the pitie that should be in a christian heart, nor yet their
simplicitie, impotencie, or age may suffice to suppresse the rage or
rigor wherewith they are oppressed; yet the consideration of their sex
or kind ought to mooue some mitigation of their punishment. For if
nature (as Plinie reporteth) haue taught a lion not to deale so
roughlie with a woman as with a man, bicause she is in bodie the
weaker vessell, and in hart more inclined to pitie (which Ieremie in
his lamentations seemeth to confirme) what should a man doo in this
case, for whome a woman was created as an helpe and comfort vnto him?
In so much as, euen in the lawe of nature, it is a greater offense to
slea a woman than a man: not bicause a man is not the more excellent
creature, but bicause a woman is the weaker vessell. And therefore
among all modest and honest persons it is thought a shame to offer
violence or iniurie to a woman: in which respect Virgil saith, _Nullum
memorabile nomen foeminea in poena est_.

"God that knoweth my heart is witnes, and you that read my booke shall
see, that my drift and purpose in this enterprise tendeth onelie to
these respects. First, that the glorie and power of God be not so
abridged and abased, as to be thrust into the hand or lip of a lewd
old woman: whereby the worke of the Creator should be attributed to
the power of a creature. Secondlie, that the religion of the gospell
may be seene to stand without such peeuish trumperie. Thirdlie, that
lawfull fauour and christian compassion be rather vsed towards these
poore soules, than rigor and extremitie. Bicause they, which are
commonlie accused of witchcraft, are the least sufficient of all other
persons to speake for themselues; as hauing the most base and simple
education of all others; the extremitie of their age giuing them leaue
to dote, their pouertie to beg, their wrongs to chide and threaten (as
being void of anie other waie of reuenge) their humor melancholicall