Chapter XII: Canto III: The Argument (2)

These are th' attracts which most men fall Inamour'd, at first sight, withal 90 To these th' address with serenades, And court with balls and masquerades; And yet, for all the yearning pain Y' have suffer'd for their loves in vain, I fear they'll prove so nice and coy 95 To have, and t' hold and to enjoy That all your oaths and labour lost, They'll ne'er turn ladies of the post. This is not meant to disapprove Your judgment in your choice of love; 100 Which is so wise, the greatest part Of mankind study 't as an art; For love shou'd, like a deodand, Still fall to th' owner of the land; And where there's substance for its ground, 105 Cannot but be more firm and sound Than that which has the slightest basis Of airy virtue, wit, and graces; Which is of such thin subtlety, It steals and creeps in at the eye, 110 And, as it can't endure to stay, Steals out again as nice a way.

But love, that its extraction owns From solid gold and precious stones Must, like its shining parents, prove 115 As solid and as glorious love. Hence 'tis you have no way t'express Our charms and graces but by these: For what are lips, and eyes, and teeth, Which beauty invades and conquers with, 120 But rubies, pearls, and diamonds, With which a philter-love commands?

This is the way all parents prove, In managing their childrens' love; That force 'em t' intermarry and wed, 125 As if th' were bur'ing of the dead; Cast earth to earth, as in the grave, To join in wedlock all they have: And when the settlement's in force, Take all the rest for better or worse; 130 For money has a power above The stars and fate to manage love; Whose arrows, learned poets hold, That never miss, are tipp'd with gold. And though some say, the parents' claims 135 To make love in their childrens' names, Who many times at once provide The nurse, the husband, and the bride Feel darts and charms, attracts and flames, And woo and contract in their names; 140 And as they christen, use to marry 'em, And, like their gossips, answer for 'em; Is not to give in matrimony, But sell and prostitute for money; 'Tis better than their own betrothing, 145 Who often do't for worse than nothing; And when th' are at their own dispose, With greater disadvantage choose. All this is right; but for the course You take to do't, by fraud or force, 150 'Tis so ridiculous, as soon As told, 'tis never to be done; No more than setters can betray, That tell what tricks they are to play. Marriage, at best, is but a vow, 155 Which all men either break or bow: Then what will those forbear to do, Who perjure when they do but woo? Such as before-hand swear and lie For earnest to their treachery; 160 And, rather than a crime confess, With greater strive to make it less; Like thieves, who, after sentence past, Maintain their innocence to the last; And when their crimes were made appear 165 As plain as witnesses can swear, Yet, when the wretches come to die, Will take upon their death a lie, Nor are the virtues you confest T' your ghostly father, as you guest, 170 So slight as to be justify'd By being as shamefully deny'd, As if you thought your word would pass Point-blank on both sides of a case; Or credit were not to be lost 175 B' a brave Knight-Errant of the Post, That eats perfidiously his word, And swears his ears through a two inch board: Can own the same thing, and disown, And perjure booty, Pro and Con: 180 Can make the Gospel serve his turn, And help him out, to be forsworn; When 'tis laid hands upon, and kist, To be betray'd and sold like Christ. These are the virtues in whose name 185 A right to all the world you claim, And boldly challenge a dominion, In grace and nature, o'er all women; Of whom no less will satisfy Than all the sex your tyranny, 190 Although you'll find it a hard province, With all your crafty frauds and covins, To govern such a num'rous crew, Who, one by one, now govern you: For if you all were SOLOMONS, 195 And wise and great as he was once, You'll find they're able to subdue (As they did him) and baffle you.

And if you are impos'd upon 'Tis by your own temptation done, 200 That with your ignorance invite; And teach us how to use the slight. For when we find y' are still more taken With false attracts of our own making; Swear that's a rose, and that a stone, 205 Like sots, to us that laid it on, And what we did but slightly prime, Most ignorantly daub in rhime; You force us, in our own defences, To copy beams and influences; 210 To lay perfections on the graces, And draw attracts upon our faces; And, in compliance to your wit, Your own false jewels counterfeit. For, by the practice of those arts 215 We gain a greater share of hearts; And those deserve in reason most That greatest pains and study cost; For great perfections are, like heaven, Too rich a present to be given. 220 Nor are these master-strokes of beauty To be perform'd without hard duty, Which, when they're nobly done and well, The simple natural excell. How fair and sweet the planted rose 225 Beyond the wild in hedges grows! For without art the noblest seeds Of flow'rs degen'rate into weeds. How dull and rugged, e're 'tis ground And polish'd, looks a diamond! 230 Though Paradise were e'er so fair, It was not kept so without care. The whole world, without art and dress, Would be but one great wilderness; And mankind but a savage herd, 235 For all that nature has conferr'd. This does but rough-hew, and design; Leaves art to polish and refine. Though women first were made for men, Yet men were made for them agen; 240 For when (outwitted by his wife) Man first turn'd tenant but for life, If women had not interven'd, How soon had mankind had an end! And that it is in being yet, 245 To us alone you are in debt. And where's your liberty of choice, And our unnatural No Voice? Since all the privilege you boast, And falsly usurp'd, or vainly lost, 250 Is now our right; to whose creation You owe your happy restoration: And if we had not weighty cause To not appear, in making laws, We could, in spite of all your tricks, 255 And shallow, formal politicks, Force you our managements t' obey, As we to yours (in shew) give way. Hence 'tis that, while you vainly strive T' advance your high prerogative, 260 You basely, after all your braves, Submit, and own yourselves our slaves; And 'cause we do not make it known, Nor publickly our int'rest own, Like sots, suppose we have no shares 265 In ord'ring you and your affairs; When all your empire and command You have from us at second hand As if a pilot, that appears To sit still only while he steers, 270 And does not make a noise and stir Like ev'ry common mariner, Knew nothing of the card, nor star, And did not guide the man of war; Nor we, because we don't appear 275 In councils, do not govern there; While, like the mighty <m> PRESTER JOHN, Whose person none dares look upon, But is preserv'd in close disguise, From being made cheap to vulgar eyes, 280 W' enjoy as large a pow'r unseen, To govern him, as he does men; And in the right of our Pope JOAN, Make Emp'rors at our feet fall down; Or <n> JOAN DE PUCEL'S braver name, 285 Our right to arms and conduct claim; Who, though a Spinster, yet was able To serve FRANCE for a Grand Constable.

We make and execute all laws; Can judge the judges and the cause; 290 Prescribe all rules of right or wrong To th' long robe, and the longer tongue; 'Gainst which the world has no defence; But our more pow'rful eloquence. We manage things of greatest weight 295 In all the world's affairs of state Are ministers of war and peace, That sway all nations how we please. We rule all churches and their flocks, Heretical and orthodox; 300 And are the heavenly vehicles O' th' spirits in all conventicles. By us is all commerce and trade Improv'd, and manag'd, and decay'd; For nothing can go off so well, 305 Nor bears that price, as what we sell. We rule in ev'ry publique meeting, And make men do what we judge fitting; Are magistrates in all great towns, Where men do nothing but wear gowns. 310 We make the man of war strike sail, And to our braver conduct veil, And, when h' has chac'd his enemies, Submit to us upon his knees. Is there an officer of state 315 Untimely rais'd, or magistrate, That's haughty and imperious? He's but a journeyman to us. That as he gives us cause to do't, Can keep him in, or turn him out. 320

We are your guardians, that increase Or waste your fortunes how we please; And, as you humour us, can deal In all your matters, ill or well.

'Tis we that can dispose alone, 325 Whether your heirs shall be your own, To whose integrity you must, In spight of all your caution, trust; And, 'less you fly beyond the seas, Can fit you with what heirs we please; 330 And force you t' own 'em, though begotten By French Valets or Irish Footmen. Nor can the vigorousest course Prevail, unless to make us worse; Who still, the harsher we are us'd, 335 Are further off from b'ing reduc'd; And scorn t' abate, for any ills, The least punctilios of our wills. Force does but whet our wits t' apply Arts, born with us, for remedy; 340 Which all your politicks, as yet, Have ne'er been able to defeat: For when y' have try'd all sorts of ways, What fools d' we make of you in plays! While all the favours we afford, 345 Are but to girt you with the sword, To fight our battles in our steads, And have your brains beat out o' your heads; Encounter, in despite of nature, And fight at once, with fire and water, 350 With pirates, rocks, and storms, and seas, Our pride and vanity t' appease; Kill one another, and cut throats, For our good graces, and best thoughts; To do your exercise for honour, 355 And have your brains beat out the sooner; Or crack'd, as learnedly, upon Things that are never to be known; And still appear the more industrious, The more your projects are prepost'rous; 360 To square the circle of the arts, And run stark mad to shew your parts; Expound the oracle of laws, And turn them which way we see cause Be our solicitors and agents, 365 And stand for us in all engagements.

And these are all the mighty pow'rs You vainly boast to cry down ours; And what in real value's wanting, Supply with vapouring and ranting; 370 Because yourselves are terrify'd, And stoop to one another's pride, Believe we have as little wit To be out-hector'd, and submit; By your example, lose that right 375 In treaties which we gain'd in fight; And, terrify'd into an awe, Pass on ourselves a <o> Salique law:

Or, as some nations use, give place, And truckle to your mighty race; 380 Let men usurp th' unjust dominion, As if they were the better women.

NOTES ON THE LADY's ANSWER TO THE KNIGHT.

133 l Whose Arrows learned Poets hold, &c.] The poets feign Cupid to have two sorts of arrows; the one tipped with gold, and the other with lead. The golden always inspire and inflame love in the persons he wounds with them: but, on the contrary, the leaden create the utmost aversion and hatred. With the first of these he shot Apollo, and with the other Daphne, according to Ovid.

277 m While, like the mighty Prester John, &c.] Prester John, an absolute prince, emperor of Abyssinia or Ethiopia. One of them is reported to have had seventy kings for his vassals, and so superb and arrogant, that none durst look upon him without his permission.

285 Or Joan de Pucel's braver Name.] Joan of Arc, called also the Pucelle, or Maid of Orleans. She was born at the town of Damremi, on the Meuse, daughter of James de Arc, and Isabella Romee; and was bred, up a shepherdess in the country. At the age of eighteen or twenty she pretended to an express commission from God to go to the relief of Orleans, then besieged by the English, and defended by John Compte de Dennis, and almost reduced to the last extremity. She went to the coronation of Charles the Seventh, when he was almost ruined. She knew that prince in the midst of his nobles; though meanly habited. The doctors of divinity, and members of parliament, openly declared that there was some thing supernatural in her conduct. She sent for a sword, which lay in the tomb of a knight, which was behind the great altar of the church of St. Katharine de Forbois, upon the blade of which the cross and flower-de-luces were engraven, which put the king in a very great surprise, in regard none besides himself knew of it. Upon this he sent her with the command of some troops, with which she relieved Orleans, and drove the English from it, defeated Talbot at the battle of Pattai, and recovered Champagne. At last she was unfortunately taken prisoner in a sally at Champagne in 1430, and tried for a witch or sorceress, condemned, and burnt in Rouen market-place in May 1430.

378 o Pass on ourselves a Salique Law.] The Salique Law is a law in France, whereby it is enacted, that no female shall inherit that crown.

GLOSSARY

Advowtry: Adultery Animalia: Animals (L.) Arsie-versie: Upside-down Aruspicy: Prophesying, fortune-telling Bachrach: Wine from Bacharach, in Germany Bavin: A bundle of firewood Boutefeu: Arsonist or (literal or metaphorical) firebrand Cacodaemon: An evil Spirit Caldes'd: Cheated Calendae: The 1st or 2nd of the month Calleche: A carriage with two wheels and a folding hood Camelion: A giraffe Camisado: An attack by night, during which the attackers wore shirts over their armour so they could recognise one another Cane & Angue pejus: Worse than a dog or a snake (L.) Caperdewsie: The stocks Capoch'd: Pulled off the hoods Caprich: A caprice Carbonading: Thrashing, beating Carroch: A stately or luxurious carriage Catasta: The stocks Cawdie: A military cadet Cawdle: Soup or gruel Ceruse: White lead used as a cosmetic Champaign: Champagne wine Champain: Countryside Chous'd, choust, chows'd: Cheated Chowse: A cheat's victim Classis: The elders and pastors of all the Presbyterian congregations in a district Coincidere: To come together (L.) Congees: Bows, curtseys Conster: Construe, explain Conventicle: Secret or illegal religious meetings Covins: Conspiracies Cucking-stool: A stool to which a malefactor (often an unfaithful wife) was tied, to be exposed to public ridicule, or ducked in a pond or river. Curship: The title of being a cur -- pun on "worship" Curule: An ivory chair used as a mayor's throne Deletory: That which wipes out or destroys Deodand: In English law an article which had caused a man's death was ordered by the court to be a forfeited as a deodand (Ad Deo dandum - to be given to God). Before the reformation it or its value was given to the Church; afterwards to the local landowner. Dewtry: A stupefying drink made from the Indian thorn-apple fruit. Dialectico: A philosophical point of argument Dictum factum: No sooner said than done (L.) Disparo: To separate (L.) Donzel: A young page or squire Drazel: A slut Ducatoon: An Italian silver coin, worth about 6 shillings. Ejusdem generis: Of the same kind (L.) Enucleate: To explain the meaning of Ex parte: On behalf of (L.) Exaun: A religious establishment not under the authority of the local bishop Fadging: Fitting Feme-covert: A woman under the protection of a husband ( a legal term) Ferk: Beat, whip Festina lente: Make haste slowly (L.) Fingle-fangle: A whimsical or fantastic idea Fother: A cart-load Fulhams: Loaded dice Ganzas: The birds which the hero of a popular romance harnessed to take him to the moon Genethliack: A caster of horoscopes Geomancy: Divination by interpreting the patterns of lines drawn at random on the ground or on paper. Gleave: A spear or halberd Granado: A grenade Grilly'd: Grilled Grincam: Syphilis Guep: Go on! -- said to a horse or as an expression of derision. Habergeon: A chain-mail shirt Haut-gousts: Tasty things Headborough: A constable Hiccius Doctius: A nonsense word used by jugglers, conjurers etc., hence, any kind of trick or dishonest dealing Hight: Called, named Hoccamore: Wine from Hochheim, in Germany Horary: Hourly Huckle: The hip Hugonots: French Calvinists Hypocondries: The upper abdomen, between the breastbone and the navel Id est: That is (L.) Idem: The same (L.) Illation: Inference, deduction In eodem subjecto: Thrown together in the same place (L.) In querpo: Naked Jobbernol(e): A thick head or blockhead Jure divino: By God's law (L.) Langued: Heraldic term meaning, with a tongue of a particular colour e.g. langued gules - with a red tongue Lathy: Thin, like a lath Linsey-woolsey : A cloth of mixed wool and linen threads Linstock: A stick for holding a gunner's match L'Ombre: A card game Longees: Lunges Lustrations: Ceremonials of ritual purification by washing Mainprize: To stand surety for someone Manicon: A plant (deadly nightshade) or its extract, believed to cause insanity when taken Manto: Mantua, a kind of woman's loose gown Martlet: A swallow or martin Mazzard: The head Meazle: A spot or pustule Mira de lente: Wonderfully slow (L.) Mordicus: With the teeth (L.) Morpion: A crab-louse Mundungus: Bad tobacco Nare olfact: Nostril (L.) Neat (noun): A calf or cow Negatur: It is denied (L.) Nimmer: A petty thief Omnibus nervis: With every sinew (L.) Oppugn: Attack or fight against Orcades: The Orkneys pacquet-male: Large wallet Padder: A thief Pari Libra: Equally (L.) Pathic: Passively homosexual Pernicion: Total ruin Petronel: A short carbine or large pistol Picqueer: Skirmish or quarrel Pigsney: A term of endearment for a woman, "darling" Plus satis: More than enough (L.) Poesie: Poetry Pullen: Poultry Punese: A bed-bug Pursy: Rich Quarteridge: A tax or payment due quarterly Quatenus: So far as (it is) (L.) Quillets: Verbal points or quibbles Rampiers: Ramparts Rationalia: Thinking creatures (L.) Rochet: A bishop's white gown or surplice Satis: Enough Sault: Jump Scire facias: To know the appearance of (L.) Sedes Stercoraria: Filthier seat (L.) Seisin: A token of ownership, formally handed over when property is sold. Shanker: A venereal sore, chancre Slubberdegullion: A dirty, slovenly person Soland geese: Barnacle geese (Branta leucopsis) Staffier: A footman Stentrophonick: Loud, as from a megaphone Stum: A mixture of wine and grape juice Suggill'd: Beaten severely Sui juris: Independently (L.) Swound: A swoon Synodical: Arising from or of the nature of a synod - a meeting of bishops etc. of the Anglican Church Tantundem dat tantidem: So much of that gives so much of this = they are exactly the same (L.) Tarsel: A male falcon Theorbo: A kind of lute with two necks Totidem verbis: In just as many words (L.) Trapes: Tripes Trepan: To trap Trigon: A set of 3 signs of the Zodiac at 120-degree angles to each other Tussis pro crepitu: A cough for a fart (L.) Velis & remis: By sail and oar (L.) Veni, Vidi, Vici : I came, I saw, I conquered (L.) Versal: Universal Videlicet: That is, viz. (L.) Vitiligation: Argument, quarrelling Vizard: A mask or disguise Welkin: The sky Whiffler: A ceremonial guard who cleared the way for a mayor or other official Whinyard: A short sword Ycleped: Named Yerst: Erst, formerly

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