_Not._ Yee shall sweare by the sacred hand of _Atticus_, not to respect the person of either of the Offendors: but iustly and truly to waigh and ballance the Reasons and Arguments of the deputed Aduocates, and thereupon to determine and proceed in iudgement, according to the Lawes of this Iland, as you tender the pleasure of Royall _Atticus_. _Both Iudg._ To this we freely sweare. _Att._ Now then, to your Arguments. _Aur._ _Atlanta_, for poore innocent women. _Att._ _Misogynos_ for the men. _Atlan._ It is an honour farre beyond my weaknesse, (Most equall Iudges) that I am accepted, I but a woman, before men to plead, Dumbe feare and bashfulnesse to speake before Bold Orators of State, men graue and wise, That can at euery breathing pause, correct The slipp’ry passages of a womans speech: But yet withall my hopes are doubly arm’d. _1. Iudg._ How doubly arm’d? _2. Iudg._ Presume not more then Reason. _Atlan._ First, that my bashfull weaknesse claymes excuse, And is to speake before such temp’rate Iudges, Who in their wisdome will, no doubt, conniue At small defects in me a silly woman. _1. Law._ Smoothly put on. _2. Law._ A quaint insinuation. _Atlan._ Next, that the cause I handle, is so iust, And full of truth, as were corruption seated Vpon your hearts (as who can euer doubt Wisdome shou’d so decline) I wou’d not feare, But that my pregnant Reasons soone shou’d purge, And clense your secret bosomes from vntruth. _1. Law._ A promising _Exordium_. _2. Law._ The successe is all. _Atlan._ I need not tell you what I come to prooue: That rayling Woman-hater hath alreadie With his foule breath belcht forth into the Ayre, The shamelesse cause in question, and doth charge The supple wax, the courteous natur’d woman, As blamefull for receiuing the impression Of Iron hearted man, in whom is grauen, With curious and deceiuing Art, foule shapes And stamps of much abhord impietie. Wou’d any man, once hauing fixt his Seale To any Deed, though after he repent The Fact so done, rayle at the supple Wax, As though that were the cause of his vndoing? O idle leuitie! Wax hath’s vse, And woman easly beares the mans abuse. _1. Law._ Here’s a by-blow. _2. Law._ How can my Fencer ward it? Stay: he comes on. _Mis._ Hum. Doe you wax vpon me? as if man Once hauing fixt the Seale of Armes of loue, On waxen-harted woman, though another Came after him, and did adulterate The stampe imprinted on her, she, forsooth, Must still be held excus’d. ’Tis weake, and fond, And woman-like: you flye on waxen wings, That melt against the Sunne. Therefore attend, And I will proue vnto this honour’d Court, In all their passions women are impetuous, And beyond men, ten times more violent. _Atlan._ I grant you that. But who begins the motion, And is first agent? for as I conceiue, That’s the cause in question. _Mis._ Deluding woman.