Politeuphuia VVits common wealth.

Of Women.

Defi. VVomen, beeing of one & the selfe same substance with man, are what man is, only so much more imperfect as they are created the weaker vessels.

WOmens sorrowes are eyther too ex∣treame, not to bee redressed, or else tricked vp with dissimulation, not to be be∣leeued.

VVho findes constancie in a woman, findes all things in a woman.

VVomen are to be measured by theyr ver∣tues, not by theyr beauties.

VVomen in theyr wills are peremptory, & in theyr aunswers sharpe; yet like Faulcons they will stoop•• to a gaudy lure.

VVomens tongues pearce as deepe as their eyes.

VVomens smiles are more of custome then of curtesie.

He that trusteth to the loue of vvomen, re∣sembleth him that thinks trees will not leaue their leaues in Autumne.

VVomens eyes shed teares both of sorrowe and dissimulation.

VVomen are vvonders of nature, if they wrong not nature.

VVomen were admirable Angels, if they would not be drawne with Angels to become deuils.

A woman once made equall with man, be∣commeth his superiour.

VVomen be of right tender condition, they will complaine for a small cause, and for lesse will rise vp into great pride.

VVomen haue chast eyes when they haue wanton thoughts, & chast lookes when they harbour lasciuious wishes.

Like as no man can tell where a shooe wrin∣geth him, better then hee that weares it, so no man can tell a womans disposition better thē he that hath wedded her. Mar. Aur.

There is no creature that more desireth ho∣nour and worse keepeth it then a woman.

Beauty in the faces of women, and folly in their heads, be two wormes that fretteth lyfe

and wasteth goods.

VVomen for a litle goodnes look for great praise, but for much euill no chastisement.

VVomen are so extreame in all head-long extreamities, that with a little fauor they wil exalt, augment, and growe into great pryde, & with a little disfauour they grow into great hatred.

A fierce beast, and a perrilous enemy to the Common-wealth, is a wicked woman, for she is of much power to doe great harme, and is not apt to follow any goodnes.

The Eagle when he soareth neerest the sun, houers for a pray; the Salamander is most warme when he lieth from the fire, and a wo∣man most hart-hollow when she is most lip∣holy.

Though women seeme chast, yet they may secretly delight in change, and though theyr countenaunce be coy to all, yet their consci∣ence may be curteous to some one.

VVomen in mischiefe are wiser then men.

VVomen by nature, are more pittifull then men; but being mooued to anger, they be∣come more enuious then a Serpent, more malicious then a tyrant, and more deceitfull then the deuill. Socrates.

VVomen haue their tongues at will, theyr

countenance at commaund, and their oathes at pleasure.

VVomen that are chast when they are tru∣sted, proue wantons when they are causelesse suspected.

It is the property of a woman, to couet most for that which is most denied her.

Virgins harts are like Cotten-trees, vvhose fruite is so hard in the budde, that it soundeth like steele, & being ripe put sorth, is nothing but wooll.

As it is naturall to women, to despise that which is offered, so it is death to them to be denied that which they demaund.

VVomens harts are full of holes, apt to re∣ceaue, but not to retaine.

He that can abide a curst wise, neede not to feare what company he liueth in.

Like as to a shrewd horse belongeth a sharp bridle, so ought a curst wife to bee sharplie handled. Plato.

The Closets of womens thoughts are euer open, & the depth of their harts hath a string that stretcheth to their tongues end,

VVomen are like to Fortune standing vpon a globe, winged with the fethers of sicklenes.

The rule for a vvife to liue by, is her hus∣band, if he be obedient to the lawes publique.

The eyes of women are framed by Art to enamour, and their tongues by nature to in∣chaunt.

VVomen clothed with faire apparell, desire to see, and to be seene.

VVomens faces are lures, theyr beauties ba••••es, theyr lookes nets, and theyr vvordes inticing charmes.

A hard fauoured woman, renowned for her chastitie, is more to be honoured then shee that is inconstant, though neuer so famous for her beauty.

As there is no svvorde made of steele but it hath yron, no fire made of vvood but it hath smoake, nor any vvine made of grapes, but it hath lees, so there is no vvoman created of flesh, but she hath some faults. Crates.

A faire woman vnconstant, may be resem∣bled to the coūterfeit which Praxiteles made of Flora, before the which, if one stood direct∣ly, it seemed to weepe, if on the left side, it see∣med to laugh, if on the right side, to sleepe.

VVomens wits are like Shefielde kniues, which sometimes are so sharpe that they will cut a hayre, & other-whiles so blunt that they must goe to the grind-stone.

If women be beautifull, they are to be won with prayses; if coy, with prayers; if proud,

with gifts; if couetous, with promises.

A vvoman of good lyfe, feareth no man with an euill tongue.

A faire harlot is a sweet poyson.

VVomen oft in their loues resemble the A∣poticaries in their arts, who choose the weeds for theyr shops, when they leaue the fayrest flowers in the garden.

The wiser sort of women are cōmonly tick∣led with selfe-loue.

The affections of women are alwayes fette∣red, eyther with outward beautie, or inward bounty.

Tiresias and Caeneus were both men and wo∣men, who being demaunded whether men or women were most subiect to loue; answered, that the Armes which Venus gaue in her shield was sufficient to discusse the doubt: meaning, that as Doues, vvho are Venus darlings, are more prone to lust then any other fowles, so women are more subiect vnto loue, then any other mortall creature.

VVomens harts and theyr tongues are not Relatiues.

A faire woman with foule conditions, is like a sumptuous sepulcher full of rotten bones.

Trust not a wanton eye in a vvoman, for it hath cōmonly a whorish hart anexed with it.

A woman that hath been married to many, can hardly please many.

It is a womanlik part to be furious in anger.

An honest woman beeing beautifull, doth kill young men with her countenance.

A womans minde is vncertaine, it hath as many newe deuices as a tree hath leaues, for she is alwaies desirous of change, and sildom loueth him hartily with whom she hath been long conuersant.

Trust not a woman when she weepeth, for it is her nature to weepe when shee wanteth her will. Socrates.

Silence in a woman is a speciall vertue.

A woman that hath no dowry to marry her, ought to haue vertue to adorne her.

A vvoman in her wit, is pregnable, in her smile, deceaueable, in her frowne, reuengea∣ble, in her death, acceptable.

A faire, beautifull, and chast woman, is the perfect workmanship of God, the true glory of Angels, the rare miracle of earth, and the sole wonder of the world.

That man which is married to a peaceable and vertuous woman, beeing on earth, hath attained heauen, being in want, hath attained wealth, beeing in woe, hath attained weale, being in care, hath attained comfort.

Faemina nulla bona est, vel si bona contigit vlli:

Nescio quo fato res mala facta bona est.

Nisi sermonum optima semina mulieres susci∣piunt, et participes eruditionis virorum fiant: absurda mvlta praua{que} consilia at{que} cogitationes, et affectus malos pariunt.

Plutar.