The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

Yea he saith more, that the woman ought to have a certain honour attributed to her, that is to say, she must be spared and borne with, the rather for that she is the weaker vessel, of a frail heart, inconstant, and with a word soon stirred to wrath. And therefore considering these her frailties, she is to be ⟨p. 481⟩the rather spared. By this means, thou shalt not only nourish concord: but shalt have her heart in thy power and will. For honest natures will sooner be retained to do their duty, rather by gentle words, then by stripes. But he which will do all things with extremity and severity, and doth use always rigour in words & stripes, what will that avail in the conclusion? Verily nothing, but that he thereby setteth forward the devils work, he banisheth away concord, charity, and sweet amity, and bringeth in dissension, hatred, and irksomeness, the greatest griefs that can be in the mutual love and fellowship of mans life. Beyond all this, it bringeth another evil therewith: For it is the destruction and interruption of prayer. For in the time that the mind is occupied with dissension and discord, there can be no true prayer used. For the Lords prayer hath not only a respect to particular persons, but to the whole universal. In the which we openly pronounce, that we will forgive them which hath offended against us, even as we ask forgiveness of our since of God. Which thing how can it be done rightly, when their hearts be at dissension? Howe can they pray each for other, when they be at hate betwixt them selves? Now, if the aid of prayer be taken away, by what means can they sustain them selves in any comfort? For they can not otherwise either resist the devil, or yet have their hearts stayed in stable comfort in all perils and necessities, but by prayer. Thus all discommodities, aswell worldly as ghostly, follow this froward ⟨p. 482⟩testiness, and cumbrous fierceness, in manners, which be more meet for brute beasts, then for reasonable creatures. Saint Peter doth not allow these things, but the devil desireth them gladly. Wherefore take the more heed. And yet a man may be a man, although he doth not use such extremity, yea though he should dissemble some things in his wives manners. And this is the part of a Christian man, which both pleaseth God, and serveth also in good use to the comfort of their marriage state.

Yea he sayth more, that the woman ought to haue a certayne honour attributed to her, that is to say, she muste be spared and borne with, the rather for that she is the weaker vessel, of a frayle heart, inconstant, and with a worde soone stirred to wrath. And therefore consydering these her frayleties, she is to be