An argument wherin the apparaile of women is both reproued and defended

The printer to the reder.

THe gentilwoman, whi¦che hath caused this mat∣ter to be printed, happened a litle before Shroftetide, to be at a bidden feast in London, in companie of dyuers gentle men and gentle women: where emongest o∣ther talke, first of the basenesse of our coyne, and afterwardes of excesse in apparayle (whiche are the common talkes of these daies:) One of the companie beganne to make muche a∣dooe against women, for laiyng out their heare, for wearyng of verdin∣gales, for bonne graces, for silkes, and .xx. other thynges. Wherin it seemed to this gentle woman, he vsed not that temperance, that his profes∣sion and lernyng required. And ther∣fore she mildely answered: that seus God hath created the thynges of this

worlde for the seruice of man, and not man for them: she thought, that wo∣men as well as men, myght vse the same faire thynges of this worlde in their apparaile, which without some facion woulde bee vnseemely. And lyke as their heare, or suche other, was a beautie, whiche beyng coupled with honestie, maketh the person the more acceptable: so beeyng coupled with the contrary, it disgraceth and maketh theim the more lothsome. Wherfore the thyng beyng so indif∣ferent, if it shoulde not be laufull for them that be honest, to be clenly and fayre, it might folow, that the other sort shoulde be more set by than thei: and so should honestie decaie. In dede (saied she) if you coulde bryng men as well to reforme their hertes, as ye woulde haue women doe their ap∣paraile, ye shoulde neuer nede thus to braule with vs. Whervpon the man

waxed somewhat warme in agraua∣tyng the mattier, and (by a maner of raylyng) after many sentences of scripture alleged, he fell into an ora∣cion, that Cato made against the inso∣lence of women, and so handled the matter, that it seemed he had put all men to silence: in suche wise as for a good space, no man spake a woorde. At last maister William Thomas, be∣yng in the company, began to saie. This is muche like the nonnes les∣son, that whan she had founde Omnia probate, till she was great with child, coulde not finde, Quod bonum est tene∣te. For (vnder correction, quoth he) though ye haue eloquently rehersed Catos tale, yet haue you not tolde the occasion of the mattier, nor the ende that it came to: which if ye had done, shulde rather make against you, than with you. For whan Cato had sated, as ye haue rehersed, Lucius Valeri∣us,

one of the Tribunes, arose and made answere. And so began he the oracion, that Valerius in that case had made. Addyng further, that the law Oppia was thervpon abrogate. Whiche was a playne profe (saied he) that the Senate allowed not Ca∣tos opinion.

Thus thei argued to and fro, till at length thei agreed, that all clenly or∣namentes were laufull vnto wōmen, so longe as thei prouoked neither con∣cupiscence, nor vaine glorie: wherin thei ended the mattier for that tyme. Now this gentle woman restyng, not fully satisfied with the once heryng of those oracions, desired maister Thomas of frendship, to sende theim translated vnto hir. Whiche he pro∣mised to doe. And all be it, that he willed hir, to kepe it to hir selfe: yet she thinkyng it suche a matter for the honest defence of women, as ought

not to be hidden, hath intreated me, thus to sette it foorth, trustyng to pa∣cify him wel enough, though he wold take it vnkindly. Willyng me besides on hir behalfe, to beseche you all (gen∣tle reders) not to thinke she hath done it of any purpose, to mainteine ex∣cesse (whiche she hir selfe naturally abhorreth) but euen simply for the pleasaunt and well handlyng of the mattier: to stoppe their mouthes, that with raylyng on womens maners, seeme to procure theim selues a cre∣dite.