Heua, might not onely learne daily to humble and subiect them selues in
the presence of God, but also that they shulde auoide and abhorre what
soeuer thing might exalte them or puffe them vp in pride, or that might be
occasion, that they shuld forget the curse and malediction of God. And
what, I pray you, is more able to cause woman to forget her owne
condition, then if she be lifted vp in authoritie aboue man? It is a
thingverie difficile to a man, (be he neuer so constant) promoted to
honors, not to be tickled some what with pride (for the winde of vaine
glorie doth easelie carie vp the drie dust of the earth). But as for
woman[40], it is no more possible, that she being set aloft in authoritie
aboue man, shall resist the motions of pride, then it is able to the weake
reed, or to the turning wethercocke, not to bowe or turne at the
vehemencie of the vnconstant wind. And therfore the same writer expreslie
forbiddeth all woman to intremedle with the office of man. For thus he
writeth in his book _de virginibus velandis_[41]: It is not permitted to a
woman, to speake in the congregation, nether to teache, nether to baptise,
nether to vendicate to her selfe any office of man. The same he speaketh
yet more plainly in the preface of his sixte boke writen against
Marcion[42], where he recounting certain monstruous thinges, whiche were
to be sene at the sea called _Euxinum_, amongest the rest, he reciteth
this as a greate monstre in nature, that women in those partes, were not
tamed nor embased by consideration of their own sex and kind: but that all
shame laide a parte, they made expenses vpon weapons and learned the
feates of warre, hauinge more pleasure to fight, then to mary and be
subiect to man. Thus farre of Tertullian, whose wordes be so plain, that
they nede no explanation. For he that taketh from her all office
apperteining to man, will not suffre her to reigne aboue man: and he that
iudgeth it a monstre in nature, that a woman shall exercise weapons, must
iudge it to be a monstre of monstres, that a woman shalbe exalted aboue a
hole realme and nation. Of the same minde is Origen, and diuers others.