will be grievously punished, not by men only, but by God himself, who will affert his own ordinances. For if good laws threaten a man with death who fhall clothe himself with a woman's apparel, and a woman if the wear the habit of a man; what punishment can be inflicted on them too great for their offence, who, by a prepofterous flattery, would overthrow the whole force of nature, and the everlafting conftitution of God himself? Will you understand how thefe flatterers do not fpeak what they cordially mean? In a publick affembly, to give a vote; to be president in a court of law; to enact or abrogate a law: these are great things in themfelves; yet they are but a fmall portion of publick government. Why do not these flatterers bring their wives hither to us, to confult? Why do not they alfo prefide in judicatures? Why do they not perfuade or difuade laws? Why don't thefe men look after their domeftick affairs at home fend their wives abroad to the wars? But if they would impofe thofe regents upon us, whom they themfelves dare fcarce trust in the management of their own houshold affairs, much less think them fit for the least part of any publick business; confider, I pray, how they contradict themselves: but if confcious of their own infirmity, they fpeak as they think, and so are restrained by modefty, rather than judgment; yet let them hope well of others, who both can and will perform their own, i. e. the fervices proper for men: But if (as I rather judge) they think by this kind of complaifance to gratify the Queen, I advise and admonish them to lay a fide their falfe opinion of a princefs of fo great prudence as he is, and not believe her to be fo ignorant of things, as to reckon that an increafe and acceffion of dignity (to her) which would be the fouleft thing imaginable in other women. I enter upon this part of my difcourfe very unwillingly: Therefore, fince our noble princefs hatho well deferved of the whole kingdom, that it is fit fhe fhould hear nothing which might justly offend her ears or heart, I will not mention those things, which ill men do commonly alledge, in contemning and undervaluing the fex; I fhall rather infift on thofe virtues which are proper to the Queen; and though these are many, and eminently illuftrious, yet none of them have procured greater praife and commendation, rather than her modefty; which is efteemed fo proper to her fex, that even in a private perfon it doth either cover, or at leaft much extenuate other faults. But in our Princefs, none of whofe words or deeds, in regard of the eminency of her birth and condition, can be concealed; it doth fhine out fo illustriously, that all her other virtues grow much more acceptable, and are more amply commended, merely for the fake of this one virtue. And therefore I fhall need to fay but a few words in reference to her, fave only to warn and encourage her to perfift in that way to glory and honour, which fhe hath already entered upon; and that the would not give ear to the flatteries of any, fo as to be forgetful of herfelf; but that she would rather tread the fure and experienced way to immortal renown, than, by running upon upon unsafe and craggy precipices, to hazard the splendor of her former life. But my great bufinefs is with you, my Lords, who, either out of envy, are afraid that your betters fhould be preferred before you, or elfe, out of a wicked ambition, are laying artfully the foundation of your future favour with a good Princess. I will therefore, moft noble Queen, under the fhelter of your prudence, fpeak freely my thoughts in this cafe. Such perfons do not court you, but your fortune; and whilft they think upon the Queen, they forget that the fame perfon is a woman. When I name the word woman, (I do not use it reproachfully, but), I mean a perfon to whom nature hath given many blandifhments, and eminent enduements; but withal, hath mingled them (as fhe ufually doth, in the moft ufual and precious things) with some alloy of infirmity; and therefore would have her to be under the guardianship of another, as not fufficiently able to protect herfelf: So that she is so far from having an empire over others alloted to her, that the laws, in imitation of nature, do command women to be under the perpetual tutelage of their parents, brothers, or husbands. Neither doth this tend to their reproach, but is a relief to their frailty for that it keeps them off from thofe affairs for which they are unfit; it is a kind regard had to their modefty; not a scandal detracting from their honour. I will not take notice how difficultly they are restrained by the vigilance of their husbands, and the authority of parents; neither will I mention how far the licentioufnefs of fome wo men men hath proceeded, when the reins have been laid on their necks. I fhall confine my fpeech only to what the prefent cafe offers, or rather doth enact and require; and which, without damage to the publick, cannot be concealed. If there be any thing of private concern amifs in the fex, let their hufbands and kindred look to that; I fhall only briefly touch what may be publickly prejudicial. Greatnefs of mind was never required in this fex. It is true, women have their other proper virtues; but as for this, it was always reckoned amongst virile, not female enduements. Be fides, the more they are obnoxious to commo. tions, paffions, and other efforts of mind, by reafon of the imbecillity of their nature; the more doth their extravagancy, having once broke thro' the reftraints of the law, fly out, and is hardly ever reduced, and brought back again within its due bounds, in regard wo men are alike impatient, both of diseases, and of their remedies. But if any of them feem more valiant and couragious, they are fo much the more dangerous, as being liable to more impetuous and vehement paffions. For they, who being weary of their fex, have put off the woman, are very willing to extend their liberty, even beyond the precincts of a mafculine genius. If you once exceed and pafs over the bounds and limits fet by nature, whatfoever is beyond is infinite; and there is no boundary left, either for defire or action. Moreover, there is a further acceffion to this infirmity of nature; for the lefs confidence one hath in himfelf, the more easily he interprets the words and actions of others others to his own reproach, he is more vehemently angry, and hardly appeafed. Such a party doth alfo execute revenge more immoderately, and doth punish his defpifers with greater hate. Now, that all these things are unfit for, nay contrary to magiftracy, there is none of you ignorant. And if any man think that I devife these things of my own head, let him confider what great difturbances there were not long ago, when Joan of Naples reigned. Look over the hiftories of antient times. I will not mention Semiramis of Affyria, nor Laodice of Cappadocia; thefe were monfters,. not women. The celebrated Zenobia Palmyrena, the fubduer of the Parthians, and a match for the Roman Emperors, was at laft overcome, taken, and triumphed over: And fo the herself, and her kingdom, which was enlarged and increafed by her husband Odenatus, was loft in a moment. Neither may I pafs over in filence, what is principally to be regarded in the management of other mens affairs; that the chief command is not to be entrusted to fuch fort of perfons who cannot be called to account for their mal-administration. I do not at all distruft the ingenuity, faithfulness, nor care of the . Queen; but if any thing be acted amifs (as it often happens) by the fraud of others, and matters be carried otherways than the publick good, or the dignity of her place doth require, what mulet can we exact from the King's mother? What punishment can we require? Who fhall cenfure her miscarriages? Shall the higheft matters be managed in the meetings of women, in the nurfery, or the dreffing Ꮓ |