GEntle Reader, or Hearer, I know it is a hard taske to pleaſe all fancies, and I am as certaine there are many ſnarling criticks in this age, that willout of their malicious wiſdomes give a harſh cenſure on this enſuing Subject; which if they do I care the leſſe, becauſe the matter which I write of is honeſt, and in defence of harmleſſe and vertuous Women.

Therefore when I conſidered the manifold aſperſions, bitter taunts, envious revilings, ſlanderous raylings, and malignant writings of ſome inveterate ill-bred Spirits (which would be accounted men) againſt poore harmleſſe, ſilly, and weake women, who are not able with that little péce of fleſh, called their Tongue, (which is their chiefe defence or weapon) to expreſſe, or otherwiſe to vindicate themſelves, in writing the injuries and ſcandals daily divulged abroad in fantaſtick Pamphlets & Verſes, as the Bear-baiting of women, the Parliament of Women, the Woman-hater, the Goſſips meeting, the Crab-tree Lecture, Vinegar and Muſtard, and I know not what; for all theſe, and more are ſpightfully fomented againſt that noble Sex, of matchleſſe & immaculate creatures, whoſe deſerved worth to illuſtrate and ſet forth I cannot, either with ſpeech, or in writing.

Thoſe men I ſay, (whoſe tongues are like a double-edged ſword, their pens made of Gooſequils, their inke of Galls, and their braines adled, who hath neither charity wiſdom, or modeſty) they ſurely forget that ever they came of a woman, or had a mother, who (under God) firſt gave them life, nouriſhed them in her body, brought them into the world with paine, and like the Pelican, fed them with her own blood, and bred them with care & induſtry ſuch men may very fitly be compared to the Viper, that deſtroyeth the wombe that bare them, and we all doe know that ingratitude is a Monſter, and ſhe which brought forth ſuch an abortive birth into the world was ſurely delivered before her time.

A woman was the moſt beautifull and rare péce of Architecture that ever was erected upon the face of the earth, and framed by the beſt workman in the world; for when ſhe was firſt created or borne, ſhe was not a childe or infant but a perfect and compleat woman; neither was ſhe made of baſe earth or clay as man was, but of the pureſt of her Husbands fleſh and blood, being a rib taken out of his ſide, and next of all to his heart, and therefore (in my opinion) it is againſt nature, nay againſt the Law of God, to abuſe or hurt the ſame, being their own fleſh and blood, as too many do, which is much to be lamented; but herein the old proverb is truly verified, that the weakeſt ſtill goes to the walls, and a low hedge is ſoon ſtept over.

Therefore you ſatyricall Antagoniſts, and others, that ſo bitterly enveigh againſt poore women, if you would be pleaſed but to view the ſacred Scriptures, where you may find ſufficient proofe that they ought to have more due reſpect allotted them, then ſome of you will acknowledge, or profeſſe they ſhould enjoy; and although man be the head, and is (or ought to be) endued with more wiſdome and ſtrength then a weak woman, yet he ought not to triumph over, or injure ſo harmleſſe a Soul, without whom man by no means can ſubſiſt; for did not God ſay of Adam in the creation, It is not good for man to be alone; And further, God ſaith, I will make him an Helper meet for him; therefore ſhall a man leave his father, and mother and ſhall cleave unto his wife, and they ſhall be one fleſh. Thus you may perceive how neceſſary is the ſwét ſociety and company of a vertuous woman to her Husband, for ſhe is his helper at all aſſaies, being carefull of her family, képing him neat and decent both in woollen, linnon, and other neceſſaries, cleanly in dreſſing his dyet, and a loving Nurſe to him both in ſickneſſe and health; wherefore a man ought to love his wife above all the world, they being (as the Lord ſaith) one fleſh.

If you will heare what St. Paul ſaith of a woman, it is thus; A woman is the glory of man. And Solomon (the wiſeſt of men) ſaith, A vertuous woman is a crowne to her Husband; now if a woman be a glory to her husband, how is that man bleſt which enjoyeth ſuch a wife, who doth crown his heart with variety of content; ſhe, like the fruitfull Vine bringeth forth ſwét children (which are the bleſſings of God) being the fruit of their owne loynes, who preſerveth (if the Lord pleaſe) their Fathers name to the end of the world by their poſterity: And the wiſe man further ſaith, Who ſo findeth ſuch a wiſe, obtaineth favour of the Lord. O ten thouſand times happy is that man, that with a wife can obtain ſuch heavenly favour; but Solomon further addeth, that the price of a vertuous woman is far above Rubies, and let her be as the loving Hind, and pleaſant Roe, and be thou raviſht alwaies with her love.

It is the common cuſtome now adaies among moſt men to hearken after wives with a great portion, & rich friends, never regarding how ſhe is qualified, or whether ſhe be addicted to vertue or vice, but wealth is the chiefe mark at which they ayme, & ſometimes they hit the white they ſhoot at, yet come hom by wéping croſſe; but a poore woman, be ſhe never ſo vertuous, is not regarded with them; but you have heard her price, and how high a rate the wiſe man doth velue her at; yet for all this (though a good woman be as loving as the Hind, and pleaſant as the Roe to her Husband, ſéking by all means poſſible ſhe can to pleaſe him, either with kinde and loving ſpéches, or pleaſant and modeſt behaviour) there are ſome froward men (like churliſh Naball) that are never contented with whatſoever ſhe doth or ſayes, when a kind and loving husband would think himſelfe bleſt to enioy ſuch a treaſure, & be raviſht with the love of ſuch a wife.

If you will be pleaſed to heare what St. Peter doth ſay for wives, it is thus; Husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker veſſell, being heires together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered.

Theſe words are to ſhew Husbands, that there ſhould be a kinde of loving duty by them allowed to their wives, and that they ſhould live and dwell together in civill and diſcreet knowledge, and not with wrangling, diſcord, and envie; for a wiſe man will give honour to his wife above all women for many reſpects; firſt, becauſe ſhe is his wife (and it may be hath horne him children) then as ſhe is a woman, and a Chriſtian; likewiſe he is to beare with her imbicilities (if ſhe have any) becauſe ſhe indeed is the weaker Veſſell; for God hath ioyned them together as one body, that they ſhould both be heires to inherit the grace of eternall life; for where man and wife doth live in unity and peace, their prayers no doubt ſhall be heard.

St. Paul writing to the Epheſians ſaith thus; Husbands, love your wives, even as Chriſt alſo loved the Church, and gave himſelfe for it. And in another place he uttereth theſe words; Huſbands, love your wives, & be not bitter againſt them. I could heartily deſire that ſome unkind husbands would take notice, and hearken to thoſe words of the bleſſed Apoſtle, with what a tye he doth perſwade and exhort them to love their wives, which would almoſt move a ſtone to heare; and I could with them to mark with reverence, and to take it to their heart of whom he ſpeaketh, and his compariſon, which is the Church; for he coniureth them by no leſſe then Chriſt, the bleſſed Son of God, our Saviour and Redeemer, who gave his life for us, to redeeme our ſinfull Soules from Hell and damnation; this is a deep, yet a ſweet perſwaſion to love. The Apoſtle alſo exhorteth Husbands not to be bitter to their wives but there are too many now adayes that will not hearken to his counſell, but I will uſe the words of Solomon, who ſayeth thus; A contentious man is apt to kindle ſtrife, and hatred ſtirreth up contentions, but love covereth all treſpaſſes.

This ſaying of the wiſe man methinkes ſhould quell thoſe fooliſh mens follies which utter and write ſuch invectives, and fantaſtico revilings, taunts, and ieſts againſt women, for theſe are thoſe wicked ſpirits the Devills Agents, which ſoweth diſcord, and breedeth contentions, kindling the coles of ſtrife, hatred, and diſdaine in divers families betwixt man and wife never perſwading to peace, love or unity, which ſhould hide and cover all domeſtick iarrs or treſpaſſes; and they make as though a woman were but as a meere cipher, and ſtood for nothing, but let them know thus much, that a woman is worthy of a far better reſpect, for ſhe is the veſſell of eternity, and is (or ought to be) the cloſet or cabinet of a mans heart, his ſummum bonum, or his All in all, his chiefeſt Secretary, or his ſecond ſelfe; for (as it is ſaid) they are one fleſh, yet ſome ſnarling criticks there are who wil not bluſh to ſay, that unto a woman we ſhould reveale no ſecret, or that they hardly ever hoard or read of a diſcrét, vertuous, or wiſe woman. To anſwer them in brief amongſt many, let them but looke into the firſt of Samuel, where they may finde it written thus:

Abigall was a woman of good underſtanding, but her husband Naball was churliſh, and evill in his doings. Now, if ſhe had not bin a woman of wiſdome & underſtanding, David had ſlaine her husband and every one of his ſervants, (for his Family was great) which Abigall, for her wiſdome, David did marry after her husbands death. Alſo in the ſecond of Samuel you may read, how a wiſe woman ſaved the City from deſtruction when it was beſieged by Joab. Likewiſe, did not Holefurnes and his ſervants marvell at the wiſdome of Judeth, and ſhe afterwards ſaved the City (when he had beſiedged it, by cutting off his head. Alſo, Boaz ſaid to Ruth, All the city of my people doth know that thou art a vertuous woman. And was not Suſanna a vertuous woman, that would rather ſuffer death then yeeld to the vitious and wicked Elders, Many more proofes may be obiected againſt thoſe envious back-biters, and ſtanderers of that worthy Sex; for a woman was the veſſell of the Holy Ghoſt, which nouriſhed in her wombe, and brought forth into the world (the Redéemer of Mankinde) our bleſſed Saviour Chriſt Ieſus; Alſo, did not divers women follow Chriſt, and miniſtred unto him, being preſent at his death? to whom he appeared at his Reſurrection: And did not Pilates wife fore-warne her husband to have nothing to doe with Chriſts death?

Having thus briefly written of ſome vertuous, good, and diſcréet wives & women, I think it not amiſſe to ſay a little in defence of vertuous Virgins and Maids; In the 22. of Deut. it is ſaid, That they are to be puniſhed that bring an evil name upon a Virgin; and in 1 Cor. 7. it is thus, If a Virgin marry ſhe hath not ſinned; and was not Jepthas daughter of Iſraell a vertuous Virgin, who willingly ſubmitted her ſelfe for a ſacrifice to fulfill her Fathers vow? And did not Chriſt compare the five wiſe Virgins to the kingdome of heaven? But amongſt other Virgins, me thinks I ſhould not bury in oblivion the memory of our famous Countrywoman, Elizabeth, late Quéene of England. who for her time was accounted the Phenix of Chriſtendom, and admired for vertue and wiſdome throughout the world; She kept her land in peace, and her forreigne enemies in awe; ſhe was truly religious, for which the Lord ever bleſſed her to her end; and thus much ile • y of her (inſpight of envious detractors) ſhe dyed a good woman, and a Virgin Queen.

Thus have I in brief related ſome paſſages and collections out of the ſacred Scriptures in defence of good, vertuous, and barmleſſe women, but if there be any that will not beleeve the ſame, let them heare what St. Paul ſaith unto them; Vnbeleevers ſhall not enter into everlaſting reſt. And now in my opinion it is unchriſtian, uncharitable, and immodeſt, for any man ſo bitterly to enveigh and write againſt a woman, which naturally he ſhould love, cheriſh, and honour (for many reſpects, as is before ſaid) above all the creatures in this world. I muſt confeſſe that the conditions and humours of ſome fantaſtick men are fickle various, & unconſtant; they are double tongued, and falſe hearted, they will proteſt, and ſay one thing, and meane another, as too too many good women have found by wofull experience; for when they ſue for love, oh, what diſſembling teares, feigned ſighes, déep proteſtations, ſolemn vowes, large promiſes, and flattering ſpeeches will procéed from their diſſembling lips? now many a gentle and tender-hearted Woman and Maid hath compaſſionated and pittyed their Crocadilian teares, and beléeved their periurd vowes, which oftentimes hath procured their ſorrow; for when ſuch falſe men have obtained their deſires they grow careleſſe, and ſlight a woman, ae not worthy of their ſoriety; and for their love, they are requited with reproaches, harſh language, ſcorne, and diſdaine. But I ſpeake not this in generall, for I know there are many provident, honeſt, and loving men, that giveth all due reſpect to their wives, and are carefull of their reputation and charge; and I heartily wiſh that the number of ſuch men were greater, for then ſo many good and honeſt women ſhould not féele ſo much griefe, ſorrow, and miſery, as both they and their families doe now ſuſtaine.

I could have written more amply both Divine, and Morall, in defence of vertuous women, but I ſuppoſe theſe few examples will give ſome ſatisfaction to the courteous and affable Reader, hoping none will diſlike, or take exceptions thereat, unleſſe it be thoſe carping criticks before ſpoken of, which hath written ſo bitterly and ſcoffingly againſt the worthy Sex of women; but I could wiſh them to petition for peace, and to make their recantations, and to confeſſe their follies, for thus I ſalute them: Bluſh foule envie, and give o're, Split your Pens, and write no more, Silent be, and hold your tongue, Sue for pardon, (that did wrong Vertue, goodneſſe, modeſty) which kinde hearts will not deny.