We know the basic outline of Aemilia Lanyer life: she born Aemilia Bassano to Baptist Bassano and his common law wife, Margaret Johnson, in 1569. Her father, a court musician who died in 1576 when she was 7, left her 100 pound dowry in his will. Her mother died in 1587. She became mistress to Henry Cary, Lord Hundson, Queen Elizabeth's Lord Chamberlain but married Alfonso Lanyer, musician to the Queen, in October, 1592 when she became pregnant with Cary's child. Henry Lanyer was born in early 1593. She was widowed in 1613 and thereafter lived with her now-grown son.

      In an era when most educated women were satisfied to translate other people's works, at a time when the witchcraft trials were at their peak, Lanyer produced an extraordinary 2000+ line poem on biblical stories focusing on the Passion of Christ. She freely reinterpreted scripture in a woman-friendly fashion. Considering that it is generous to call her background middle class, her achievement is truly extraordinary.

      About 100 lines of the approximately 2000 line poem refers to the creation story. Lanyer reinterprets the story of the Fall by reframing it as part of the Passion of Christ. Pilate represents all men just as Eve represents all women. To her, if Pilate condemns Jesus, women will be freed of the curse of the fall because man's sin in participating if the suffering and death of the Savior will be much greater than woman's sin in eating of the tree of knowledge.

      In her narrative, Pilate's wife beseeches him not to take the life of Jesus. She implores him to notice that Jesus is a good man and his life is Holy. She warns Pilate not to allow women to have the power to glory in men's fall. Men have power over women but this action will set women free for Eve's fault will appear much less severe than man's fault.

      Eve tasted of the tree and shared with Adam what she found to be good in an effort to please him. She did not foresee the harm because of the cunning of the serpent so she gave to Adam in ignorance.

      Due to his strength, Adam however was most to blame. After all, Eve was tempted by the wily, supernatural Serpent while Adam, Lord and King of all the earth, was successfully tempted a weak, mortal woman.

      Eve took the fruit of the tree to gain knowledge. She gave this present to Adam so that he might likewise become more knowledgeable. Adam never sought to reprove her for it. Indeed, men still boast of the knowledge which they took from Eve's fair hand.

      In weakness Eve listened to the Serpent's; in malice men betrayed God's Son. If Jesus is unjustly condemned, then man's sin will surmount woman's sin just as the sun surmounts the stars.

      If Jesus is condemned, women will have Liberty again. Man's fault being greater, how can man deny equality to women? "If one weak woman simply did offend,/ This sin of yours, has no excuse, nor end." (lines 831 - 832)

      Let's hear Lanyer speak in her own words. We are at the point in the Passion story where Jesus has become before Pilate and Pilate's wife's is beseeching him not to take Jesus' life.

Now Ponitus Pilate is to judge the Cause			745
Of faultless Jesus, who before him stands:
Who neither hath offended Princes, nor Law,
Although he now be brought in woeful bands:
O noble Governor, make thou yet a pause,
Doe not in innocent blood imbrue thy hands;			750
	But hear the words of thy most worthy wife,
	Who sends to thee, to beg her Savior's life.

Let barb'rous cruelty far depart from thee,
And in true Justice take afflictions part;
Open thine eyes, that thou the truth mai'st see,		755
Do not the thing that goes against thy heart,
Condemn not him that must thy Savior be;
But view his holy Life, his good desert.
	Let not us Women glory in Men's fall,
	Who had power given to over-rule us all.		760

* Till now your indiscretions sets us free,
And makes our former fault much less appear;
Our Mother Eve, who tasted of the Tree,
Giving to Adam what she held most dear,
Was simply good, and had no power to see,		765
The after-coming harm did not appear:
	The subtle Serpent that our Sex betrayed,
	Before our fall so sure a plot had laid.

That undiscerning Ignorance perceiv'd
No guile, or craft that was by him intended;		770
For had she known, of what we were bereav'd,
To his request she had not condescended.
But she (poor soul) by cunning was deceiv'd,
No hurt therein her harmless Heart intended:
	For she alleged God's word, which he denies,	775
	That they should die, but even as God's, be wise.

But surely Adam can not be excused,
Her fault though great, yet he was most to blame;
* What Weakness offered, Strength might have refused,
Being Lord of all, the greater was his shame:		780
Although the Serpent's crafts had her abused,
God's holy word ought all his actions frame,
	For he was Lord and King of all the earth,
	Before poor Eve had either life or breath.

Who being frame'd by God's eternal hand,		785
The perfect'st man that ever breath'd on earth;
And from God's mouth received that strait command,
The breach whereof he knew was present death:
Yea having power to rule both Sea and Land,
Yet with one Apple won to loose that breath		790
	Which God had breathed in his beauteous face,
	Bringing us all in danger and disgrace.

And then to lay the fault on Patience back,
That we (poor women) must endure it all;
We know right well he did discretion lack,			795
Being not persuaded thereunto at all;
* If Eve did ere, it was for knowledge sake,
The fruit being far persuaded him to fall:
	No subtle Serpent's falsehood did betray him.
	If he would eat it, who had power to stay him?	800

Not Eve, whose fault was only too much love,
Which made her give this present to her Dear,
That what she tasted, he likewise might prove,
Whereby his knowledge might become more clear;
* He never sought her weakness to reprove,		805
With those sharp words, which he of God did hear:
*	Yet Men will boast of Knowledge, which he took
	From Eve's fair hand, as from a learned Book.

If any evil did in her remain,
Being made of him, he was the ground of all;		810
If one of many Worlds could lay a stain
Upon our Sex, and work so great a fall
To wretched Man, by Satan's subtle train;
What will so foul a fault amongst you all?
*	Her weakness did the Serpent's words obey;	815
*	But you in malice God's dear Son betray.

Whom, if unjustly you condemn to die,
Her sin was small, to what you do commit;
All mortal sins that do for vengeance cry,
Are not to be compared unto it:				820
If many worlds would altogether try,
By all their sins the wrath of God to get;
*	This sin of yours, surmounts them all as far
*	As does the Sun, another little star.

Then let us have our Liberty again,			825
And challenge to yourselves no Sovereignty;
You came not in the world without our pain,
Make that a bar against your cruelty;
*Your fault being greater, why should you disdain
Our being your equals, free from tyranny?		830
	If one weak woman simply did offend,
	This sin of yours, has no excuse, nor end.

Reference:

      Aemilia Lanyer, The Poems of Aemilia Lanyer: Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum, Oxford University Series Women Writers in English 1350 - 1850

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