The Great advocate and oratour for women, or, The Arraignment, tryall and conviction of all such wicked husbands (or monsters) who held it lawfull to beate their wives or to demeane themselves severely and tyrannically towards them where their crafty pleas are fully heard and their objections plainly answered and confuted ...

To all married Women whose ••usbands rule over them with rigour and severity; (And likewise a word to all such irrationall husbands)

Ladies and Gentlewomen.

THE wiseman tells us that a word spoken 〈…〉〈…〉 like apples of Go•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pictures of Silver; 〈…〉〈…〉 to your selves to judg how oppo•••••• ••••ely this Treatise comes unto your hands, whose tendernicks are galled by your wearysome uneasy yoakes. •• hope these few sheets may some what revive your drooping Spirits, ••t beeing no small comfort when you have a friend at hand, whose tender compassion towards your tender Sex makes him deplore your sad case and

Plead your cause with such affection, as if it were his own.

Me thinks I see how strangely your (heart-breaking) husbands, are hurried by the violent Whirlewind of unbridled Passion: me thinks I hear their loud murmurings their angry voice, together with the eccho∣ing sound of servile blowes, wound∣ing my sorrwfull eares more then the dreadfull noyse of the disquieted seas, more dangerouse then their forming rage, more amazing the•• Aetna's wrath whose wide throat ••••••gorgeth smoaks, flames, and ••under at one breath: methinks 〈◊〉〈◊〉 see their shadow swiftly drawing on you, like the black terrifying Hierricane, that makes the tende•• Reedes (whose nature yeelds to every gentle gale) lie prostrate, croud•• together and whisper in trembling feare. I am sensible how thei•• austere demeanure and tyrannica•• behaviour have plunged diverse 〈◊〉〈◊〉

you into a deep and dangerous Gulph of sorrow, and disparation, who not finding peace and content at home, are in an exorbitant manner seeking it else where; and like persons (disarmed of sence and reason by this Paroxisme of feare) are Acting directly contrary to your own genuine and inclinations &c. Now alltho I dare not justifie such enormities of yours, (but as a faithfull frind exhort your speedy Repentance, and Amendment,) yet I lay the guilt (tho not sufficient to excuse your fact.) in a more peculier manner to your husbands Charge, and (as the wicked Instrumentall cause of sins in you) I Summon him (without a deeper Repentance) to prepare to Answer before the Great Tribunall judg, both for himselfe and you.

Others there are (more virtuosly inclined) who are desponding in solitary corners, and whose best reme∣dy is to seek out some melancholy cave

or desart place, that may entertain•• their pensive minds, whilest their distracted thoughts are feeding o•• soliscitude, and care; who instead o•• teaching their eyes to weepe, are endeavouring how to wiipe off their Christall teares (as pure and cleare as is their Innocency) without the dis∣covery of their grief. On whose pale ey•• lids sits a sad messinger of wo, more unwell come then the harbinger of death it selfe.

For such, this book was chiefly designed, and to every such despond∣ing wife, I now address my self, advising you to trie (once more) what influence the violent cords of your laborious Love may have upon your misguided husband; Take him by the hand, and fall about his neck with sweet embraces hold him fast, and compell him (alltho against his will) by all the retorick you have, and by all the charming Eloquence of your loyall and constant Love, &c.

••f this prevaile not with him, then con∣••ure him by all thats dearest unto ••imselfe, that he would please to ••ondescend to walk along with you ••nto this Temple of Eroto (or the Muse of Love) which is erected for your sakes alone. Perhaps it may proeve (and who knowes but it may? O would to God it might,) such as was the Temple of the Goddesse Viri placa in Rome of whome Livie writes, that whatever man and wife came to sacrifice Therein, alltho never so much at strife and variance before, yet they allways returned home again in Love and unity.

And that I may help one lift forward I desire now to speak a word or two to your contentious husbands, whose words are fire brands, arrowes, and death, (or that which is much worse) my advise to such shall be no other then th••t wise mans councell. Prov. 25: 8. 9. Go not forth hastily to strive least thou know not what to doe

in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame: debate thy cause: By long forbearing is a Prince perswaded, and a soft tongue breaketh bone it self. Suppose thy wife to be (what thou wouldst have all men think she is) willfull froward and perverse; consider whither thou hath not made her so? doth her affections fit loose to thee, examine well the grounds, debate the matter with thy selfe; Go nots forth hastily to trive with any person: no not thy adversa∣ry, much less with thy friend and least of all with her who lieth in thy bo∣some, and should be dearest to thy heart, nay who should be as deare unto thee as thy Life, for as much as she is thy very selfe. If a King (with whom is commanding Majesty and power,) will be perswaded by a wise deportement, how much more then will thy lowing wife, whose tender Sex doth naturally dispose her to such sweetnesse, softnesse, Gentlenesse

such melting and relenting teares such heart winning demeanure, &c. that the mollifying hand of Love may mould her into any stamp that vertue formes; and who recoyles at nothing more then raggid usage, because it is so directly contrary to her soule whose essence is compacted of ardent Love, stronger then death it selfe, and which many waters cannot quench.

From this time forward therefore goe thy wayes, and reconcile thy selfe to thy offended selfe, then let hand joyn in hand, & haste, both of you to pay your Sacrifices to this Temple of unfeigned Love, that when you returne from thence, Heart may then joyn in Heart, and both of you may be willing to live no longer, then you live united in One soule; which will redound to both your peace and tranquillity heer on earth, and your future happinesse in the world to co∣me, and crowne your names

to there present, honour, and my cordiall wishess with that palme of victorious and triumphant Successe, which is the earnest desire of

your assured Friend.