The Arraignment of Lewd Women, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The second Chapter sheweth the manner of such Women as liue vponupon euill report: It also sheweth that the beauty of Women hath beene the bane of many a man, for it hath ouercome valiant and strong men, eloquent and subtill men. And in a word, it hath ouercome all men, as by examples following shall appeare.
FIrst, that of Salomon, vntounto whom God gaue singular wit and wisedome, yet hee loued so many women, that he quite forgot his God, which alwaies did guide his steps, so long as he liued godly, and ruled iustly: but after hee had glutted himselfe with women, then he could say; vanity of vanities, all is but vanity: he also in many places of his booke of Prouerbs exclaimes most bitterly against lewd women, calling them all that naught is, and also displayeth their properties: and yet I cannot let them go blamelesse, although women go shamelesse; but I will touch them both: for if there were not receiuers, then there would not be so many stealers: if there were not some knaues, there would not be so many whoores; for they both hold together to bolster each others villany: for alwaies birds of a feather will flocke together hand in hand, to bolster each others villany. Men I say may liue without women, but women cannot liue without men: For Venus whose beauty was excellent faire, yet when she needed mans helpe, she tooke Vulcan a club-footed-Smith. And therefore if a womans face glister, and her Iesture pearce the Marble wall, or if her tongue be so smooth as oile, or so soft as silke, and her words so sweet as hony: or if she were a very Ape for wit, or a bagge of gold for wealth: or if her personage hauehave stolne away all that nature can affoord, and if she be deckt vp in gorgeous apparell, then a thousand to one but shee will louelove to walke where she may get acquaintance; and acquaintance bringeth familiarity, and familiarity setteth all folies abroach: and twenty to one that if a woman louelove gadding, but that shee will pawne her honesty, to please her fantasie.
Man must be at all the cost, and yet liue by the losse; a man must take all the paines, and women will spend all the gaines: a man must watch and ward, fight and defend, till the ground, labour in the vineyard; and looke what he getteth in seuen yeares, a woman will spread it abroad with a forke in one yeare, and yet little enough to serue her turne, but a great deale too little to get her good will: nay, if thou giuegive her neuer so much, and yet if thy personage please not her humour, then will I not giuegive a halfepenny for her honesty at the yeares end.
For then her brest will be the harbourer of an enuious heart, and her heart the storehouse of poysoned hatred, her head will deuise villany, and her hands are ready to practise that which her heart desireth. Then, who can but say that women sprung from the Deuill, whose heads, hands, hearts, minds and soules are euill? for women are called the hooke of all euill, because men are taken by them, as fish is taken with the hooke.
For women hauehave a thousand waies to entise thee, and ten thousand waies to deceiue thee, and all such fooles as are sutors vntounto them: some they keepe in hand with promises, and some they feed with flattery, and some they delay with dalliances, and some they please with kisses: they lay out the foldes of their haire, to entangle men into their louelove; betwixt their brests is the vale of destruction, and in their beds there is hell, sorrow & repentance. Eagles eat not men till they are dead, but women deuoure them aliue: for a woman will pick thy pocket, and empty thy purse, laugh in thy face and cut thy throat: they are vngratefull, periured, full of fraud, flouting and deceit, vnconstant, waspish, toyish, light, sullen, proud, discurteous and cruell, and yet they were by God created, and by nature formed, and therefore by policy and wisedome to bee auoyded; for good things abused, are to be refused, or else for a moneths pleasure shee may hap to make thee goe stark naked, she will giuegive thee rostmeat, but she will beat thee with the spitte: if thou hast crownes in thy purse, shee will be thy hearts gold, vntill shee leaue thee not a whit of white money: they are like summer birdes, for they will abide no storme, but flock about thee in the pride of thy glory, and flye from thee in the storms of affliction; for they aime more at thy wealth, then at thy person, and esteeme more thy money, then any mans vertuous qualities for they esteeme of a man without money, as a horse doth of a faire stable without meate, they are like Eagles, which will alwaies flie where the carrion is.
They will play the horse-leach to suck away thy wealth, but in the winter of thy misery shee will flie away from thee. Not vnlike the Swallow, which in the summer harboureth her selfe vnderunder the eues of an house, and against winter flieth away, leauing nothing but dirt behind her.
Salomon saith, he that will suffer himselfe to be led away, or take delight in such womens company, is like a foole which reioyceth when he is led to the stocks, Pro. 7.
Hosea, by marriage with a leaud woman of light behauiour, was brought vntounto idolatry, Hosea 1. Saint Paul accounteth fornicators so odious, that wee ought not to eat meat with them; hee also sheweth that fornicators shall not inherit the kingdome of Heauen, 1. Corin. the 9. and 11. verse.
And in the same chapter Saint Paul excommunicateth fornicators, but vponupon amendment hee receiueth them againe. Whoredome punished with death, Deuteronomy 22. 21. and Genesis 38. 24. Phinehas a Priest thrust two adulterers, both the man and the woman, thorow the belly with a speare, Numbers 25.
God detesteth the money or goods gotten by whoredome, Deuteronomy 23. 17. 18. Whores called by diuers names, and the properties of whores, Prouerbs 7. 6. and 2. A whore enuieth an honest woman, Esdras 16. and 42. Whoremongers God will iudge, Hebrews 13. and 42. They shall hauehave their portions with the wicked in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, Rcuelation the 21. 8.
OnelyOnly for the sinne of whoredome God was sorry at the heart, and repented that euer hee made man, Genesis 6. 67.
Saint Paul saith, to auoid fornication, eueryevery man may take a wife, 1. Corinthians the 7. 2.
Therefore hee which hath a wife of his owne, and yet goeth to another woman, is like a rich theefe, which will steale when he hath no need.
There are three waies to know a whore: by her wanton lookes, by her speech, and by her gate, Ecclesiasticus 26. and in the same chapter he saith, that we must not giuegive our strength vntounto harlots; for whores are the euill of all euils, and the vanity of all vanities, they weaken the strength of a man, and depriue the body of his beauty; it furroweth his browes, and maketh the eyes dimme; and a whorish woman causeth the feauer and the gout: and at a word, they are a great shortning to a mans life.
For although they seeme to be so dainty as sweet meat, yet in triall not so wholesome as sowre sauce: they hauehave wit, but it is all in craft; if they louelove, it is vehement; but if they hate, it is deadly.
Plato saith, that women are either Angels or Deuils, and that they either louelove dearely, or hate bitterly; for a woman hath no meane in her louelove, nor mercy in her hate; no pitty in reuenge, nor patience in her anger; therefore it is said, that there is nothing in the world which both pleaseth and displeaseth a man more then a woman for a woman most delighteth a man, and yet most deceiueth him; for as there is nothing more sweet vntounto a man then a woman when shee smileth: euen so there is nothing more odious then the angry countenance of a woman.
Salomon in his 20. of Ecclesiastes saith, that an angry woman will fome at the mouth like a Bore: if all this be true as most true it is, why shouldest thou spend one houre in the praise of women, as some fooles doe? for some will brag of the beauty of such a maid; another will vaunt of the brauery of such a woman, that shee goeth beyond all the women in the parish: againe, some study their fine wits, how they may cunningly sooth women, and with Logicke how to reason with them, and with eloquence to perswade them; they are alwaies tempering their wits, as Fiddlers do their strings, who wrest them so high, that many times they-stretch them beyond time, tune, and reason.
Againe, there are many that weary themselues with dallying, playing and sporting with women, and yet they are neuer satisfied with the vnsatiable desire of them; if with a song thou wouldest be brought asleepe, or with a dance be led to delight, then a fayre woman is fit for thy dyet: if thy head be in her lap, she will make thee beleeue that thou art hard by Gods seat, when indeed thou artiust at hell gate.
Theodora a monstrous strumpet, on a time made her brags to Socrates of the great hant of lusty Gallants which came to her house, and furthermore she told him, that she could get away more of his Schollers from him, then he could of hers from her.
No maruaile (quoth Socrates) for thy waies seeme pleasant and easie, and that is the way youth loues to walk in; but the way that leadeth to a vertuous life, seemeth full of brambles and bryers: and to match with this, there is an history that makes mention of three notable Curtizanes, whose names were Lauia, Flora, and Layes: Lauia and Layes were homo, common to all men, they would play at small game, rather then sit out; these three Strumpets during their life time, were the beautifullest and richest of that trade in the world, and had three seuerall gifts whereby they allured their Louers to seeke their fauours.
The Engine wherewith Lauia entrapped her Louers, proceeded from her eyes; for by her smiling countenance, and wanton lookes, shee greatly inflamed all that beheld her. And Flora wan her Louers by her excellent wit and eloquent tongue. And Layes enticed her Louers by her sweet singing and pleasant fingering of Instruments of musicke.
But now againe to Lauia, King Demetrius gaue but a glaunce of his eies suddenly vponupon her, and was taken presently with her net, and spent eleuen talents of siluer vponupon her, which he had prouided and appointed to pay his soldiours; and furthermore, hee quite forsooke his owne wife, and neuer left the company of this Strumpet, vntill death tooke her from him; and after shee was dead, hee made great mone for her death; hee also kissed and embraced her, and caused her to be buried vnderunder his window; that so often as he did see her graue, hee might bewaile her death.
Layes likewise had a King, whose name was Pirrhus, which was her chiefe friend, but yet hee serued but as it were for a cloake; for he continued not very long with her in Greece, but went himselfe to the warres in Italy; but in his absence she was not onelyonly sought to, but obtained of many, and set downe her price, that before she would doe her worke, she would hauehave her money.
Now to Flora, shee was a Kings daughter, her parents died when she was of the age of fifteene yeares, and shee was left as rich as beautifull, she had the bridle of liberty throwne on her necke, so that shee might runne whither she would; for shee was left without controulment, so that sodainly she determined to trauell and see the warres of Africa, where she made sale both of her personage and honour.
King Menelaus was the first that made louelove vntounto her, as he was marching to the warres of Carthage, and spent more money vponupon her, then in conquering his enemies.
But as she was of noble race, so it is said, that she neuer gaue her selfe ouer to meane or petty company, as the other two did; but shee had a scroule set ouer her gate, the tennor whereof was thus, King, Prince, Emperour or Bishop, enter this place and welcome: neither was this Flora so greedy of gold, as the other two were; for on a time one of her familiar friends asked her the cause, why shee did not make price of her louelove? shee made this answere, I commit my body to none but to Princes and Noblemen, and I sweare there was neuer man gaue me so little, but that I had more then I would hauehave asked, or that I looked for; and furthermore she said, that a noble woman ought not to make price of her louelove: all things are at a certaine rate, except LoueLove, and that a woman of great beauty should be so much esteemed of, as she esteemes of her selfe. She died at the age of forty yeares, and the wealth shee left behind her in Rome, was valued to be so much as would hauehave builded new walles round about the City, if there had beene no walles at all.
Was not that noble City of Troy sacked and spoyled for the faire Hellena? and when it had cost many mens liues, and much bloud was shed, & when they had got the conquest, they got but a harlot: by this and that which followeth, thou shalt see the power of women, how it hath beene so great, and more preuailed in bewitching mens wits, and in ouercomming their sences, then all other things whatsoeuer. It hath not onelyonly vanquished Kings and Keisars, but it hath also surprised castles & countries, nay, what is it that a woman cannot do, which knowes her power?
Therefore stay not alone in the company of a woman, trusting to thy owne chastity, except thou be more stronger then Sampson, more wise then Salomon, or more holy then Dauid; for these and many more hauehave beene ouercome by the sweet entisements of women, as thou shalt read heereafter.
It is said, that the Gods themselues did change their shapes, for the louelove of such women as they lusted after: Iupiter, he transformed himselfe into a Bull, Neptune into a Horse, and Mercury into a Goat.
Aristippus desired sweet meat for his belly, and a faire woman for his bed.
But in my mind, hee that layes his net to catch a faire woman, hee may chance to fall into the sprindge which was laid for a woodcocke: therefore I doe admonish young men, and I aduise olde men, and I counsell simple men, and I warne all men, that they flye from a wicked woman, as from the pestilence, or else they will make thee flye in the end.
Aristotle, for keeping company with a queane in Athens, was faine to runne away, to saue himselfe from punishment; and yet he had dwelt there, and wrote many books for the space of thirty yeares.
Again of Sampson & Hercules for all their great strength and conquest of Giants and monsters, yet the one yeelded his club at Diauer as foot, and the other reuealed his strength to Dalila, and he paid his life for his folly.
The sugred and renowned Orators Demosthenes and Hortentius, the one came from Athens vntounto Corinth, to compound and agree with Layes a common Strumpet as you heard before of her, and yet hee had but one nights lodging with her. And the other was so farre in louelove with another bird of the same cage, the which hee could not obtaine, nor yet could he conquer his affection, vntill hee had quite pined himselfe away, so that in short time hee had wasted himselfe to nothing.
Plato, for all his great Philosophy and knowledge, yet he kept company with Archenasse when she was olde, and forsaken of all her Louers; for she had giuen her selfe to a number in her youth, yet neuerthelesse Plato so loued her, that he wrote many verses in commendation of her.
Also Socrates for his grauity and wisedome is renowned throughout all the world, yet he most dearely loued Alpasy, an old and ouerworne Strumpet.
LoueLove stayed King Antiochus in Calcidea a whole winter, for one maid that hee fancied there, to his great hinderance.
LoueLove stayed King Hannibal in Capua a long season, laying all other his necessary affaires aside, the which was no small hinderance to him; for in the meane while his enemies inuaded a great part of his Countrey.
Likewise Iulius Caesar, hee continued in Alexandria a long season, not for the louelove of one, but hee lusted after many, to his great infamy and disgrace.
That great Captain Holofernes, whose sight made many thousands to quake, yet he lost his life, and was slaine by a woman.
Was not Herods louelove so great to a woman, that he caused Iohn Baptist to lose his head for her sake?
Wherefore to auoid the sight, many times is the best rasor, to cut off the occasion of the euill which commeth by women; For had not Holofernes seene the beauty of Iudeth, and marked the finenesse of her foote, he had not lost his head by her. If Herod had not seen Herodias daughter daunce, hee had not so rashly granted her Saint Iohn Baptists head. Had not Eua seene the Apple, and also she was tempted with the beauty of the Serpent, who as our Schoole-men do write, that he shewed himselfe like a faire young man; but had not she seene it, I say, shee had not eaten thereof, to her owne griefe and many more. By sight the wife of Putiphar was moued to lust after her seruant Ioseph. It is said of Semir amis of Babylon, that after her husbands death, she waxed so vnsatiable in carnall lust, that two men at one time could not satisfie her desire, and so by her vnsatiablenesse, at length all Persia grew full of whoores.
And likewise of one Venise a strumpet in Cipris it is supposed, that by her fame and ill life, she caused all Cipres at length to be full of queanes.
And of one faire Rodape in Egypt, who was the first noted woman in that Countrey, but at length all the whole countrey became full of Strumpets.
Is it not strange, that the seed of one man should breed such woe vntounto all men?
One said vntounto his friend, Come, let vsus goe see a pretty wench. The other made this answer; I hauehave (said he) shaken such fetters from my heeles, and I will neuer goe where I know I shall repent afterwards: but yet happily some may say vntounto me, If thou shouldest refuse the company or the curtesie of a woman, then shee would account thee a soft-spirited foole, a milk-sop, & a meacock.
But alas fond foole, wilt thou more regard their babble, then thine owne blisse, or esteeme more their frumps, then thine owne welfare? dost thou not know that women alwaies striue against wisedome, although many times it be to their vtter ouerthrow? Like the Bee which is often hurt with her owne hony: euen so women are often plagued with their owne conceit, waying downe louelove with discurtesie, giuing him a weed, which presents them with flowers: as their catching in iest, and their keeping in earnest, and yet she thinks that she keepes her selfe blamelesse, and in all ill vices she would goe nameesse, but if shee carry it neuer so cleane, yet in the end shee will be counted but for a cunny-catching queane; and yet she will sweare that she will thriue, as long as shee can finde one man aliue: for shee thinks to doe all her knauery inuisible; shee will hauehave a figge leafe to couer her name: but when the fig leafe is dry and withered, it doth shew their nakednesse to the world: for take away their painted cloathes, and then they looke like ragged wals: take away their ruffes, and they looke ruggedly: their …oyfes and stomachers, and they are simple to behold: their haire vntrust, and they looke wildly; and yet there are many which laies their nets to catch a pretty woman, but hee which getteth such a prize, gaines nothing by his aduenture, but shame to the body, and danger to the soule; for the heat of the young bloud of these wantons, leads many vntounto destruction for this worlds pleasure. It chaunts your minds, and infeebleth your bodies with diseases, it also scandalleth your good names, but most of all, it indangereth your soules; how can it otherwise choose, when lust and vncleannesse continually keepe them company, gluttony and floth serueth them at the table; pride and vaine-glory apparelleth them; but these seruants will waxe weary of their seruice, and in the end they shall hauehave no other seruants to attend them, but onelyonly shame, griefe and repentance; but then, oh then (you will say) when it is too late, Oh would to God that wee had beene more carefull of true glorious modesty, and lesse cunning to keepe wantons company! Oh therefore remember, and thinke before-hand, that eueryevery sweet hath his sowre: then buy not with a drop of hony a gallon of gall; doe not thinke that this worlds pleasure will passe away with a trifle, and that no sooner done, but presently forgotten: No, no, answer your selues that the punishment remaineth eternally, and therefore better it were to be an addle egge, then an euill bird. For we are not borne for our selues to liue at pleasure, but to take paines, and to labour for the good of our Countrey, yet so delightfull is our present sweetnesse, that wee neuer remember the following sowre: for youth are too too easie wonne and ouercome with the worlds vanities: Oh too soone (I say) is youth in the blossomes deuoured with the caterpillers offoule lust, and lasciuious desires, the blacke Fiend of Hell, by his inticing sweet sinne of lust, drawes many young wittes to confusion; for in time it drawes the heart bloud of your good names; and that being once lost, is neuer gotten againe.
Againe, Lust causeth you to doe such foule deeds which makes your foreheads for euer afterwards seeme spotted with blacke shame, and euerlasting infamy, by which meanes, your graues after death are closed vp with times scandall. And yet Women are easily wooed, and soone won, got with an apple, and lost with the paring: young wittes are soone corrupted, womens bright beauties breed curious thoughts; and golden gifts easily ouercome wanton desires, with changing modesty into pastimes of vanity, and being once delighted therein, continues in the same without repentance: you are onelyonly the peoples wonder, and misfortunes banding ball tost vp & downe the world with woe vponupon woe, yea ten thousand woes will bee galloping hard at your heeles, and pursue you wheresoeuer you go; for those of ill report cannot stay long in one place, but rome and wander about the world, and yet euer vnfortunate, prospering in nothing, forsaken and cast out from all ciuill companies, still in feare lest authority with the sword of Iustice, barre them of liberty. Lo thus your liues are despised, walking like night-Owles in misery, and no comfort shall be your friend, but onelyonly repentance comming too late, and ouer-deare bought: A penance and punishment, due to all such hated creatures as these are.
Therefore beleeue, all you vnmarried wantons, and in beleeuing grieue, that you hauehave thus vnluckily made your selues neither maidens, widdowes, nor wiues, but more vile then filthy channell-durt, fit to be swept out of the heart and suburbes of your Countrey. Oh then suffer not this worlds pleasure to take from you the good thoughts of an honest life: But downe, downe vponupon your knees, you earthly Serpents, and wash away your black sin with the cristall teares of true sorrow and repentance, so that when you wander from this inticing world, you may bee washed and cleansed from this foule leprosie of nature.
Loe thus in remorse of minde my tongue hath vttered to the wantons of the world, the aboundance of my hearts griefe, which I hauehave perceiued by the vnseemely behauiour of vnconstant both men and women, yet men for the most part are touched but with one fault, which is drinking too much: but it is said of women, that they hauehave two faults, that is, they can neither say well, nor yet doe well.
For commonly, women are the most part of the forenoone painting themselues, and frizling their haires, and prying in their glasse, like Apes to prancke vp themselues in their gawdies; like Poppets, or like the Spider which weaues a fine web to hang the flie. Amongst women she is accounted a slut which goeth not in her silkes: therefore if thou wilt please thy Lady, thou must like and louelove, sue and serue, and in spending thou must lay on load; for they must hauehave maintainance howsoeuer they get it, by hooke or by crooke, out of Iudas bag, or the Deuils budget, thou must spare neither lands nor liuing, money nor gold.
For women will account thee a pinch-penny, if thou be not prodigall, and a dastard, if thou bee not ventrous for they account none valiant, except they be desperate if silent, a sot; if full of words, a foole; iudging all to be Clownes which be not Courtiers. If thou be cleanely in thine apparrell, they will terme thee proud; if meane in apparell, a slouen; if tall, a lunges; if short, a dwarfe: for they hauehave ripe wits, and ready tongues, and if they get a inch, they will claime an ell: shee will coll thee about thy necke with one hand, but the other shall bee diving into thy pocket, and if thou take her with the manner, then was but in lest, but many times they take in iest (and if they bee not spied) keepe it in earnest: but if thy pockets grow empty, and thy reuenues will not hold out longer to maintaine her pompe and brauery, then she presently leaues to make much of thy person, and will not sticke to say vntounto thee, that she could hauehave bestowed her louelove on such a one as would hauehave maintained her like a woman, so by these meanes they weaue the web of their own woe, and spin the thred of their owne thraldome; if they lacke they will lacke at the last, for they will cut it out of the whole cloth so long as the peece will hold out.
Is not the Bee hiued for his hony, the Sheepe sheared for his fleece, the Oxe necke wrought for his masters profit, the fowle plucked for her feathers, the tree grafted to bring forth fruit, and the earth laboured to bring foorth corne? but what labour or cost thou bestowest on a woman, is all cast away, for shee will yeelde thee no profit at all, for when thou hast done all, and giuen them all that they can demand, yet thou shalt bee as well rewarded, as those men were whom Esop hired for three halfepence a day to heare him recite his fables. These things beeing wisely considered, then what a foole art thou to blinde thy selfe in their bold behauiour, and bow at their beckes, and come at their calls, and sell thy lands, to make them swimme in their silkes, and iet in their iewells, making Iill a Gentlewoman, insomuch that shee careth not a penny for the finest, nor a figge for the proudest? she is as good as the best, although she hauehave no more honesty then barely to serue her owne turne, suffering eueryevery mans fingers as deep in the dish, as thine are in the platter, and eueryevery man to angle, where thou castest thy hooke, holding vp to all that come, not much vnlike a Barbers chaire, that so soone as one knaue is out, another is in, a common hackney for eueryevery one that will ride, a boat for eueryevery one to row in: now if thy wealth doe begin to faile, then she biddeth thee farwell, and giueth thee the adieu in the Deuils name, not much vnlike the knauish Porters in Bristow, who will cry, A new master, a new, and hang vp the old. If the matter be so plaine, then consider this, that the house where such a one keepeth her residence, is more-odious with slander, then carrion doth infect the ayre with stinke; let them flatter how they will, there is no louelove in them, but from the teeth outward. I blaze their properties the plainer, and giuegive thee the stronger reasons, because I would hauehave thee loath the alluring traines of such deceitfull and lasciuious women: although she make great protestations of louelove, and thereto bindeth her selfe with most damnable oathes, then beleeue her least of all, for there is no more hold in her oathes, nor in her louelove, then is certainly of a faire day in Aprill, although it looke neuer so cleere, yet it may turne to a foule. I hauehave seene a Curtizan thus pictured out:
First, a faire young man blind, and in his armes a beautifull woman, with one hand in his pocket, shewing her theft, and a knife in the other hand to cut his throat.
Now peraduenture, thou maist say vntounto that, thou dost not know one woman from another, without some triall, because all women are in shape alike: for the sowre crab is like the sweet pippin: true it is, so the Rauen is a bird, and the Swan is but a bird: euen so many women are in shape Angels, but in qualities Deuils, painted coffius with rotten bones: the Estridge carrieth faire feathers, but ranck flesh: the hearb Molio carrieth a flowre as white as snow, but a root as blacke as inke.
Although women are beautifull, shewing pitty, yet their hearts are blacke, swelling with mischiese, not much vnlike vntounto old trees, whose outward leaues are faire and greene, and yet the body rotten: if thou hant their houses, thou wilt be enamoured; and if thou doe but harken to these Syrens, thou wilt be inchanted, for they will allure thee with amorous glances of lust, and yet kill thee with bitter lookes of hate: they hauehave dimples in their cheekes to deceiue thee, and wrinkles in their browes to betray thee: they hauehave eies to intice, smiles to flatter, imbracements to prouoke, beckes to recall, lips to inchant, kisses to inflame, and teares to excuse themselues.
If God had not made them only to be a plague to man, he would neuer hauehave called them necessary euils, and what are they better? for what do they either get or gaine, saue or keepe? nay they doe rather spend and consume all that which man painefully getteth: a man must be at all the cost, and yet liue by the losse.
It is very easie for him which neuer experienced himselfe in that vaine pleasure, or repenting pleasure, choose you whether, I meane the accompanying of lewd women: but such as are exercised and experimented in that kind of drudgery, they I say, hauehave a continuall desire, and temptation is ready at hand: therefore take heed at the first, suffer not thy selfe to bee led away into lustfull folly, for it is more easie for a young man or maid to forbeare carnall act, then it is for a widdow, and yet more easie for a widdow, then for her that is married and hath her husband wanting: then take heed at the first, for there is nothing gotten by women but repentance.
For women are like the Bay tree, which is euer green, but without fruit; or like the vnprofitable thorne, which beareth as trim a blossome as the apple: this is nothing, but to tell thee that thou must not iudge of gold by the colour, nor of womens qualities by their faces, nor by their speeches; for they hauehave delicate tongues, which wil rauish and tickle the itching eares of giddy headed yong men, so foolish, that they thinke themselues happy if they can but kisse the dazie whereon their louelove doth tread; who if she frowne, then he descends presently into hell: but if she smile, then is hee carried with wings vp into heauen: there is an old saying, that when a dog wags his tayle, he loues his master.
Some thinke, that if a woman smile on them, she is presently ouer head and eares in louelove: one must weare her gloue, another her garter, another her colours of delight, and another shall spend and liue vponupon the spoile which shee getteth from all the rest: then if thou wilt giuegive thy body to the Chirurgian, and thy soule to the Deuill, such women are fit for thy diet. Many creatures of eueryevery kind resemble women in conditions; for some horse an vnskilfull rider can hardly disorder; and some againe in despight of the best rider that is, will hauehave a iadish tricke: some Hawke although he be ill serued, yet will sit quiet; and some, if neuer so well serued, yet will continually flie at checke: againe, some hounds by no meanes will forsake their vndertaken game, and some againe in despite of the huntsman will continually runne at randome: and some men will steale if their hands were bound behind them; and some againe will rather sterue then steale, euen so some women will not bee wonne with seauen yeares louing, and some againe will offend with an houres liberty.
Therfore, if thou study a thousand yeares, thou shalt find a woman nothing else but a contrary vntounto man: nay, if thou continue with her a hundreth yeares, yet thou shalt find in her new fancies, and contrary sorts of behauiour; therefore, if all the world were paper, and all the sea inke, and all the trees and plants were pens, and eueryevery man in the world were a writer, yet were they not able with all their labour and cunning, to set downe all the crafty deceits of women.
Now me thinks I heare some of you say, that young wits are soone corrupted, and that womens bright beauty breedeth curious thoughts in men, also golden gifts easily ouercommeth wanton womens desires: and thereby make them become Venus darlings, quite changing customes of modesty, into passions of vanity, wherein once delighted, they continue in the same without repentance or sorrow: But out alas, you lasciuious Dames, these lewd conditions of yours, will speedily bring all your ioyes to sorrow.