Page:The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward, and Unconstant Women (1622).djvu/49

 the beake, the Vnicorne in the horne, the Bull in the head, the Beare in the armes, the Horſe in his Breſt, the Dogge in his teeth, the Serpent in his taile: but a womans chiefe ſtrength is in her tongue. The Serpent hath not ſo much venome in his taile, as ſhe hath in her tongue; and as the Serpent neuer leaueth hiſſing and ſtinging, and ſeeking to doe miſchiefe: euen ſo, ſome women are neuer well, except they bee caſting out venome with their tongues, to the hure of their husbands, or of their neighbours. Therefore he that will diſcloſe his ſecrets to a woman, is worthy to haue his haire cut with Sampſon: for, if thou vnfoldeſt any thing of ſecret to a woman, the more thou chargeſt her to keepe it cloſe, the more the will ſeeme as it were to be with childe till ſhee haue reuealed it amongſt her goſſips; yet if one ſhould make doubt of her ſecrecie, ſhe would ſeeme angry, and ſay, I am no ſuch light Huſwife of my tongue, as they whoſe ſecrets lye at their tongues ends, which flies abroad ſo ſoone as they open their mouthes; therefore feare not to diſcloſe your ſecrets to mee, for I was neuer touched with any ſtraine of my tongue in my life; nay, ſhe will not ſticke to ſweare that ſhe will treade it vnder foote, or bury it vnder a ſtone: yet for all this beleeue her not, for euery woman hath one eſpeciall goſſip at the leaſt, which ſhe doth loue and affect aboue all the reſt, and vnto her ſhee runneth with all the ſecrets ſhe knoweth.

There is a hiſtory maketh mention of one Lyas, whom King Amaſis commanded to goe into the Market, and to buy the beſt and profitableſt meat he could get; and hee bought nothing but tongues: the King asked him the reaſon why be bought no other meat, who made this anſwer: I was