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CHAP.
2 7 2 Of the condition and manners of women. Book IIII
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CHAP. XIII.
Of the nature, condition and manners of women-, and why that fex being angry u more violent than men are , and will [cold more outragioufly and -vs overborn by many other ajjeBions and pafsions -3 and by the way, what is the meaning of that faying of the wife Hebrew , The iniquity of a man is better than a woman that doth well ,
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THe wickednefle of feme women is the caufe that not onely Stage-Players, and Poets, Oratorsand Philofophers, who knew not the true Religion , but alio Wife men , Jews , and Pro-
mmm mfp. P1*15 3 rwh° had ab“ndfce °,f the knowledge of God , do in many fan again (l by places ipeak againltand condemn women , and that defer vedly * aliwmtrs. though they are not all of them of the fame ftrain , nor are they alike bitter and unfavoury. For there are fome Matrons, who by the benefit of education, are fo adorned with many great virtues , that tiiey are not fhort of the beft men , nor are they inferiour unto 1 them: though the promi'fcuous multitude and the multiplicity of
women be fhamelcffe,foolifh, fierce, and imperious, even toward Kings, flippery, various, routable; and as for luft.of the fiefh , and picalurc ti icy are infatiable , and can never have enpugh though they be tired out with it, yet fome of thefe are more prone and addi&ed to thele affections. But fince fo many vices of this fex are wont to be obferved every where, and many that are marryed complain of the nature and condition of their Wives, and v make their pirifull relationsunto others of the indignities they fuf-
' V ferby rhcm 3 which §ivcs occafion to fometo abhor this kind of
Tlie fnconvm , Fife , arid they rather withdraw themfelves from the intimate ences of Mam- company and fociety of women , which others are forced to en- age‘ ^ ure , being tedio.us, irkfome , querulous, bicter,fierce, and muft
bear their threatnings , and imperious behaviour.
But fince the order of nature, and necelfiry of living , and the all ' love a man ham, and propenfion to propagate his like to fticcced him, that I c may provide for pofterity , that he may procure a companion and fellow-helper , they do, wifely that marry, that they may plefantlyand vvichdelighc palfeover this tranfitory life * in an undivided focicty, and mutual confint of fouls and bodies. For the condition of mans life requires it, unlefle nature becUan again ft it , and the conftitution and ftate of the body cannot away GeLl, i. e, c. with ir.
Mctelltis^ To this5 belongs the fpeech of Metellm of Numidia , which the fpeech of Man commended , wherewith he exhorred the Citizens, left
rying a wife, the Commonwealth fhould decay, that every man fhould prefent- ly take him a Wife ; For\, iaith he , if we could lead our lives without a Wife, all men would willingly defire to be freed of that trouble and inconvenience ; but fince Nature hath fo or- dained it , that we cannot live fo happily with them , nor can we live by any means without them, we muft take care for the per- d . petual
Chap. 13
Concerning Women .
273
pctualfafety whereby the Common-wealth may fub lilt , than for our own fhort-during pleafure. And if the office of a woman in fyoufhold affairs affords.grcat ufe , and profit for fuch as are well and ftrong ; truly the ufe of a woman is very neceflary and more requifite for fuch as are lick. For as the Wife man faith, Where *tcle- *6‘ there is no hedge the pofleflion is taken away ; and where there is no woman , the Tick man laments, who wants the help of another, and muft be fupported by the Office of one to attend him* A faith- full Wife will be very diligent to take care for him , and for her family, and her whole thoughts are faftned upon her husband, fo that ifhefuftainany inconvenience, if any calamity fall upon him, if he be Tick , or fad, ihe will defire to take the greateft part of the calamity upon her felfe , for {he grieves no lefs for her Ioffes or croffes than fhe doth for her own, which proceeds from the mu- &n. tuall confent and agreement of their fouls, and bodies , whereby of two they come to be as it were but one body 5 Horace writes know¬ ingly of it.
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Thrice happy they and more , Odt, 13.
who being wedded hold ,
Whofe love ne*re ends before ,
Heath , nor do brawl and [cold*
But daily examples teftify that women are fubje& to all paflions and perturbations , and that they will be cruelly angry and mad , bflt * ****$•• When there is little or no caufe for it , and that the diffemper and rage of a woman is no lefle, than is the diffemper of the Ayre and theClowds, when they are exafperated with Thunder and Light¬ ning, which, beffdes others that were defirous of wifdome, the He¬ brews found true by their daily ufe and courfe oflife , as we find it abundantly fet down in their writings. For I think that by theic daily familiarity andconverfation in the houfe with them,they had found and learned , what a wicked and malitious woman will do , if at any time {he be angry or provoked > what Tragedies {he will caufe , and how violently {he will rage and ftorme. For fo one of % y
them amongff the reft continues hisfpeech, taking a fimilitude from venemoiisand pernicious beads. Give me any plague , but the thing creatm blague of the heart , and any wickednefj e, but the wickednefj e of a woman\ there is no head above the head of a Serpent , no anger exceeds the anger of a woman, I had rather dwell with a Lyon and a dragon , than to keep houfe with a wicked woman . But fince a woman came forth and was made out of man, a pleafing, gentle, tame, meek, tender, fmooth , beardlefle, foft skinned creature , and that defires to be handled by man, and to be fubjeft to him, one would wonder whence it is that wynte wme^ (he is become fo cruel, and alwaies fcolding and brawling , and is btemefe, frail* fo unbridled in her affections. But I conjecture that all this pro¬ ceeds from weaknefle of mind , and lack of judgement in women * whence it happens that a woman enraged, is beffdes her felfe, and bath not power over her felfe, fothat fhe cannot rule her paflions,
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274
Of the nature of Women.