conscience may defraude, steale or deceiue: and answer were made that so
he might by the example of the Israelites, who at Goddes commandement,
deceiued the Egyptians, and spoiled them of their garmentes, golde and
syluer. I thinke likewise this reason shuld be mocked. And what greater
force, I pray you, hath the former argument? Debora did rule in Israel,
and Hulda spoke prophecie in Iuda: _Ergo_ it is laufull for women to
reigne aboue realmes and nations, or to teache in the presence of
men[110]. The consequent is vain and of none effect. For of examples, as
is before declared, we may establishe no lawe, but we are alwayes bounde
to the lawe writen, and to the commandement expressed in the same. And the
lawe writen and pronounced by God, forbiddeth no lesse that any woman
reigne ouer man, then it forbiddeth man to take pluralitie of wiues, to
mary two sisters liuing at ons, to steale, to robbe, to murther or to lie.
If any of these hath bene transgressed, and yet God hath not imputed the
same: it maketh not the like fact or dede lawfull vnto vs. For God being
free, may for suche causes as be approued by his inscrutable wisdome,
dispense with the rigor of his lawe, and may vse his creatures at his
pleasure. But the same power is not permitted to man, whom he hath made
subiect to his lawe, and not to the examples of fathers. And this I thinke
sufficient to the reasonable and moderate spirites. But to represse the
raging of womans madnes, I will descend somwhat deeper in to the mater,
and not feare to affirme: that as we find a contrarie spirit in all these
moste wicked women, that this day be exalted in to this tyrannouse
authoritie, to the spirite that was in those godly matrons: so I feare
not, I say, to affirme, that their condition is vnlike, and that their end
shalbe diuers. In those matrones we finde that the spirit of mercie,
truthe, iustice and of humilitie did reigne[111]. Vnder them we finde that
God did shewe mercie to his people, deliuering them frome the tyrannie of
strangiers, and from the venom of idolatrie by the handes and counsel of
those women: but in these of our ages, we finde crueltie, falshed, pride,