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Husband the Head of the Wife. [ 1429]
THe Persian Ladies have to this day some resemblance of a foot, worn in the top of their Coronets,* 1.1 in token, that the top of their glory must stoop even to their Husbands feet,* 1.2 remembring that of Vashtai. And who knowes it not, but that the Virgin, when she is married, leaveth to be called after her Fathers Name, and from thence forward is owned by her Husbands; besides, Women are said to be under Covert-Baron, so that whatsoever Contracts or Bargains they make, are of no force, either by the Lawes of God or Man, except the Husband do approve the same:* 1.3 Hence it is that the Husband is called the Head of the Wife. And Man is more excellent then Woman,* 1.4 (not to go so far as Aristotle, to say, she is onely 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the aberration of Nature) and surely more eminent, respectu originis et ratione finis, The Man was not created for the Woman; but the Woman for the Man;* 1.5 and then, ratione dominii, God gave him not onely power to rule over the beasts,* 1.6 but the Woman too. And every School-Boy can say, The Masculine is more worthy then the Foeminine; so that obeying Husbands, and commanding Wives, may be well said to live very unnaturally, and contrary to the Order of Creation.