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Foeminei sexus queela [=querela] .

The complaints of the female sex

Two men in loincloths short swords fighting in a hillscape. Under a tree, partially disguised by the leaves, sits another figure holding an urn.
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Cur nobis emimus, turba sumus stultitia levis,
Pulchras qui redament, coniugio moxque pecuniam
Tantam conferimus, compedibus nos uti vinciant?
Cur non consilio, ac arbitrio vivimus ut libet,
Haeremus domini, non socii, iudicio domi.
Coniunx perpetuò, vana fides, militia rapi
Sese pervigilem cum clypeo, & castra sequi docet.
At nostra est ratio durior hac, conditio & minor,
Nam praestat gladio vim pepulisse, haud superarier.
Haec posset meritò foemineum verba genus loqui:
Autor connubii, sollicitè qui instituit, Deus
Ni mandasset; eat foemineus sub iuga coniugis
Coetus, subiiciat se capiti & membra velut suo.

“Why have we bought for ourselves (for we are a crowd of vain fools), men who return the love of the fair; why do we then pile such a wealth of money on marriage that they bind us with fetters? Why do we not live by counsel and free will as we would like? We cling to the judgement of our lord, not our companion, of the house. The husband always (vain faith!) teaches himself to be torn away from home on service, up all night with his shield to follow the army. But our way of life is harder than theirs, and lower in respect, for it is better to repel violence with the sword than to be conquered.” So could the female sex speak, in words like these, and justly; if God the author of marriage, who set it up so carefully, had not given his command, would the company of women pass under the yoke of the husband and submit themselves and their bodies as to their own heads?

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