Page:The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward, and Unconstant Women (1622).djvu/65

 And he that hath a wife of his owne, and goeth to another woman, is like a rich theefe, which will ſteale when he hath no neede.

Amongſt all the creatures that God hath created, there is none more ſubiect to miſery then a woman, eſpeciaily thoſe that are fruitfull to beare children: for they haue ſcarce a moneths reſt in a whole yeere, but are continually overcome with paine, ſorrow, and feare, as indeed the danger of childe-bearing muſt needes bee a great terrour to women, which are counted but weake veſſels in reſpect of men, and yet it is ſuppoſed that there is no diſeaſe that a man endureth, that is one halfe ſo grieuous or painefull as childe-bearing to a woman: Let it be tooth-ach, gowt, or chollicke; nay, if a man had all theſe at once, yet they were nothing comparable to a womans paine in her trauell with childe.

Now if thou like not my reaſons to expell loue, then thou mayeſt try Ouids art, who preſcribes a ſalue for ſuch a ſore; for hee counſels thoſe which feele this horrible heate, to coole their flames with hearbes which are cold of Nature, as Rew, Lettice, and other hearbes, too long to recite: alſo hee ſaith, thou ſhouldſt abſtaine from exceſſe of meate and drinke, for that prouokes the minde greatly to luſt; alſo to hunt, to hawke, to ſhoote, to bowle, to run, to wraſtle, and ſome other play, for this will keepe thy minde from thinking of luſt: alſo ſhun ſlouthfulneſſe and idleneſſe, for theſe are the onely nurſes of loue; eſchew melancholly or ſadneſſe, and keepe merry company, turne thy eyes from the place where bewitching ſpirits are, leſt the remembrance doe encreaſe and rubbe thy galled minde: alſo to eſchew the place where thou didſt firſt feele