First Blast of the Trumpet against the monstrous regiment of Women | Page 5

whiche shall apprehend that horrible monstre Iesabal of
England, and suche as maintein her monstruous crueltie, is alredie
apointed in the counsel of the Eternall; and I verelie, beleue that it is so
nigh, that she shall not reigne so long in tyrannie, as hitherto she hath
done, when God shall declare him selfe to be her ennemie, when he
shall poure furth contempt vpon her, according to her crueltie, and shal
kindle the hartes of such, as sometimes did fauor her with deadly hatred
against her, that they may execute his iudgementes. And therfore let
such as assist her, take hede what they do.
Within a year of the writing of this MARY TUDOR was dead, and the
system of which she was the centre was dead too.
III.
There are some notable incidental matters in this tract.
First in matters of State. As

The spaniardes are Iewes and they bragge that Marie of England is the
roote of Iesse. p. 46.
That most important testimony that the Reformation under EDWARD
VI was mainly the work of the King and his court; as it had been in the
days of his father HENRY VIII.
For albeit thou diddest not cease to heape benefit vpon benefit, during
the reigne of an innocent and tendre king, yet no man did acknowledge
thy potent hand and meruelouse working. The stoute courage of
capitaines, the witte and policie of counselers, the learning of
'bishoppes[1], did robbe the of thy glorie and honor. For what then was
heard, as concerning religion, but the kinges procedinges, the kinges
procedinges must be obeyed? It is enacted by parliament: therefore it is
treason to speake in the contrarie. _p. 30._
The political shrewdness of the Writer on the entanglement of England
in the Spanish War against France, whereby we lost Calais on the 6th
January 1558.
They see their owne destruction, and yet they haue no grace to auoide it.
Yea they are becomen so blinde, that knowing the pit, they headlong
cast them selues into the same, as the nobilitie[2] of England, do this
day, fighting in the defense of their mortall ennemie the Spaniard.
Finallie they are so destitute of vnderstanding and iudgement, that
althogh they knowe that there is a libertie and fredome, the whiche their
predecessors haue inioyed; yet are they compelled to bowe their neckes
vnder the yoke of Satan, and of his proude ministres, pestilent papistes
and proude spaniardes. And yet can they not consider that where a
woman reigneth and papistes beare authoritie, that there must nedes
Satan be president of the counsel, _p. 31._
The absence of any specific allusion to Calais shows that this book was
wholly written before its capture.
Next, in the imagery with which he expresses his insight into the nature
of things. As
It is a thing verie difficile to a man, (be he neuer so constant) promoted
to honors, not to be tickled some what with pride (for the winde of
vaine glorie doth easelie carie vp the, drie dust of the earth). _p. 19._
The wise, politic, and quiet spirites of this world, _p. 8._
The veritie of God[3] is of that nature, that at one time or at other, it
will pourchace to it selfe audience. It is an odour and smell, that can not

be suppressed, yea it is a trumpet that will sound in despite of the
adversarie.
Lastly, the marvellous lashing of women, throughout: climaxing in
Woman ... the porte and gate of the deuil.

IV.
This work is therefore to us rather "the groaning of this angel," this
"watchman of the LORD" at the national subjection, the fiery
martyrdoms, "the sobs and tears of the poor oppressed;" than the
expression of any fundamental principle on which GOD has constituted
human society. Intellectually, there is partiality, forgetfulness and
disproportion in the argument. It applies as much to a Man as to a
Woman, and more to a wicked than a good Woman. He started on the
assumption that almost all women in authority were wicked. Time
however alters many things; and he lived to love and reverence Queen
ELIZABETH.
So these trumpet notes are the outpouring of a very great nature, if not
of a great thinker; of one whose absolute and dauntless devotion to
GOD, to truth, to right, whose burning indignation against wrong-doing
and faith in the Divine vengeance to overtake it, fitted him to do a
giant's work in the Reformation, and will enshrine his memory in the
affection of all good men till time shall end.
[Sidenote 1: what robbed God of his honor in England in the time of
the Gospell.]
[Sidenote 2: The nobilitie and the hole realme of England, caste
themselves willing in to the pit.]
[Sidenote 3: The propertie of Goddes