beat quid_: they have all their faults.

[5753] _Every each of them hath some vices,
If one be full of villainy,
Another hath a liquorish eye,
If one be full of wantonness,
Another is a chideress_.

When Leander was drowned, the inhabitants of Sestos consecrated Hero's
lantern to Anteros, _Anteroti sacrum_, [5754]and he that had good success
in his love should light the candle: but never any man was found to light
it; which I can refer to nought, but the inconstancy and lightness of
women.

[5755] "For in a thousand, good there is not one;
All be so proud, unthankful, and unkind,
With flinty hearts, careless of other's moan.
In their own lusts carried most headlong blind,
But more herein to speak I am forbidden;
Sometimes for speaking truth one may be chidden."

I am not willing, you see, to prosecute the cause against them, and
therefore take heed you mistake me not, [5756]_matronam nullam ego tango_,
I honour the sex, with all good men, and as I ought to do, rather than
displease them, I will voluntarily take the oath which Mercurius
Britannicus took, _Viragin. descript. tib. 2. fol. 95._ _Me nihil unquam
mali nobilissimo sexui, vel verbo, vel facto machinaturum_, &c., let
Simonides, Mantuan, Platina, Pet. Aretine, and such women-haters bare the
blame, if aught be said amiss; I have not writ a tenth of that which might
be urged out of them and others; [5757]_non possunt invectivae omnes, et
satirae in foeminas scriptae, uno volumine comprehendi_. And that which I
have said (to speak truth) no more concerns them than men, though women be
more frequently named in this tract; (to apologise once for all) I am
neither partial against them, or therefore bitter; what is said of the one,
_mutato nomine_, may most part be understood of the other. My words are
like Passus' picture in [5758]Lucian, of whom, when a good fellow had
bespoke a horse to be painted with his heels upwards, tumbling on his back,
he made him passant: now when the fellow came for his piece, he was very
angry, and said, it was quite opposite to his mind; but Passus instantly
turned the picture upside down, showed him the horse at that site which he
requested, and so gave him satisfaction. If any man take exception at my
words, let him alter the name, read him for her, and 'tis all one in
effect.

But to my purpose: If women in general be so bad (and men worse than they)
what a