The name Ester Sowernam is obviously a pseudonym: Ester comes from the biblical story of Queen Ester who saves her people by getting the evil Haman hanged while Sowernam is a play on Swetnam. In her introduction, Sowernam states that she desired to respond to John Swetnam's misogynistic tirade, The Arraignment of Women, at an earlier date but word reached her that someone else had already responded to the tract. Upon reading "the Maid's" (referring to Rachel Speght) tract, Sowernam once again resolved to respond to Swetnam for two reasons: the Maid, probably due to her youth, did not write a biting enough rebuttal and the Maid, limiting herself to religious arguments, neglected many good secular arguments.

      The eight chapters which form Ester Hath Hanged Hamam vary both in content and style. Some chapters deal almost exclusively with women. In some, biblical or secular arguments are used to refute Swetnam's accusations on a point-by-point basis. Another lists famous women of the Bible, of antiquity, and of her own time. Still another uses biblical references to establish woman's goodness and God's satisfaction with his female creation.

      On the other hand, some chapters deal almost exclusively with men. Here Sowernam turns the table on Swetnam and arraigns him and all of mankind by leveling the same kinds of accusations against Swetnam and mankind that Swetnam had leveled against womankind.

      In the concluding chapter, Sowernam's ideas are echoed in a poem by Joane Sharp. We have no information as to the identity of either Sowernam or Sharp. Extracts of Sharp's poem will also be given below.

      Like Rachel Speght, Sowernam's interpretation of the Genesis story pervades her work. The key concepts which she uses to defend of women are:

1. Everything was created by God for a reason. To speak against the glory of God's creation is blasphemy and women are part of that creation. Therefore to speak against women is blasphemy.

2. Women were not really cursed by God, but rather women were blessed by God.

3. Men like Swetnam are really the inferior moral beings.

      Details:

1. Swetnam claimed that women are by nature "froward and crooked" because they were made of Adam's rib, a "crooked thing."

         Sowernam replies using multiple arguments:

         First, if Swetnam's argument, that something is like that from which it is made, is true, then it logically follows that Adam must have a "dirty and muddy disposition" since he is made from dirt and mud. But, no, Swetnam's premise is not true. Women received their souls and disposition from the breath of God, a most holy thing. To speak against women, then, is blasphemy.

         Secondly, a classical argument states that a thing which gives it's quality to another thing has an abundance of that quality. For example, fire gives something warmth because it has an abundance of heat. Using this method of interpretation, if woman is crooked because she was made from Adam's crooked rib, it follows that Adam must have an abundance of crookedness.

         Sowernam concludes by remarking that Swetnam should use more care in speaking against women because it is so easy to turn his arguments back on himself and other men.

         "He runs on, and says, They were made of a Rib, and that their froward and crooked nature does declare, for a Rib is a crooked thing, & Woman was made of a crooked rib, so she is crooked of conditions. Joseph Swetnam was made as from Adam of clay and dust, so he is of a dirty and muddy disposition: The inferences are both alike in either; woman is no more crooked, in respect of the one; but he is blasphemous in respect of the other. Did Woman receive her soul and disposition from the rib; Or as it is said in Genesis, God did breath in them the spirit of life? Admit that this Author's doctrine be true, that woman receives her froward and crooked disposition from the rib, Woman may then conclude upon that Axiome in Philosophy, Quicquid efficit tale, illud est magis tale, That which gives quality to a thing, does more abound in that quality; as fire which heats, is it self more hot: The sun which gives light, is of itself more light: So, if Woman received her crookedness from the rib, and consequently from the Man, how does man excel in crookedness, who has more of those crooked ribs? See how this vain, furious, and idle Author furnishes woman with an Argument against himself, and others of his Sex. "

2. Each work of God's creation was "more excellent" than the preceding one. Since woman was created after man and since woman was the last creation, she was the pinnacle of God's creation.

         ". . . the Almighty God in the world's frame in his Divine wisdom, designed to himself a main end to which he ordained all the works of his Creation, in which he being a most excellent work-master, did so Create his works, that every succeeding work was more excellent than what was formerly Created: he wrought by degrees, providing in all for that which was and should be the end.

         It appears by that Sovereignty which God gave to Adam over all the Creatures of Sea and Land, that man was the end of God's creation, where upon it does necessarily, without exception follow, that Adam, being the last work, is therefore the most excellent work of creation: yet Adam was not so absolutely perfect, but that in the sight of God, he wanted an Helper: Where upon God created the woman his last work, as to supply and make absolute that imperfect building which was unperfected in man, as all Divines do hold, til the happy creation of the woman. "

3. "The Maide," Rachel Speght was correct when she noted that woman was extremely honored by God to be made from such a refined substance, man.

4. Eve's marriage to Adam was the most honored marriage in all of creation:

         "She was married by a most holy Priest: She was given by a most gracious Father: Her husband was enjoined to a most inseparable and affectionate care over her: "

         God sanctifies marriage enough to require men to "leave his Father and Mother, and cleave unto his wife," a tall order given that the parent-child relationship is the most important bond a man has before his marriage.

5. Eve was "assaulted" in the Garden by a "mischievous" Serpent "of the masculine gender" who was "maliciously envying" Adam's happiness. Eve did not sin when she took the fruit from the Serpent, she sinned only when she ate the fruit. Hence Eve did not sin in giving the fruit to Adam, Adam did not sin when he took the fruit, but he did sin when he ate the fruit.

         Adam compounded his sin by his actions after eating the fruit. First, he tried to hide his actions from God. Then he tried to blame Eve for giving him the fruit or God himself for giving him Eve in the first place. God punished Adam for these actions, not just for eating the fruit.

         God's justice and mercy can be seen in the punishments meeted out to Adam and Eve. Eve's punishment is to be the bearer of children: since she sinned by the fruit, so shall she be saved by her fruit. The method by which she lost paradise became the method by which she gained heaven, a true blessing from God.

         God put enmity between the Serpent, sin, and the woman for all time. Hence forth, women would have an aversion to sin, just as they have an aversion to Serpents. How joyful Eve must have been to learn that her daughters would turn from sin and that she would be revenged upon the Serpent.

         Adam, now a "bondslave to death and hell" consoles himself with God's promise of heaven to his wife and calls her Eve, "Life".

         "When Adam had eaten, and sin was now in fullness, he began to multiply sin upon sin: first he flew from the sight of God; next, being called to account, he excused his sin; and does expostulate (as it were) with Almighty God, and tells him, That woman which thou gave me, gave me, and I did eat: As who should say, if thou had not given the cause, I had not been guilty of the effect; making (herein) God the Author of his fall."

         "Woman supplanted by tasting the fruit, she is punished by bringing forth her own fruit. Yet what by fruit she lost, by fruit she shall recover.

         What more gracious a gift could the Almighty promise to a woman, than to bring forth the fruit in which all nations shall be blessed? So that as woman was a means to loose Paradise, she is by this, made a means to recover Heaven."

         Sowernam's summary of her own work to this point:

         "Thus out of the second and third Chapters of Genesis, and out of the Old and New Testaments, I have observed in proof of the worthiness of our Sex: First, that woman was the last work of Creation, I dare say the best: She was created out of the chosen and best refined substance: She was created in a more worthy country: She was married by a most holy Priest: She was given by a most gracious Father: Her husband was enjoined to a most inseparable and affectionate care over her: The first promise of salvation was made to a woman: There is inseparable hatred and enmity put between the woman and the Serpent: Her first name, Eve, does presage the nature and disposition of all women, not only in respect of their bearing, but further, for the life and delight of heart and soul to all mankind.

         I have further showed the most gracious, blessed, and rarest benefits, in all respects, bestowed upon women; all plainly and directly out of Scriptures.

         All which does demonstrate the blasphemous impudence of the author of the Arraignment, who would or durst write so basely and shamefully, in so general a manner, against our so worthy and honored a Sex."

         With these paragraphs, Sowernam ends her religious arguments against Swetnam. Next she uses secular arguments supporting the dignity of women. Lastly she "arraigns" Swetnam and his ilk.

6. The Sons of Adam must take the bulk of the responsibility for all the sins that have come into the world since God put enmity between Eve and the Serpent. Because women now basically abhor sin by God's most gracious command, women are tempted to sin by men.

         Further, women are taught "mischief" by their husbands just as Adam taught Eve mischief. First, Adam taught Eve to "how to fly from God," then he taught Eve how to "cample and contest with God." Specifically, when God asked Adam if he ate the fruit Adam replied, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate." as if to say, "Because you gave me the woman who gave me the fruit, you made me sin." Adam was so harshly punished by God because he tried to shift the blame for his freely chosen actions to God and/or Eve.

         And men still try to shift the blame for their actions onto women. If a man becomes a drunkard, he claims that it is because he has a shrewish wife. If a man is lustful, he claims it is because women are temptresses.

      After such a complete refutation of Swetnam's work, it is amazing that Joane Sharp actually managed to find additional points on which to attack Swetnam. First, he makes jests about God's creation, obviously Swetnam is a blasphemous atheist (lines 11-14). Second, woman is created last and therefore best (lines 27 and 28). Finally, God put enmity between Woman and the Serpent but not between Man and the Serpent. Therefore woman has an excellent disposition. If some women's dispositions are not good , it is because women are over-wrought men. With that, here is the portion of Sharp's poem which deals with the creation story.

The woman for an Helper, God did make he did say,
But to Help consume and spend all away.
Thus, at God's creation to flout and to jest,
Who but an Atheist would so play the beast?
The Scriptures do prove that when Adam did fall,			15
And to death and damnation was thereby a thrall.
Then woman was an Helper, for by her blessed seed,
From Hell and damnation all mankind was freed.
He said , women are froward, which the rib does declare,
For like as the Rib, so they crooked are:				20
The Rib was her Subject for body we find,
But from God came her Soul, and dispose of her mind.
Let no man think much if women compare,
That in their creation they much better:

More blessings therein to women do fall,				25
Then unto mankind have been given at all.
Women were the last work, and therefore the best,
For what was the end, excels the rest.
For woman's more honor, it was so assign'd,
She was made of the rib of metal refin'd:				30
The Country does also the woman more grace,
For Paradise is far the more excellent place.
Yet women are mischievous, this Author does say,
But Scriptures to that directly say nay:
God said, 'twixt the Woman and Serpent for ever, 		35
Strong hatred he would put, to be qualified never.
The woman being hateful to the Serpent's condition,
How excellent is she in her disposition?
The Serpent with men in their works may agree,
But the Serpent with woman that never may be.			40
If you ask how it happens some women prove naught, 
By men turn'd to Serpents they are over-wrought.
What the Serpent began, men follow that still,
They tempt what they may to make women do ill.
They will tempt, and provoke, and follow us long:			45
They deceive us with oaths, and a flattering tongue.

Reference:

      Ester Sowernam, Ester Hath Hang'd Haman, Nicholas Bourne, London, 1617, reprinted in Early Modern Englishwoman: A Facsimilie Library of Essential Works, Part 1: Printed Writings, 1500 - 1640, Volume 4: Defenses of Women Jane Anger, Rachel Speght, Ester Sowernam and Constantia Munda by Scolar Press, 1996

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