BISHOP AYLMER. 155 



&quot; hereafter we shall prove. And in this point their en- C H A P. 



&quot; heritance is so lynked with the empyre, that you cannot 



&quot; pluck from them thone without robbing them of thother. 



&quot; This doubt might better have been moved, when the 



&quot; sceptre was, or shall be, in the hand of the male. And 



&quot; so, if it were found evil, (as I am persuaded it shall never 



&quot; be,) it might without the wronging of any be reformed. 



&quot; But now being stably shed by law, confirmed by custom, 



&quot; and ratified by common consent of all the orders in the 



&quot; realm ; it can be no equitie to take it from them, nor any 



&quot; colour of honestie or godlines to move any plea against 



&quot; them. If nature hath given it them by birth, how dare 



&quot; we pull it from them by violence? If God have called 



&quot; them to it either to save or to spill, why should we repine 



&quot; at that which is God^s will and order ? Are we wiser then 



&quot; he in bestowing it ; or so bold to alter that he purposeth 



&quot; should come of it ? If he liable women, shall we unhable 



&quot; them ? If he ment not they should minister, he could 



&quot; have provided other. Therefore the safest way is, to Jet 



&quot; him do his will which can do best ; which can see plainly 



&quot; that will follow it, where we blindly guesse, and do but 



&quot; grope at it. Per me reges regunt, saith Wisdom in the 



&quot; person of God. By him reign they, and not by us. It 



&quot; is his appointment, and not ours. For though we some- 



&quot; tyme have the election to chuse or refuse this person or 



&quot; that, (as it is in some commonwelths,) yet because we be 



&quot; not our own, but his, nor have our hearts in our hands to 



&quot; ordein what we liste, but must as waxe yelde to his wurk- 



&quot; ing ; therfore it is more aggreable to dutie, and a great 



&quot; deale less jeopardie, to honour his choise, rather then to 



&quot; preferre our own. Placeth he a woman weake in nature, 



&quot; feable in bodie, soft in courage, unskilful in practise, not 



&quot; terrible to the enemy, no shielde to the frende ; well, 



&quot; Virtus mea (saith he) in infirmitate perficitur ; i. e. My 



&quot; strength is most perfight, when you be most weak. If he 



&quot; joyn to his strength, she cannot be weak ; if he put to his 



&quot; hand, she cannot be feable ; if he be with her, who can 



