Women\u27s Preaching and Subversion of Cosmology in 17^<th> Century England : Two Pamphlets attacking on Women Preachers

In the Interregnum England, many women preachers appeared among the radical sectarian movement. They were preached on the tub or bricks, like men sectarians. This paper shows the Cosmology and the idea of sex difference in the pamphlets attacks on the women preachers. As T. Laqueur says, \u27One Sex Model\u27 was dominant in the early modern Europe. \u27One Sex Model\u27, the fluid and interchangeable body image, was connected with Cosmology-Micro-Cosmos (human body) corresponded to Macro-Cosmos (the World), according to Cosmos God created--. This model is completely different from our modern \u27Two Sex Model\u27, based on the idea of body in modern anatomy, biology and medical science. In Thomason Tracts, there were many women\u27s petitions or remonstrances. And we can see the word \u27Women\u27s or Ladie\u27s Parliament\u27. It clears that many women expressed their will and opinion in \u27the world turned upside down\u27 (C. Hill). A DISCOVERIE of Six women preachers (anon.) showed author\u27s experience and observation about women\u27s spiritual leadership with the help of supernatural powers. People would have both the fear and the respect of the women preachers. In A Spirit Moving in the Women-Preachers (anon.), the author exhaustively criticized the women preachers in sects by citation of the Bible. These attacks on women preachers based on the early modern Cosmology and Spirituality. The moving of spirit was the most important in both tracts. But their strong tensional discourse suggests the fear about subversion or disturbance of the static order relating to sex, included in the Cosmology. Women were considered \u27the weaker sex (vessel)\u27 and this idea held the Cosmological order of men and women. Everyone was to be in the \u27proper place\u27 in order for the God\u27s Cosmos. But the dream of Millenarianism and \u27the world turned upside down\u27 in the Interregnum, supported by ordinaries, gave many women the power of preaching or teaching to people. Their conduct would be impossible in the order (the Cosmos) in the period. Women preachers disappeared in 1660s, as sectarian movement had died down