For ail the blâmes and offence

That agaynst lis Womenye can laye,

Consyder the boiinte of oiir Ladyes excellence

And ail our evylles her goodnes dothe délaye. i Co

La Femme réplique.

Notu the conclusyon the Woman thiis began : Thèse infamous Men, with ail theyr polecy, Ail noble Women luolde gladly defame, \:

Were not our goodnes excedynge theyr glory.

For Caym kyllcd Abell, his gentyll brother, i65

And Judas Riibcn, hisfather^ dyd slay ; Nero made open his oxune mother To se the place where that hc lay.

The Men of Jiidy made God to dye,

Judas Scaryot hym solde byfalse treason 170

And after hym selfe hanged, this is no lye,

Wherefore styll in payne his soûle it doth ipon.

Chrystes Apostles dyd hym denye,

Men dyd hym crucefye by great vyolence

And tyrans enraged dyspyte fullye 175

Ten thoiisande slewe of Innocence.

Also in a day they dyd confoundc

A .xj. thousande vyrgyns unto theyr deth;

Some they heedyd and some they drownde ; '■ •

Some they smolthered, and stopped theyr breth. 180

1G9 of Iiiry. ■ ■>.'■.. >i. '

I ^4 ^^^ INTERI.OCUCYON BETWYXT MAX AND WOMAX

l'o Men they had perverse courage, As ye may se now evydently, To do iinto sayntes siiche oultrage Without offence and no cause why.

Men make warres and dyscencyons i85

In every place, as ye may se, Theftes, mordres and traysons.

Replète with ail iniquyte.

More Men there be in pryson,

In chaynes bounde,for theyr offence; 190

More Wotnen corne unto sermon

To lerne Goddys lajpes with dylygence.

Of every Man in ail degré

Mother and norces Women hath ben

Of ail that are and ever shal be ; 195

Women havefyrst th' autorite clen.

Wherfore ofusye ought say well

For to myssay ye can not wyn

Andye that hath no grâce goodnes to tell,

To holde his peace is bestfor hym. 200

Doye say of us the best Syns weye kept %phenye xpere small, For of lytell medlynge cometh moche rest. And God amende the iporst of us ail !

Fol. Avj. Thi: ArcTOR.

Of this argument the holc entent 2o5

/ marked it effectually,

And after I had herde them at this discent

I presed towardes them incontynently ;

A\ INTERLOCUCYON BETWYXT MAX AND WOMAX l55

But when they saive me aproche them to,

Lest I iuolde repreve theyr argument, 2 1 5

Fullfast they Jledde then bothe mefro,

That 1 7ie wyst wyther they went.

Wer/ore noiu to judge whiche is moost excellent

I admyt it iinto this reder' s prudence :

Whyther to Man or Woman is more convenyent 2 10

The laude to be gyven and wordly magnyfycence.

Finis.