Chapter Wolf duke of Gascony to Women of Abandoned Morals of W by Brewer's Readers Handbook

(Charles Reade published a novel called A Woman-Hater, in 1877.)

Woman killed with Kindness (A), a tragedy by Thos. Heywood (1600). The “woman” was Mrs. Frankford, who was unfaithful to her marriage vow. Her husband sent her to live on one of his estates, and made her a liberal allowance; she died, but on her death-bed her husband came to see her, and forgave her.

Woman made of Flowers. Gwydion son of Don “formed a woman out of flowers,” according to the bard Taliesin. Arianrod had said that Llew Llaw Gyffes (i.e. “The Lion with the Steady Hand”) should never have a wife of the human race. So Math and Gwydion, two enchanters,

Took blossoms of oak, and blossoms of broom, and blossoms of meadow-sweet, and produced therefrom a maiden, the fairest and most graceful ever seen, and baptized her Blodeuwedd, and she became his bride. —The Mabinogion (“Math, etc., twelfth century).

Woman reconciled to her Sex. Lady Wortley Montague said, “It goes far to reconcile me to being a woman, when I reflect that I am thus in no danger of ever marrying one.”

Woman’s Wit or Love’s Disguises, a drama by S. Knowles (1838). Hero Sutton loved sir Valentine de Grey, but offended him by waltzing with lord Athunree. To win him back, she assumed the disguise of a quakeress, called herself Ruth, and pretended to be Hero’s cousin. Sir Valentine fell in love with Ruth, and then found out that Ruth and Hero were one and the same person. The contemporaneous plot is that of Helen and Walsingham, lovers. Walsingham thought Helen had played the wanton with lord Athunree, and he abandoned her. Where-upon Helen assumed the garb of a young man named Eustace, became friends with Walsingham, said she was Helen’s brother; but in the brother he discovered Helen herself, and learnt that he was wholly mistaken by appearances.

Women (The Four Perfect): (1) Khadijah, the first wife of Mahomet; (2) Miriam, the sister of Moses; (3) Mary, the mother of Jesus; and (4) Fatima, the beloved daughter of Mahomet.

Women (The Nine Worthy): (1) Minerva; (2) Se miramis; (3) Tomyris; (4) Jael; (5) Deborah; (6) Judith; (7) Britomart; (8) Elizabeth or Isabella of Aragon; (9) Johanna of Naples.

By’r lady, maist story-man, I am well afraid thou hast done with thy talke. I had rather have hard something sayd of gentle and meeke women, for it is euill examples to let them understand of such sturdye manlye women as those have been which erewhile thou hast tolde of. They are quicke enow, I warrant you, noweadays, to take hart-a-grace, and dare make warre with their husbandes. I would not vor the price o’ my coate, that Jone my wyfe had herd this yeare; she would haue carried away your tales of the nine worthy women a dele zoner than our minister’s tales anent Sarah, Rebekah, Ruth, and the ministering women, I warrant you.—John Ferne: Dialogue on Heraldry (“Columel’s reply to Torquatus”).

(“Hart-a-grace,” i.e. a hart permitted by royal proclamation to run free and unharmed for ever, because it has been hunted by a king or queen.)

Women of Abandoned Morals. (1) Agrippina, daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina. The mother of Nero.

(2) Barbara of Cilley, second wife of the emperor Sigismund, called “The Messalina of Germany.”

(3) Berry (Madame de), wife of the duc de Berry (youngest grandson of Louis XIV).

(4) Catherine II. of Russia, called “The Modern Messalina” (1729–1796).

(5) Glovanna or Jean of Naples. Her first love was James count of March, who was beheaded. Her second was Camecioli, whom she put to death. Her next was Alfonso of Aragon. Her fourth was Louis d’Anjou, who died. Her fifth was René, the brother of Louis.