Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	great_a	love_v	true_a	5,749	5	4.4391	3	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14538	The office and duetie of an husband, made by the excelle[n]t philosopher Lodouicus Viues, and translated into English by Thomas Paynell	Vives, Juan Luis, 1492-1540.; Paynell, Thomas.	1555 (1555)	STC 24855; ESTC S101795	103,854	424

reason holy scripture do saye vnto vs be the head of the woman and Christ the father there ought to be betwene them such societe felowship as is betwene y e father and the sonne and not suche as is betwene the maister and the seruaunt Â¶ Of the accesse and goynge vnto Mariage AFter y t thou hast de termined with thy self to marry hast done all dilygence therto required thou muste desire of God good prosperous successe in whose hand power it is to gene it doutles wil geue it most abuÌ„dantly if thou aboue al other thin ges haue an hope a respect vnto him For yf thou after y e thou hast satisfied thine appetite resort vnto him desiring him y t thou mayst obtayn the thing that thou most desirest it shuld apeare y t thou wouldest make hym a minister of thy voluptuous desieres and pleasures and so doynge thy vowes prayers should appere most manifest blasphemy A man should not come vnto mariage as vnto a prophane thinge with a solute and an vncareful mynde but with a quiet a wel pourged mynd as to a thinge most sacrate holye Nor matrimony doth not onely consiste in the coniunction of the body nor yet in daunsyng nor bancketing procedynge broughte vnto vs with many other thinges from the gentiles when that it shoulde rather beseme vs most studiously to pray vnto almyghty God that so wayghtye a thyng as matrimonye is myghte haue good and prosperous successe Matrimonie as a thing sanctified of God the which willeth the matrimonial embracemeÌ„tes to be chaste the bed to be vndefiled and their pro ginie vnbespotted And it is after the mind of S. Paule a signe of that great mistery wherwith Christ doeth indisolubly vnite hym self vnto y t church Therfore thou ough test as much as shal lye in the to lift vp thy mind and to remembre howe great howe worthy an ymage thou doest represent and that thy wife is vnto thee as the churche and thou vnto her as Christ And therefore thou shouldest shewe thy selfe vnto her as Christ shewed him self vnto his churche The charite and loue of Christe vnto the churche is incredible and thy loue towardes thy wyfe ought to be most effectuous Societe and to liue together is the most effectuous and su rest knot to knitre and ioyne amitie and loue amonge men and all other beastes What greater societie or companye can there be then is betwene a man and his wyfe Whose house whose chambre whose bed is coÌ„mon their chyldren are common and they theim selues partakers of al good euyl successe and fortune the which societie and felowshyp wer sufficieÌ„t to styre and pro uoke him that loueth not his wyfe to loue and beneuolence And what companye or loue shall a manne loke to haue of him that loueth not his wyfe Ther are y t in loue and amite loke for gaine as y t vile Epicures do vnworthy to be beloued menne whiche loue them selues not their freÌ„des And if we haue a respecte vnto commoditie and profite there is nothing that geueth so muche as doeth a wyfe no not horses oxen fermers nor proctours For a mans wyfe is the felowe and conforter of all cares thoughtes and doeth moore diligent and good seruice then other mayde or seruaunt the which do serue men for feare or els for wages but thy wif is led onely by loue therefore she doth euery thing bet ter then all other And God doth declare it saying let vs make Adam a helper lik vnto him selfe by the helper is signified the vtilitie and profite of the seruice by the similitude likenes is signified loue For a seruauÌ„t and he that is hired are far vnlike y e maister and are taken wel nyghe for no men A seruaunt in the stede and place of an horse or of an oxe y e whiche must be beteÌ„ inforsed to their work doeth serue his maister A hired seruauÌ„te is in y e place of an hired horse for wheÌ„ y e hier is payed y e socitie felowship dissolueth The child is part of y e father through a natural pitie thei loue eche other but yet y e wife is more annexed ioyned to her husband The father doth labour and taketh paine for his childreÌ„ but sildome the children for theyr fathers and often tymes thei are sent to inhabite dwel in other mens houses wherby in a maner it appeareth that their strayte faste societe doth dissolue break But the wife cleane contrary doth incontinently take paines for her husband nor may as long as she liueth nother chauÌ„ge house nor bed If com moditie profit be loked for what coÌ„moditie excelleth this yf y u loue thy wife y u shalt liue most pleasantly yf y u loue her not most miserablye wretchedly For ther is nohing so sharpe nor so bitter as to hate the thing y t doth fauor loue the nor nothing more happy as to loue him that hateth y e. What doth other mens bene uolence amitie helpe or coÌ„fort me yf inwardlye I consume my selfe with hatred or what doth other mens enuye hatred hurte me when my mind is occupied with swete pleasaunt loue The fountayne of felicitie miserye is inwardly for outward thinges do litle or nothing to the iocunditie or miserye of mans life Some there be that hate aungels the whiche that notwithstandinge are throughe loue most happy fortunate Some other loue Sathan y e which through enuy and hatred are moste vnfortunate wretched How shal it be possible then that thou whiche doste loue shalt not be loued the prouerbe being true and saying Loue that thou maist be loued Thou shalte then leade a celestiall a heauenly life when there is such correspondente mutuall loue betwene you as there is amoÌ„g the aungels and those blessed foules whiche haue left theyr dodies and are clothed with the diuine and godly lyghte The lawe of matrimony and nature whiche Idam or God rather by AdaÌ„ did pronunce doth declare how greate the loue of mariage should be for when Eue after that swete slumber was broughte vnto him to be his wife companioÌ„ behold quod AdaÌ„ this bone is of my bones and this flesh of my fleshe for this shal man for sake father and mother cleue vnto his wife and they shal be two in one fleshe This is the summe and ende of all loue amitie to be so ioyned with the thing that thou dost loue that thou mayst become one thing with it The Poetes declare that Vulcanus the God of smithes founde two together the whiche shewed one to another great tokens of loue and taking a pleasure in this their charitie loue a thing vnto god most acceptable he asked them whether there were any thing where in he mighte do theÌ„ pleasure O Vulcane qd they we desire y t w tthose thi diuine

he is the self same thyng with another And god doth saye y t the wife with her husband is al one thing And Cicero to coÌ„firme kepe amitie geueth this counsel that the inferior shuld ascend the superior descend for so y t things may be brought to equalitie But in matrimonye this nedeth not for it is sufficiente both for y t man the wyfe to perceyue vnderstand that they are parte eche of others bodye And therefore to be fayre or foule ryche or poore noble or ignoble whole or sicke wyse or folyshe is nowe throughe the operation and work of God the which hath made them bothe one common vnto them bothe Nor there shall neuer be true and coÌ„tinual loue except it be stablyshed vpon those thynges that remayne after death For beauty ryches kinred suche other haue their tyme some appoynted by nature some by fortune other humaine chauÌ„ces Thei haue also their sacietie in time and place thei are forgotten For we can not at all tymes and seasons remember the Fabians the Cornelians and that we receyued a greate dowrye The affection with the tyme doth waxe feble cold and the plentifulnes and vse of that that a man dyd gredely fyrst desyre doeth cause him to lothe it Al these thinges do diminishe loue certeÌ„ of theÌ„ do vtterly extinguishe it the which if it had bene in the mind in vertue shoulde haue continued for euer For vertue is euer at hand neuer ydle neuer vnprofitable nor voide but alwayes working Nor y t soule of maÌ„ by y e death of the bodye doeth not die so that we may beleue that thei whiche be departed doe loue all suche as in thys worlde were deare vnto theym and that they whyche loued the Soules of those whyche bee departed and deliuered from the bodye do loue them not as deade but as they loue their frendes y t which are absent farre froÌ„ them And therfore we do see many women that kepe their fayth loue vnto their firste husbandes as did Demotions the Ariopagites doughter of the which S. Hierome doth write agaynste Iouiniane the whiche after that her spouse Leostenes was deade woulde mary with none other saying that she should marry an aduouterer no husband for although he wer departed yet he was aliue vnto her And so sayd that womaÌ„ of Rome And how sharpely wittelye doth Lucane bring in Cornelia Scipio Metellus doughter and Pompeus last wife taking and esteminge her selfe but as an harlot as touchinge Iulia hys first wife as though the knot and band of matrimonye and loue did yet indure bet wixte the liuing and deade And naturally euery man desireth to be loued and doth searche for the fauour of other men and studieth to kepe to encrease those thinges that cause hym to be in fauour If thy wife do perceaue that thou art rauished and taken with her beau tie and would that thou shuldest loue her she wil do al her diligence to encrease augmente it yf with her communication she will neuer cease pratling yf with her vertue she wil dayly labor howe in all honest vertuous dedes she maye be better By as one of the seuen wise sage men of Grece gaue this one precept rule of loue Loue so sayth By as y t thou mayste hate and hate y t thou mayst loue I can not saye whether this wyse man doth more folowe the figure of wordes then y t truth of the sentence inasmuche as he dothe teache that no man shuld be to other nother faith full frende nor enemye And therefore Cicero doeth saye full truelye that all amitye and frendshyppe shoulde decaye yf a manne shoulde loue so that he maye hate What shoulde he truste then what shuld he beleue or to whome shoulde he open hys mynde or how shuld he loue him tru ly and with al his heart wheÌ„ he may coniectute and thynk that in time to come he wil be or may by his enemy surelye he will drawe backe and prouide agaynst such thinges as may fortune chaunce And therefore this sentence maye thus more coÌ„uenientlye both for the vse of nature of this life be turned Loue neuer to hate but hate to loue when time shal be Euery man shuld loue his frend simply but speciallye his wyfe And forasmuche as loue other affectes are named of the Philosophers Habitus the whiche are conserued and kept in vs through time operation and labour we muste euen at the beginning geue our diligeÌ„ce that all iniuries and offences maye be auoyded for as Plutarke doth saye tender softe loue is sone broken Therfore that newe loue coniunction of the mind must be nourished with benigne swete gentle conuersation vntil it be so increased fastened y t no great storme be able to dissolue or breake it And al suspitioÌ„ must be at all times but specially at the beginning of matrimony auoyded lest thou firste begin to hate or euer thou beginne to loue And beware thou fayne it not nor conceaue it of no light occasions coniectures for vnto suche thou shouldeste geue no eare although there were great apparence liklyhode Ther is no man so well fashioned and brought vp that can satisfye all men and he that was able to auoyde the faute was not able to auoyde suspition for y e iudgementes of men are free and licentious they do interprete y t they see and heare not after the truth but after their affections and the coniecture that they do fayne reioyce in vnto the whiche some do geue more credite then some Pansanias in platose Simpose doth put two Venus two loues a heauenly and an earthly The earthly is blind abiect vyle fyithye and occupyed aboute vile and filthye thinges neuer lokynge vp to thinges of more worthines But that celestiall and heaueÌ„ly loue doth see most cleare lye folowyng vertue those thynges whiche are mooste beautifull and moost lyke vnto heauenlye thinges Those husbandes that loue the beau tye or the ryches of their wiues are blynde and subiecte to that earthly loue not perceauinge the reason nor yet the measure therof But thei whiche are true husbandes loue the soule and vertue and haue a iudgemente in loue and beyng inspired wyth the strengthe and spirite of that celestiall loue do loue wyselye for pure and holye loue dothe not vyolentlye compel them as that doeth whyche is earthlye but prudentelye doth guyde and conduct theÌ„ gently perswaded to y e place they shuld go vnto The wise husbande doth loue his wyfe feruentlye but yet as the father loueth his sonne y e head the body the soule the fleshe and as Christe dothe loue his churche thus must the husbande the wife loue eche other Nature it felfe dothe teache vs this they lykewise that are learned in diuine letters do tel vs y e same Adam was firste created like vnto

many thinges which are filthy and childish And of this loue the prouerbe doth saye that it is scarcely graunted to God to loue to be wise loue wine are in thy power or euer thou drinke but after y t thou haste dronken y u shalte be their subiect seruaunte And of this she shal iudge the to be vaine light vnapt and folishe Nor thou canst not kepe thy maiestie in such filthy loue for Ouide doth say that maiesty loue doeth not agree nor remain nor tary not in one place But y e poet doth speake of this erthly and blind loue for cordiall and wyse loue doeth not diminishe maiestye Nor a woman can not suffer nor take hym for her maister that was some tyme her seruaunt And the weaker a wo man is in mynde the more she desyreth to be in power and yf she had once domination and rule she taketh it as an iniurie yf she rule not styl Nor there is no rule moore violente or moore greuous then theirs that by al reason ought to be subiectes as the rule of seruauntes artificers children and women But as we woulde that the man wheÌ„ he loueth shoulde remember his maiestye so we woulde that when he ruleth he forget not hys loue nor to temper it with maiestye And when he doth thinke him selfe to be the head and the soule and the woman as it wer the fleshe the bodye He oughte in lyke manner to remembre that she is hys felow compa nion of his goods labours and that their children be coÌ„mon betwene theym bone of bones and fleshe of the fleshe of man And thus ther shalbe in wedlocke a certayne swete and pleasaunt conuersation withoute the whiche it is no maryage but a prysone a hatred a perpetual torment of the mynde Let thy wyfe per ceyue and knowe that for the good opinion that thou haste of her y t doest loue her simply and faythfullye and not for anye vtilite or pleasure For who so doeth not perceyue that he is beloued for hys owne sake wyl not lightly do the same to another for the thynge that is loued loueth agayn If money or nobilitie coulde perceyue and vnderstande that they were beloued they woulde yf they had anye felynge at all of loue requite it with loue but when the soule is loued inasmuche as it maye loue it geueth loue for loue and loueth agayne The Breaker of horsses that doeth vse to ride and to pace theym doeth handle the rough and sturdy colte with all crafte fearcenes that maye be but with it that is more tractable he taketh not so greate payne A sharpe wyfe muste be pleased and mitigated with loue and ruled wyth Maiest ye the more gently thou doest vse shew thy self vnto her that is meke and honest themore beninge and meke thou shalte finde her But she that is noble and of a stoute mynde and stomake the lesse thou doest looke to be honoured the more she wyll honoure thee But yet the wyse husbande shall neuer sette hym selfe so farre in loue that he forgette that he is a man the ruler of the house and of hys wyfe and that he is set as it were in a Station to watche and delygentlye to take heede what is done in hys house and to see who goeth oute and in A shepherd had nede to be industrious and diligent but he much more that hath the orderynge keping of man the whyche is so variable a beast so intractable Yf so be that the husbande haue obtayned that his wyfe doth truly and heartely loue hym there shal nede nother preceptes nor lawes for loue shall teache her moe thinges and more effectuously theÌ„ the preceptes of al the Philosophers And for asmuch as the law is made to moderate the affections w tal they shalbe better refrayned by loue the most pusant of all other affections then by any law how elegantly or wisely howe imperiouslye or threatynglye so euer it be made There is made no lawe for him that loueth for to what intent should they make anye lawe when that loue euen na turallye doth moue a man to loue There is no lawe made for the father agaynst y t child but wel for the child agaynste the father for the father doth continuallye loue the childe but the child doth now theÌ„ leaue of to loue the father If the wife loue her husband he is to her a father mothcr bre thren true riches all that she wil desire Fortunate and happy is y t house the whiche is knitte with that wherewith the world the heauens and the celestiall spirites are vnited bounde together y t is with charitie And what thing is there in this life that maye be compared with one daye of so blessed so heauenly a life Galenus was maryed with Sulpitia the which amoÌ„g all the Matrones of Rome was most chast and beste learned of the which mariage Mar tial doth write in this wise maner O Galene howe pleasannt were those xv yeares that the Lorde did geue thee with Sulpitia thi wife O note it and nowe note it well with a white stone in the which all thy age yeares are coÌ„prised And yf Parca had geuen thee such another day thou wouldeste haue counted thy selfe muche more happye then to haue liued as longe as Pilius Nestor And finally ther shuld be such coÌ„corde betwene man wife as god hath made betwene heauen earth by the which so great a varietie and multitude of beastes trees is produced ingeÌ„dred And therfore it must be wayd coÌ„sidered whether y e woman do loue simply and faithfully for as fire doth kindle fire so doeth loue prouoke loue one flame augmenteth another This thing sayth Seneca hath in it self great ioye reward for what canne be so ioyfull or pleasant as to be so louing vn to thy wife y t therby y u mayst loue thi self y e better If there be any thing amoÌ„g these thin ges of fortune that the trusteth vnto or loueth so well that she despyseth and lytle regardeth her husbande because she hath it not or prefer reth her selfe aboue him because she hathe it that thinge must be layd apart contemned as a thing rather accepted estemed by the foolish opinion of man then of it one proper naturall goodnesse Beautie is a frayle gift and a slipperous and more profitable to those that behold it theÌ„ to those that haue it nor he can take no great pleasure in it but a litle as it were in a glasse and yet incontinent he doth forgette y t he beheld and sawe and it is to them both a prouocation to euill He that is fayre waxeth proude and he y t doth behold it becometh subiecte vnto filthie loue In the minde the whiche is iudged to be the man do consiste the true liniameÌ„tes of fayrenes the which intice and prouoke celestiall loue

vs shal knitte couple theÌ„ selues in good loue charitie In matrimony there chaunce many casualties as pouertie infamie enprisonmente banishement sicknesses the whiche are roÌ„inon to all men and yet may touche onelye the one of theÌ„ which are married not offende the other as yl thy fa ther in law of whom thou lokedst to haue had a great inhe ritauÌ„ce had lost all his goods and wer defamed wherwith his daughter also were somwhat bespotted falsely conuicted of some crime imprisoned or banished the citie or fallen into some disease or sickenes But as concernynge thys thing I wil only say as nature doeth prescribe determine it for god doth commauÌ„de vs to beare such good wyll and mind vnto other as we wuld desire they should beare vnto vs nor that only in thys greate coniunction of soule and bodye but also vniuersallye vnto all menne Supporte and suffer thou thy wyues mischaunces as she oughte to suffer thyne for matrimoniall loue should haue euerye thynge so mixte and myngled that they shoulde not saye thys is myne and thys thyne but that all thynge as profyte and disprofyte good and badde shoulde be common And yf ye be one and not two then canne not she be sycke and diseased but that thou muste nedes be sycke with her nor she poore and thou ryche The whyche thynge canne not chaunce amonge frendes howe shall it happen then where is so greate and so faste a knotte and coniunction both of mynde and of loue A sure and a true frende sayeth Ennius is in a thinge vncertayne Her syckenes and afflictions shall declare howe well thou dydst loue her when she was in healthe And folowyng the instincte of Nature and the commaundemente of God thou shouldest iudge her to be euen one thynge with thy selfe and her body consumed w t sicknes to be thy bodye as wheÌ„ it was most florishing most pleasauÌ„t vnto thine eye and thou shouldest serue and kepe it with no lesse diligence then thou kepest thine owne And as charitie through mer cy should grow increace towardes thy selfe thy chyldren so should loue teach thee to do towardes thy wyfe tru ly louing her as thy selfe and as thyne owne proper chyldren wherby she being diseased or troubled by fortune shalbe vnto thee more derely beloued then euer she was in her moste floryshyng estate and condicion women haue their certaine smal debates enuye and theyr diuers disdaynefulnesses and hatredes the whiche of verye lyght occasions and causes do spryng and ryse sodenlye as of suche whose iudgemeÌ„tes are weake and feble but with suche matters men of grauitie oughte not to medle They haue like wyse theyr proper ambition and pride bothe in worde and place and whether they sit or goe But yet the husbande shal not encrease these thynges nor shewe hymselfe a minister nor a reuenger of her complaintes and sorowes be cause she was not honoured nor taken after her wyll and pleasure but rather to laugh at them and contempne theÌ„ callynge moste diligently vpon her to see to other thinges of moore importaunce profite For suche as doe medle or trouble them selues with suche lyght folishe matters are more mete to weare womeÌ„s apparell garmentes to spynne then to weare a berde or to be estemed or taken for a man Make such meÌ„ rulers of cities seing thei are so vnapte to rule gouerne their owne familie and housholde What thinge is there moore vnmete for a manne then to moue or to trouble hym selfe w t the lyght appitites fonde lustes of women Â¶ What vtilities and profites the mutuall loue of those whyche are marryed doeth brynge IT can not be wel rehearsed nor told how manye vtilites and profites this concorde doeth brynge to great thynges bothe at home abrode nor how many losses incoÌ„modities do growe of the dissentioÌ„ and discorde y t is betwene the good manne and hys wyfe The housholde when theyr maister and theyr mistres are at debate can no otherwyse be in quiet and at reste then a citye whose rulers agre not but when it seeth them in con corde and quietnes then it re ioyseth trustynge that they wyll be euen so vnto them as it perceyueth theym to be amonge theÌ„ selues wherin surely thei are not deceyned for yf y t man his wife do benigly gently support intreate one another they learne not to disdayne or for euery light fault to be angrye with theyr seruauÌ„tes or yet for any hous hold words to be vexed or an gry with eche other but to set a syde al hasty and cruel wordes correctioÌ„ with all other thinges that procede of a disdaynefull a furious minde And the seruauntes are not onely mery therfore but also they do theyr seruyce y e more obediently gladly shewing reuerence vnto the maiestye that procedeth increaseth of quietnes and concorde For the husband doth defend hys wyues maiesty with loue and beneuolence and the wife her husbandes with honor obedience What shal I neede to saye y t coÌ„cord causeth theÌ„ to be estemed wise and honest And they muste nedes be good seynge they haue loued so long together Nor ther can be no longe amitie or frendshyp but betwene those that are good the whiche doe suffer and deuour vp those thynges for the whiche other men leaue forsake amitie and breake of charitie Nor there groweth of none other thyng so great reuereÌ„ce maiestie as of the opinion and estimation of ano ther maÌ„s goodnes wisdom the which reuereÌ„ce is not onlye honoured within the dores but also shyneth and extendeth it selfe into the citie so that he is taken for an honest man and borne to be louing and gentle seing that he loueth so constantly and for a wise man considerynge y e he fo moderatly can handle so di ficulte and hard matters and worthye to rule a common wealth that with such wisdoÌ„ and iudgement doth rule his owne house and that he may easely conserue and kepe his citezyns in peace and concorde that hathe so well stablyshed the same in hys owne house and familie And on the other syde who thynkest thou wyll beleue that thou arte able to be ruler or to kepe peace and quietnesse in the citye seynge thou canst not lyue peacesably in thyne owne house where thou arte not onelye a Ruler but a Kynge and Lorde of all Leontinus Gorgias the whyche was the syrste that amonge the Greekes was commended for hys eloquence exhortinge the Grekes wyth manye wordes at the playes of Olympe vnto peace and concorde certayne men as it is sayd cryed out saying Let him first be at con corde with his wyfe and hys mayde and then come to persuade counsell vs to peace Ther is no man but wil trust to obtayne that easly the amitie and frendship of so noble so geÌ„tle a person whose benelouence gentlenes can not be

great and so excellente a beatitude for them and for all other prepared For they perceaued and sawe that all such thinges as by humayne arte wisdome watre or ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ myght be obtayned and gotten and all suche thynges as were spoken of to the Philosophers scoles were ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ offered and geuen as it were in to their handes more spededely and more purely then euer before whereof there arose an incredible heate and feruentnes to folowe Christ his bloude beyng as yet euen hoate the whiche in such wise maner kindled their brestes whome he touched y e the kinges princes of the gentiles stode as they had beue amased the capitaynes of great hostes w t such as bylong expe rience vse of thynges were sage and wise of whome in al graue and weyghty matters men asked counsell al other learned men the which being set in y t hyght of all humayne thinges and nexte vnto god al other beynge vnder them perceaued y t all thynges with greate myght powre were ouercomed by christen men Euery man marueiled from whence such force strength shulde come wherewyth so many thousand hartes with one accorde shulde desyre and seke for one thinge shuld confesse one Christe shuld speake one thynge and obtayne and come to one ende They cared nether for mony nor yet for their lyues they sought for no superioritie they refused theyr owne howses families parentes kynsfolke yea and theyr owne wyues that nothyng myght let or hinder theyre course on flacke the victory ouer vice and the vnhard reward of vertue Nor they cared not for any impedi mentes or caredge y t doubted not to obtayne by this victori suche infinite rewardes and goodes Nor they had no leasure in such celeritie of age to think vpoÌ„ any other thing beynge thus occupyed and reuished wyth thys hyghe thought and cogitation But this heat of pietie flowing vn to vs from Christ as it were from some excellent fontaine is as careful for other as it is sure certayne of it selfe and is beautified adorned with singuler prudency wisdom But the more that this heate is kindled the more this wisdome doth shewe it selfe for gettinge of it selfe doth profite on her yf that any thynge may be lacking in such ferueÌ„t and aboundant charitie But surely she hath situate and set her selfe in a stedfalte and a sure place and beynge full of hope crieth oute who shall separate vs from the charitie of Christe So then he laboreth for other and not for him selfe he sayeth not he lyueth but not he nowe but Christe lyueth in him And so he fulfilleth the commaundementes of Christ that liueth in him and obeyeth vnto his will to ayde and prouide for those that Christe woulde it shuld be prouided for that is for his flocke for the which he hathe not spared to offer vp his owne life And therefore when these pietifull maisters and coadiutors of Christe do remember what the Lorde aunswered when he was demaunded of wiues y t some did chasten them selues for the kingdome of heauen sake that none other coulde do y t but only they vnto whome the father of heauen gaue it Paule leste that anye manne through an vnwyse feruentnesse of folowynge or couetyng that God hath not geueÌ„ him shuld vnwysely fall into satans secret snares y e which he layeth at y e fete of those y e hast theÌ„ to y e pâ—rfection of life doth exhort theÌ„ wisely to take hede to prepare most effectuous remedy for y t wherein is most yeoperdie to fortifie y e part most stroÌ„gly where vn to they do perceaue their ene my most valiantly and moste stronglye to approche And yet the selfesame Paule the which with his ensample pro uoketh vs esteminge al other thinges as vile beynge bare and crucified to folowe bare Christ and crucified geueth this counsell y t better it were to marye then to burne leste any man should disturbe thorough iniury any other maÌ„s peace or quietnes or defyle him selfe with filthy thoughtes or dedes And therefore herbes and rootes are vsed to be geueÌ„ vnto some as meat to other some as a medicine so is matrimonye the whiche at the beginning was inuented of god for the procreatioÌ„ of children is now vnto the luxurious and incontinente persoÌ„ as a remedy of so great an euil Let vs therfore take this for a very fondation and grounde y t matrimonye is a lawful contunction of one maÌ„ and one wife to liue in coÌ„munion of lyfe together all the dayes of their liues Â¶ Of the election choyse of a wyfe OR euer I doo speake of the choise of a wife I muste remoue from y t mind of those which I do instruct teache that furye wherewith they choose not their wiues but inuade theÌ„ they marye them not but rauishe them and deceaue theÌ„ coÌ„trarye to theyr willes do take them Yf the woman were a certayn kynd of merchaundise peraduenture it shuld not seme so vnseÌ„bly by all maner of meanes subteltie to obtayne her for howe soeuer she were obtayned she woulde serue to that vse but conslderyng y t nowe she shalbe his felow for euer yf she loue him not be she neuer so fayre nor neuer so bur dened with riches she shalbe continually molestious And what a madnes were it to be ginne suche a misterye of loue w t hatred Loue is gotteÌ„ by loue by honestie fidelitie not by violence For a tune peraduenture thou mayst en ioye her goodes her beautie her pareÌ„tage kinred but y u shalt neuer enioy thy wyfe Those thinges are best whiche are most coÌ„formable vnto nature AdaÌ„ did not rauish Eue but receaued her deliuered vnto him by god y e father hegaue her not vnto him per force but y t they shuld mutual ly loue one another he drue y e one out of y e other gaue theÌ„ like nature fashion to thintent that they or euer they were maryed shoulde seme and appeare to be one thyng and not two The iudgemeÌ„t of the mynde is the gouernoure of mans lyfe the whiche yf it go not before all our dedes we shall slyde and fall into such greate yeoperdies as we do le daylye chaunce happen amonge men They do wel consider what thinge they should eate or drincke but whome they do call vnto their frendship coÌ„munion of life the which are much more hurtefull or profitable then meat they care not So they do loue preposterouslye or euer they know or iudge what they do loue the which error dothe brynge vnto the lyfe of man more euil more misfortune then can be spokeÌ„ wherby so many and great frendeshippes through cruel dissenti on are chaunged loue most vituperiously shaÌ„fully broken the whiche suche men as by nature and custome could not long endure and coÌ„tinue inloue had craftely begon vnwisely They shuld first by nature and with reason haue

the ymage similitude of his maker But when he perceaued that it was not coÌ„uenient nor mete y t he should liue alone a helpe like vnto him selfe was geuen him and taken euen oute of hys owne side insomuche that Adam is to Eue as the father is vnto his sonne And it was said to Eue thou shalte be vnder the power of man he shall rule thee Nor it is not thus only in man but in al kindes sortes of beastes y t the female is vnder the power dominion of the male and therefore the male is more stronger bothe in mind bodye then the female And the instrumentes to rule withall are more excellente and more perfecte in manne then in womanne as the sharpenes of witte diligence wisedome strength audacitie generositie and y t excellencie of the minde And therfore y t Romaynes folowing nature did neuer take the whole auctoritie of man from women Liuius vsinge y e wordes of Cato dothe saye thus Our forefathers would not that women shoulde do anye thing without the auctoritye of man submittinge them selues to their fathers to theyr brothers to their husbandes Matrimonye is called a coniunction and a coÌ„parison but yet they are not like as Martial doth saye merelye except the woman be vnlike the man O Sexte sayth Martial let the woman be vnder her husband and so they shalbe lyke It is sufficient y t the husband loue his wife with a sightiye loue but the wife is bounde vnto her husband in two thin ges that is to loue him to do him reuerence the whiche affections can not be constray ned but yet they maye be obned of her by gentlenes But this thing can not be done w t woordes but as he sayeth Marke yf thou wilt be loued loue They which are learned do think that this thing doth not happen by chauÌ„ce medle but by the secrete artifice of the world The Philosopher Plato doth say that the whole worlde is so compacte and bounde together by God the artificer as it were with certayne knottes for yf thou drawe or take one of them the other by a certayne secrete coniunction as it were the lynckes of a cheyne do folowe but yet he sayeth that those thinges which are like most coÌ„formable one to the other are most speciallye ioyned together that beneuolence doth grow of the similitude likenes of nature and custome and that they which loue are loued agayne And this loue must be pure and sin cere or elles it shall haue no strength nor none effect Fire paynted vpon a wal doth not burne nor a false adamante draweth no yron Many men do maruayl why they are not loued seinge they do shewe so many tokeÌ„s signes of loue The signes tokens of loue are not loue therefore they cause not the effecte of loue but prouoke cause hatred when it is perceaued y t they loued not but fained so many tokens and diuerse signes of loue Loue also doth growe of the opinion of honestie for as Cicero dothe saye there is nothinge more amiable nor y t draweth the minde of manne more to loue then vertue All loue is a certayn affection to y t thing that is goodly fayre there is nothing more goodly then vertue the which yf a man might behold see with his bodely eyes would stirre vp great loue vnto it self but it is seene with the inwarde eye of the mind and draweth those that beholdeth it to beneuolence to embrace and loue it The opinion of excellencie the whiche is situate set other in the power of the body or of y u soule doth bring forth ingender veneration and reuerence Strength riches frendes clientes seruauntes ministers subiectes fauour grace and dignitie be longe vnto the bodye In the soule are iudgement wisdom the sharpenes of witte sagacitie watche fortitude audacitie wherby men do take vpon them great actes enterprises Of these thinges doth maiestie procede arise by the which al thinges vpon earthe are ruled gouerned And with this kinges and magistrates gouerne and defende great nations and king domes and throughe thys greate multitudes and number of people do obeye vnto the will of one alone wyth this captaynes Emperors do conducte whether soeuer they wil greate companies hostes of menne Of this the mayster hathe neade for hys seruaunte the father for hys sonne and the husbande for hys wife to thende she maye loue and obeye hym that is wise for prudeneye and wisdome wythoute honestie and goodnesse is formidable and goodnes without wisdom is loued but not obeied In this maiestie doth consist the force strength of iustice both to re ward to punishe It shalbe sufficieÌ„t for an husbaÌ„d to haue of these thinges so muche as shal suffice to rule his wife his family withall Other meÌ„ haue nede of power also of maiestie to rule a citie in the which are so manye houses housholdes The foundation of al thinges is fayth y e which is most certaynly obtayned gotten by science The nexte vnto fayth is to be hadde in good estimation Marcus Cato as Salust doeth write dyd laboure rather to be good then to appeare good therfore the lesse he sought for glo rye the more he obtayned it Those opinions are wont to be most surest and fast y t which do occupye the yong tender minde as we do see by those thinges that children do first learne and commende to memorye Nor wolle doth neuer loose hys firste coloure nor that clothe the which as it is commonlye spoken is died in wolle And therfore we ought not only to labour and studye to brynge in good affections but we muste so dispose and order the whole state of oure lyfe that it maye be the more easie to be borne and throughe conuersation waxe more swete and pleasaunte Thou muste also consider thyne owne wytte and qualities and lykewyse thy wyues and thy ryches and substaunce and prouide that it maye prosper not onely for the tyme and state presente but also for the tyme that is to come And thus considerynge the casualties of man thou muste dispose the thyng in suche wyse that not great chauÌ„ge or chauÌ„ce mai trouble the soft delitate mind of the woman notwithstandynge that chaunces are infinite that no prouision can be fouÌ„d to withstande them and that many of them must be referd vnto God the whiche taketh care for vs al wuld that we shoulde not care for the thinges that are to come the whi che pertayne to hym onelye nor no man can make prouision agaynst them But now to retourne to oure purpose when thou goest a wowyng thou muste beware and take heede that thou whether the woman be promysed the or nowe brought home vnto the geue not thy self to those vnmete voluptuous loue lustes by the whiche men are compelled to sai to do

the cause nor the reasone of certayne appetites For why to be lawefull full for some menne to doe certayne thynges and not for thee maye come of shame or elles of dysdayne So is the apparell and raymente of all menne yf it be lyke for euerye manne wyll haue and coueteth that he seeth in another That shame to be counted or taken for coueteous or for poore is the worste and moste haynoust of all other But the lawe taketh bothe frome you seynge ye haue not the thynge that is lawefull for you to haue But she that is ryche doeth saye equalitye doeth not please me for why shoulde I not be sene in gold and purple And why is the pouertye of other cloked vnder the coloure of thys lawe Wherby it apeareth that they regarde the lawe and not pouertie O ye Quirites wyll ye geue your wiues suche a battel that they being contented to be taken estemed for ryche should do that other cannot do and that the poore shuld extend theÌ„ selues aboue their habilitie because thei woulde not be despised For so where no nede is they shoulde be ashamed where nede is they woulde not and what she mighte prepare of her owne she woulde and that she coulde not she should desyre and pray her husband to doe Wretched is that husband the whiche whether he consent or no shal see his wife haue that thynge of another the whiche he gaue her not This doth Cato say And in what a miserable necessitie are they in that to vpholde suche charges doe searche diuers payneful wayes ful of enuy daungerous scelerate and vniuste These men doe abuse theyr wiues the which thynge Paule doeth forbyd yet that not withstandynge they loue theyr husbandes euen as a mayster loueth hys diligent faythful stewarde of whome he perceyueth hys goodes to be truly and fayth fully vsed augmented And so doth y e costly sumptuous wife loue her husband not for his owne sake but for her owne vtilitie and profite by whose industrious labour she liueth ydlye and arrogantly hauynge greate abundaunce of al thynges But yf fortune do turne and the knot of loue be remoued and taken away that loue wyl soone be loused and diminished or els waxe verye faynte feble But beinge wise thou shalt take ano ther way with thee for thou shalt cal to thy remembrauÌ„ce that thou waste not borne for the woman but the womaÌ„ for the therfore thou must accustome her to serue the so to applie her mind y t she may vnderstande and knowe that she is a helper and a partaker of thy trauel labor and not an ydle mistres Thou shalte take and refer all authoritie to thy selfe not to her takynge diligent heede to her honoure and chastitie as thou wouldest to thyne owne proper lyfe for in this ye are but one As for those delites pleasures and ornamentes thou shalte deride and laughe to scorne nor no more esteme them theÌ„ the ridiculous and folish desyres of children And so thou shalt obeye the cousell of the Apostle commaundynge vs so to haue oure wyues althoughe we had theym not and so to vse theym that we abuse theym not Thou shalt so apparel and araye thy selfe and thy wyfe that Nature may sufficiently be satisfied thy dignitie kept and conserued And yet in thys thynge ye must differ for thou oughtest to be clothed more lyke a man that is more simplye and soberlye and the woman more exactlye and cleanlye And as greate costlye araye doth nother become man nor woman so doeth cleane and honeste apparell become the woman This is the force and strengthe of nature that can not be altered Thys femine sexe doeth sette muche stoore by goodlye and precyous raymente the immoderate and vnsaciable desyre thereof maye be brydeled and refrayned but not cleane taken awaye and disanulled It shal be sufficiente yf she be thus wel instructed taught that in adourning decking of her selfe she do not so much regard the price and newnes of the thing as to auoyde the vncleannes thereof and so to behaue her self that she be not lothed and reproued The meane moderate vse of ornamentes garments with grauitie and cleanlines is of al men much more coÌ„mended then is that delicate sumptuous raymente apparell He that doth araye him selfe very sumptuously gorgiou slye of some shalbe counted taken for riche of other for a vayne waster But he doth shewe hym selfe wise that meanlye dothe apparell hym selfe and as necessitie shal require That curious exqui site decking of the womanne doth declare her to be vayne and light nor the existimation or fame of her beautye whose vniuersal grace is assined vnto her apparell orna meÌ„ts doth therfore increase or augment the more Nor a married woman should not care nowe to be counted and retkened fayre vnto other mens eyes O how greate a signe token of chastitie of a pure and a cleane heart is y t simple and meane apparell the whiche doe then appeare most manifestly wheÌ„ all men do know that she had rather adourne her selfe with wisdoÌ„ grauitie and fayth with gouerning of her familie housholde instructing and teaching of her children then w t gold silck or pretious stones Nor there is no man y t doeth not much more honoure one such matrone then a nuÌ„ber of those that glister in their pre tious sumptuous ornamen tes apparell Who did not more honor Cornelia the mother of the Graccis being pore without golde or pretious stones then her hostes of CaÌ„pania hauing al those thinges most plentuously Therfore let no man hereafter saye vn to me y e eye of him y t looketh must somewhat be satisfied coÌ„tended for to y t we geue to great attendance That simple pure modest graue ornameÌ„t dothe declare the house to be holy vncorrupt commen deth pouertie the whiche by teaching and instructing one what modestie is doth cause him to know him self Euery manne doth blame the poore woman if she be sumptuously arayde for they know ful wel in cities what euerye mans substance is what he maye do And therfore such a pore woman is reckened taken as proude insolent and her husbande as fonde that doth consent to her foolishnes and madnes The riche are commended yf they be modeste teÌ„perate in the vsage vse of their riches as thei be which through their riches great substance are not arrogante nor statelye Thus doth vertue adourne the raymente man is adourned of him self not of his vayne clothing apparell MarchauÌ„ts whose riches is in the handes of fortune are in more creditie and the nobilitie within more fauour with the people when they abase somewhat apply theÌ„ selues to their qualities customes And it is a christi ans duetye office to diuide that among the poore that is wont to be consumed in suche

equinalled wyth all worldlye ryches How magnificente a thynge is it to be taken for good and faythfull in another mans house as it is written of Crates Thebanus vnto whome for his singuler goodnesse and loue that he bare vnto his wife Hypparchia was graunted to entre not onely into the gate but into the chambers and most secret places of all the citie and ther fore the Grekes called hym Thirepanictes that is a manne that might entre and go into other mennes houses For no man doeth mistruste or feare that he wyll defyle any other maÌ„s bed that agreeth so well with hys owne wyfe with so swete and so sure a knot is fastened vnto her All the whole familie do theyr dueties when the wife doth gladlye and wyllynglye helpe her husbande and the husbande his wyfe moued by the onely loue and concorde that is betwene them for he that is not moued nor styrde with y e furiousnes and commotions of the mynd may easely retayne and cause theym to doe theyr dueties so that he leaue not of nor fayleth not to doe hys owne duetye Thus they maye with diligence gouerne their goodes and substaunce so that neyther of them be alienate farre from their domesticall familier cares and busynesses and in their familie do rule teÌ„peral thinges with loue He is far deceyued that doeth thinke that feare rewarde or anye other lyke thinge shal so quicken or prouoke a man to do his duetye as charitie and loue shal doe Menne perchaunce wyll not greatly meruel if theyr owne children be swete moste acceptable vnto theÌ„ the whiche yf they wer but y e chyldren of one of them yet loue myghte so worke that they shoulde be vnto eche other most accep table pleasaunt how much more then must the flame nedes burne vnto the whiche they bothe as it were putte torches vnder But this peraduenture shall seeme moore merueylous the which vnto those y t haue the knowledge of naturall thynges is moste playne sure that y e children of those whiche be married loue one another shalbe meke peaceable modeste amiable and apte to all kynde of benignitie and gentlenesse For why the qualities and affectioÌ„s of y e father the mother the which do occupie the inwarde partes of manne are most commonlye transfuded into the bodies and soules of their children and of their pa rentes they learne placabilitie mekenes To lyue thus at home in tranquilitie concorde is muche lyke the celestial and heauenly lyfe wherof as sayeth that wise man in Homer greate ioye and cherefulnesse redoundeth vnto their frendes and to their enemies greate sorowe heauines and as the other reioyce these doe lament when they see or heare that we be other in hatred or in any discorde for the euyll and wycked man doeth desyre that is euyll exchueth vertue as a most pernitious poyson But all that I haue sayd hitherto although as ye doe see they are of great importaunce yet they can not be compared to thys one thynge that I wyll now saye At home we learne charitie the whiche we maye vse and shew towardes other that beinge in tranquillitie pleased with the suauitie and swetnes of mutual and correspondent loue we may y e ease lyer geue our selues to religion to conteÌ„plation to loue to geue reuerence to that om nipoteÌ„t diuine nature And our heartes being thus touched wyth matrimonial loue and with y e holy celestial fier we shal by litle and lytle be so kindled therwith that it shall conceyue bring forth great flames And what greater or more excellent gift may be desired or graunted of god vnto maÌ„kind then that we may be made true and faythful louers of that his diuine beauti fulnes Â¶ Of those that haue no children VNto some the lord now and then geueth no childreÌ„ or els he taketh them agayne when he hath geuen them that by his secrete incomprehensible iudgement yea with a fatherly indulgeÌ„ce and pitie For he seeth it to be for our profite y t it shuld be so lest y t we shoulde referre all thinges to fortune naturall causes the whiche thinge no wise man nor no christen man shuld do And let vs take it for no smal benefit y t we haue not proued of y t swete gal for after that we haue swalowed it we shall saye y t there is put vnto one drop of hony sixe huÌ„dred droppes of gall And he did eueÌ„ reasonably rekeÌ„ it amongy e felicities of man to liue w tout childreÌ„ And August through his doughter his nyce was coÌ„strayned co rehearce eueÌ„ w t alowd voyce these wordes of Homere Wold god I had ne uer bene married for then I shuld haue had no children I willet passe Cicero coÌ„playnts to Atticus Nor I wil not dis pute here of y e priuatioÌ„ of childreÌ„ but only monish exhort those y t be married y t they because the frute of chyldren is so vncertayn that oftenti mes they do bring vnto their parentes more calamitie then profite or pleasure seke not to haue children by anye flagitiousnes y t is with one certayn euil one vncertayn calamity Be not sharpe nor bitter to your baren wiues for y t chaun seth very often without anye faulte other of y e one or of the other or of theÌ„ bothe And ye shal vnderstand know y t the wyfe desyreth moore to haue childreÌ„ then y e husband as the wal that is falling desireth to haue shores to vphold it w t al. Anne y t wife of Helcana y t Ephraite was baren howe did her husband coÌ„fort her Am not I qd he better to thee then teÌ„ne childreÌ„ It was very meete coÌ„uenient y t Samuel y t prophete shoulde be gotten of a man If god do send the childreÌ„ receyue theÌ„ as y e gift of god ioyfullye instruct theÌ„ wel y t theyr goodnes honestie may profite theÌ„ selues the to not on ly for thy solace good name but also to augment the merites of this life by y t which the immortal reward of the eternal life is obtayned gotten Â¶ Of her that is in age AFter y t an honest a wel nourtured wo maÌ„ waxeth old we must do as men vse to do to al faithfull diligent seruauÌ„tes we loose vnbind our old horse and oxe suffer them to wander and to feede wher they wil theÌ„ selues and put them to lesse laboure we make our bondemen free and we assigne to olde souldiers certain possessions and feldes to lyue vpon we make oure free minister and seruaunt af ter that he hath well faythfullye serued vs equall as it were vnto vs and call him to our affinity Now much more oughtest thou then honorificently to intreate thy wyfe be ing aged and olde the whiche is no brute beast no boÌ„dmayd nor of no worse coÌ„dition then thou thy selfe nor thy hyred

with manye women nor that the woman shoulde submitte her selfe to many men Therfore he bownde them together in lawfull mariage and deliuered her vnto the man not only for generations sake but also for the societie and fellowshippe of life And this is it y e Moses doth saye in Genesis that the prudent and wise maker of the worlde sayde It is not good that man shoulde be alone let vs make him a helpe lyke vnto him selfe And how manye vtilities and profites do spryng and yssue of matrimony First as all controuersies debates are remoued and do cease amoÌ„g men wheÌ„ laÌ„des be occupied possessed by the power of y e law grauÌ„ ted stablished eueÌ„ so when y e womaÌ„ is lawfully maried al such coÌ„tentioÌ„s do cease which certaynly wold haue growen among men yf women were coÌ„mon For some woulde desire those that were beautiful and fayre suche as were moost mighty and mooste in powre wold iugde al thinges to be as a reward of their fortitude and strength in theyr powre and dominion And he that assayde her woulde as though he had taken possession strongly resist and fyghte for her as for his owne wife wherevpon shuld arise enuy hatred and debate And man the which yf he folow his natural affection and appetite is a prowd a fearce and a desi rous beast to be reueÌ„ged shal finde manye wayes to accomplishe his luste and to ensue reuenge that he interpreteth to be an iniury and shall associate and gather manye vnto him eyther for feare or by some benefite inticed wherby parttakings sactions shuld fyrst aryse and afterwardes warre and cruell battayle both at home and abroad as olde auctours do reporte to haue chaunced for women ra uished as for Helen Lacona Tindarus and Ledas doughter and for Lucrecia and Virginia Romaynes And through Caua Iulians doughter we lost Spayne In Englande king Henry y t second was dri uen out of his realme by hys sonne for after y t he had bene longe in loue with Philippes the Frenche kinges sister and that she was sente into England maried vnto him his father being in loue with his fayre doughter in lawe hys sonne making warre in Scot laÌ„d defloured her The yong woman at the firste coÌ„mynge home of her husband opened vnto him what had chaunced and being moued therewith draue out his father occupi ed the kingdome I let passe those thinges that Plutarke doth write in hys booke of lo uely narratioÌ„s Woulde god there were not so many exaÌ„ples as geue occasions to eue ry man to write both of princes priuate persons howe great contention and debate letcherye hath caused Thys was to manye a man y e waye occasion to ouerturne king domes families of greate and bitter perils and calamities among all nations But god the inuenter of matrimo ny moste prouident father hauing pitie coÌ„passion vpon mankind hath put a measure to this immoderate luxuriousnes printinge the lawe of matrimony not in paper onely but in euery mans hearte In the whiche matrimony he hath geuen to al nations not onely to those the which thorough humanitie good letters are instructed with rites and ciuile customes but also to fearce and barbarous nations beyng farre from all good educatioÌ„ and customs so greate beneuolence charitie y t they which are maried iduced through loue will not leaue nor chauÌ„ge their mates wheÌ„ there is no loue shamfastnes doth take place so y e there is no man so farre froÌ„ y e vnderstanding of maÌ„ y e is ignorauÌ„t y t to bea thynge moste scelerate worthy to be hated punished to seake or to embrace any other as loÌ„g as matrimonye indureth And what a coÌ„moditie is the wife vnto y e husbaÌ„d in ordering of hys house in gouerning of hys familie housholde by this cities are edified buylded And she cometh euen as god sayth into her husbaÌ„des house as an helper lyke vnto him self as a sure coÌ„panion continuinge vnto the ende of her life a partetaker of mirth heauines y e mother of their common children the whiche kepeth hys goodes as her owne thinkinge none other goodes to be hers but those kepeth theÌ„ to leaue them to her children the which she loueth as her selfe It can not be spoken from how great a burden molestiousnes the mind of man is lightned ther by the which for the worthines dignitie thereof shulde not be molested with such inferioure cures But yet I knowe not whether all these thiges may be coÌ„pared with the education bringyng vp of children for surely by certayn true matrimony they are receaued taken for oure owne childreÌ„ wherby they be vnto vs the more dearely beloued And charitie willeth them to be nourished and fashioned vnto al kind of humanitie and vertue not only w t diligence and cure but wyth al sollicitude and anxietie Al other beastes after that the dame hath nourished them and that they are once come to a certayne bygnesse be of nature so instructed taught that they leaue theyr dame for euer beynge sufficiente ynough of them selues to shift for theyr lyuynge and to defende theyr lyues y t one naturally not beyng better nor worse then the other nor theÌ„ y t yoÌ„g do knowledge y t dame no more nor y t dame y e yong But as man hath of his maker that by a certayne singuler benefite most excellent reason and figure of mynde eueÌ„ so he hath througe sinne corrupted y e seede of vertue obserued the lyghte of hys wyt vnderstandynge And if he do stande and folow the wayes of his affectioÌ„s he shal so abace him selfe that he shal become seruante vnto synne now receaued beyng geuen there vnto how great a beast of a man a cruell thyng to be spoken shal he be made then what obscuritie darckenes shal grow in him how vnlike how farre of shal he be then froÌ„ his originall beginning This obscuritie of mynd and darckenes through doctrine learnynge maye be cast of and clarified and the euyll inclination thereof by good maners customes ameÌ„ded But this our corrupte defiled nature hath nead of sollicitude tyme labour diligence yea and occasions must be taried for vntyll it grow vntill it may better perceaue and vnderstand his admonisher and vntyll it wyll heare and be admonished And now and then we muste delay and dissemble such vices fawtes reserue them vntil another tyme that they may be taken a waye and remoued withoute any daunger or peryll Nor it is not sufficieÌ„t to warne hym once or twyce but often nowe then he must be reprehended corrected sometimes flattered mynglynge y e were with y e sower And what ende shall there be at laste of reformynge thys beast so euill so brutishe the which doth so ofteÌ„times eueÌ„ of it selfe returne

fall into this silthines Who woulde take such endles dayly renu ing paines and labours yf he thought not the childreÌ„ to be his owne and yet he taketh these paynes with those the which he trusteth beleueth to be his by lawfull mariage furthermore the loue of the parentes doth redounde vnto their children augmenteth their loue charitie towardes theÌ„ as hatred dothe diminish extinguish y e same as the fabelles do declare of Medea the whiche after she perceaued y t Iason had forsa ken her being moued with y t iniury prouoked with a cer tayne bitter hatred agaynste her husbande murdred her owne childreÌ„ And Euobardus hated his sonne Nero y e which was Emperoure because he had childreÌ„ by Agrippa y t fearce cruel woman And y e loue of the husband wife towardes theit childreÌ„ doth fortify strengthen the loue bitwixt theÌ„selues for he loueth his equal as y e wife herein is wheÌ„ she loueth her childreÌ„ whiche are deare vnto their father as her husband doth whence they haue a double loue and streÌ„gthe bet wixt theÌ„ selues another bending from their children for we loue those y t loue the thinges whiche are deare vnto vs. Therefore fathers hauing good affectioÌ„ mind vnto their children receaue theÌ„ after their possibilitie riches do nourishe theÌ„ teache theÌ„ drawe theÌ„ froÌ„ vice represse their affections and stirreth vp the force streÌ„gth of their reason iudgement to thende they shuld vse it y t al other powres shuld principally as vnto a quene obeye vnto it And yet beynge thus instructed they leaue theÌ„ not so nor cast theÌ„ not of nor depart not from them as other beastes do but defend them embrace theÌ„ after theyr pos sibilitie adourne theÌ„ nourishe them helpe theÌ„ Nor thys beneuolence doth not subsiste rest in theÌ„ onelye but stretcheth for the vnto the sonne doughter in law ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ and ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ wherof great ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ reconciliacions haue oftentimes yssued and cities haue had theyr beginninge This loue doth descende vnto oure neues and cosing and taketh care for the posteritie And in that nature which is partet a ker of iminortalitie doth regard the eternitie the which throughe generation shal ensue folowe where vnto the house the familie y t patrimonie parentage are constituted made the name of the kinred as it were the note marke of a certayne flocke remayning y e which family geuinge it selfe to ydlenes and pride is no other thinge but the beginning of al flagitious nes misihiefe for the time it so remayneth shal neuer be without some mischiefes cruel vnquiere and violente oppressor of other mens libertie the which taking only a pride of his name sercheth to excel al other trusting in honest ar tes knowledge So on the other side it is a thing moste beautiful y t the youth of that familie or house maye haue a certayn discipline art of honeste liuinge to be vsed with lawde prayse y t which their parentes should deliuer vnto theÌ„ from hande to hand with their inheritage name as a remembraunce of good workes with domestical and fami liar exaÌ„ples to ensue folow the same Who can declare y t great coÌ„modities of all those thinges the which by y e gyfte of god we haue obtayned to ouerrunne finishe this lyfe withal We are farre gone froÌ„ the rites and customes of beastes humanitie hath she wed her selfe garnished with order lawes discipline the which thinges shuld separate leade vs froÌ„ vice place vs in the trade way of all vertue One Eue was geuen to one AdaÌ„ as one Churche to Christe as the holye Apostle dothe interpretate it to be a great mistery as perteyning to Christ his churche And one man ought to be the husband of one wife as nature it selfe doth saye as the lawe of god better then the law of nature the true expositour of the same dothe teache vs first by the coÌ„position of y e bodies by the maner of generation the whiche by the embrasing of two bodies is made perfecte but yet by a more secrete misterie for the loue of two is best without emulation for when two or mo doo loue one thing it is not without enuy for very hard it is y t one shuld loue two equally or shew or els suffer it selfe to be of theÌ„ beloued he of those two y t shall perceau y t he is best beloued shal waxe insoleÌ„t prowd as victorious in bat taile the other not being so wel accepted beloued shall burne as ouercomde with sorow enuye his corriuale fellowe in loue for other he would possesse the thing seue rally alone or els be principal in the possessioÌ„ therof where out shuld arise hatred strife trouble in the family y e which thing the fearcenes of man w t some great tumulte pertur bation of thinges shuld cause or els through the debilitie y e coÌ„playntes importunitie of the woman which hate none other weapons trouble shuld encrease cause a mans life to be intollerable not onelye chafing nowe then with his fellowe in loue as with a stroÌ„pet but also with her husbaÌ„d This thing is not expediente for quietnes pleasaunt tran quillitie the whiche shuld be at home in the familie wher vnto euery man defatigated with matters of the coÌ„mon welth priuate or exterior wetied do draw them selues as vnto some sure port or haueÌ„ But yf quietnes be so vexed disquieted at home and all thinges troubled with hatred where shal then y e minde of man tost with so many care full tempestes repose it selfe Truly a man had rather inha bite among the litigious striles of the law among the teÌ„pestes surges of disputatioÌ„s in the ieoperdies of peregri nations theÌ„ to returne home to such an vnswete vnsauery bitter life For in the amitie and loue of many the one beholdeth loketh vpon the other not al vpon one as ser uaunces behold looke vpoÌ„ their Lord and mayster For when two or thre behold one y t is no ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ but riualitie coutention or els a dominion of many vpon one in the whithe kind estate there is woÌ„t to be enuy hatred trouble when y t the fauour and loue ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ al desired inclineth to one alone And therfore at y e beginninge God gaue to one Eue one AdaÌ„ to be her Lord and mayster And beinge minded to drowne the world he caused certayne men their wyues to enter into the arke for the conseruation generation of mankind But the preceptes coÌ„maundementes of god do verye wel declare the strength force of nature the which being in vs corrupted by the varie tie of affectious leading vs to diuers coÌ„trary thinges is by the celestiall oracles preceptes restored agayne vnto hys integritye In Genesis

AdaÌ„ as it were diuining sayd y t two men shuld be in one fleshe vnto y e which wordes the lord our god dyd adde this y e matrimony once coÌ„sumed made perfect they are no more two but one maÌ„ y t it might euidently appeare that true matrimonie caÌ„ not be betwene thre or foure but betwene two onelye And as oft as god him selfe speaketh of matrimony he neuer sayth husbandes wiues but wife and husband And the Apostle S. Paul to auoyd fornicatioÌ„ geueth counsel that euery man shuld haue his wife but he neuer sayeth hys wyues And truly wheÌ„ the lord doth inhibite that men shuld not re fuse their wiues for any cause except it be for fornication he forbiddeth the multitude of wiues for if he mary another he calleth him an aduouterer Why shuld he be an aduouterer that marieth another his first wyfe beinge yet alyue yf it were lawfull for him at one tyme to haue manye wiues These he the lawes of nature the which in very dede shuld haue sufficed yf oure malitiousnes had lefte oure nature pure and whole as it came froÌ„ the handes of his maker But being now violated thorough vice inclininge vnto malitiousnes the age time y t ensued found remedies for this infirmitie as it were cer tayne barres doores to represse vice withal y t it creepe no farther For the worlde in the fyrst encrease of mans generation being yet but yong part of our old rude elders dyd dwel in caues and parte wheÌ„ the cities were buylded in houses And at the begynginning the husband and the wife kept house together theÌ„ were children begotten and borne vnto the whiche there arose an incredible loue kind led with the fyrebrand of nature These childreÌ„ beyng of age maried wiues to encrease maÌ„kind withal their childreÌ„ encreased by whose meanes the loue of the fathers paste on vnto the sonne and doughter in law froÌ„ thence vnto theyr neues all these coupled together by the selfe same loue and charitie remay ned in one house beyng parta kers of one fyre loue makyng althinges coÌ„mon or to speak more truly one thing onelye But consanguinitie affinity crepte in alytle further beyng many in nuÌ„ber wold not depart froÌ„ y t familye because they of youth were broughte vp together for there is no sweter thinge then of childreÌ„ to haue bene conuersaunte acquaynted because they were suche persons whome they loued as theÌ„ selues they could not be departed except they shuld haue bene seperated drawen froÌ„ theÌ„ selues And although certayn of theÌ„ were remoued gone as it were to dwel in another place yet that notwithstandinge they oftentimes returned vn to theyr originall house and were most familiarly conuersaunt together But suche as were wyse and by longe expe rience witty perceauing that chastitie through the feruent nes and heate of youth was in great dauÌ„ger iudged that such feruentnes motions of youth ought by some religioÌ„ lawes to be ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ repressed for vnto nature it appeared truely a thing most abhominable to mary other wyth mother nece or doughter y e which thing AdaÌ„ nature not beyng yet corrupted dyd suf ficiently ynough declare wheÌ„ that he lokyng vpon his wife sayd Beholde now the bone of my bones the flesh of my fleshe for this shall man leaue both father and mother the which he wold not haue lefte yf he might haue maried her Necessitie scarcenes of peo ple coupled brother syster together But humanitie by a litle litle the world being somwhat more replenyshed begaÌ„ to despise refuse y t kind of mariage manye nations auoyded it by lawes by religion forbad y t suche as were so nighe of coÌ„sanguinitie and kind should not marye together for it semed vnto theÌ„ vn mete that any such should be coupled together and that al such mariages shuld be thoughte incestious agaynste all right by the auctoritie and wil of the superior inhibited for whether we beholde humayne thinges the law that is the consente of the citezins forbiddeth them or diuyne thinges the maiestie of god forbiddeth theÌ„ so it foloweth that chastitie shuld be in sauegarde within the walles and houses of those y t are of consanguinitie for it was sufficient ynough vnto the simplici tie and innocencye of oure elders to abstaine ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ the thing not wonte to be vsed vnto whome it was ynough in times paste to saye I wil not ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Quirites But in the tyme age y t folowed they coulde not be ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ froÌ„ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ no not ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ manye ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ threatninges terrours prysons nor ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ wyth death so feble are we to goodnes and so strong mightye agaynste modestiousnes nor we do nothing more coragiously then to disprayse contemne vertue And for asmuche as there is no beast vnto whome concord beneuolence is so profi table or so necessary to ioyne amitie to amplifie loue and charitie withal as to man it is prouided as Cicero S. Augustine do write most notablye that menne shoulde take their wiues from other places and their doughters theyr husbandes out of their families and houses wherby great loue should aryse encrease by such bondes of affinitie the one shuld greatlye fauour the other coÌ„sideryng y e therby great frendshyp and kyured shuld ensue folowe that finally both gods lawe and mans shoulde make and knyt vp as it were a knot of pietie faythfull loue And so it is come to passe that charitye which nature had sprinckled thorowout al humayne generation was restrayned through the affections of the iniquitie of man vnto a feaw is now by the meanes of matrimony spred abroade not in one or two houses only but in cities kinredes nations y e which throughe one sole mariage haue bene reuoked froÌ„ sharpe dissentioÌ„s vnto louing and swere agreament concord But how farre it is law ful or vnlawful to procede in these thynges by the ciuill canon lawe defined it is not to be disputed vpon at thys time but hereafter we shall speake thereof when that we by the helpe of Christe shall write of the common welthe But when so great darcknes was in the soule of man and in his wil so great iniquitie that corruption was encreased in man by y e continuauÌ„ce of euyll it semed good vnto god to restore his worke for he sente his sonne by whome he made the world to reconcile vs after to great dissention discord vnto the father and to be the clarifier of oure ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ an ensample of y e woorkes and dedes of lyfe And he puttinge forthe hys hande lifted vp mankinde lyinge vpon the earth and waloyng in mire to looke vp into heauen and to be partaker of the light thereof And although he hadde blowen hys trompet all they that hearde that celestiall and heauenlye voyce contemning and leauing all other thinges apart dyd hye them towardes so

iudged and then embraced y t thinge with loue or with hatred auoyded the same the whiche yf man ought to do in choosynge of frendes howe much more diligently ought it to be done in the choyse of a wife the principal of al amitie and frendshippe whose name among al other in beneuoleÌ„ce and loue is most dearest Epictetus a philosopher of y e secte of Stoickes doth saye that euery thing hath his eare so that yf thou take holde there at thou mayst vse it most haÌ„dsomely coÌ„modiously True wisdome is to knowe the nature of euery thinge and the vse therof Yf thou wheÌ„ thou takest a wife wouldest thynk vpon thy children and howe thou mayeste liue with thy wife thou canste not lightlye fayle in the choyse of her the whiche as Zcnophon dothe write in his Economica maketh very much for the felicitie or misery of maÌ„ For how much y e more a thinge is vnited knit vnto man so much the more it may helpe him yf it be good or hynder him yf it be euill Those daÌ„mages hurtes which are inwardly in y e body are worse theÌ„ those which are without those of y e soule then those of y e body likewise menne do iudge of those thinges which are called good But peradueÌ„ture it shall appeare vnto some that these thinges are not vniuersally true for vnto some the losse of their goodes is more theÌ„ y e losse of their helth But this thing doeth not arise or happen of the treasure or moneye it selfe but because they perswade vnto them selues y t to loose theyr treasure is a thing intolerable therfore the goodes are not of more estimation then is helth but thaffection doth rule in thys thing And therfore it semeth lesse to some to be dreuen out of his kingdom then to other some to loose a small portion of his patrimony Some wil reueÌ„ge a word most cruelly and some other wel buffeted and beaten wil not reueÌ„ge it at al. All these thinges do pro cede come of y e soule y e whiche as most inwardly loyned knit vnto man hath more power in him then the bodye yea as Plato thinketh then man him selfe If it be then of so great importaunce what maner of frende thou haue to liue coÌ„modiously or ineoÌ„modi ously withal the whiche shall none otherwise dwell nor be in the selfe same chaÌ„ber bed nor house with the but that thou mayest shake him of at thy pleasure how much more then oughteste thou to take hede when thou choosest thee a wife the which must coÌ„tinually be conuersaunt with the at thy table in thy chamber in bed in thy secretes and finally in thy heart and breste If thou go from home thou dost coÌ„mit thy house thy fami lie thy goodes and thy chyldren of all other thinges the most pleasaunt vnto her she is the last that leaueth the at thy departing the first that receaueth thee at thy returnynge thou departest froÌ„ her with swete embracementes kisses and with swete kysses and embracemeÌ„tes she receaueth thee vnto her thou disclosest thy ioye and heauines It is an heauenlye lyfe to be conuersaunte in companye with those that a man delyteth in and loueth But it is a calamitie infernal to be streyghted to se those thinges y t a man doth hate or to be in coÌ„panye with those that a man woulde not be withall and yet can not be separated nor depart from them Of this co meth as we do see in dinerse mariages so greate ruine so facinorous and filthy dedes maymes murders committed by such desperate per sons as they are loth to kepe yet can not lawfully refuse nor leaue theÌ„ Therfore in ma riage there are two wayes y e one leadeth a maÌ„ to miserye the other to felicitie In the beginning of these thou must diligently deliberate coÌ„sult with thy selfe as Prodigus the Sophist doth saye in the first booke of Zeniphons coÌ„mentaris y t he caused Hercules to take auysmeÌ„t whether he shuld folow vice or vertue And in asmuche as it is a matter of great weyght importauÌ„ce let it not be greuous vnto y t reader to reade it for it shall not greue me to declare open the thing more copiously clerely And seing y t electioÌ„ or choyse is nothinge els but to take a thing mete coÌ„uenient to the ende it is prepared for therfore euery one y t must choose ought to regard the end know what thinge is coÌ„uenient for it It is nede ful also y t he be prudente and wise for els he caÌ„not dispose it nor perceaue what is coÌ„mo dious mete for y t end Nor wisdom is not obtayned nor gotteÌ„ but by the knowledge vse experieÌ„ce of thinges not by folowing of y e affectioÌ„s the which do diminish mans iudgemeÌ„t IgnorauÌ„ce the troublesoÌ„nes of the mind is y e very cause y t yongmen iudge not thinges so wel as old meÌ„ do they knowe not the businesse of mans lyfe and beyng but new and rawe in al thinges they are sone deceaued stird with affections theyr mindes by so obfuscate and cloudye that they can not see what is right nor how thinges ought to be done and ordred Therfore the yonge maÌ„ shuld leaue the care of this electioÌ„ to his parentes y t whiche haue better iudgement are more free from the agitations and motions of al affections then they are And inasmuche as they do loue their childreÌ„ excedingly they wold that their children shoulde be none otherwise couÌ„seled theÌ„ theÌ„selues for the father as it nath bene sundry times by manye examples declared doth in a maner loue his childe more then he loueth hym selfe The yonge man muste take hede that folowyng the light iudgement of his owne affection mind he chaunge not a short delectation plea sure into a continuall repentauÌ„ce We do learne by great continuall vse experience of thinges y t the secrete contractes of matrimonye made betwene those that be yong are seldom fortunate lucky and feawe to be vnlucky that are made and stablished by their frendes and parentes Al the old mariages of the Ie wes and gentiles were made after this forme and maner The pareÌ„tes by theyr owne aucthoritye did intreate and finishe vp the matter among them selues nor it was not lawful for their childreÌ„ to dissent or to go backe froÌ„ y e thing y t their parentes had accoÌ„plished and done And yet they are to be admonished to haue an eye and a diligent regard ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ marying of their children y t it may be to their great qui etnes and that they asmuch as may be possible may lyue in iocunditye and pleasure They muste not haue before their eyes these vayne foolishe honours nor the enuious and vnsure power nor y e vnquiete factions nor riches the which vnto olde men are wont to be moste

greuouse of all vnder a colour to liue quietlye he wente to the Rhodes where at his first coÌ„ ming he liued a life most ignominious after that in great daunger for there were y t called him a banished man for Caesars pleasure his stepsone didde threaten to ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ hym I know a certayne man y t mari ed one farre aboue his degre but after y t the dayes of micth and pastime were past he cursed the daye as to him moost vnfortunatest when she was firste named vnto him For yf he had married one of equall and like degree vnto him self he hauing so great abondaÌ„ce of riches shuld haue bene the most fortunatest luckieste of al other nor he shuld not haue repented him selfe of hys kinred nor at home haue suffred so greate molestiousnes the which could not haue bene en ded but by his death or hers Furthermore men must consider of what conditions the womans kinsfolke be of and what their maner fashion of liuing is whether they be spitifull sharpe vntractable litigious brawlinge or fearce for with such thou shuldest be continuallye in trouble And agayne whether they be sedi tious or factious and special ly in those parties wher that men whether they wil or will not are wont to be entangled with partetakinges for they shalbe vnquiete For who can auoyde trouble that familiar ly doth haunte aud frequente their companye whiche are troubelous Furthermore it must be considered whether they be poore great crauers shamels or without modestiousnes for there be y t can not suffer ne beare no such but to auoyd al such grefe are conteÌ„t to go inhabite other pla ces It is a greuous thing to suffer her y t is riche or to nou rish or intertayn her y t is pore Let euerye man looke vpon his owne substance whether he be able to support him selfe his or no for there is nothinge more acceptable vnto God nor more commended of man then to mary a poore a well conditioned woman It is a spice of almose to helpe y e poore thou hast her not only as a wife but as a seruaunt the whiche can not laye vnto thy charge y t she brought thee any thing but in prosperitye shal vse with thee y t is thine kuowledge thee to be maister of al that al her welth commeth of thee in aduersitye shal patientlye beare suffre enuious and vnfrendlye fortune remembryng how litle she brought with her and shal not pittie her selfe that came porely vnto the but thy selfe that art spoiled of al thy goodes But yet I put thee in re membraunce agayne that I speake of those that are well and manerly brought vp for poore mens doughters sluttyshely wantonly brought vp and nourtered are as tou chynge theyr estate bothe in prosperitie and pouertye intollerable But yf thy goods suffice not to intertayne thy wyfe with all take thou such a one as can somwhat helpe thee But yf thou take her that is riche to liue spende her goodes ydely pleasauÌ„tly thou breakest y e lawe ordinauÌ„ce of god y e which wold that man shuld liue of his tra uell labour furthermore it shulde breake loue coÌ„corde And how longe thinkest thou that she wold suffer support thee which as one that is vn profitable ydle doest consume deuour vp her goods substauÌ„ce But such a ruffler y e which as she supposed shuld haue ben vnto her swete and pleasant shal want no payn y t is no strif no crabbed words no mutual hatred in this lyf And that bread the which he did eate without payne or labour shal bryng with it moste bitter and sowre meate How muche better had it ben then to haue eaten browne breade with vâ—le vnsauerye meate in tranquillitie peace then in such a bitter life to haue de uoured eaten al other delicates folowing the counsel of the wise man saying that bet ter is a drie morsell of breade with ioye gladnes then a house ful of fat offering with strife and contention Of the which pleasauÌ„t and swete life gotten with labonre payns Uirgil doth say y t there was an old husband maÌ„ at Tarent the which not withstandyng he was but pore nedye yet in mind he was equal w t prin ces y t which returning home towardes nyghte furnyshed hys Table wythoute anye coste or charge at all Marcus Antonius the Philosopher maryed Fustina the dou ghter of Antonius Pius and trustynge that there by he shoulde inherite the Empier durste not for her manifest open aduoutrye refuse her lest that anye controuersye or trouble should be made for her dowry I would a great deale sooner counsell the woman to marrye with her better then the man to marrye her that is of moore power then he hym selfe For why the minde of man is noble will not abase it selfe to be coÌ„pared to the woman But manye women for their defence when they braule and chide doe vse thys armoure for incontinentlye thou shalt heare the coÌ„parison of their nobilitie and ryches After al thys thou must marke their qualities that is whether she be a wydowe or vnmaryed a virgyn or corrupt wont to be loued or no. In a wyddowe her age must be coÌ„sidered In a yong woman it ma keth no greate matter whether she be a virgyn or no althoughe it seeme no smale thynge to haue had the flower of her age and as Uir gil doeth say to haue had th firste loue Nor it is not of naughte that my countrey men prouerbiallye doe saye that the begynnynge as wel in loue as in â—otage is moste pleasaunte In her that was longe with her husband that thyng the which of wise men is commaunded to be wayed in frendes muste be considered that is how she behaued her selfe to her firste husbaÌ„de and what maner of man her husband was For if she he be ing an honest man loued him not nor could not broke him waie then with thy self what she wil be vnto thee but yf he wer euyl and importune and yet she moderatly dyd suffer him thou must euer hope and trust the same But yf he wer euyll flagitious then thou muste take good heede whether he haue not allured her vnto his owne maners and how those maners doe please the. Make also a comparison betwixte him and thy selfe for yf he wer more vertuous then thy selfe she considering the good thinges past those that are present shalbe heauy and greuous vnto the and so much the more because y t the time preseÌ„t semeth to be worse then that y t is paste for the time doth coÌ„tinually turne incline to y e worse But yf she be better borne richer and of more power then y u thy selfe she as one y t was some times maryed to suche an husbande vnto whoÌ„ thou arte not to be compared shal fastidiously coÌ„tempne

instrumeÌ„ts wouldeste breake vs in peaces cast vs newe agayne and make of vs two but one This is the ende of al our desires for this doth loue study shal obtayne that it desireth yf it may bring y t thynge to passe the whiche at lengthe shal be in that heauenlye loue and charitie when we being spoyled of this fleshe of sinne and renued by Christe shalbe made one thing with God among our selues as Christe dothe teache vs. What other thinge is it y t man must leaue father mother for and cleue vnto his wife but only y t charity ouercometh al loue yea y t also which doth elaspe the fa ther the childe together y t oughte to be mooste greatest beyng a man taught onlye by nature doth saye as Homere writeth that Troy in time to come shuld be destroyed by y t Grekes and that he doth not care nor sorowe so muche for him selfe his father his mother or for his brethren as he soroweth for his dearly beloued wife The stoute manly mind of man hath continually his reward for why the flame pearseth the womans hearte the whiche loueth her husband most feruently And so dyd Andromica loue Hector aboue al other ZenophoÌ„ doth shewe that when Tygraue the king of Armenias sonne hys wife were Cyrus prisoners he promised to redeme her with his owne life And afterwardes wheÌ„ they asked her what she thought of Cyrus she sayd y t she neuer behelde nor sawe him And when her husband sayd what thinge haste thou sene then yf thou neuer didste see him she aunswered what thing shuld I beholde or see but him only y t sayd he wolde redeme me out of seruitute bondage with his owne life so greatly the loue of her husband had inflamed her But what maner of loue should be in matrimony with what other preceptes shoulde it be fashyoned then with those y t whyche the Lorde our God dothe geue by hys Apostle Paule in the Epystle to the Ephesians where he sayeth That manne is the heade of the woman as Christe is the heade of the churche and god the heade of Christ. He propo neth no vile thing nor of erth lye wisdome that dothe corrupt and is foolishnes before God and oftentimes in thys world doth decaye yet doth eleuate and extoll it selfe to the similitude and ymage of the eternall wisedome by the which the almightie god created made the world And that heade of the churche said so seriouslye that he was the saluation of his bodye that he doubted not to giue hym selfe for it The Apostle calleth vpon hys to ensue and folowe thys loue that is that as CHRISTE hathe sprynckled and shedde his bloud to saue his churche so shuldest thou not feare nor that for thine or thy wifes affections but for the helth and salute of her soule to die most stronglye What thinge can make the coragious yf loue make the not the whiche geueth courage audacitie to hartes hares other timerous and fearfull beastes In this worde salute is comprised life helth vertue honestye But as for riches ornamentes delitiousnesse vayne glory voluptuousnes are ta ken for foolishnes He hym self despised al these thinges taught his that they shuld come vnto him yf they lightly regarded them Christ dyd not to enriche his churche w t golde and siluer or that it shoulde be of solace or pleasure but he was crucified to sanctifie his churche with wa ter by y e worde that it myght be glorious withoute anye wrynkle or sporte holye and faulteles and so oughte men to loue their wyues as their owne bodyes The Lord doeth dayly sanctifie the church by hys death that being purged with the mooste purest bloude of her spouse she may be adourned with all vertue and by puttynge awaye olde Adam with all his deedes she maye be clothed wyth Christe her spouse the which was made of God after the similitude and lykenes of the first Adam I say the heauenly not after the ymage of the earthly There appeare outwardly suche wonderful and excelleÌ„t vertues wherof the glorye of the churche doeth aryse that by them they may come to the fountayne of all goodnes that do meruaile at those sprynges and doth honour them And therfore we are commaunded to be in eue ry place a good odour and sauour but namelye vnto the lord And it is the wyl of our maister that oure good workes shoulde be knowen to all men to the intent our heauen lye father of whom we receyued theÌ„ might be glorified The quene did stand vpoÌ„ the right hand of her spouse in a vesture of golde wrought aboute w t diuers colours but yet her glory was not in her apparel nor in those thinges which meÌ„ do behold se but in those y t she seeth in sprite that her spouse doth approue for whose loue she doeth adourne apparel her self who theÌ„ can esteme matrimony to be vile consideringe it is y t ymage of so high and so diuine thinges And therfore y e womaÌ„s life vertue good name fame oughte to be vnto her husband more derer then his own life as christ put his own life to great incredible paines tormeÌ„tes to saue saÌ„ctifie to honor his church Nor y u must not behold how fayre of what kinred how rich or of what healthe she is of nor yet howe greatlye she doeth loue thee for whatsoeuer she be y e thou haste maried thou must none other wyse nor with no lesse affection loue her then Christ loued his churche the whiche refused not to suffer great paynes for the wicked and his enemies drawynge them vnto him as membres vnto the head to furnish and to make vp his churche with al he doeth dayly teache her sustayneth clarifieth mundifieth and with greate pacience gentlenes doeth chasten her and whatsoeuer she be he embraseth her w t great loue although she be vnkind and coldely doth recompence his feruent loue and charite to her wardes She is thy wyfe and ye bothe are nowe but one thing therfore thou oughtest to loue her as thy selfe It is written that Epaminudas enemies appoynted him a certayne vile offâ—ce the whiche he accepted moste beninglye and thankesully sayinge that he woulde so vse it that in tyme to come it shulde be reputed amonge the people a very honest office and so he dyd Could this man in so great a dissention of the citie and amonge so manye enuious personnes and enemies cause a vile office to be had in estimation and canst not thou euen of thy selfe brynge to passe that thou dâ—â€¦pise not thyne owne fleashe yeathy selfe when that â—â—ule doeth saye he that loueth him selfe loueth his wif. Nor ther was neuer man y t hated his owne flesh but doth norish cherish it as the lord doth cherish his church Aristotle folowing the Pithagorians doth define a freÌ„d that

familiar custome of their fathers without any paine or laboure But nowe a dayes they call her eloquente that with long vayne confabulation can intertayne one and what shuld a man thinke that she beinge vnlearned shoulde talke with a yonge man litle wiser then her selfe but that that is eyther folish or filthy And this they call the gentill intertaynement of the court that is to say of y t scole where they learne other like artes of their mayster the deuill See no we where vnto y e maners and customes of men be come and how all thinges do turne for nowe it is estemed as vile that a woman shulde holde her peace that is that her most fayrest vertue shuld seeme to be deforme and fylthye Howe greate laboure shal we coniecture that Sathan tooke to perswade man to beleue this But thoushalt number scilence among other thy wiues vertues y t whiche is a great ornament of y t hole feminine sexe And when she sp eaketh let her coÌ„municatioÌ„ be simple not affectate nor ornate for y t declareth the vanitie of y t mind And al suche as were praysed of oure elders for their eloqueÌ„ce were most extolled lauded forasmuch as they kept the language of their forefathers sincere and cleane as Cicero declareth in his boke of an Orator And Iuuenal euen crabbedly and not withoute a cause doeth saye Lette not thy wife be ouermuch eloquent nor full of her shorte and quycke argumentes nor haue the knowledge of al histories nor vnderstand manye thinges whiche are written she pleaseth not me that geueth her selfe to poetry and obseruing the arte maner of the olde eloquence doth study to speake facundiously This holye and sincere institution shall increase thorough the good example of y e husbaÌ„d the which to informe and fashion the womans life and his family withall is of no lesse valure and force then the example of a prince to informe the publique maners customes of a citye for euerye manne is a kynge in his owne house and therefore as it besemeth a kyng to excell the common people in iudgemente and in example of lyfe and in the execution performaunce of the thynge that he coÌ„mauÌ„deth so he that doth marrye muste east of all childishnes remember the saying of the Poet This age requireth another manner of life other maners and so to take vnto him selfe the counsel and mind of him y t is aged to mayntayne the duetie and office of an husbande declarynge a good life not in wordes preceptes onely but also in life and dede The which two thinges to rule maÌ„ withal are very necessarye that is wisdome and example and that thou thy selfe fulfyll the thynge that thou cammaundest to be done The life whether it he good or euyll dothe not onelye as Fabius sayeth perswade but also constraine and inforce We doe see how myghtye that thys exhortation is in warre and in battell O my souldiers doe that ye shall see me doe the which contempte of deathe in the captayne doeth so creepe thorowe the whole hooste that there is not one be he neuer so seeble and weake hearted that doeth esteme his lyfe for the which he perceyueth that hys captayne careth so lytle for Thus dyd Christe wyth hys Apostles and Martyrs draw the world vnto y e faith for as thei liued so thei spake and as they spake so they lyued Nowe shall thy wyfe obeye thee commaundynge her to be sober temperate yf she see thee distempered and likewyse of continence chastitie yf thou be an aduou terer and a folower of other mens wyues For Claudian doeth say yf thou commaund any thynge to be done looke thou be the first that shall doe it and so shall other obey thy law commaundement nor shal not â—eny to do the thyng that they se him do that commaunded it Furthermore he muste rehearse vnto his wife the good examples of other women for that shall seeme and apeare more easye to be done that hathe bene done alreadye And yf the mind be couragious and noble it can not be well expreste no nor scantlye beleued howe it shall be prouoked and styrred vp wyth the laude and prayse of other Themistocles was wonte to saye that Mylciades tryumphes dyd excite and quycken hym Nor thou shalt not onely rehearse vnto her olde and aunciente names as Sara Rebecca Penelope Androinacha Lu cretia Colebolina Hipparchia Portia Sulpitia Cornelia and of our sayntes as Agnes Catherine Margaret Barbara Monica Apolonia but also those that more fresher as Catherin quene of englaÌ„d Clara Ceruerta the wife of Uallearus and Blanca Maroa albet I doe feare to be reproued that I doe thus commende my mother geuynge my selfe to muche to loue and pitie the which trulye doeth take muche place in me but yet the trueth muche more There can not lacke in euerye nacion and citye ho nest and deuonte Matrones by whose examples thei may be styrred and prouoked but yet the familier examples as of the mother the â—eldame the aunt the sister the cosyn or of some other kinswoman or frende shoulde be of more force and value For why suche examples as we do fee doe muche moore moue vs and better we folowe theym then anye other And in like maner the actes and deedes of euyll and wycked women doe teache vs what we shuld flee and auoyde beynge certayne that suche thynges can not be hydden and that the rewarde ther of is at hande at leaste wyse the publyke ignominie and shame of all the cytye that better it were to dye then to lyue so Familier communication doeth bothe instructe them and also confirme theyr maners but yet let it be symple as wyth her that is thy moste frende and mooste familier not vsynge her in thy wordes more reue rentlye then is conueniente nor sufferynge her to honour thee more then it beseemeth the whiche as at some tymes they doe increace reuerence so thei do diminish loue cha ritie y t which in matrimonye should be most true seruent And as concernyng venerati on reuerence thei cause the mind rather to dissemble theÌ„ to be symple and open as it ought to be No man geueth faythful honour or reuerence to him that is arrogant and vayne or that of right doeth loke to haue it for honor may wel be drawen but not extor ted Call thy wyse by a name that pretendeth a loue that maye styr her to loue thee as doughter or syster as Paule dyd cal hys And she shall call thee by some name of honour as Sara called Abraham lorde Ye muste often tymes coÌ„mon together of vertue of maners of y t errour of the coÌ„mon people of the vse of thinges of the conuersation gouerning of the house houshold of the artes occupations y t ye must get your liuyng with al of the holy institution and education of your children

teÌ„peraÌ„ cie of mind is most aproued most effectuous as wheÌ„ thou she west thy selse to be moued wyth the greatnesse of the faulte not for any disdaine nor to satisfye and contente thine affections but to ameÌ„d her whome thou rebukest Thou muste obserue bothe tyme and place leaste that throughe feruentnes of reprehention thou bespot thy wyfe and cause thy chaunces to be openlye knowen to straungers and other thy familiars whereby in tyme to come thy wyfe shall continuallye hate thee Be not longe angry leaste y t thy desperate wyfe fall headlonge into vice and noughtynes The apostle sayth ye husbandes loue your wyues and be not bitter vnto theym And yf the lorde forbyd vs to be angrye wyth oure brother howe muche y e lesse ought we to be angrye with our wyues the which exceade all brotherlye loue and beneuolence as we haue tolde you before and it is meate it be often times repeted And yf manne be the head of the woman Christe the head of the man he must vse hym selfe vnto the womanne as Christe doeth vse him selfe vnto us that is beniglye and frendelye And the selfe same Apostle doeth call the womanne the bodye of the manne as the churche is the bodye of Christe And not wythstandynge we sustayne and suffer manye incommodities of the bodye yet we hate it not but suffereth it nourysheth it and gouerneth it The husbandes reprehention muste be short for yf it shoulde continue hatred would ensue the whiche woulde coule matrimoniall loue kyndle disdayne and chaunge the swetenesse of theyr conuersation into bytternes Furthermore thou muste alledge the reason and cause that moueth thee to rebuke her that bothe nowe and in tyme to come she may be admonished The force and strengthe of reason hath great power in the mynde of man nor there is nothynge that so cleaueth vnto it nor lesse penetreth the same as thys sentence Thus I wyll and thus I commaunde Thou muste so rebuke her that she maye perceyue it to procede come of good loue to make her better and to be without vice or faulte y t the loue whiche is betwene you maye be the more ferueÌ„t and without anye quarel or complaynt at al. Therfore assone as thou hast chastened corrected her and that she other by worde honeste shamefastnes or silence doeth declare that she wyll obey thee geue her then fayre wordes again and a gentle countenaunce as thou waste wonte to doe Ther are in noble women as ther is among men certayne excellente motions of the mynde the whyche to those that be not wyse and doe marcke the thynge but slenderlye seme to come of arrogancye and pryde Nor these ought not vtterly to be kept vnder and cleane extinguished for without theym they canne not approche nor come to that hyghe and memorable ornament that exciteth and moueth man to maruaile and to prayse extolle them Such affections of the mind are apte meete to conserue and kepe the honestye chastitie of women Such noble women shuld not be greuously or sharpely repreheÌ„ded or rebuked but drawen froÌ„ vice other by y e example or vertue of such women as be gone alreadye or of those that they were aquaynted wyth all or elles by puttynge theym in remembraunce of theyr olde vertue and godlye lyuynge To some woman a becke of her husbande is sufficient to declare y t there is somewhat amisse y t displeaseth him and specially yf she beare her hus baÌ„d any reuereÌ„ce An honest matrone hath no nede of any greter staffe but of one worde or one sowre couÌ„tenaunce of her husband But where y t this can not helpe but that brawling staues acre must nedes be vsed I geue no pre ceptes nor rules for there they vse violence but yet by mine aduice the husband shal neuer come to y t extremitye for yf thy wife be often rebuked will not bowe but waxeth more stiffe croked yet inasmuche as she kepeth her selfe pure chaste she must be supported and borne withal Nor the bow must not be bro ken with to muche bendynge therof Thus dyd Socrates forbeare his wife Xantippa whom we should folow yf we wer so wvse as to thinke that our pacience by reason of the womaÌ„ is exercised proued to y e augmentation increase of vertue as Iob Toby did to theyr great profite and to the womans rebuke shame as y t lord whensoeuer it shall be wyl declare iudge aswel of the one as of the other Also he must thinke that she fell vnto him by lotte as his kinred hys countrey hys body hys soule and hys wyt dyd wherwith euery man ought to holde hym contente thynkynge with him selfe that the omnipotente and euerlasting God doeth dispence and order al thynge moste wyselye and moste iustelye Finallye it is meete and conueniente that the authoritye of God whyche coupled theym together shoulde sette them at one yf they were out agre theÌ„ And what man durste be so bolde to breake the peace that the king hath made Or who wolde reiect him that by some noble man was coÌ„maun ded deliuered vnto him yf in thys thyng the reuerence that we haue and beare vnto those whyche are of greate power be of suche force and strengthe or elles loue it selfe howe muche shoulde it be towardes god for who is so mighty or so louinge vnto vs as he him we shuld reue rence loue aboue all other thinges Also he ought to remeÌ„ber what Paule sayeth y e the wife the husband are al one flesh Of y e body do come continually many incoÌ„modities but yet no manne dothe hate it but to his power doth nourish it yf at any time he be miscontent there with by and by he pleaseth it agayne Such like loue shuld euerye man beare his wise and this after the minde of y e Apostle Â¶ Of the proceding and going forwardes in matrimony AFter y e thou haste had experience of thy wife y u oughteste to loue her more tenderlye And nature doth induce a man to that y t which doth make swete familiar and customable thinges be thei neuer so sharpe or greuous for the vse continuall coÌ„pany doth so establishe and coÌ„firme loue beneuolence y t we vpon that occasion doe loue dogges cattes horses other brute beastes and do mourne sorow their death and absence And what thing is lesse conueniente for a wise a well nourtred man then not to loue his wife whose coÌ„ pany he hath so longe so familiarly vsed Meleager Oeneus soÌ„ne being both angry w t him selfe all hys sat him downe in his chamber The Curetes whiche made warre agaynst the Calidonians assayled the citie molested them so sort that ther was no hope nother in man nor woman The elders of y t citie came vnto Me leager the only saue garde of al the countrey desiryng

him to put on his harnes and to defend theÌ„ yea the priestes with their ceremonies were present promised a greate rewarde but he dispised all this Then came Oneus his fa ther a man worthy of great veneration kneled downe before hys obstinate sonne Hys mother also whose angre was nowe chaunged into humble prayer and piticion came vnto hym hys systers and hys moste pleasauÌ„t companions wyth whom he hadde lyued moste iocundly the best part of all hys tyme prayed him not to forsake theÌ„ now in this their extreme pe ryi ieoperdie But y t fearce mynde of hys was nothynge moued but denied the helpe that all they with exhortacion prayer and promis desyred In the meane whyle the enemyes entred the cytye and sertynge it a fier in dyuers and manye places murdered and loore vexed the people Hys wyfe Cloopatra beynge soore afrayed came vnto hym sayinge Helpe vs O my husbande for yf thou helpe vs not we are all but deade for oure enemyes haue and posesse all That implacable and fearse heart moued with the only voyce and peryll of hys wyfe armed hym selfe and driuynge hys enemyes out delyuered the citye from extreme daunger and peryll That noble man had wrytten in his heart that precept of nature the whyche he neuer read nor hearde by the whyche he knewe that hys wyfe and he were all one and that all other notwithstandyng they were knytte vnto hym by greate loue and amitie were without hym and that a mans wyfe is so vnited with such a coniunction and knotte bounde vnto her husbande that he doth many thynges for her the whyche he woulde not doe for hym selfe Doeth that noble and moste worthye boron in Homer cry this alone doth Agamemnon Menelaus onlye loue theyr wyues For so doeth euerye honeste man that hathe anye poynte of iudgement as I loued moste heartelye Loryseis althoughe I toke her in warre That king as Salust writeth lyinge nowe a diynge exhorted his chyldren to concorde after thys sorte and maner Who is moore frendlye then one brother to another Or who shalte thou fynde to be thy frende yf thou be enemye to thyne owne Who canne thynke that thou louest hym that perceyueth thou louest not thy wyfe beynge good and honeste And yf thou offended w t certayne her vices doest hate her it shall cause thy frendes to forsake thee to y e whyche it is not vnknowen that no manne lyueth withoute faulte and do trust that throughe vse and tyme they shall waxe tollerable but seynge thou the whiche haste bene so longe acquaynted conuersaunte with thy wyfe canste not beare her what other thynge canne he hope or truste but y t the more strayghtlye and familiarlye thou arte conuersaunt wyth him and the better that thou knowest hym the lesse frendlye thou shalte be vnto hym Canne there be anye vyce I speake of these common vyces so farre frome the nature of any man as the nature and maners of beastes be And yet conuersation doeth so worke that they lyue pleasauntly vnder one roofe and that manne doeth playe and sporte hym selfe with the Lion and the nature and dedes of eche of them doeth so please contente the other y t beinge absent they seeke eche other for familiaritie is of suche vehemencye and force that it coupleth those thynges whyche are of contrarye natures and that because malice is farre of for yf it were mixed the rewith it coulde not clapse nor fasten those thynges whyche are most lyke eche other so great a poyson is malice vnto concorde good agrement Nor thys herbe called mynt doth not as the naturall Philosophers doe saye so muche let mylke to be tourned into chese as the malyce of the hearte doeth lette veneuolence to encrease and growe And in matrimoniall debate and discord the man is more blamed then is the woman because that he beynge the chiefe ruler and heade doeth not as sayeth Uarro purge her of that vice the whyche ingendered that discorde or els pacientlye beare and suffer the same for the blame of al discorde is moste commonlye layed vnto hym that is best because he would not moderate nor let the thynge to come to suche a stryfe and discorde or els because he was not able to doe it In the first there appeareth manifest ma lice in the seconde impacience and weakenes the whyche oughte to be far from him y t is estemed to be moste worthyest appoynted to rule gouerne other And thus he commeth into hatred for asmuch as he hath begiled vs lefte of to do hys duetye and office when it neded not That loue vnto thy wife after thou haste enioyed her for a season doeth waxe feble and colde is a thynge moste mete and coÌ„uenient for those that are kindled with bodely luste and letchery the which are verye beastes and no men hauinge no reason but are drawen to those deades through the motions of their senses the whiche after that the heate be a lytle paste shall cleane chaunge their opinion Also there are other occasions that should cause thys beneuolence and loue in case he be not duller then a stone As that hys wyfe hathe suffered so greate trauell and labour that she hath brought hym for the chyldren the heyres of hys name and substaunce and the vpholders of hys familye and that she hathe forsaken her fathers goodes and ryches to folow hym and to suffer wyth hym bothe good euyll and that she settynge her whole mind nowe vpon hym knoweth nother father nor yet anye of all her kynne What one thynge then shall suffyce to knytte theym in loue yf manye thinges canne not do it who so wil then obey nature humanitie and wisdom shall euery day loue his wife more and moore And the better he knoweth her the more he wyll truste her and to open disclose hys loue shal shew her greater signes tokens of beneuoleÌ„ce manifestinge y t to be borne and nouryshed throughe the expience of her vertue through hope to be coÌ„tinued kepte that in time to come she maye be like her selfe and as Plato writeth stryue to ouercome her selfe with vertue Thou shalt only loue thy wyfe thus tender ly but froÌ„ her as srom a foun tayne y u must extende it vnto her parentes kinsfolke to thende that they maye well know perceiue how greatly their cosyn doeth ayde and helpe them that she in lyke maner maye vnderstande that thy beneuolence loue to her is suche that it red undeth amonge her frendes and parentes and of thys thou shalte receyue no lytle profite at home And yf we wil that her kinsmen be loued for her sake how muche more ought we theÌ„ to loue her chil dren the whiche yf thou loue their mother can not be but most dearly beloued moste acceptable vnto thee she in like case shall loue thine yl y u haue anye they seinge this mutual loue betwene

seruant but equall with thee and assygned by GOD to be thy fellowe and wyth suche loue coupled vnto thee as far passeth and exceadeth all other And reason it is that she which hath bene so long obedient and subiecte to her husband be now euen like and equal with him for now those agitations troubles of the mynd the whiche by the maiestie and as it were by the kingedome of the husbande should be refrayned are now through vse and time pacified and cooled so that now it shal not nede that he rule his wife or studye to obserue and retayne hys maiestye any more for it canne not nowe dimynyshe seynge that all suche thynges as required a iuste and a moderate impyre and rule are dyspached and taken awaye And therfore GOD commaunded Abraam to obeye his olde Sara not as to hys wife flesh but as some what eleuated vnto y e nature of maÌ„ and condition and qualitie of the spirite Nor from hence forth she must not be handled nor intreated like a yong woman in asmuch as she is feble her bodely heate swaged couled And her trauayle and paynes by the ayde helpe of seruauntes must now be ligh tened for y e infirmities of her minde y t blinded so her iudgemeÌ„t y t she could not perceyue the trueth are now healed her self made better more cir cuÌ„spect wiser then she was before Begynne nowe therfore to make her equal w t thy selfe couÌ„sel w t her about thy matters whether they bee great or smal for so shal she re ceyue y e frute reward of her obedience to be a mistres the whiche was so longe thy seruauÌ„t Nor she shal not be now intollerable or insolente or a stately mistres that so long a tyme before hathe learned to be obedient Thus by lytle litle ye shal learne to discerne the sexes begynne to prepare you vnto y t celestial life in the whiche there is no sexe as touchinge carnall vse For ther as sayth y e sonne of god they nother marrie nor are married but liue as y e angels of God pure incorruptible spirites amonge y e whiche no man is borne nor no maÌ„ perisheth so that there nedeth no reparation of man kynde by generatioÌ„ This loue not fastened in caduke and mortall thinges but in the soule shall folow her being dead for albe it she be departed buried and lamented yet neuerthelesse charitie shal liue the remem braunce of such a woman shal be pleasauÌ„t vnto her husbaÌ„d therfore his children shalbe the derer vnto him inasmuch as thei be his begotten and borne of suche a woman he shall pitie theym the more seinge that they be depriued of the frute of suche a mother and take her children by another husband in stede place of hys owne as borne of her the which with hym was one thyng bothe by the sacrameÌ„t of matrimony and by the nature of loue Also thou shalte cause the memorie and remeÌ„brauuce of her which is now dead to be no lesse profitable vnto her kynsfolke then it was she beinge yet alyue for not withstandynge she be departed and dead yet y t knot of loue the which coupled her kynred to the as thine owne is not extinguished and the communion of bloude and chaunce of byrthe is a moore weker a more febler bande to couple men together in amitie then is the band of beneuolence and loue If thou dye before her leaue suche a testimonye vnto her and all other not onelye of thy beneuolence but also of thy iudgement to herwardes ge uynge her suche thankes for her fidelitie concorde to the wardes that al other may vn derstand what maner of wife she was and that she her selfe maye perceyue that her wyll and workes were well alowed and beynge yet alyue maye receyue the frutes of her honestye and goodnesse the whyche in that blessed lyfe she shall receyue and take for the greatest and most truest And therefore it shall be thy part for the gentlenes and loue thou hadst vnto her seing that thou the very stay of the house and goodes shalt be nowe taken from her and that she beynge fearful and feble shall be destituted of thee yet onelye ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ and helpe to leaue her to the comfort relief of her widdowhed such a portion of thy goodes as may susteyne her lest that funestious and bitter daye the which toke thee froÌ„ her shuld some to bring al misery euilles vnto her but yet this must be ordered after euery mans nature and custome To some woman whose fidielitie fruga litie wisdom thou knowest thou mayst leaue all that euet thou haste And to some it is not for their vtilitie and profite to be left ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ vnto whom money shuld be ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ instrument and an occasion of lechery and bodely pleasure Some be ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ throughe auarice couetousnes very cruel vnto their owne children No man ought to know her better theÌ„ her owne husband the which hath bene secretly both in spor tes serious matters so long acquaynted w t her y t excepte he be a very truÌ„ke or a blocke he might ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ought to haue ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ed out knowen al her senses qualities And therfore geuing iudgement of those thinges y t he by the workes life of his wife deth know he may do y t shall some vnto him ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ mete conuenient to be done but so yet y t loue may temper the sentence of iudgemente iudgement the excesse of loue But yet of what sorte soeuer she be thou oughteste not as farre forth as thy goodes wil stretche to leaue her in pouer tie And if thou shuldest faulte in any of these two thinges I had rather y u shouldeste leaue her exceading riche then y t she shuld lacke any thing pertayning to her liuing for there is a moore daunger in pouertie then in welthe or riches And forasmuch as by death he goeth to a better place lette him not care for suche thinges as he leaueth here but coÌ„mit theÌ„ vnto suche as presentlye shall haue the vse of theÌ„ nor desire y t his wife shuld so remember him to coÌ„tinue his widow still to her great incoÌ„modity the perill of pitie Let him therfore leaue her free and in her owne hande iudgemente of her frendes to do that she shal thinke most coÌ„uenient for her honestie the quietnes of her owne will mind Corin. vij 1. Cor. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Mar. x Luc. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ The beginning of matrimony Gene. ij The vti lities of matrimo nye Warre through women Kyng Henry ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ second Gen. ij The edu cation of chyldren Medea Euobar dus Famisies One maÌ„ one wife Ephe. v Gen. vii Gene. ii Note i. Cor. vii mat xix Mar. x. Luc. xvi Gene. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Of the great beneuoleÌ„ce of God Ro. viij Gala. ij ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ xix i. Cor. vij What mariage is Gene. ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ The sayinge of Epictetus An heaueÌ„ ly

Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Text snippets containing the quad