oeth
Sonne and heyre of Ochezyam
Where Athalia than wylfully came
Entendynge to haue slayne without pyty [...]
All the kynges progenye.
¶ What tyme the myghty Galadit
Iudi. xi.
Iepte clepyd by name as I [...]ynde
Agaynst the Amonytes shulde fyght
On god he called with mouth and mynde
And [...]ayde good god my le [...]te I bynde
Yf I preuayle to o [...]tre to the
The fyrste that I mete after vyctorye
❧ Saue one doughter no chylde he had
Whiche whan he came the baryil from
In token that she was of hym glad
Her father mette, and welcom [...] home
An instrument she playde vpon
His vowe remembred than syghed he
Sayenge doughter wo is [...]e [...]or the.
☞ Answere she made meke and demur [...]
Be nothynge heuy father for me
That you haue promysed kepe it sure
And it to fu [...]fyll I am redye
So had nat than the woman be
The man had chaunged parchaunce his entent
A [...]d fals [...]d his promys, syth he dyd repent.
¶ The deuoute mother of one Mychye
Of promyse iust a myrrour fyt
Iudic. xvii.
Dothe shewe that women constant be
And from theyr behestes loth to flye
The money that she to god behyt
Sent by her sonne to the golde swyth
Therof to make Sculptile quid.
❧ Many and dyuers other there be
Of whom the man example [...]ay take
As of god R [...]th and Ncomy
Of her that nother wolde god forsake
Ruth. i.
Nother ye consent ydolatrye to make
But strenghtned her sonnes in nombre seuen
ii. Ma­chab▪ vii
To dye for the lawes of god of heuen.
☞ Great is the prayse of the aunceent
Unto this daye h [...]d in memorye
iii. Reg. xxii. Luce. ii. iii. re. x.
For theyr hye vertues excellent
As fayth, wysdome, a [...]d mere pytye
With [...] in aduersytye
To wytnes the profyte [...] Solda and Anne
With Saba the quene, to Solomon that came.
Marce. xvi.
❧ The testament newe allso telleth me
After that Chryst [...]hese wordes had sayde
Hely Hely [...]amaza [...]atan [...]
Luc. ii.
That fayth in man was clere d [...]ceyde
In Mary his mother, bothe wyfe and mayde
Ioh. xx.
It neuer fayled, for the f [...]mynyne
In Thomas it fayled for the masculyne.
☞ B [...]fore also ye shall w [...]ll fynde
The woman was euer promp [...] and redye
Wi [...]h hole he [...]te and deuoure mynde
Luce. i.
Of Chr [...]tes byrth to belyue the mysterye
Where as the woman, olde Zacharye
Blamed of the Angell, lost his syght
Elysabeth him knowleged, [...]uyn [...]urth ryght.
Ioh. xx.
¶ Great was the loue of the femynyne
Durynge the daungeour of his passyon
Recorde therin good Magdalyne
Whiche neuer backed, but folowed on
Where his disciples were fled and gone
Oft the sepulcre she dyd vy [...]yt
And longe there wepynge wolde she syt.
❧ She with his compers Maries two
Marce. xvi.
Salomye and Iacobye with oyles pure
For synguler loue they bare him to
Sough [...] hym layde in sepulture
Supposynge theyr oyntemēces shulde hī recure
For well the [...]ekenynge by his sayenge p [...]ayne
He wolde reuyue, shortely agayne.
☞ God hym selfe prayse to her gaue
At table syttynge for the oyle she spende
And openly the men dyd depraue
Lu [...]. xxi
Sayde pore haue ye daylye, but I must wende
Her also except he, in mytes that dyd sende
In G [...]z [...]philacum, before the ryche man
And Martha lykewyse, y t called hī goddes sōne.
❧ Was nat she playnly full of grace
Acte. [...]x.
Thab [...]a the wydowe the pore that fed
Whom P [...]ter by prayer reuyued hase
To lyu [...] agayne were she was ded
And she also that nature ledde
iii re▪ iii.
Rather her chyld [...] quycke to for go
Than Salomon shulde part hym in two
☞ The wyfe of Pylate dyd pytye more
The turnement of our Sauyoure
Than all the men that than there were
The scrybes and the pha [...]isys to there powre
Luc. xxi
The workes of Chryst blasphemyd eche houre
The woman pre [...]ent sayde I make you ware
Blessed be the bely that the bare.
¶ Whan he arose,
Math. xxvii. xxviii.
this is clere
Tho whom apered he, I praye you fyrst
Sure for ought that I can here
To women two, or any man wyst
To her that hym with her brest nurst
To Mary Magdalyne, and bad her go
Ioh. xx.
And his apostoles tell it to.
Luc. viii
❧ Seldome I fynde that Chryste dyd blame
Any one woman properly
Or that any woman so fare past shame
So ly [...]le to set our sauyour by
As Peter d [...]d Chryst to denye
Luc. vii.
Chryst blamed Peter, nowe and than
For lacke of fayth, and called hym Sathan.
☞ And where Scribes malycyouslye
Brought vnto him adulteram
The woman he saued, gratiouslye
wrote in the dust, to the mennes shame
Iohan. viii.
Do nomore women, sayde he the same
Nowe tell me playne yf ye so can
Dyd he euer lyke myracle for any man.
¶ The woman al [...]o of Cananye
Whose doughter posseit was of a deuyll
Seased nat on Chryst to cr [...]e
Math. xv.
Her doughter to he [...]e of that sore yuyll
Chryst herde her well, and helde him styll
To the ende all men, myght notyfye
What fayth was in the femynye.
❧ The man he blamed of Ipocrysye
Iohan. xiii.
And also vpon the Saboth day
Helyd the woman gracyouslye
Eyghtene yeres longe that sort syke lay [...]
And mekely dyd the Samaritane praye
Iohan. iiii.
water to drawe hym ou [...] of the stone
Where o [...] the man he asked none.
❧ And also at the wom [...]ns request
Bycause they lacked necessarye
Iohā. ii.
Turned water to wyne at the feast
Kept in Cana Galylye
At the instaunce of Martha or Mary
He raysed Lazarhole and sounde
Foure dayes buryed vnder grounde.
¶ Where as he wepte full tenderly
Ioh. xi.
To the woman that hym ofte fed
Martha the one the other Mary
Wepe and by wayle theyr brother deed
As farforth yet as euer I rede
I can nat fynde that he dyd make
Any lyke sorowe for the mannes sake.
❧ And ouer that the treuth dothe proue
The sayenge of Luke who so well wayth
It was a very sclender loue
Luce. viii▪
And a lesse token of any fayth
In the man the E [...]angelyst sayth
In Iudas by name his mayster that solde
With a false kysse and thyrty pens golde.
¶ Thus may ye see by holy wryt
That women be no cast awayes
Neyther they that lyue as yet
Nor those that were in the auncyent dayes
Proued I haue who so denayes
For more wytnes I shal reporte
Of later tyme and so be shorte
❧ The churche mylytant dothe ones yerely
A [...]euen thousande vyrgins ha [...]e in on [...]
So many of men I can nat e [...]pye
Sythe tyme the worlde fyrst [...]egon
All be it they were nat women echoue
Yet for the woman was pryncypall
Lyke name is gyuen vnto them all.
☞ I rede of seuen [...]lepynge men
And also of .iiii. coronate
Nowe two and thre▪ of thousandes ten
Of one alone with his a [...]ociate
Of forte knyghtes martyry [...]a [...]e
But of a .xi. thousande neuer
Coulde I fynde as yet togyther.
¶ All be it there be of the i [...]fant s [...]ate
Of innocen [...]es I m [...]a [...]e many one
Yet haue these vyrg [...]us immaculate
If any comparyson may be therto
More mede of god, I suppose [...]o
These [...]yrg [...]us for god dyed wyllyngly
The infantes by force and knewe nat why
❧ Moche other thynges aledged myght be
Aucro [...]ysed by holy wryt
Besydes muche more in p [...]yetrye
In sondry m [...]tyrs craf [...]ely knyt
Wh [...]che on [...]ly I [...]ut [...]e to omyt
On [...]s it [...]e o [...] two or of thre
To wrytte them all [...] wyll nat be
¶ As fyrst of Luctes the noble wyfe
Oui [...]. in fast. li. primi. August. de ci. li.
A myrrour to all other of goostly fame
Whiche wylfully with a small knyfe
Slewe her selfe in auoydynge shame
And therby saued her olde good name
What tyme Tarquyne newe made kynge
Had her forlayne, she nat wyllynge.
❧ Where Rome besyeged was about
By Cor [...]olane then exulate
Vala [...]. li. primo
So that no man durst ons pere out
For fere of lesynge of his pat [...]
Uetur [...]a badde open the gate
Her armes cast crosse, her heer to rent
Most wofully forth thus she went.
☞ Large were y • teres that from her eyes ran
Her [...]restes before hym when she dysplayde
Beholde she sayde thou vnkynde man
Thy natural mother thus wretchely arayde
Nature shulde moue the, though wyll denayde
To warre with other than thy natyfe countre
Peace sayde he mother so shall it be.
¶ Whose acte to be had in mem [...]rye
A lawe forth with the Romyanes let make
From that daye forwarde to the femynyne
E [...]he man shulde vowe for Ueturys sake
Graunted also that the woman myght take
To her attyre broche, ow [...]he, or rynge
Ueluet pu [...]ple or any other t [...]ynge.
Hester. [...]
❧ Where as before through quene Uasthye
All honour was take the woman fro
By reason of her obstynacye
In [...]y [...]obeyinge kynge Assuero
Nowe was re [...]tored with moche more to
Many men saued that myght haue ben slayne
And the cytie set franke fre agayne.
Mar [...]. ii.i. epigre
☞ Whan Portia harde that Brute was deed
Lenger to lyue no houre thought she
Ete brennynge coles as fast as breed
Ouid. eplar. [...]i. primo.
Bycause she coulde no knyfe come by
In moche lyke case Penelope
To put of weddynge tyll Ulyxes came home
Untwyned at nyght that in the daye she [...]poue.
¶ And as it cometh vnto my mynde
Of one hystorye catholycall
Whiche almost clene was lefte behynde
Daniel. xiii.
As nothynge worthy memoryall
That one remembred conclude I shall
The hystory I meane of good Su [...]an
Falsly accused by the man.
❧ Attempt she was of rybaldes two
With them to haue dea [...]ed, she nolde consent
They he [...] accused, and sayde she had ado
W [...]th a yonge man, and shulde be brent
God k [...]owe the woman innocent
And caused the infant Danyell
To speke to the people and the treuth tell.
☞ A babe to speke was a straunge maruell
The people assembled on euery syde
The tales bothe varyed that they dyd tell
Wherby it was knowen the rybaldes lyde
The woman saued and the treuth tryde
Her false accusars by comen assent
To dye forthwith had iust iudgement.
¶ Whiche thynges remembred with other mo
That myght parchaunce [...]nlarge this boke
Estates comenly where I go
Trust theyr wyu [...]s to ouer loke
Baker, brewer, butler, and roke
With other all, man medleth no whytte
Bycause the woman hathe quycket wytte.
❧ My lady must receyue and paye
And euery man in his offyce controll
And to eche cause gyue ye and nay
Bargayne and bye and set all so [...]e
By [...]ndenture other by court roll
My lady must ordre thus all thynge
Or small shal be the mannes wynnynge
☞ A further profe herein as yet
By comune reporte we here eche day
The chylde is praysed for his mother wytte
For the fathers condycions depraued alway
And ouer that your selfe wyll saye
Surgeons aduauntage, by women small
Bycause they be no fyghters at all.
¶ An ende therfore herof to make
Me thynkes these men do nothynge well
So wylfully to bragge and crake
And agaynst all women so to geuell
And yet who so that lengest dothe reuell
And this boke redeth I knowe playnly
Shall saye: or be shamed, tonge I lye.
❧ Explicit.

☞ The authour.

GO forthe lytell boke god be thy spede
Oodre thy selfe accordyngly
Set nought by hym y • dothe y • rede
In case he warble the to denye
Nat one so good [...]ut he hath an ene­mye
Hyde nat thy face for a proude crake
Let hym be knowen that dyd the make
¶ Go forthe queckely with pase demure
Of one prerogatyue sure thou ar [...]e
Set for to be in hye honour
In myddes of the [...]ole femynyne herte
Nexte god they wyll all [...]ake thy parte
Hyll the with sylke and lymme the with golde
Nowe passe on thy way thou mayst be boide.
❧ Glory be thy garment so worthy thou arte
Of [...]yluer thy clasyes, and of fyne golde
So true is thy proce [...]e in euery parte
[Page]In the hye Ierarchye thou may be enrolde
None other lyke the that euer was solde
Hyghest of all other in trueth is thy dytye
Lygth where thou shalte nowe fa [...]ewell frō me.
☞ Yf question be moued who is thyne authour
Be nat ado [...]ad to v [...]ter his name
Say Edwa [...]de Gosynhyll toke the labour
For woman hede the for to frame
Call h [...]m thy [...]e authour, do nat asshame
Thankes lokes he none for, yet wold he be glad
[...]taffe to [...]tand [...] by that all women had.
❧ Thus endeth this frutfull treatese of the prease of women [...] called Mu [...]erum Pean. Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the George by me Wylyam Myddylton.

¶ CVM PRIVILEGIO AD IMRPIMENDVN SOLVM.

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