Women haue: albeit through the weaknes and cowardise of our Sexe, yee men will doe what ye list. But ye be now no Lords, nor we Seruaunts, and husbands we do you call, bicause the holy Lawes of Matrimony (which was the first Sacrament giuen by GOD to Men after the creation of the Worlde) doe require equall fayth, and so well is the husband bound to the Wyfe as she vnto him. Go to then and make your complaynt: the next Asse or Beast ye meete take hir to be your Wyfe. Why do yee not know that the balance of iustice is equall, and wayeth downe no more of one side than of other? But let vs nowe leaue of to reason of this matter, and come to that for which we be come hither. Two things (most ryghteous Prynce) haue moued vs to come before your maiesty, and all this honourable assembly, which had they not bene, we would haue bene ashamed to shewe our Faces, and lesse presumed to speake or once to open our Lippes in this Noble audience, which is a place only meete for them that be most Expert, and eloquent Orators, and not for vs, to whom the Needle, and Distaffe be more requisite. The first cause that forced vs to come forth of our owne house, was to let you understand that our Husbands be no murderers, as is supposed, neyther of this Gentleman present maister Aloisio, ne yet of any man els: and thereof we haue sufficient and worthy testimony. But herein we neede not to trauaile mutch, or to vse many wordes: for neyther maister Alosio is slayne, ne any other murdred that is known or manifest hitherto. One thyng resteth, which is that Madonna Lucia and I do humbly beseech youre excellente Maiestye, that youre grace and the authoritye of the right honourable Lords here present, will vouchsafe to reconcile vs to our husbands, that we may obtayne pardon and fauor at their handes, bicause we haue so manifestly made their acts to appeare, and for that we be the offence, and they the Offendours, and yet by their owne occasions, we haue committed the Error (if it may be so termed.) And now to come to the conclusion, I doe remember, sithens I was a Chylde, that I haue heard the Gentlewoman my mother saye (whose soule God pardon) many times vnto me, and other my sisters, and to mistresse Lucia, that was brought vp with vs, being by hir instructed in diuers good and vertuous Lessons, that all the honor a woman can doe vnto hir husband, whereby she beautifieth him and his whole race and family, consisteth in hir honest, chast, and vertuous lyfe, without which, she oughte rather to die than liue. And that a Gentleman’s Wyfe when she hath giuen hir body to the vse of an other man, is the common marke for euery man to point at in the streate where she goeth, hir husband therby incurring reproche and shame, whych no doubt is the greatest iniury and scorne that an honest Gentleman can receiue, and the moste shamefull reproche that can deface his house. Which Lesson we so well remembryng, desirous not to suffer the carelesse and