his word hath plainlie denied vnto them: but to all women hath God denied
authoritie aboue man, as moste manifestlie is before declared: Therfore to
her it can neuer be inheritance. And thus must the aduocates of our ladies
prouide some better example and strongar argument. For the lawe made in
fauor of the doughters of Zalphead, will serue them nothing. And
assuredlie greate wonder it is, that in so greate light of Goddes truthe,
men list to grope and wander in darknes. For let them speak of
conscience[130]: if the petition of any of these fore named women was to
reigne ouer any one tribe, yea or yet ouer any one man within Israel.
Plain it is, they did not, but onelie required, that they might haue a
portion of ground amonge the men of their tribe, lest, that the name of
their father shuld be abolished. And this was graunted vnto them without
respect had to any ciuil regiment. And what maketh this, I pray you, for
the establishing of this monstruous empire of women? The question is not:
if women may not succede to possession, substance patrimonie or
inheritance, such as fathers may leaue to their children, for that I
willinglie grant[131]: But the question is: if women may succede to their
fathers in offices, and chieflie to that office, the executor wherof doth
occupie the place and throne of God. And that I absolutelie denie: and
feare not to say, that to place a woman in authoritie aboue a realme, is
to pollute and prophane the royall seate, the throne of iustice, which
oght to be the throne of God: and that to mainteine them in the same, is
nothing els, but continuallie to rebell against God. One thing there is
yet to be noted and obserued in the lawe[132] made concerning the
inheritance of the doughters of Zalphead, to wit, that it was forbidden
vnto them to marie without their owne tribe, lest that such portion as
fell to their lotte, shuld be transferred frome one tribe to an other, and
so shuld the tribe of Manasses be defrauded and spoiled of their iust
inheritance by their occasion. For auoiding of which it was commanded by
Moses, that they should marie in the familie or housholde of the tribe and