Here now I remember an argument of Master More's, which he bringeth in a book that * he made against Bilney: and here by the way I will tell you a merry toy. Master More was once sent in commission into Kent, to help to try out, if it might be, what was the cause of Goodwin sands, and the shelf that stopped up Sandwich haven. Thither cometh Master More, and calleth the country afore him, such as were thought to be men of experience, and men that could of likelihood best certify him of that matter concerning the stopping of Sandwich haven. Among others came in before him an old man, with a white head, and one that was thought to be little less than an hundred years old. When Master More saw this aged man, he thought it expedient to hear him say his mind in this matter; for, being so old a it was likely that he knew most of any man in that presence and company. So Master More called this old aged man unto him, and said, Father, (said he,) tell me, if ye can, what is the cause of this great arising of the man, * Sir Thomas More, who was made lord chancellor by king Henry VIII., in the year 1529; he resigned the seals in 1532, and was beheaded in the year 1535, because he would not take the oath for acknowledging the king to be the head of the English church, and abolishing the supremacy of the pope. sands and shelves here about this haven, the which stop it up that no ships can arrive here? Ye are the eldest man that I can espy in all this company, so that if any man can tell any cause of it, ye of likelihood can say most to it, or at leastwise more than any other man here assembled. Yea, forsooth, good master, quoth this old man, for I am well nigh an hundred years old, and no man here in this company any thing near unto mine age. Well then, quoth Master More, how say you in this matter? What think ye to be the cause of these shelves and flats that stop up Sandwich haven? Forsooth, Sir, quoth he, I am an old man; I think that Tenterton steeple is the cause of Goodwin sands. For I am an old man, Sir, quoth he, and I may remember the building of Tenterton steeple, and I may remember when there was no steeple at all there. And before that Tenterton steeple was in building, there was no manner of speaking of any flats or sands that stopped the haven; and therefore I think that Tenterton steeple is the cause of the destroying and decay of Sandwich haven.-And even so, to my purpose, is preaching of God's word the cause of rebellion, as Tenterton steeple was cause that Sandwich haven is decayed. And is not this a gay matter, that such should be taken for great wise men, that will thus reason against the preachers of God's word? But here I would take an occasion, by the way of a digression, to speak somewhat to my sisters, the women, to do them some good too; because I would do all folks good if I could, before I take my “ultimum vale,” at leastwise here of this place, for I think I shall no more come here; for I think I have not long to live; so that I judge I take my leave now of the court for ever, and shall no more come in this place. Ahab was a king, but Jezabel, Jezabel, she was the perilous woman. She would rule her husband the king; she would bear a stroke in all things, and she would order matters as pleased her: and so will many women do, they will rule their husbands, and do all things after their own minds. They do therein against the order by God appointed them; they break their injunction that God gave unto them. Yea, it is now come to the lower sort, to mean men's wives; they will rule and apparel themselves gorgeously, and some of them far above their degrees, whether their husbands will or But they break their injunction, and do therein contrary to God's ordinance. God saith, "Subdita eris sub potestate viri," Thou shalt be subject under the power of thy husband. Thou shalt be subject; women are subjects; ye be subjects to your husbands. no. At the first, the man and the woman were equal. But after that she had given credit to the serpent, then she had an injunction set upon her: "Subdita eris sub potestate viri,” Thou shalt be subject under the power of thy husband. And as for one part of her injunction, she taketh; and she taketh one part of her penance, because she cannot avoid it; and that is, “In dolore paries," Thou shalt bring forth children with pain and travail. This part of their injunction they take; and yet is the same so grievous, that Chrysostom saith, if it were not for the ordinance of God, which cannot be made frustrate by man, they would never come to it again for no worldly good. But God hath provided herein. And as Christ saith in the gospel, "Mulier, cum parit, tristitiam habet," &c., The woman when she beareth a child hath sorrow; but afterward she remembereth not the pain, because there is a soul brought forth into the world. But as it is a part of your penance, ye women, to travail in bearing your children; so it is a part of your penance to be subjects unto your husbands; ye are underlings, underlings, and must be obedient. But this is now made a trifle and a small matter; and yet, it is a sad matter, a godly matter, a ghostly matter, a matter of damnation and salvation. And Paul saith, that "a woman ought to have a power on her head." What is this, to have a power on her head? It is a manner of speaking of the Scripture; and to have her power on her head, is to have a sign and token of power, which is by covering of her head, declaring that she hath a superior above her, by whom she ought to be ruled and ordered: for she is not immediately under God, but mediately. For by their injunction the husband is their head under God, and they subjects unto their husbands. But this power that some of them have, is disguised gear and strange fashions. They must wear French hoods, and I cannot tell you, I, what to call it. And when they make them ready, and come to the covering of their head, they will call and say, Give me my French hood, and give me my bonnet, or my cap, and so forth. I would wish that the women would call the covering of their heads by the terms of the Scripture. As when she would have her cap, I would she would say, Give me my power. I would they would learn to speak as the Holy Ghost speaketh, and call it by such a name as St. Paul doth. I would they would, (as they have much pranking,) when they put on their cap, I would they would have this meditation, I am now putting on my power upon my head. If they had this thought in their minds, they would not make so |