To all vertuous Ladies Honou∣rable or Worshipfull, and to all other of Heuahs sex fearing God, and leuing their iust reputation, grace and peace through Christ, to eternall glory.

IT was the similie of that wise and learned Lactantius, that if fire, though but with a small sparke kindled, bee not at the first quenched, it may worke great mischiefe and dammage: So likewise may the scandals and defamations of the malevolent in time proue pernitious, if they bee not nipt in the head at their first appea∣rance. The consideration of this (right Honou∣rable and Worshipfull Ladies) hath incited me (though yong, and the vnworthiest of thou∣sands) to encounter with a furious enemy to our sexe, least if his vniust imputations should con∣tinue without answere, he might insult and ac∣count himselfe a victor; and by such a conceit deale, as Historiographers report the viper to doe, who in the Winter time doth vomit forth her poyson, and in the spring time sucketh the same vp againe, which becommeth twise as Page  [unnumbered] deadly as the former: And this our pestiferous enemy, by thinking to prouide a more deadly poyson for women, then already he hath foa∣med forth, may euaporate, by an addition vnto his former illeterate Pamphlet (intituled The Arraignement of Women) a more contagious ob∣trectation then he hath already done, and in∣deed hath threatned to doe. Secondly, if it should have had free passage without any an∣swere at all (seeing that Tacere is, quasi consen∣tire) the vulgar ignorant might haue beleeued his Diabolicall infamies to be infallible truths, not to bee infringed; whereas now they may plainely perceiue them to bee but the scumme of Heathenish braines, or a building raised without a foundation (at least from sacred Scripture) which the winde of Gods truth must needs cast downe to the ground. A third reason why I haue aduentured to fling this stone at vaunting Goliah is, to comfort the mindes of all Heuahs sex, both rich and poore, learned and vnlearned, with this Antidote, that if the feare of God reside in their hearts, mau∣gre all aduersaries, they are highly esteemed and accounted of in the eies of their gracious Redeemer, so that they need not feare the darts of enuy or obtrectators: For shame and dis∣grace (saith Aristotle) is the end of them that shoote such poysoned shafts. Worthy there∣fore of imitation is that example of Seneca, who when he was told that a certaine man did Page  [unnumbered] exclaime and raile against him, made this milde answere; Some dogs barke more vpon custome then curstnesse; and some speake euill of others, not that the defamed deserue it, but because through custome and corruption of their hearts they cannot speake well of any. This I alleage as a paradigmatical patterne for all women, noble & ignoble to follow, that they be not enflamed with choler against this our enraged aduersarie, but patiently consider of him according to the portraiture which he hath drawne of himselfe, his Writings being the very embleme of a monster.

This my briefe Apologie (Right Honoura∣ble and Worshipfull) did I enterprise, not as thinking my selfe more fit then others to vnder∣take such a taske, but as one, who not percei∣uing any of our Sex to enter the Lists of en∣countring with this our grand enemy among men, I being out of all feare, because armed with the truth, which though often blamed, yet can neuer be shamed, and the Word of Gods Spirit, together with the example of vertues Pupils for a Buckler, did no whit dread to com∣bate with our said malevolent aduersarie. And if in so doing I shall bee censured by the iudici∣ous to haue the victorie, and shall haue giuen content vnto the wronged, I haue both hit the marke whereat I aymed, and obtained that prize which I desired. But if Zoilus shall adiudge me presumptuous in Dedicating this my Chiro∣graph Page  [unnumbered] vnto personages of so high ranke; both because of my insufficiency in literature and tendernesse in yeares: I thus Apologize for my selfe; that seeing the Bayter of Women hath ope∣ned his mouth against noble as well as ignoble, against the rich as well as the poore; therefore meete it is that they should be ioynt spectators of this encounter: And withall in regard of my imperfection both in learning and age, I need so much the more to impetrate patronage from some of power to sheild mee from the biting wrongs of Momus, who oftentimes setteth a rankling tooth into the sides of truth. Where∣fore I being of Decius his mind, who deemed himselfe safe vnder the shield of Caesar, haue pre∣sumed to shelter my selfe vnder the wings of you (Honourable personages) against the per∣secuting heate of this fierie and furious Dra∣gon; desiring that you would be pleased, not to looke so much ad opus, as ad animum: And so not doubting of the fauourable acceptance and censure of all vertuously affected, I rest