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¶The prayse of all women called Mulierum Pean. Uery fruytfull and delectable vnto all the reders.
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¶Loke & rede who that can. |
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This boke is prayse to eche woman. |
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WHat tyme the crabbe his course had past |
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And Phebus atteyned the Aquarye |
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The selfe-same time whan it frose fast |
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Amyddes the moneth of Ianuarye |
5 |
I in my bedde, and slepe in myne eye |
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A sodeyne assemble before me dyd appere |
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And women they semed by abyte and chere. |
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A_wake they sayde, slepe nat so fast |
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Consyder our grefe, and howe we be blamed |
10 |
And all by a boke, that lately is past |
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Whiche by reporte, by the was fyrst framed |
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The scole of women, none auctour named |
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In prynte it is passed, lewdely compyled |
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All women wherby be sore reuyled. |
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15 |
Consyder therin, thyne owne good name |
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Consyder also our infamye |
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Sende forth some other, contrary the same |
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For thyne and ours, bothe honestye |
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The Pean thou wrote, and lyeth the bye |
20 |
Be quycke herein, prolonge nat thus |
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As thou woldest our fauour, nowe do for vs |
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¶Amongest all other, one baldely prest |
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Obey sayd she shalt thou be thou never so strong |
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Her male & her mantell, she threwe on my brest |
25 |
For I am she sayd she, thou hast do most wronge |
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A_wake a_wake, thou slepest ouer_longe |
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Uenus am I cleped, my name shall nat be hyd |
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Nowe sharpen thy pen, and wryte as [I] the byd.
I] a 1542, 1557
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sig:
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Of trueth it is, wryte on quod she |
30 |
The nature of man inclyneth to synne |
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Rather than vertue, and reason is why |
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Eche nature dothe ende, as it dothe begyn |
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Salte wyl be water, [though] none be therin
though] thought 1542, 1557
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The tre of the rote, dothe take his verdure |
35 |
The fruyte wherby, is knowen swete or soure. |
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So at the begynnyng, where man had that vse |
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Of wyt and reason, to be ruled by |
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By_cause he offended, he made excuse |
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The faute allegynge, to the femynye |
40 |
God to haue dysceyued, yf it wolde haue be |
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And as he tho, to lye begon |
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So to this daye, he holdeth on. |
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¶Of vs pore women customably |
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Without cause iust, to rayle and iest |
45 |
No nature naturate, vnder the skye |
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Fysshe, fowle, worme, ne beest |
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But with theyr owne kynde, the[y] lyue at rest
they] the 1542, 1557 |
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Man of all other, of maners so rude |
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Can nat saye well by his symylytude. |
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50 |
A great abuse, and shamefully holde |
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Suche frowardnes, in hande to haue |
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The selfe-same thynge, whiche most they shulde |
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Laude and loue, it to depraue |
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And that of nede, whiche most they craue |
55 |
So to improper, great foly it is |
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For in no wyse they may vs longe mys. |
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Recorde the goodnes, of god almyghty |
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At the creacyon, whiche he began |
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Perceyuynge it coulde nat endure a_ryght |
60 |
Without any helpe made to the man |
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Faciamus (sayde he) and made Eue than |
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The woman the man, to helpe and assyst |
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It foloweth therfore, we can nat be myst |
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¶Howe-be-it, ye men fast pore and prye |
65 |
All that ye may vs women agayne |
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Nothynge lefte out, ye may come by |
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Of holy wrytte, nor th[a]t poetes do fayne
that] thot 1542, that 1557
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All is alledged as thynge certayne |
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And what that makes nat, for your purpose |
70 |
Shall be interpretate, with a lewde glose. |
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Exemples many, faynt and feble |
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Mo than ye may well iustyfye |
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And saye it is a thynge impossyble |
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Any one good woman founde to be |
75 |
Whiche euyll sayenge to ratyfye |
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A sence of Salomon ye aledge, which sayth |
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Mulierem fortem quis inueniet. |
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But as to that thou shalt nat tary |
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Lenger than nedes to make reporte |
80 |
As at this tyme them to contrary |
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By any exemple, the nexte to retort |
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Taken an nowe of the lyuynge sorte |
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Contynue thy processe, tyll thou may espye |
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A place therfore more necessary. |
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85 |
Howe shulde this worlde contynued be |
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Man I meane in his most nede |
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Were nat women, what were ye |
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Examples many, hereof may ye rede |
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And ouer that ye se in-dede |
90 |
Howe by the vertue of the femynyne face |
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Myrth encreaseth, and thoughtes gyue place. |
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Exempled in Saule, whan he shulde fyght |
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Agaynst the armye phylystyne
Pri. Re .xviii.
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Had neyther herte, courage [n]e myght |
95 |
Ne wyst nat what to do therin |
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With hongry thought hym-selfe to pyne |
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Had nat the woman hym counseyled and fed |
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For feare in that fury, Saule had be deed |
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¶Whan ye lye sycke and lyke to dye |
100 |
Who then attendeth you vnto. |
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Were nat the woman, there myght ye lye |
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Donge in your denne, as bestes do |
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The woman is euer redy to go |
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For this and that to watche and wake |
105 |
You to recouer many labours to take. |
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If that your fynger other hede ake |
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Or elles what ayleth you, hande or fote |
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There can no medycyne the payne aslake |
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Without the woman be your bote |
110 |
Lappe you warme in clothes softe |
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A kercheyffe bonde vnto you hedde |
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And in her armes bere you to bedde. |
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¶Nyght and day than must she wake |
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And redy be at the fyrst call |
115 |
A culles or some caudel make |
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As for the sycke dothe best befall |
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Oneles the woman come withall |
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No man can get hym vp to sytte |
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Therof to taste morsell or bytte |
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120 |
Thus of the woman great pleasures ye haue |
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Whiche man to man can nat suffyce |
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And yet ye do vs all depraue |
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Sayenge we be neyther sadde ne wyse |
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And that no profyte by vs doth ryse |
125 |
Where-as in trueth recorde I can |
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As many aryse as by the man. |
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A woman playne dyd fyrst inuent |
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All maner grayne to inne and sowe
Oui. meth. li .v.
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Ceres named by comune assent |
130 |
And for her wysdome, the people dyd knowe |
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Honours diuyne they dyd her shewe |
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And as her merytes dyd than expresse |
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They named her the good goddesse. |
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¶And in lyke maner a woman founde |
135 |
The letters fyrst that we nowe wryte
Isido. li. i. ant .ix.
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The A.B.C. as they do stande |
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Wherby we vse our myndes to endyte |
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One to another ful and perfyte |
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Carmenta called as I remembre |
140 |
Mother vnto the famous Euander. |
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Pallas the doughter of Iupyter
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Through her entere and pured brayne |
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The goddesse named of the artyfycer |
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Of wolle and oyle, fyrst founde the vayne |
145 |
For whiche inuencyon the story is playne |
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Preferred she was before Neptune
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To gyue the name to Athenes towne.
August. de ciuita lib .vii. & Oui. in fast. &c.
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Soppho the poetresse dyd also fynde |
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With the harpe to synge the tune to wrest |
150 |
Whiche greatly conforteth mannes mynde |
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With syghes of sorowe ouer_prest |
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Saule the kynge coulde neuer haue rest |
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Tyll Dauyd had harpyd a fytte or two
i. Reg .xvi.
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The malygne spryte, wolde nat hym fro. |
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155 |
¶The Sybbilles .xii. dyd prophecy |
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The sone of god shulde man become |
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One of them shewed the mystery |
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Unto Octauyan in the sonne |
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Many is the yeres, that syth is ronne |
160 |
And yet the churche dothe occupye |
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The selfe-same Sybbilles prophecye. |
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Hystoryes many I coulde forth lay |
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That maketh wel with the feminye |
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Of lyke sentence I dare well saye |
165 |
And grounded on good auctoryte |
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Howe-be-it because that poetry |
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Is taken nowe in suche despyte |
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Of other reasons, I wyll thou wryte |
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But fyrst this questyon, aske quod she |
170 |
Demurely, and after a gentyl rate, |
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To whom be_holden more are ye |
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Unto the man that you begate |
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Or to the woman puerperate |
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I knowe no reason for your excuse |
175 |
But that it shulde your-selues confuse. |
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As sone as the woman, dothe conceyue |
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Full dyuers is her appetyde |
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Bothe bely and hert dothe ryse and heu[e]
heue] heuy 1542, heue 1557
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The stomake seldome satysfyde |
180 |
For many sondry meates prouyde |
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Longe for more than she may gete. |
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And many a sory morsell ete. |
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¶In case she may it nat optayne |
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Harde she escapeth with the lyfe |
185 |
And in her labour suche is the payne |
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That as god knoweth the vrgent grefe |
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Without a gracyous prerogatyfe |
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Ware thynge, no doubte, impossyble |
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She shulde escape, and after haue hele. |
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190 |
And whan she is delyuered |
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Syke and wepe contynually |
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And as ye knowe but lytell consydered |
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With many a man, the more blame he |
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Who but the woman must keper be |
195 |
Prouyde for euery ragge and cloute |
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And in her armes bere you aboute. |
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In case the man suche labour shulde take |
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I meane to bere you to and fro |
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His arme[s] and shulders wolde so ake
armes] armer 1542, armes 1557
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200 |
That lame he wolde be of bothe-two |
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The sely woman hathe neuer do |
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What in her armes and in her lappe |
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Nyght and daye she must you wrappe |
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Lytell or nothynge may she rest |
205 |
But alwayes besy you for to kepe |
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Aryse and fede you with her brest |
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And all to styll you whan ye wepe |
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Where of your-selfe, ye can scant crepe |
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She must be redy to gyue you pappe |
210 |
From wynde & wether, you warme to lappe. |
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¶The man may lye and snowre full fast |
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Whan that the wyfe must watche and wake |
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Out of the bed her armes cast |
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The cradell to roke tyll they bothe ake |
215 |
the babe also vnto her take |
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And whan he is vnclene beneth |
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Must be content with many yll breth |
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Shyfte hym ofte, wype and wesshe |
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Cloutes and clothes newe prepare |
220 |
And be it harde or be it nesshe |
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[T]he woman must do a_way the ware
The] She 1542, The 1557
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Thus hathe the mother all the care |
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All the labour and dyssease |
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Where-as the father dothe what hym please. |
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225 |
When that ye drawe nere ,xii. monethes olde |
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Than may the woman nother rest ne sytte |
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But eu[e]r dadle you in sure holde |
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Tyll tyme that ye haue founde your fyt |
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Her brestes ye tere with many a byt |
230 |
And scratche also with your sharpe nayles |
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And yet the woman you neuer fayles. |
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¶Where-as the man wolde sure dysdayne |
|
And be therwith impacyent |
|
And peraduenture stryke agayne |
235 |
Nother be eftsons so dylygent |
|
If ons ye dyd hym dyscontent |
|
For as ye se when hym myslyketh |
|
The man dayly his chylderne stryketh |
|
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The mother tendreth them alway |
240 |
And scant can suffer them in the wynde |
|
Of them in doute bothe nyght and daye |
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Lest any male-chaunce shulde them blynde |
|
Ought you nat then to the woman to be kynde |
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Howe-be-it ye haue no better sporte |
245 |
Than of the woman euyll to reporte |
|
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Some saye the woman had no tonge |
|
After that god had her create |
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Untyll the man toke leues longe |
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And put them vnder her palate |
250 |
An aspyn-leffe of the dyuel he gatte |
|
And for it moueth with euery wynde |
|
They saye womens tongues be of lyke kynde. |
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[B2v] |
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I saye the fable rehersed before |
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The trueth well knowen is but a lye |
255 |
All the clerkes that euer were |
|
Do wryte the same and testefye |
|
That god made all-thynge parfetlye |
|
Howe shulde the woman then tonge haue none |
|
And be of goddes creacyon, |
|
260 |
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 |
265 |
All-be-it that dyuers haue offended |
|
Yet ought nat all to be reprehended |
|
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¶All maner clothe is nat lyke fyne |
|
Nor yet all men complexyoned lyke |
|
Some more of colour, some more sanguyne |
270 |
Some malancolye, some fleamatyke |
|
Some longe and small, some shorte and thycke |
|
Nat euery man of one compleccyon |
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Nor euery woman of one condycyon |
|
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Why shulde the woman then be blamed |
275 |
More than the 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 |
|
Wytnes saynt Paule, it doth no man beseme |
280 |
Worse of a nother than of hym-selfe to deme
Ro .ii.
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¶Admytte that woman fyrste offended |
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The man persuadynge to transgres |
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A woman was she, the faute that amended |
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By meane of her great humblenes.
Genises.
|
285 |
Of mannes restore the chefe foundres |
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Eue was she that made vs thrall |
|
And Mary was she that loused all. |
|
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And ouer that in genesye
|
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I fynde it wryten, that god dyd make |
290 |
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 |
|
295 |
Lyke as ye se by experyence |
|
Golde forged of leade, yren 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 myne |
300 |
Lyke so dyd god the femynyne |
|
Plasmate of the masculyne. |
|
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¶Ye se also the ryche Rubies |
|
And other stones of hye vertue |
|
Set in golde at poynt deuyse |
305 |
And in thynge of small value |
|
In symblable wyse hym-selfe Iesu
|
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Wolde of the woman incarnate be |
|
Mayden and wyfe his mother Mary. |
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[B3v] |
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And sythe that god the woman create |
310 |
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 |
315 |
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 |
320 |
The man in lyke effecte also |
|
Without the wo[m]ans helpynge hande
womans] wonans 1542, womans 1557
|
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By hym-selfe may nat longe stande |
|
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¶Yf a man without womans consent |
|
Myght haue redrest the fyrste offence |
325 |
It had nat neded the omnipotent |
|
To haue come hym-selfe to make the admendes |
|
The woman was chosen by diuyne assence |
|
To be through her humylyte |
|
The well of our tranquilyty. |
|
330 |
And who that lysteth the trueth to trye |
|
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[t] renewe
oft] of 1542, 1557
|
335 |
Agaynst all naturall dysposycyon |
|
In steryll age parentall fruycyon. |
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sig:
[B4] |
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As fyrst in the boke of Genesye
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Of Ioseph, Isaac, and Samuell
|
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With other mo in places sondry |
340 |
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.
Ge .iii. i. Reg .i. Iudici .xiii. iiii. Reg .iiii.
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¶And in lyke case Elyzabeth
|
345 |
The mother, of holy Iohan_Baptyst
Luce .i.
|
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Saynt Anne also as scrypture sayeth |
|
Conceyued Mary mother of Chryst
Math .i.
|
|
Mary also that man neuer wyst |
|
Conceyued by grace both god and man |
350 |
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 mynde |
355 |
And furthermore no doute I fynde |
|
That god permytted man to make |
|
Wonders many for the womans sake. |
|
|
As fyrst we fynde by diuine spyracyon |
|
Done by the prophet Helysye
iiii. Reg iiii.
|
360 |
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 |
|
Restored he sone from deth to lyfe.
Ibedem.
|
|
sig:
[B4v] |
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365 |
Ouer that it may nat be nayde |
|
Whan man had broken the precepte |
|
Seynge hym-selfe so nakedly arayde |
|
For shame amonge the leues he crepte |
|
God hym called, he no fote stepte |
370 |
But blamed the woman for his consent |
|
To fortyfye his euyll entent
his] his his 1542
|
|
|
But what sayde god, loke and rede |
|
Maladicta terra in opere tuo
Genes.
|
|
Cursed be the erthe thou dost on fede |
375 |
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 |
380 |
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 |
385 |
With sorowe her sede shu[l]de multyply.
shulde] shusde 1542
|
|
|
That man was curst oft we rede |
|
Besydes that I rehersed haue |
|
As Chayn and Cham for theyr lewde dede |
|
And those that the prophet dyd mocke & depraue
Gene .9 .iiii. re .ii Tren .ii. et Mala .ii.
|
390 |
With other (no fewe) where-as god gaue |
|
Many tymes vnto the woman |
|
His blessynge as well as to the man. |
|
sig:
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Thus all-thynge pondred in balance playne |
|
God fauoureth alwayes the femynitye |
395 |
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. |
|
400 |
¶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 manyfestly |
405 |
Dyuers rehers and theyr names tell |
|
The place assygnynge where they do dwell. |
|
|
Howe-be-it as nowe it shal suffyce |
|
[O]f them that gone be many yeres past
Of] Nf 1542
|
|
Example to take and this treatyse |
410 |
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 Sarai
Geneses xiiii.
|
415 |
A perfyte woman as other be mo |
|
In worde and dede alwayes redy |
|
To be obedyent hym vnto |
|
God bad Abraham that he shu[l]de go
shulde] shusde 1542
|
|
Out of the lande Cananye
|
420 |
In-to Egypt from his kyn nye |
|
sig:
[C1v] |
|
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Howe-be-it before he thyder came |
|
In his conceyte thus waded he |
|
Called his wyfe, and sayde good dame |
|
One thynge I wyll thou do for me |
425 |
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 |
430 |
I shall (she sayd) with all my harte |
|
And elles-what do, that ye byd me |
|
To helpe you in necessyte |
|
There shall no persone haue knowlege other |
|
But that ye be my naturall brother |
|
435 |
¶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 |
440 |
Howe-be-it god punysshed the people sore |
|
Tyll Pharao of her had made restore. |
|
|
And in lyke maner afterwarde
Ge .xx.
|
|
When that he came to Geratye
|
|
Abraham the better farde |
445 |
By reason of his wyfe Saray
|
|
God lykewyse punyished greuously |
|
So that the kynge Abymalech
|
|
Gaue hym his wyfe with a sore cheke. |
|
sig:
C2 |
|
|
Lyke case befell with Isaac
|
450 |
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 |
455 |
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 |
460 |
God wolde there shulde be no suche foly |
|
In the woman yf ye marke well |
|
Recorde Saara the doughter of Raguel. |
|
|
To seuen dyuers maryed was she |
|
And alwayes mayden arose them fro
Thobi .vi. & .iii.
|
465 |
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. |
|
470 |
Preserued was the femynyne |
|
Bycause she was so vertuous |
|
Strangled were the masculyne |
|
Because they were so vycyous |
|
Sodome and Gomore, the lecherous |
475 |
In brymstone we rede dothe boyle & bran
Ge .xx.
|
|
For the myslyuynge of the man |
|
sig:
[C2v] |
|
|
The doughter of Jacob amyable Dyne
|
|
For the foule rape vpon her done |
|
Her bretherne two brought to ruyne |
480 |
The cyte and slewe the masculyne echon[e]
Letters defective here and in the next lineGeneses xxxiii.
Geneses xxxiii.
|
|
Emmor the father and Sychem the son[e] |
|
God wolde they shulde suche reuel make |
|
And on the men suche vengeaunce take |
|
|
Of Dauyd the doughter fayre Thamar
|
485 |
Whom her owne brother Amon by name
ii. Reg .xiii.
|
|
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 |
490 |
In token playne she toke repentaunce |
|
|
¶Because Raab dyd them defende |
|
From Iosue sent to Ierico
Iosue .ii
|
|
Holy wryte dothe her commende |
|
And iustyfye her lyfe also |
495 |
Mary_magdalyne another of tho
Luce .vii.
|
|
For her great fayth and contrycyon |
|
Of all her crymes she had remyssyon |
|
|
Wherby apereth playne and euydent |
|
What grace is gyuen the femynyne |
500 |
For small offence so sore to repent |
|
Recorded in Thamer and in Dyne
|
|
Where stubberne and styffe is the masculyne |
|
Adam to wytnes whiche had no grace |
|
Mercy to aske for his trespace. |
|
sig:
C3 |
|
505 |
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 |
510 |
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 |
515 |
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 |
520 |
His wyfe to loue especyally |
|
Abraham had strayte commaundement
Genesis xxi
|
|
To folowe the mynde of Sarai
|
|
And so expulsed by and by |
|
Agar his harlot out of hys house |
525 |
Agaynst her maystres presumptuous. |
|
|
Howe-be-it because of repentaunce |
|
For none example of lyke foly |
|
God dyd accept her meke pe[n]aunce |
|
And quyte for_gaue her by and by |
530 |
The aungell was sent and bad her hye |
|
Home agayne and knowe her dame |
|
And god wolde multyply her fame. |
|
sig:
[C3v] |
|
|
Agayne she came, her maysters content
Ibidem.
|
|
And bare Abraham one Ismaell
|
535 |
Which passynge all other was more feruent |
|
And passynge reason more cruell |
|
Than euer yet ye harde of tell |
|
His lyfe durynge to warre he was mouyd |
|
He loued no man, nor none hym loued. |
|
540 |
So can be nat rede of any woman |
|
Namely in wryttyng 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 |
545 |
And kyll eche 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 |
550 |
Of god onely, by specyall grace |
|
Suche dedes marcyall to brynge to passe |
|
That man myght nat Iudyth to wytnes
Iudith .xiii.
|
|
Whiche slewe alone myghty Holofernes. |
|
|
And in lyke case of Delbora
|
555 |
Whom god electe his prophete to be |
|
The deth to declare of Sisara
|
|
Where and whan to sygnyfye
Iudic .iiii.
|
|
And gaue her also more specyally |
|
Knowlege in many other cause |
560 |
And made her iudge ouer the lawse, |
|
sig:
[C4] |
|
|
At mount_Thabor as sh[e] dyd tell
Iudic .v.
|
|
This captayne dyscomfet fled out of the thronge |
|
The wyfe of Abner named Iahel
|
|
Sisara slewe lyenge a_longe |
565 |
God strengthed the woman & the laude strong |
|
Unto the femynyne lesse and more |
|
And to the man no prayse therfore. |
|
|
¶Abymalech that ferefull kynge
ii. re .xi
|
|
At syege lyenge before Thebes
|
570 |
A stone that on the wall dyd hynge |
|
A woman threwe into the prease |
|
And on the heed hyt hym doubtles |
|
Slewe him starke, and so therby |
|
The syege gaue ouer, this is no lye |
|
575 |
Who was the cause that Abela
|
|
Was nat by Ioab beaten downe
ii. re .xi.
|
|
Who kept the deed but good Raspha
|
|
The woman onely dyd saue the towne |
|
And for her dede, ought haue renowne |
580 |
I me reporte, nowe howe saye ye |
|
Be nat the women prayse-worthye. |
|
|
Sythe god them marked gracyously |
|
Unto these deades before specyfyde
ii. Reg .xxi.
|
|
It can nat be layde to them playnly |
585 |
Neyther of malyce ne yet of pryde |
|
For synguler wysdome in the[m] tryde
them] then 1542, 1557
|
|
God preferred the woman than |
|
Suche thynges to do before the man |
|
sig:
[C4v] |
|
|
¶Of synguler wysdome note quene Hester
Hester .vii.
|
590 |
The kynge her husbande whiche dyd pacyfye |
|
Where Aman the wretche dyd moue Assuer
|
|
Uengeaunce to haue taken on Mardochye
|
|
And the Iewes to haue slayne generally |
|
With pety & wysdome she dealed so than |
595 |
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 f[y]nall peace with his parent
fynall] fenall 1542, 1557
|
600 |
Dauyd the kynge dyd sone consent |
|
At the womans request the Bible to recorde
ii. Reg .xix.
|
|
To call his sone home and be his good lorde. |
|
|
The prophet also called Nathan
|
|
Of counseyle preuy with his souerayne |
605 |
Perceyued well theyr myght no man |
|
Of his full mynde Dauyd refrayne |
|
But Adonyas shulde be kynge and raygne
iii. Re .i.
|
|
Sent Barsabe to hym forth-on |
|
And she obtayned for Salomon. |
|
610 |
¶And further where-as the Egypcyan kynge |
|
Agaynst the Hebrewes sore moued was
Exo .i.
|
|
Bycause he se theyr encrease and sprynge |
|
Aduaunsed moche in euery place |
|
Commaundement gaue for any case |
615 |
The mydwyues of the Hebrean lyne |
|
To kyll and slee all masculy[n]e. |
|
sig:
D1 |
|
|
And this we rede in places two |
|
But god wolde nat the excercyse
Ibedem.
|
|
So that the woman wolde it nat do |
620 |
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
|
625 |
Into this worlde was brought & borne
Exo .ii.
|
|
Thre monethes kept in secretnes |
|
Magre Pharao, thoughe he had sworne |
|
In a ve[ss]ele of russhes, to haue be lorne
vessele] veele 1542, 1557
|
|
Cast in the water, to synke or to swyme |
630 |
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 wasshed her by |
635 |
A norse to get, and moderly |
|
She hym adopte to be her sonne |
|
God wolde haue thus, by the woman done. |
|
|
The prophete also good Hely
|
|
Unto the woman from god was sent
iii. Reg .xvii.
|
640 |
Because Galaad and Samary
|
|
No moysture had from the fyrmament |
|
And [w]axeth stone-drye, for punysshement
waxeth] caxeth 1542, careth 1557
|
|
The wydowe of Sarapt, the prophete fedde |
|
Or elles parchaunce he had ben deed. |
|
sig:
[D1v] |
|
645 |
And in lykewyse the Sunamyte |
|
Moued her husbande besylye |
|
And in conclusyon optayned it |
|
A place to make for Helysye
iiii. Re .iiii.
|
|
The prophete of god, necessarye |
650 |
Thus holped they him, in an habitacle |
|
After the latyn called a cenacle. |
|
|
Who was the cause that duke Naaman
|
|
Was helyd of his foule lypperye
iiii. re .v
|
|
No doute the fayre yonge woman |
655 |
Taken with the robbers of Syrye
|
|
Because she spake and praysed Helysye
|
|
The kynge sent Naaman into Israell
|
|
Where in shorte space he had his heel. |
|
|
¶Who was the fyrst I praye you who |
660 |
That praysed god for vyctorye |
|
After that drent was Pharao
Exodi.
|
|
Loke in the boke of Exodye
|
|
And ye shall fynde it was Mary
|
|
Mary the syster of Aaron
|
665 |
With sounde of tympane she played vpon. |
|
|
What tyme Dauyd, the gloriouse kynge |
|
Aged sore a[n]d febled fast |
|
A vyrgyn toke a tendre thynge
iii. Re .i.
|
|
For no synne, but for he dyd wast |
670 |
Preserued therby, tyll at the last |
|
By very course of naturall kynde |
|
The soule to god he vp resynde. |
|
sig:
D2 |
|
|
Where yonge Abya meke and feble |
|
Had layne longe seke contynually
Ibidem .xiiii.
|
675 |
To knowe yf it were possyble |
|
He shulde recouer or elles dye |
|
The woman was sent this [is] no lye
is] 1542, 1557 omit
|
|
The wyfe I meane of Ieroboas
|
|
Into Sylo was sent to Ahyas. |
|
680 |
¶I praye you who dyd fyrst dyscrye |
|
The euyll entent of Achytophel? |
|
The mayden escryed the conspyracye |
|
Wherby the kynge escaped paryll
ii. Reg .xvii.
|
|
Ionathan and Achymaas she dyd it tell |
685 |
For had it nat be 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 |
690 |
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 lyfe. |
|
|
Who but the woman of Bahurye
|
695 |
Saued the lyfe of Ionathas?
ii Reg .xvii
|
|
If Absalon myght haue come hym by |
|
He neuer had sene Dauid in the face |
|
Neyther his compere Achymaas
|
|
A cursed bo[y]e dyd them discrye
boye] bowe 1542, 1557
|
700 |
A blessed woman kept them secrye. |
|
sig:
[D2v] |
|
|
Had nat ben Abygall
|
|
The gentle wyfe of the churle Nabal
i. Reg .xxv.
|
|
Dauyd had folowed his othe and wyll |
|
And lefte hym nat one great ne small |
705 |
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. |
|
|
And as I remembre good Iosabeth
|
|
Doughter vnto the kynge Ioram
iiii. Re .xi.
|
710 |
Yonge Ioas saued from the deth |
|
Sonne and heyre of Ochezyam
|
|
Where Athalta than wylfully came |
|
Entendynge to haue slayne without pytye |
|
All the kynges progenye. |
|
715 |
¶What tyme the myghty Galadit
Iudi .xi.
|
|
Iepte clepyd by name as I fynde |
|
Agaynst the Amonytes shulde fyght |
|
On god he called with mouth and mynde |
|
And sayde good god my-selfe I bynde |
720 |
Yf I preuayle to offre to the |
|
The fyrste that I mete after vyctorye. |
|
|
Saue one doughter no chylde he had |
|
Whiche whan he came the batyil from |
|
In token that she was of hym glad |
725 |
Her father mette, and welcomed home |
|
An instrument she playde vpon |
|
His vowe remembred than syghed he |
|
Sayenge doughter wo is me for the. |
|
sig:
D3 |
|
|
Answere she made meke and demure |
730 |
Be nothynge heuy father for me |
|
That you haue promysed kepe it sure |
|
And it to fulfyll I am redye |
|
So had nat than the woman be |
|
The man had chaunged parchaunce his entent |
735 |
And falsed 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 |
740 |
The money that she to god behyt |
|
Sent by her sonne to the golde-smyth |
|
Therof to make Sculptile quid. |
|
|
Many and dyuers other there be |
|
Of whom the man example may take |
745 |
As of god Ruth and Neomy
Ruth .i.
|
|
Of her that nother wolde god forsake |
|
Nother ye[t] consent ydolatrye to make
yet] ye 1542, 1557
|
|
But strenghtned her sonnes in nombre seuen |
|
To dye for the lawes of god of heuen.
ii. Machab .vii
|
|
750 |
Great is the prayse of the aunceent |
|
Unto this daye had in memorye |
|
For theyr hye vertues excellent
iii Reg .xxii.
|
|
As fayth, wysdome, and mere pytye
Luce .ii. iii. re .x.
|
|
With fortitude in aduersytye |
755 |
To wytnes the profytes Solda and Anne
|
|
With Saba the quene, to Solomon that came. |
|
sig:
[D3v] |
|
|
The testament newe allso telleth me |
|
After that Chryst these wordes had sayde
Marce .xvi.
|
|
Hely Hely lamazabacani |
760 |
That fayth in man was clere deceyde
Luc .ii.
|
|
In Mary his mother, bothe wyfe and mayde |
|
It neuer fayled, for the femynyne
Ioh .xx.
|
|
In Thomas it fayled for the masculyne. |
|
|
Before also ye shall well fynde |
765 |
The woman was euer prompt and redye |
|
With hole herte and deuoute mynde |
|
Of Chri[s]tes byrth to belyue the mysterye
Christes] Chrites 1542Luce .i.
Luce .i.
|
|
Where-as the [man], olde Zacharye
man] woman 1542, 1557
|
|
Blamed of the Angell, lost his syght |
770 |
Elysabeth him knowleged, euyn furth-ryght. |
|
|
¶Great was the loue of the femynyne |
|
Durynge the daungeour of his passyon
Ioh .xx.
|
|
Recorde therin good Magdalyne
|
|
Whiche neuer backed, but folowed on |
775 |
Where his disciples were fled and gone |
|
Oft the sepulcre she dyd vysyt |
|
And longe there wepynge wolde she syt. |
|
|
She with his compers Maries two
Marce .xvi.
|
|
Salomye and Iacobye with oyles pure |
780 |
For synguler loue they bare him to |
|
Sought hym layde in sepulture |
|
Supposynge theyr oyntementes shulde him recure |
|
For well the rekenynge by his sayenge playne |
|
He wolde reuyue, shortely agayne. |
|
sig:
[D4] |
|
785 |
God hym-selfe prayse to her gaue |
|
At table syttynge for the oyle she spende |
|
And openly the men dyd depraue
Luc .xxi
|
|
Sayde pore haue ye daylye, but I must wende |
|
Her also except he, in mytes that dyd sende |
790 |
In Gazaphilacum, before the ryche man |
|
And Martha lykewyse, that called him goddes sonne. |
|
|
Was nat she playnly full of grace
Acte .ix.
|
|
Thabita the wydowe the pore that fed |
|
Whom Peter by prayer reuyued hase |
795 |
To lyue agayne were she was ded |
|
And she also that nature ledde
iii re .iii.
|
|
Rather her chylde quycke to for_go |
|
Than Salomon shulde part hym in two |
|
|
The wyfe of Pylate dyd pytye more |
800 |
The turnement of our Sauyoure |
|
Than all the men that than there were |
|
The scrybes and the pharisys to there powre
Luc .xxi
|
|
The workes of Chryst blasphemyd eche houre |
|
The woman present sayde I make you ware |
805 |
Blessed be the bely that the bare. |
|
|
¶Whan he arose, this is clere
Math .xxvii. xxviii.
|
|
[To] whom apered he, I praye you fyrst
To] Tho 1542, 1557
|
|
Sure for ought that I can here |
|
To women two, or any man wyst |
810 |
To her that hym with her brest nurst |
|
To Mary_Magdalyne, and bad her go
Ioh .xx.
|
|
And his apostles tell it to. |
|
sig:
[D4v] |
|
|
Seldome I fynde that Chryste dyd blame
Luc .viii
|
|
Any one woman properly |
815 |
Or that any woman so fare past shame |
|
So lytle to set our sauyour by |
|
As Peter did Chryst to denye
Luc .vii.
|
|
Chryst blamed Peter, nowe and than |
|
For lacke of fayth, and called hym Sathan. |
|
820 |
And where Scribes malycyouslye |
|
Brought vnto him adulteram |
|
The woman he saued, gratiouslye |
|
Wrote in the dust, to the mennes shame |
|
Do no more women, sayde he the same
Iohan .viii.
|
825 |
Nowe tell me playne yf ye so can |
|
Dyd he euer lyke myracle for any man. |
|
|
¶The woman also of Cananye
|
|
Whose doughter possest was of a deuyll |
|
Seased nat on Chryst to crye |
830 |
Her doughter to hele of that sore yuyll
Math .xv.
|
|
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.
|
835 |
And also vpon the Saboth day |
|
Helyd the woman gracyouslye |
|
Eyghtene yeres longe that sore syke laye |
|
And mekely dyd the Samaritane praye |
|
Water to drawe hym out of the stone
Iohan .iiii.
|
840 |
Where-of the man he asked none. |
|
sig:
E1 |
|
|
And also at the womans request |
|
Bycause they lacked necessarye
Iohan .ii.
|
|
Turned water to wyne at the feast |
|
Kept in Cana_Galylye
|
845 |
At the instaunce of Martha or Mary
|
|
He raysed Lazar hole and sounde |
|
Foure dayes buryed vnder-grounde. |
|
|
¶Where-as he wepte full tenderly
Ioh .xi.
|
|
To the woman that hym ofte fed |
850 |
Martha the one the other Mary
|
|
Wepe and bywayle theyr brother deed |
|
As far forth yet as euer I rede |
|
I can nat fynde that he dyd make |
|
Any lyke sorowe for the mannes sake. |
|
855 |
And ouer that the treuth dothe proue |
|
The sayenge of Luke who-so well wayth
Luce .viii.
|
|
It was a very sclender loue |
|
And a lesse token of any fayth |
|
In the man the Euangelyst sayth |
860 |
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 |
865 |
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. |
|
sig:
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|
|
The churche mylytant dothe ones yerely |
870 |
A_leuen thousande vyrgins halowe in one |
|
So many of men I can nat espye |
|
Sythe tyme the worlde fyrst begon |
|
All-be-it they were nat women echone |
|
Yet for the woman was pryncypall |
875 |
Lyke name is gyuen vnto them all. |
|
|
I rede of seuen slepynge men |
|
And also of .iiii. coronate |
|
Nowe two and thre, of thousandes ten |
|
Of one alone with his associate |
880 |
Of forte knyghtes martyryzate |
|
But of a .xi. thousande neuer |
|
Coulde I fynde as yet togyther. |
|
|
¶All-be-it there be of the infant state |
|
Of innocentes I meane many one |
885 |
Yet haue these vyrgyns immaculate |
|
If any comparyson may be therto |
|
More mede of god, I suppose so |
|
These vyrgi[n]s for god dyed wyllyngly |
|
The infantes by force and knewe nat why |
|
890 |
Moche other thynges aledged myght be |
|
Auctorysed by holy wryt |
|
Besydes muche more in poyetrye |
|
In sondry metyrs craftely knyt |
|
Which onely I pur[po]se to omyt
purpose] purse 1542, purpose 1557
|
895 |
Oneles it be of two or of thre |
|
To wrytte them all it wyll nat be |
|
sig:
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|
|
¶As fyrst of Lucres the noble wyfe
Ouid. in fast. li. primi. August. de ci. li.
|
|
A myrrour to all other of goostly fame |
|
Whiche wylfully with a small knyfe |
900 |
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 |
905 |
By Coriolane then exulate
Valar. li. primo
|
|
So that no man durst ons pere out |
|
For fere of lesynge of his pate |
|
Ueturia badde open the gate |
|
Her armes cast crosse, her heer to_rent |
910 |
Most wofully forth thus she went. |
|
|
Large were the teres that from her eyes ran |
|
Her brestes before hym when she dysplayde |
|
Beholde she sayde thou vnkynde man |
|
Thy natural mother thus wretche[d]ly arayde
wretchedly] wretchely 1542, 1557 |
915 |
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 memorye |
|
A lawe forthwith the Romyanes let make |
920 |
From that daye forwarde to the femynyne |
|
Eche man shulde bowe for Ueturys sake |
|
Graunted also that the woman myght take |
|
To her attyre broche, owche, or rynge |
|
Ueluet purple or any other thynge. |
|
sig:
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|
925 |
Where-as before through quene Uasthye
Hester .i
|
|
All honour was take the woman fro |
|
By reason of her obstynacye |
|
In dysobeyinge kynge Assuero
|
|
Nowe was restored with moche more to |
930 |
Many men saued that myght haue ben slay[n]e |
|
And the cytie set franke fre agayne. |
|
|
Whan Portia harde that Brute was deed
Mart. li. i. epigre
|
|
Lenger to lyue no houre thought she |
|
Ete brennynge coles as fast as breed |
935 |
Bycause she coulde no knyfe come by |
|
In moche lyke case Penelope
Ouid. eplar. li. primo.
|
|
To put of weddynge tyll Ulyxes came home |
|
Untwyned at nyght that in the daye she spone. |
|
|
¶And as it cometh vnto my mynde |
940 |
Of one hystorye catholycall |
|
Whiche almost clene was lefte behynde |
|
As nothynge worthy memoryall
Daniel .xiii.
|
|
That one remembred conclude I shall |
|
The hystory I meane of good Susan
|
945 |
Falsly accused by the man. |
|
|
Attempt she was of rybaldes two |
|
With them to haue dealed, she nolde consent |
|
They her accused, and sayde she had ado |
|
With a yonge man, and shulde be brent |
950 |
God knowe the woman innocent |
|
And caused the infant Danyell
|
|
To speke to the people and the treuth tell. |
|
sig:
E3 |
|
|
A babe to speke was a straunge maruell |
|
The people assembled on euery syde |
955 |
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. |
|
960 |
¶Whiche thynges remembred with other mo |
|
That myght parchaunce enlarge this boke |
|
Estates comenly where I go |
|
Trust theyr wyues to ouer_loke |
|
Baker, brewer, butler, and coke |
965 |
With other all, man medleth no whytte |
|
Bycause the woman hathe quycker wytte. |
|
|
My lady must receyue and paye |
|
And euery man in his offyce controll |
|
And to eche cause gyue ye and nay |
970 |
Bargayne and bye and set all sole |
|
By indenture other by court roll |
|
My lady must ordre thus all-thynge |
|
Or small shal be the mannes wynnynge |
|
|
A further profe herein as yet |
975 |
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 |
980 |
Bycause they be no fyghters at all. |
|
sig:
[E3v] |
|
|
¶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 |
985 |
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 |
|
O[r]dre thy-selfe accordyngly
Ordre] Oodre 1542, Ordre 1557
|
|
Set nought by hym that dothe the rede |
|
In case he warble the to denye |
5 |
Nat one so good but 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 arte |
10 |
Set for to be in hye honour |
|
In myddes of the hole femynyne herte |
|
Nexte god they wyll all take thy parte |
|
Hyll the with sylke and lymme the with golde |
|
Nowe passe on thy way thou mayst be bolde. |
|
15 |
Glory be thy garment so worthy thou arte |
|
Of syluer thy claspes, and of fyne golde |
|
So true is thy processe in euery parte |
sig:
[E4] |
|
|
In the hye Ierarchye thou may be enrolde |
|
None other lyke the that euer was solde |
20 |
Hyghest of all other in trueth is thy dytye |
|
Lygth where thou shalte nowe farewell from me. |
|
|
Yf question be moued who is thyne authour |
|
Be nat addrad to vtter his name |
|
Say Edwarde_Gosynhyll toke the labour |
25 |
For womanhede the for to frame |
|
Call hym thyne authour, do nat asshame |
|
Thankes lokes he none for, yet wold he be glad |
|
A staffe to stande by that all women had. |
|
Thus endeth this frutfull treatese of the prease of women called Mulierum Pean. Imprynted at London in Fletestrete at the sygne of the George by me Wyllyam_Myddylton.
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|
¶CVM PRIVILEGIO AD IM[PR]IMENDV[M]IMPRIMENDVM] IMRPIMENDVN 1542 SOLVM.
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[E4v] |
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