[6279]Herodotus, commend his
wife's beauty himself, and besides would needs have him see her naked.
Whilst they give their wives too much liberty to gad abroad, and bountiful
allowance, they are accessory to their own miseries; _animae uxorum pessime
olent_, as Plautus jibes, they have deformed souls, and by their painting
and colours procure _odium mariti_, their husband's hate,
especially,--[6280] _cum misere viscantur labra mariti_. Besides, their
wives (as [6281]Basil notes) _Impudenter se exponunt masculorum aspectibus,
jactantes tunicas, et coram tripudiantes_, impudently thrust themselves
into other men's companies, and by their indecent wanton carriage provoke
and tempt the spectators. Virtuous women should keep house; and 'twas well
performed and ordered by the Greeks,

[6282] ------"mulier ne qua in publicum
Spectandam se sine arbitro praebeat viro:"

which made Phidias belike at Elis paint Venus treading on a tortoise, a
symbol of women's silence and housekeeping. For a woman abroad and alone,
is like a deer broke out of a park, _quam mille venatores insequuntur_,
whom every hunter follows; and besides in such places she cannot so well
vindicate herself, but as that virgin Dinah (Gen. xxxiv., 2,) "going for to
see the daughters of the land," lost her virginity, she may be defiled and
overtaken of a sudden: _Imbelles damae quid nisi praeda sumus_? [6283]

And therefore I know not what philosopher he was, that would have women
come but thrice abroad all their time, [6284]"to be baptised, married, and
buried;" but he was too strait-laced. Let them have their liberty in good
sort, and go in good sort, _modo non annos viginti aetatis suae domi
relinquant_, as a good fellow said, so that they look not twenty years
younger abroad than they do at home, they be not spruce, neat, angels
abroad, beasts, dowdies, sluts at home; but seek by all means to please and
give content to their husbands: to be quiet above all things, obedient,
silent and patient; if they be incensed, angry, chid a little, their wives
must not [6285]cample again, but take it in good part. An honest woman, I
cannot now tell where she dwelt, but by report an honest woman she was,
hearing one of her gossips by chance complain of her husband's impatience,
told her an excellent remedy for it, and gave her withal a glass of water,
which when he brawled she should hold still in her mouth, and that _toties
quoties_, as often as he chid; she did