CHAP. 2.

THis is that blazing light which vir∣tue like another Hero, setteth vp in the face of Women, as in the turret of hir ha∣bitation, to guide thereby the course of those generous and heroicall Leanders, who being enamoured of hir faire de∣sarts, cannot brooke that the threates and menaces of a rebellious fortune should hinder them from repayring to hir lodge, or that any other disastrous ac∣cidents whatsoeuer, should preuent their affection from making a personall presentment of their seruice, to so sweete and heauenly a mistrisse: It is the onely harbinger, which prouideth a resting place both for hir and hirs, whithersoe∣uer they doe goe: it is the loade-stone of Page  13 all hearts; and in a word, a loade-starre to all eyes. Beasts onely cannot discerne it, and let them bee in the role of beasts that doe not honour it.

The force thereof is such, as hath en∣forced the greatest conquerours to sub∣mit their glory, and to cast the trophies of their victories, as ensignes of their subiection at hir feete. Sampson, who like another Atlas could carrie cities on his shoulders, and by the vigour of his arme which serued him as an armie, both con∣front and confound the batalions of his vncircumcised enemies; did notwith∣standing this his more then naturall strength, become an homager to hir. Sa∣lomon for all his wisedome was made hir liegeman; and Dauid who in his youth had ouercome the Lion and the Beare, and did afterwards vanquish that prodi∣gious Philistim, the thunder of whose Threats proclaimed nothing but terrour and amasement to the Israelites: vpon the sight of Bershabe, & that at a sufficient di∣stance, was captiuated by hir comelinesse. Page  14 Darius may be so great in power, that all regions may feare to touch him. Yet A∣pame his concubine will dare to take the crowne from his head, and set it vpon hir own. If she strike him, he must be patient, & when she any way distasteth him, seek by flatteries and smooth insinuations to worke his reconcilement. 1. Esdr. 4. v. 30.

What should I tell you how Achil∣les doted on his Brisis? or how Alcides was enthralled to his Omphale? The very Gods themselues, if any credit may bee giuen to the fictions of Antiquitie, haue acknowledged by their submission, a greater deity in womens faces, then their owne. Beautie euen in the capitoll of heauen hath hung vp many monuments of hir conquests. And hence it may bee, grew that speech of Leonidas, who, when he beheld an image of Venus armed, said, it was more then needed, considering how, when shee was naked, and altoge∣ther vnprouided of such steely comple∣ment, she had subdued Mars himselfe. It is not then for any mortall eye to with∣stand Page  15 the fiercenesse of hir assault. Virtue it selfe can bee no armour of proofe a∣gainst hir shot.

Arcesilaus an auncient statuarie, to re∣present the fulnes of hir power vnto vs, made a Lionesse of marble, and about it many little beauteous Cupids, sporting themselues therewith in sundrie man∣ners. Some made it drink out of a horne, some put shooes vpon the feete of it: some tied it with ropes vnto a stake: all of them according to their seuerall hu∣mours made it the subiect of their de∣lightfull pastime. The beast transported as it were with the fairenesse of those ob∣iects, Page  16 seemed to forget hir sauage nature, and to ioy in the course of their procee∣dins. And surely it hath often hapned that beautie hath abated the edge of fu∣ric; & set a milde aspect vpon the face of crueltie. She hath forced tyranny many times to alter his rougher dialect, and to vtter silken words at hir entreatie.

Yet euen this in women (and in them alone of all the creatures in this world in hath hir chiefest perfection) standeth lia∣ble to scandall, Enuie maketh it a pro∣uerbe, that If she be faire, she must be foolish but the spirit of truth confuteth it as a Page  17 popular vntruth, with the example of Sarah, who notwithstanding hir excel∣lencie in this kinde was such, as had so set on fire the heart of Abimeleck, that if God himself had not interposed his authoritie, shee must haue beene of necessitie the spoile and prey of his intemperancy; was endued besides with such an extraordi∣narie measure of knowledge and discre∣tion, that the Lord commanded that worthy Patriarch hir husband to shew himselfe in all things obedient to hir di∣rections. Ester by meanes of both pre∣uailed so far with King Assuerus, that she deliuered hir people from the merciles proiects of their oppressors, and made them fall into the snares, which they had laid for others.

What should I speake of Iudith, or of Deborah? the one so famous for the deli∣uerance which shee procured hir coun∣trie: the other for the prudent gouerne∣ment, whereby she did long protect it? both of them notwithstanding most re∣markeable for their eminencie in both. Page  18 I could leuie infinite examples out of the writings of prophaner au∣thors to conuince this errour; but I see, that euen common sense doth giue it the fatall blow. For indeede, where should we looke for knowledge, but in hir whose first ambition was the height of knowledge.

It is not vsuall for any to couet, what they doe not conceit. The silly Paisant regardeth a pearle no more than Esops Cocke, because hee knoweth not the vse thereof. The Queene of Shebas repairing to king Salomon, gaue Israel an ample te∣stimony of hir vnderstanding.

But if according to that Tuscanphrase, tutto vain scorza, all be in the barke, and nothing in the bodie; If there bee onely a superficiall tincture, an outward dye, not woaded with any graces or abilities, which might colour it in graine, this San∣ctuarie will afford them no protection. I must liken them my selfe vnto a ragged wall, whose deformities are hidden with some curious peice of hanging: or to Page  19 those carriages of state, which are coue∣red ouer with embroidered sumpter∣clothes, when the loading consisteth of nothing peraduenture but lome and rub∣bish; or last of all to a stately building, which putteth the weary trauailer a farre off, in minde of some great inhabitant, but when he draweth neere vnto it, hee findes there is onely some poore decrepit beldame, and hir curre, residing in it. As a iewell of gold in a swines snout, saith the mouth of Wisdome, so is a faire Woman, which is without discretion. Prou. 11. 13,

Olympias derided a lustie Gallant of hir Court, who had matched himselfe, as she well vnderstood, with one of the loulier hew, but looser crew, and said, that if he had beene a creature endued with reason he would neuer haue made his eyes the instruments of his contraction.

Venus was seldome pictured without the graces by hir. Antiquitie held them for hir true and faithfull assistants, with∣out whom she would not willingly doe any thing. Hereupon it is reported, that Page  20 when Paris was to reward hir with the due price of hir perfections, shee did not onely summon them, but Hymenaeus, Cupid, and all hir little louekins, to come and deliuer their opinion & their coun∣saile in that businesse. And out of questi∣on where these are wanting Beautie is but imposture. It is the diuels masking∣suite, wherewith impietie and impuritie doe many times disguise themselues. Yea whensoeuer the spirit of darknesse would seeme an angell of light, he findeth not in all his ward robe a fitter habit. There are many though, which make this the onely ground of their affections; and which, like little babies, so the couer of booke be gay, respect not the contents. But alas! they suffer themselues to bee guided by an Ignis fatuus, which with∣out much warinesse will leade them to their owne distruction. The loue of beau∣tie argueth a lacke of reason, and com∣meth as Saint Hierom saith within an inch of madnesse. Wisdome will neuer be de∣luded Page  21 with these appearances; so the li∣ning be good, let the outside be what it will. She knoweth that the foule to ade may haue a faire stone in his head, that the fine gold is found many times in the filthie earth; and that the sweete kernell lieth often in a hard shel. Yet I must needs say with the Poet.

That virtue liketh hir much better, when she findes it in a comely lodging, then when she is bound to seeke it in an ill fauoured creature, like a pearle in a dunghill. Such as would bee protected here therefore, must produce their war∣rant. If they be black without, they must make it appeare by their manners and behauiour that they be beautifull with∣in; and so on the contrary, if they bee spotlesse in body, that they be spitelesse in minde; if they be faire as the moone, that they be likewise pure as the sunne, or it will aduantage them but little, to make this the refuge of their safetie. She that hath a faire body, but a foule minde, is like vnto him that hath a good Ship, but Page  22 an ill Pilot. The period of that Panegy∣ricke, which was penned by the Psalmist in praise of the kings daughter, was this, That she was all glorious within. And surely in such as are not so, neither beauty, nor embroiderie can iustly challenge the name of ornaments.

It is not purple, needle-worke, or pre∣cious stones that must adorne and beau∣tifie a woman.

These be arguments of hir wealth, not of hir worth, and get hir nothing but a popular applause.

Ill gestures defile good garments, but virtuous conditions are a rich lyning to a meane outside. If she would therefore be the subiect of discreeter admiration, shee must esteeme these accessory ad∣iuncts, no better, then did Lysander those iewels and costlier tyres, with which the tyrant of Sicilie did court the loue and af∣fection of his daughters. She must eye them with no greater respect, then shee Page  23 would the trappings of a horse, which adde not to the goodnesse of the beast, that beareth them; and weare them not so much for fame as for fashion. Virtue must be hir chiefest garnish. Beautie may procure delight, but it will hardly pur∣chase loue, vnlesse temperancie and mo∣destie, like two iudiciall Schoole-mistres∣ses, haue the fashioning of hir carriage and conuersation.

And so from hence will I now turne the course of my discourse, and come to speake a little of their Chastitie, a thing excellent in many, yet traduced by the most. For behold, Hylax in limine latrat, I heare it closely pursued with hue and crie, euen in the very entrance.

Which harsher censures, whether they proceeded from the discontented hu∣mours of these particular persons onely whose feete well felt where the shoe did wring them; or from a generall depra∣uation rather of thosetimes, I know not.

With these the Satyrist giueth vp his verdict, & finding chastity for the rarenes of it in those ruder times, as prodigious as either a milke-white Rauen, or a cole∣blacke swanne, examineth such as goe a∣bout to wiue, what hellish furies they be which driue them to it; and wondereth that any, considering the world affor∣deth such infinite store of neck-ties, so many loftie turrets, and deeper wels, should endure to yoke themselues to the vicious imperfections of a creature so las∣ciuious and imperious.

But out of doubt, these are not the le∣gitimate children of a staied conceit. Ie∣lousie that adulterate & spurious brat of loue and feare, was their onely sire: and indeede this is a monster, which neuer looketh vpon virtue, but with a froward and suspicious eye. It resembleth in effect the Iuie, which doth alwaies hurt that most, which it most embraceth. Such as haue it in their braine, wil not be perswa∣ded, but that which affordeth pleasure to themselues, doth giue the like content∣ment to others. Bassa Ionuses, who with hissword, as with a pen of steele drew the conueighances, which did enstate his Soueraigne Selymus the first in the terri∣tories and dominions of the Mamalukes, became so desperately enamoured of the beauteous Lady Manto, by birth a Graeci∣an, but by the chance of warre his priso∣ner, that he did not onely admit hir to his board, but of his captiue made hir in a Page  29 while the lawfull partner of his bed. And for a time they so delighted in each o∣thers loue, that as the Poet said of Cepha∣lus and Procris.

But desart we know is the fewell of de∣sire; and good, whether it bee sensible, or such as reason leadeth vs to seeke; is loues sollicitor. It is the generall obiect of each mans appetite, of each mans will, and therefore they which possesse it; are no lesse totmented with feare, then they which yet pursue it. It is a treasure, which the more they ioy in, the lesse secure they grow of their enioying. They are prone to beleeue, that what their owne Page  30 palate doth like, cannot but like anothers Witnesse this worthy Souldier, who by doting on his Mantos face, began to doubt of hir faith.

Yet in the end he suffered himself to be so farre transported with this frensie, that like a glutton, who fearing that any shold wrong his mawe by intercepting the dish it most delighted in, catcheth at it so rashly, and so roughly, that through his inciuility he beguileth himselfe, and plea∣sureth onely the earth with the purchase of his greedinesse; hee altered quite the scene of his proceedings. His words were now not accented with love, as before∣time they had beene. He vnaceustomed himselfe to Cupids dialect, and neuer vt∣tered Page  31 his minde vnto hir but in a tragicall and churlish key. To bee briefe, his rage could finde no rest, till such time as hau∣ing chosen his weapon for the Physitian of his Furie, hir purer bloud was made a purging Potion for his Iealousie. Many to the great impeachment of Womens worth haue bin sicke of the like distem∣perature. Their Vnderstanding hath had no Tutor, but their owne idle Fancie, which hath setled in them such erroneous opinions, that what through preiudice and passionate Affections, they will by no meanes bee perswaded that Honestie and Beautie can euer harbour vnder one roofe; but that there is so great an Anti∣pathie betwixt them, that like Castor and Pollux, they shew not their motions to∣gether in one Spheare. And here they instance their assertions vpon that fire∣brand of Greece, which being brought to Troy, did set it on a flame; and for better confirmation of their heresie produce that saying of the Poet,

But those alas must be very narrow eyde, who if a Gnat but spread his wing betwixt them and the Sunne, doe thinke it is eclipsed.

One drop of poyson cannot infect the Ocean, though a little leauen may per∣aduenture sower a great lumpe. It were ridiculous for any man to contemne the Rose because there is a prickle in the bush or neglect the Corne, because there is some cockle in the Barne.

As there is often a Mars his heart in a Page  33 Cupids body; so may we many times dis∣couer a Diana apparelled in the garments of Venus. Witnesse Sarah, Rebekah, Ra∣chell & Susanna, with diuers others which stand vpon record in the Court-roles of Heauen for their vnmatchable perfecti∣on in either kinde. I could bring both Lu∣crece and Penelope vpon this Stage, and make their well knowne worthinesse the pampering foode of my discourse, but I will omit to speake of them: as likewise of hir, whose husband, it may be, comming somewhat neere the lips of his mistrisse, and finding himselfe denide the comple∣ment of his desire, because his breath was noisome and vnsauourie, came home and blamed his wife, for hauing neuer in∣formed him of that defect: when shee, good soule, out of hir chast simplicity re∣plide, She knew not but that al mens mouths had smelt like his. The daughter of Ericus, Gouernour of Calcis, the chiefe towne in the Island of Eubaea, being taken by the Turkes, was for hir extraordinary beauty, as the choisest part of all the spoile, pre∣sented Page  34 vnto Mahomet the second, whom when hee could neither by threats, nor flatteries conforme to his desires, he most inhumanely commanded to be slaine.

But non est admirationi vna arbor, saith the Philosopher, vbi in eandem altitudinem tota sylua succrescit. What should wee make particulars the subiect of our admi∣ration, when Histories giue vs notice of whole countries peopled with Women of no lesse desart.

The Lacedaemonians were generally so Chast, that when Geradas was asked why Lycurgus had made no lawes for the pu∣nishing of Adultery: his answer was that amongst them there was not one addi∣cted to such incontinencie; But if there were, said the stranger: why then said he, he should pay for the forfeiture of his mis∣deede, a Bull of that growth and bignes, that standing vpon the top of the Moun∣taine Taygetus, he might drinke out of the riuer Eurotas. It is impossible, said his Guest a creature of that greatnes should be found. Geradas assured him with a smi∣ling Page  35 countenance, it was no lesse impos∣sible, that Sparta should afford within hir confines any such offender.

One of the meanest amongst them both for birth and breeding, when a Chapman as she stood in the Market to be sold, demanded of hir, whether shee would proue honest if he should buy hir; replide vpon the instant. I wil proue honest though you should not buy me.

The Cianians were so free from any tax∣ation this way, that for the space of sea∣uen hundreth yeares it was neuer known that any Matrone amongst them had vn∣loosed to a stranger the girdle of hir ho∣nestie; or any Virgin bestowed vpon a lustfull friend the floure of hir Virginity.

The Easterne Indians did neuer prosti∣tute their Bodies, but to him, who did present them with an Elephant; and that the law permitted them to doe, with no little approbation of their worth, that could be valued at so high a rate.

Those religious and holy Vestals, who had the charge of that immortall and sa∣cred Page  36 fire, which was by Numa consecra∣ted to the gods, were so respected for their spotlesse puritie, that if by chance they met at anytime some wretched ma∣lefactor, who by the appointment of iu∣stice was conducted to his Death, they had a priuiledge to reprieue him: so that the Votresse vpon hir deposition would affirme that the encounter was onely ca∣suall.

Poets enforme vs that Venus had hir chariot drawne by swannes, to signifie vnto vs, that Women as they labour to bee neate and cleanely in their Clothes, should striue to be sweete and comely in their Conuersation. Many may peraduen∣ture make it their delight, to stand & gase vpon the Estrich for the rarenesse of hir Plumes; but not any will make it the dish which their Appetite shall feede vpon, because of the ranknesse of hir flesh. They must harbour therefore alwaies a speciall care within themselues, that as they haue Vultum Veneris, the badge of Beautie in their Face; they haue likewise cestum Ve∣neris, Page  37 the markes of Virtue in their Fore∣head; least want of grace in their out∣ward gesture, might make their in∣ward goodnesse liable to misconstru∣ction.

Chastitie must haue setled Grauitie for hir Vsher; and for hir waiting-woman, bashfull Modestie; or she shall neuer pro∣cure respectiue reuerence and obser∣uance from those that doe behold hir. If Ladies of noble rancke & quality, should now and then, though but to sport their Fancie, lay aside the ornaments of their state, and without their vsual attendance shew themselues abroade, disguised in some wanton manner, I doubt not, but they would quickly finde, that many not acquainted with their intent, would not sticke to ranke them in the role of Cour∣tisans, nor yet to rayle vpon them in a phrase, which onely fitteth creatures of that condition. Immodesty is like a Vint∣ners bush, which giueth euery man di∣rection, where he may call for wine. Wo∣men alone are said by scandalous and tra∣ducing Page  38 Spirits to giue it countenance, a little therefore now of this; as likewise of the contrary.