I ragguagli di Parnasso, or, Advertisements from Parnassus in two centuries : with the politick touch-stone / written originally in Italian by that famous Roman Trajano Bocalini ; and now put into English by the Right Honourable Henry, Earl of Monmouth.

The LXX. ADVERTISEMENT.

The Lady Victoria Collonna begs of Apollo in name of all the Feminine Sex, that such marryed men as are Adulter∣ers may suffer the like Infamy, as unchaste Wives do.

THe most excellent Lady, the Lady. Victoria Colonna, a Princess of exemplary chastity, came before his Majestie three days ago, and said, in behalf of all the feminine Sex, That all women did so affect Chastity, a vertue wherewith they were particularly endued, as they did not any whit envy strength, which was a vertue attributed to the masculine gender; for they very well knew, that a woman whose soul was not chaste, was a stinking carcase, but that with much reason they did bewail the great disparity which was seen to be observed between the husband and the wife, in the particular of punishment for Adultery. For wives could in no sort be contented that marryed men should think themselves so much at liberty, as even the punishment of shame (which men of honor had wont to apprehend so much) could not keep them from being false unto their wives. In which disorders she affirmed, they were so far advanced, as many husbands were not onely not ashamed to keep concubines openly in their houses, but were grown sometimes so hardy to take them into bed with their wives: which excesses were oc∣casioned, because the same severe punishments were not provided for adulterous husbands, as were thundered out, and put in practice against unchaste wives. And that in this particular the Laws were so partial to marryed men, as if they should find their wives in adultery, they would not be satisfied till they should have revenged the injury with their own hands. By reason of which notorious grievances, the feminine sex were forced to have recourse to the clear fountain of justice, to the end that they might receive competent remedy for this their oppression, by the publication of parity of punishment for the same fault; and that if his Majestie should not like of this, that he would at least be pleased to al∣low women the like liberty in point of adultery, as men pretended to lay claim unto: And that this like liberty was not desired, to the end that women might make use of it, but onely that by the terror thereof, they might curb their lustful husbands. To this request Apollo answered, that the Law of Loyalty ought to be alike between the husband and the wife; and that the violation thereof ought to be no less punished in the one, then in the other: but that the more exact chastity was desired in wives, in the weighty respect that men might be sure to father no chil∣dren but their own, in which regard the excellent vertue of chastity was given to the female sex: for the certainty of their issue was so necessary to husbands in the generation of mankind, as were not their mothers endued with chastity, their sons would lose as well their inheritance, as their fathers affection; which was so great a truth, as wise Nature her∣self

had given chaste mates to all earthy Animals, where the male shares in hatching the eggs, or in bringing up the young ones. To the end that Fathers might think the pains for the welfare of their children, well be∣stowed, and value their costs as consolations, and great gains. At this answer an honourable blush stole upon the cheeks of the Lady Victoria, who with a Roman ingenuity confest the simplicity of her request to Apollo; and said, it would be too great a shame to the female sex, if they should suffer themselves to be exceeded in chastity by brute beasts who though they follow nothing else with greater propenseness then their de∣light, yet not to berive the father of his ehildren, or the children of their fathers by their Libidinousness, keep their chastity; and that husbands had so great reason to desire their wives might prove chaste, as the Lavvs against adultery in married vvomen appeared to be too merciful; for the vvounds vvhich husbands gave their vvives by their unchasteness, did onely pierce the skin; but that marryed vvomen, by their adulteries did kill their husbands vvith eternal infamy, and did dishonor their ovvn children.