Asylum veneris, or A sanctuary for ladies Iustly protecting them, their virtues, and sufficiencies from the foule aspersions and forged imputations of traducing spirits.

CHAP. I.

Of womens worth in generall.

THere is no greater argument of a generous minde, then to ioy in whatsoeuer it seeth generous in o∣thers. The Owle and the Bat, though they haue eyes to discerne there is a sunne, yet haue so euill eyes, that they cannot delight in the sunne: it is for Eagles onely, and such kingly birds, as haue had no other Aerie for their

breeding, than the lappe of loue, to gase with pleasure & admiration on his glo∣ry. The meaner sort of people, whose spi∣rits are oppressed & aggraued with such grosser humours, as the channels of their bloud are vsually dammed vp with; dare not but with cowardly feare approach the pallaces of Princes: it is honour en∣ough for them, they thinke, if they may be suffered to obserue the frontispice, or at the most to take a view of such inferi∣our offices, as are in them. Their ambiti∣on is of a shorter wing, then to aspire so high as to looke into a roome of state; yet euen these, if in these meaner parts their duller obseruation find any thing, which holdes not correspondency with their conceit, will not sticke at their departure for a little errour to discommend the workmanship of the whole frame. They which out of a cynicall disposition doe wound the reputation of Women with inuectiues, are men of no better garbe. The graces haue found no sweeter habi∣tation vpon earth to rest in, then their

bosomes. Our Sauiour did not scorne when hee came downe from heauen to make the wombe of a Virgin, the recep∣tacle of his glory. Whereupon Saint Ber∣nard transported with a diuiner ecstacie, crieth out, O venter capacior coelis, diffusior terris; latior elementis; qui illum continere valuit, quem totus mundus capere non potu∣it. O blessed wombe, wider then the hea∣uens, broader then the earth, larger then then the elements; which was able to containe him, whom the whole world was too little to receiue. And to say true∣ly, where could vertue in the pourpris of this vniuerse, haue picked out a fairer mansion? It seemes to me that Women were erected of purpose for her to so∣iourne in; and that, by the hand of God himselfe, who built her, built her I say, (for this is the proper word, by which the mouth of wisedome in the originall expresseth hir creation) to shew the ab∣solutenesse of his skill, in the closing vp of his worke. But Calumnie suggesteth here, that she was built indeede, but the

foundation was a crooked rib.

Inde genus curuum, placidae virtutis inane.

And from hence a crookednesse both in manners and behauiour hath euer since descended by way of propagation, from hir to hir posteritie; which I will no otherwise confute, than by condemning such of ignorance, as haue beene authors of this improper speech: Art would haue termed it an Arch, which of all kindes of Architecture is both the fir∣mest, and the fairest. But this is not the period of their traducements: they will seeme to tax the Artisan himselfe of er∣rour and mistaking. He made hir for a helpe, say they, to Man, when she fell out to be nothing lesse; as if that patron of all exemplary goodnesse had beene ill aduised in his ends. They consider not the fault is in themselues, if they proue contrary to his intention. Their owne peruersenes is that, which maketh them such as they report them. Let Phaebus haue the guiding of the day and ye shall see it cleare and lightsome, but if Phaethon

haue the mannaging of those steedes, his presumptuous ouer weening wil go neere to set all things in combustion. I but, say they, she was according to that Spanish adage; Armas del Diablo: cabeza del Pec∣cado: destruycion del Parayso; The sword wherewith the diuell cut the throate of mans felicitie; she was the head of sinne, the ouerthrow of Paradise. But let them consider the good they gained by this hir errour, and transgression; and vn∣lesse their foreheads bee of Adamant, they will recant those blasphemies and cry out with a better reformed zeale, O foelix culpa, quae talem, ac tantum meruit Re∣demptorem! O necessarium Adae peccatum, quod Christi morte deletum est! O happie fault of Eue, which stood in neede of such a worthy, and so mightie a redeemer! O needefull offence of Adam, which was not to be cancelled, but by the death of Christ. Then was it, and not till then, that the dores of those euerlasting taber∣acles, in which the king of glory hath is residence, were opened vnto wretch∣ed

Man. He was driuen out of an earthly Paradise by one Angel, that he might be welcommed by Legions of them into a heauenly one, whereof that other was but a figure and a type. And this it may be, was the cause why God after the time of her fall, and not before, entitled hir Heuah, the mother of the liuing. I will o∣mit many things, and not insist vpon a∣ny long.

Hir brest is as a precious cabinet in which the choisest of all Virtues are preserued. Our Sauiour himselfe could not but wonder at the faith which hee found in the woman of Canaan, and forgot not in the height of his admiration to crown it with applause. Malice notwithstanding would perswade the world, that their outside is a shop for vanitie; their inside a ware-house for impietie; that consci∣ence in them is but peeuishnesse; chasti∣tie, waywardnesse, and gratefulnesse a miracle. In a word, that their bosomes are fuller of mischiefes and disasters, than euer was Pandoras boxe: and that like the

Apothecaries painted pots, they may be faire without, yet full of poyson within. And surely I must needes confesse, that there are some, on whom she may iustly fasten these reproaches. For howsoeuer the matter be the same, there is a diffe∣rence notwithstanding in the forme. The finest cloth hath a list, and the purest gold, is not without some drosse. But let not preiudice, like one of Circes charmes worke such a fearefull metamorphosis vpon the mindes of men, as to make rea∣son brutish; iudgement and vnderstan∣ding, things of little sense. Let them not shew themselues, like bores, as ready to roote vp a bed of roses, as a dunghill: but consider that the earth hurteth not the sunne, with those mistie vapours, and ex∣halations, which shee breatheth forth a∣gainst it; but depriueth her selfe by them of that comfort, which the chearfulnesse of his beames would otherwise afford hir. And so from these generall notions and conceits of Womens worthinesse, I will now slide to some particulars, a∣mongst

which their Beautie is the first that offereth it selfe to be considered.