The Batchelers Apologie
To satisfie the nice & curious eare
of those she witts the censure all they heare
I meane self louinge weomen the can brooke
no dish, but the w th theire owne fancies cookeTo winne my self into theire like again
if it be possible, my humble pen
Is bold taduenture to youre crytticke viewe
these poore vnpolisht country lines, thare newe
As is the day and nouelties we knowe
take w th the most, I wish mine may doe so
And if I chance to strike vppon a stringe
that shall begett some female cauelinge
I doe not it of purpose; want of skill
makes me offend, no motione of will.
What ere they are, thare youres, reade & well way
in judgments ballance what I haue to say
And then I doupt not but my willinge laboure
shall finde excuse and I regaine youre fauoure
The theame is woman (subiect large enough
to fill a volume; I will not be rough,
But handle her as gently as I may
to win her likinge woman scriptures say
was the last thinge the the creator made
made of the best of creatures man from whome she had
her bodies essens; of his refind clay
the purer abstracte, made not to beare sway
but to be subiect to that nobler peice
The man, from whome she borrowes what she is
Both were one flesh th affections of theire soules
so heaunly temperd that what he controules
her will amendes what she desirde his will
aproues of; both were comfortable still
both had like freedome to doe good or bad
Both the viue image of theire maker had
One law enioynd them to obedience
And both did suffer for the same offence
I list not tell you who offended first
Who made the earth & who the wombe accurst
This I am sure of both did disobey
and both lost paradice the self same day
And what their haples ofspringe hath proude since
we all can witnes, that their prime offence
makes our best actiones sinfull corrupt staynes
spread from theire sinfull loynes through all our veines
That glorious image w th we had of yore
is quite defect, the whole man so runne ore
W th sinns contagious lepresy, we can
nor will nor doe whats good so changd is man
The weaker part of whome is woman she
Who beeinge first seduct is apt to be
Tempted & lead away from what is good
for as the mother was such are her broode
I speake not this to excuse man, or sowe
dissentione twixt the sexes, well I knowe
Men share as deepe in sinn as women doe
Is often tempted and as easely too
I knowe that all righteousnes is ragges
foule & paluted cloathes; for all our braggs
Yet for all this he is the womans heade.
tis fitt thinferior should be gouerned
Yet when I see that mother sin base pride
W th her blacke peacocke leggs in tryumph ride
through all estates boorne vp by womens will,
that seldome leuel lower then the hille
Shakinge of theire obedience vnto him
by whome they liue; the fashion of our time
Blame me not if in my discourse I seeme
to whip this prouder sex yett doe not deeme
me partiall cruell I condemne not all
Theare are some vyeletts amongst the tall
& loftier Tulyps virtue may yet find
many an humble soule the is so kinde
To byd her wellcome; these whearesoere they be
I loue & honoure shew me but a shee
thats poore in spirritt low in her conceipte
one that is euer lookinge on her feete
Ile offer vp my seruice to her shrine
as to a sainct & wish that goodnes mine
You see I can loue woman. I hate none
as they are creatures is theare such a one
As is discreetely witty, and that can
Winne true affectione from the ruggedst man
that is as apt to take as giue aduice
one thats more friendly afable then nice
This woman comes not in my Satires reach
I loue not such as by a wedlock breech
sullyes her honoure and her housbands name
I loue not those that w th a ieelous flame
fires out her owne content to lett in strife
of all she feindes I loue not a curst wife
I loue no fashion mongers none whose tires
exceede her housbands comminges in, no lyers
no doubble minded ones no tongue it prates
what the hart meanes not no dissemblinge mates
No tittle tattle gossips whose delight
is to make hate & make the black seeme white
Such thinges as these you knowe theare are & these
are they I speake against thinke what you please
I could haue added many to this list
of female bad ones but full well I wist
I haue tirde my self & you I hope this may
suffize to let you knowe whatere I say
against youre noble sex is but in part
The good are only worthy of my hart
May bad ones mend may good ones still increase
and now kind weomen censure if you please
Catophylos
of those she witts the censure all they heare
I meane self louinge weomen the can brooke
no dish, but the w th theire owne fancies cookeTo winne my self into theire like again
if it be possible, my humble pen
Is bold taduenture to youre crytticke viewe
these poore vnpolisht country lines, thare newe
As is the day and nouelties we knowe
take w th the most, I wish mine may doe so
And if I chance to strike vppon a stringe
that shall begett some female cauelinge
I doe not it of purpose; want of skill
makes me offend, no motione of will.
What ere they are, thare youres, reade & well way
in judgments ballance what I haue to say
And then I doupt not but my willinge laboure
shall finde excuse and I regaine youre fauoure
The theame is woman (subiect large enough
to fill a volume; I will not be rough,
But handle her as gently as I may
to win her likinge woman scriptures say
was the last thinge the the creator made
made of the best of creatures man from whome she had
her bodies essens; of his refind clay
the purer abstracte, made not to beare sway
but to be subiect to that nobler peice
The man, from whome she borrowes what she is
Both were one flesh th affections of theire soules
so heaunly temperd that what he controules
her will amendes what she desirde his will
aproues of; both were comfortable still
both had like freedome to doe good or bad
Both the viue image of theire maker had
One law enioynd them to obedience
And both did suffer for the same offence
I list not tell you who offended first
Who made the earth & who the wombe accurst
This I am sure of both did disobey
and both lost paradice the self same day
And what their haples ofspringe hath proude since
we all can witnes, that their prime offence
makes our best actiones sinfull corrupt staynes
spread from theire sinfull loynes through all our veines
That glorious image w th we had of yore
is quite defect, the whole man so runne ore
W th sinns contagious lepresy, we can
nor will nor doe whats good so changd is man
The weaker part of whome is woman she
Who beeinge first seduct is apt to be
Tempted & lead away from what is good
for as the mother was such are her broode
I speake not this to excuse man, or sowe
dissentione twixt the sexes, well I knowe
Men share as deepe in sinn as women doe
Is often tempted and as easely too
I knowe that all righteousnes is ragges
foule & paluted cloathes; for all our braggs
Yet for all this he is the womans heade.
tis fitt thinferior should be gouerned
Yet when I see that mother sin base pride
W th her blacke peacocke leggs in tryumph ride
through all estates boorne vp by womens will,
that seldome leuel lower then the hille
Shakinge of theire obedience vnto him
by whome they liue; the fashion of our time
Blame me not if in my discourse I seeme
to whip this prouder sex yett doe not deeme
me partiall cruell I condemne not all
Theare are some vyeletts amongst the tall
& loftier Tulyps virtue may yet find
many an humble soule the is so kinde
To byd her wellcome; these whearesoere they be
I loue & honoure shew me but a shee
thats poore in spirritt low in her conceipte
one that is euer lookinge on her feete
Ile offer vp my seruice to her shrine
as to a sainct & wish that goodnes mine
You see I can loue woman. I hate none
as they are creatures is theare such a one
As is discreetely witty, and that can
Winne true affectione from the ruggedst man
that is as apt to take as giue aduice
one thats more friendly afable then nice
This woman comes not in my Satires reach
I loue not such as by a wedlock breech
sullyes her honoure and her housbands name
I loue not those that w th a ieelous flame
fires out her owne content to lett in strife
of all she feindes I loue not a curst wife
I loue no fashion mongers none whose tires
exceede her housbands comminges in, no lyers
no doubble minded ones no tongue it prates
what the hart meanes not no dissemblinge mates
No tittle tattle gossips whose delight
is to make hate & make the black seeme white
Such thinges as these you knowe theare are & these
are they I speake against thinke what you please
I could haue added many to this list
of female bad ones but full well I wist
I haue tirde my self & you I hope this may
suffize to let you knowe whatere I say
against youre noble sex is but in part
The good are only worthy of my hart
May bad ones mend may good ones still increase
and now kind weomen censure if you please
Catophylos
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