man shoulde contemne this as a weake and childish reason let him know that the learned Father Theodorus Beza vseth it although not in the same iust number of wordes yet in this verie selfe same argument and to the selfe same purpose in his booke de repudijs diuortijs where his iudgement may bee further seene to iumpe with mine fullie in this question as mine also in this behalfe agreeth with the opinion of al the learned And it seemeth not to bee much impertinent from this place The fift reason from the vneffectualnes of vowes without the consent of parents and husbands in their childrâ— and wiues the which wee read in the booke of Numbers concerning Vowes where among other things we doe finde that the vowes which were made by the children without the priuitie and consent of the fathers and of the wiues without the liking and allowance of their husbandes were altogether vnlawfull and of no force And the reason according to true meaning of the place is geuen by the best Interpreters because neither children nor wines are sus iurâ—s that is at their owne libertie and appointment but vnder the rule and gouernment of others namelie of their parentes and husbands As therefore to make a vow vnto the Lord being in it selfe and of it owne nature an holy and acceptable action vnto God and where with he is well pleased is notwithstanding in children vnlawfull because it is such an action as they onlie may performe which are free and at their owne disposition the which they are not so in like maner to consent in matrimonie although in it selfe it be both honest lawfull yet is it not an action of force in children without the consent and allowance of their parentes because that children are not free at their own libertie but by the lawes both of God and man tied and bound vnto the subiection of their fathers as hath at large bene shewed before and through the whole discourse of this treatise is to be prooued also hereafter In the 22. The sixt reason from the lawes in Exodus of entifing of maids and the fathers selling their daughters for seruants of Exodus there is a law concerning the intising of maids a practise this day too common because there is not discipline sharpe enough ministred to represse it and in the chapter before going there is another coÌ„stitution as touching fathers that to releeue their owne necessities are constrained to sell their daughters for seruants by the first wherof it appeareth that the contract of children without the consent of their parentes is not auaillable or of anie force and by the second may easilie be gathered that seruats were not at libertie to make their owne choise in mariage but that the right thereof appertained vnto their maisters both places iointlie coÌ„cluding flatlie for me that both children seruants as Res domenorum that is the goodes of their owners are not as in other cases of lesse waight so in like sort in that matter of greate importance namely the bestowing of themselues in wedlocke for to follow the violent streame of their owne pleasing affections but to be ordered and guided by the rule of their fathers and maisters I will set downe the seuerall wordes of the law in both these cases that being diligentlie obserued and marked fathers and maisters may learne what was the authoritie in the mariage of their children seruants and that these likewise may vnderstand what is their part dutie in these considerations Exodus 22.16.17 The wordes for intising of maides are these And if a man intise a maid that is not betrethed and lie with her he shall endow her and take her to wife if her father refuse to giue her to him he shall pay money according to the dowrie of virgins Exod. 21.7.8.9 Here is expreslie set downe that albeit the two parties were fullie agreed yet is the match not to goe forwarde vnlesse the father also doe giue his consent Now for the father his selling of his daughter to redeeme his owne need and pouertie thus speaketh the lawgiuer in the chapter afore going Likewise if a man sell his daughter to be a seruant she shall not gee out as men seruants doe If she please not her maister who hath betrethed her vnto himselfe then shall he cause to buy her he shall haue no power to sell her to a strange people seeing he despised or defloured her But if he hath betrothed her vnto bys senne he shall deale with her according to the custome of the daughters So that ye see howe the maiden in this sort sold to be a seruant by her father became by this sale bound to the power of her maister to bee at his appointing in the case of marrying and such was the condition of all other seruants by the law of God in this respect and that the sonnes also were not left vnto their owne direction no although that they were otherwise free besides that this place doth prooue the same directly affirming that the father of the free son might betroth him vnto his bond maid it shall in his place sufficientlie hence forward likewise appeare The seventh reason drawen from the commandement Honor thy father mother c. Besides al this what clearer euideÌ„ce can we haue on our side then the fift commandemét in the which childré are cómanded to honor their fathers and mothers with a blessing promised to those which perform the same wherby we gather by the nature of contraries that there is a curse also belonging vnto all those children that shal dishonor them And in that God willeth that the parentes by their children should be honoured he meaneth that they should in all humilitie and modestie reuerence them with all dutifull submission be obedient vnto them and with all willingnes shew themselues thankfull for their procreation education sustentation and all other benefites that vnder God they haue receiued from them being readie by all meanes they possible may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to imitate and expresse towards them the nature of the Storke whose propertie as they write of theÌ„ is to prouide meat and feed their dams when through age they grow so olde that they are not able for to help themselues that is to say they must to their verie vtmost seeke to make them recompence and requitall of some part of those vnrequitable paines the which their louing parentes haue taken with them and make some a mends for the vnconteruaillable kindnes that they haue shewed towards them But where they bestowe themselues in mariage without the consent of their parentes there they do fault and make a breach of dutie in all these three respectes that is to say they neither reuerence obey nor shew themselues thankful vnto them For reuerence consisteth in this that we carie towards them a certaine honest and modest shamefastnes ioyned with abashfull awfulnes standing in feare of
God the father who gaue his onlie sonne Iesus Christ in time to bee borne of the virgin Marie that he should not onlie be the spouse and husband of his Church the members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5 3â— as the Apostle speaketh vnto the Ephesians but also of his entire and tender loue vnto the same laid downe his life for it that it being washed in his owne blood wherwith it is all to be sprinkled by the hand of faith it may bee presented as a pure virgin vnto his heauenlie father without spot or wrinkle if therfore God the father made the choise of vs his church to be a wife for Iesus Christ his sonne who with vnspeakable willingesse tooke the same at his hand although sinne greatlie blemished and deformed which blemishes and deformities he couered notwithstanding by faith in his blood Howe much more then ought earthlie fathers seeke out meet wiues husbands for their sonnes and daughters whose duties it is to accept like of theÌ„ after this sort prouided choseÌ„ for theÌ„ But if any shal thinke these examples to be far fetcht albeit they be vsed of men of great note in this se fe same verie argument I will now come vnto other presidents Peter Martyr in his commeÌ„taries vpon the booke of Iudges so manie as I can call to my remembrance as I read them set downe in the booke of the scriptures Abraham being verie olde and stroken in yeares intending to make choise of a wife for Isaac his sonne Abraham by his steward prouâ—deth a wife for Isaac his sonne who at this time was no child of himselfe but fortie yeares of age without imparting his counsaile vnto him committeth this chardge vnto the Stewardes of his house of whom he taketh an oth for his faithfull dealing in this businesse whereas had it either bene the custome of that time or otherwise law full for children in these cases to haue chosen for themselues at their owne will and pleasure it had bene most meete and conuenient that his father should haue dealt with Isaac his sonne not with his seruant concerning The seruant as it may appeare by his proceedings The Steward goeth vnto the father of Rebeccha being wel acquainted with the practise of those daies dealeth not at all with Rebeccha in these affaires but goeth directly vnto her father Bethuell at whose handes he doth obtaine her for his masters sonne Bethuel the father Bethuel maketh the match for his daughter at the Steward his propounding his sute in the name of his master by and by as one not doubtfull of the obedience of his daughter concludeth and shutteth vp the match yet like a kinde father not minding to force his childe thereunto against her will calleth for her asketh what she sayth therunto who like a most louing childe doeth willingly consent vnto her his match and taketh her iourney to goe with the seruant Isaac after that Rebecca is brought home vnto him Rebeccha standeth to the choise o her father entreth not into the desperate vaine of the vnruly youths of our dayes the which are caried away with the violent streame of their head-strong affections therfore they shame not to blunder out these or such like most vnreuerent and vnbefitting speaches My father shall my father prouide me my wyfe is he to make my choise I am to marie for my selfe and not for my father and therfore I wil be my owne chooser Like she me I seeke no further dislike father or mother or all the world besides I weigh it not c. you shall heare no such thing of Isaac Nay he may worthely be a mirror or looking glasse for all sonnes to prie into and to behold how farre they come short from his submisse and dutifull obedience in this behalfe Isaac taketh Rebecca prouided for him and loneth her for the woman whom he neuer saw before neither yet heard of so far as we reade when he once vnderstandeth that shee is appointed for him by the choise of his father the next saith hee receiued her Gen. 24.67 and loued her and was comforted after the death of his mother Iaacob being hardly menaced and threatened by his brother Esau Iaacob Gen. 23.29 in so much that hee was couÌ„sailed by his mother to flie away for the safegarde of his life is directed by his old and blinde father Isaac to goe to the house of his brother Laban and from thence to take vnto his self a wife who obeying the voice of his father weÌ„t vnto his vncle LabaÌ„ froÌ„ his hand receiueth his two wifes Leah Rachel Iudah one of the xii Iudah bestoweth his sons in mariage Gen. 38. Patriarchs bestowed in mariage his two sons Er and Onan and after their death putteth Tamar their widdowe in good hope that if she wil tary vntil his thirde sonne Shelah by reason of years should be fit in mariage to be ioind with her that he should be a match and husbaÌ„d for her in which promise albeit his purpose were indede to mock her in respect of his inward intent priuy onely vnto himselfe yet Tamar in such sort taking him as that she supposed his heart and tongue to iumpe together teacheth vs that she was so far perswaded of his fatherly authority to coÌ„maund his son when he should growe to age conuenient to be ruled by him that without seeking any further assurance shee remaineth widdow making her full and sure reckoning that in the end she should inioy him because his father in whose authority hee was to bee disposed would in truth perform his promis Caleb disposeth of the mariage of his daughter Acsah Caleb giueth his daughter Acsah to be a wife vnto Othniel or Othoniel who waÌ„her by his valour and prowes in taking by force of arms Kiriahtsepher Ios 15.16.17 hauing made a general proclamation that whosoeuer could effect that noble peece of seruice should obtaine her for his portion whereby may easely be gathered in what subiection children then were vnto their parents in as much as it being a thinge very vncertaine who should doe this warlike feat yet whatsoeuer he were whoÌ„ God should enable thereunto hee made no doubt of his daughters taking him to be her husband Amnon burning in vnordinate lust towardes Tamar the sister of his brother Absalon Tamar doeth acknowledg it to bee the right of heâ— to determine of her mariâ— age when as he went about to defile her being craftely betrayed into his handes through the suttle counsaile of Ionadab his friend requesting him to abstaine from offering vnto her that great reproche and villany 2. Sam. 13. shee willeth him to aske her of her father in marriage Dauid The marriage it selfe I condemne as vnlawfull and incestuous yet her request importeth thus much that shee well knewe that shee was not to determine of her owne marriage but that the
stubbornnesse and contempt of parentes wherewithall some run starke mad of a blind â—age do contract vnhonest mariages vnfitting both themselues also their elders pareÌ„ts For in this place the holy scripture setteth forth a coÌ„trarie example and far more honest to be followed when as Isaac marieth Rebeccah according vnto the minde will and counsail of his father These thinges thus considered and this matter so generallie agreed vpon and confirmed also by the approbation and consent of so manie graue godlie and learned witnesses if hen ceforward the pareÌ„ts shal either of negligence or sluggishnesse leaue of their dutie in prouiding of honest matches for their children or their sonnes and daughters contemptuouslie and stubbornlie refuse to stand vnto their godlie and christian choise ignorance will no longer serue to excuse the fault on either side but that it must needes follow that the seruant that knoweth his maisters wil and dooth it not A necessatie aduise vnto parents the same shall bee beaten with many stripes Let fathers therfore on whom the charge by God his commandemeÌ„t lieth to take wiues for their sons and to prouide husbandes for their daughters take diligeÌ„t heed herunto that they abuse not this their power and authoritie ouer their children but as in other cases they are willed by the Apostle that they deal not in such sort towardes them that they hereby bee dismaied and discouraged so especiallie in this matter of greatest moment and valour of all other worldelie thinges whatsoeuer let them absteine from all rigour and roughnesse Colos 3.22 and beware that they turne not their fatherlie iurisdiction and gouernment into a tyranmcall sowernesse and way wardnesse letting their will goe for a lawe and their pleasure for a reason according vnto that olde but both Tiger and Tirant lyke saying Looke what I commaund that will I haue my wil standeth for a reason For the rule of the parentes ouer theyr children ought to resemble the gouernment of good princes towards their subiects that is to say it must be milde gentle and easie to be borne for as they so like wise parents so far as concerneth them and lieth in theyr abilitie to performe they must carrie such an euen and vpright hand in their gouernement Tâ—â—lie in the second book of office that they may by loue seeke to win the hartes of those ouer whome they are set to bee firme and sure to wardes them and not to keepe them vnder awe and subiection by feare For whom men feare they hate and him whom they hate his death they wishe I speake of seruile or slauishe fear not of that child-like and reuerent feare the which both the subiects owe vnto their Princes and the children vnto their parents and the which both the one and the other easilie obtaine at the handes of such as are vnder their gouernment by their equal vpright and moderate behauiour towardes them It doth therefore stand parentes greatly in hand PareÌ„ts ought to deale sincerely in the choife for their children that in making choise for their children they be free from all sinister and corrupt affection and that for lucre couetousnes they seeke not to thrust such matches vpon their children as they cannot brooke nor like well off for now adaies in the choise that a great manie parentes make of husbandes for their daughters and wiues for their sonnes Et genus formaâ— Regina pecunia donat that is if they bee ritch inough they be both faire wel fauoured yea and also godlie and vertuous inough they being farre swarued from the mind iudgement of that father who once said concerning the mariage of his daughter that he had rather haue a man without money then money without a man signifieng hereby that he rather respected the good qualities and vertues of his minde then the great wealth and ritches of his cofers Fathers therfore as they are by good right to choose so ought they not in truth to constraine compel For of al other matters the consent of the children in mariage ought to be most free so that in these cases after all honest and lawful perswasions vsed looke in what partie the fault may be worthelie thought to rest there the godly magistrate ought to put in his foot The godlie magistrate who in some respectes is not onelie in the scriptures comprehended vnder the name of a father but also by his soueraigne auÌ„thoritie wherewithall hee is armed from God himselfe is to rule both the father and all his children and all other that doe belong vnto him I am not able neither is it my purpose to reckon all the colourable pretenses that fathers which are worldlie minded can alleadge to enforce vpon their children what yokefellowes soeuer they haue procured and prouided for them so that they bee rich inough neither yet is it possible for mee to set down all the shiftes that children haue to shake off the yoke of due obedience in their fathers honest and lawfull choises This therefore in all humilitie euen in the bowels of lesus Christ I request at the handes of them both that they seeke not how to bee wise and wittie or rather in deed wilie how to deuise windlesses and starting holes to shrowde and hide themselues in when they should perfourme their duties on either part in this behalfe The children can say for themselues wâ—â— are olde enough The plea of some childreÌ„ for the mâ—â— king of their own matches and therefore able enough to make our own choise we see it to be dayly practised by others yea and peraduenture wâ— doe know as hauing hard our parents sometimes in their merrimentes to bragge of the same our fathers haue matched without the consent of their parentes and haue all this notwithstanding done well ynough and liued verie well why therefore shoulde not wee also doo the like The question here is not The reply what children in regarde either 〈◊〉 age or wit are able for to doo but what God hath thought meet exped eÌ„t nay straightlie charged and commanded that they should doe For there are many children found somtimes far to exceede their fathers in wit and in wisedome yea and in al other gises both of mind body yet is this no good reason that they should take vpon them their fathers anthoritie The wife may not therfore be a maister because she hath more knowledge sometimes then her husbaÌ„d but she must obey the husbande is to rule because that God hath willed that it should bee so And albeit that matches made without the consent of parentes haue often good successe accroding vnto the things which fal out outwardlie in this life yet that is not to bee imputed vnto this disordered and vnnaturall course but vnto God his mercie that alwaies dooth better for vs then wee haue deserued And whereas it is said that our parents haue matched without the choise coÌ„sent of their pareÌ„ts
greatest stroke in this most holy and heauenlie action And like as mariage is begon enterprised in the feare of God according to his word there God is well pleased there the parties so matched liue together in a ioyfull agreement and liking the one of the other there God is honoured and serued in synceritie and truth there the children when God giueth them with the rest of the familie are instructed and brought vp in the knowledge of religion and grounds of faith so on the other side the regard of that which God especially coÌ„mandeth being shut out of our mariages there must needes ensue his dislike and displeasure there is iar and discord there Gods honour is neglected there houshold-discipline and christian-instruction of such as belong vnto our chardge goeth vtterly to wracke and is nothing at all regarded And no marueil for if where God blesseth all thinges goe well and doe prosper then consequentlie where he curseth there nothing thriueth hath good successe or goeth happily forward Now if anie shall suppose that these speaches are but wordes of course carrie a gallant shew without any substance or proofe of matter pointing rather vnto such an order as we would haue or wish to be obserued in the matches of our children then shewing by good euidence that so it ought indeed and of right to be it is now time that we drawe somewhat neerer vnto the question the which vpon waightie consideration we haue taken in hand The principal drift and purpose of this Treatise by Gods assistance mean to prooue which is that children may not mary without the consent agreement of their parentes And this I hope shall in such sort be performed as that it shall plainlie appeare that not only the consent of father mother is chieflie requisite in the case of mariage but also in the former ages and more ancient times of this world alwaies declining from better to worse that the choise it selfe of wiues for the sonnes and husbandes for the daughters rested wholly in the power authoritie of the parentes insomuch that not onely the better sort of the children of the godlie referred the whole care of their bestowing this way vnto the prouident election of their fathers and mothers but the verie heathen themselues that were not altogether past grace and had cleane shaken of the yoke of dutiful obedieÌ„ce would not so much as once vouchsafe to heare of the motion of any match for themselues in the state of wedlock except the choise of their fathers mothers had gon before First then I willay this down for the foundation whereupon the rest of the building shall be framed the which is granted and agreed vpon among all the learned namelie that howsoeuer the minde of man since and through the fall of our first parentes is blinded and darkened God hath planted certaine generall principles groundes of true thin the hearts of all men yet God hath left some smal general sparkles of light in the same the which the verie heathen haue acknowledged and receiued for vndoubted trueths and there is none so blunt and shameles that he can gaine say them as for example That we ought not to hurt or wrong any man That we must giue to euery one that which is his And which is the head and chiefe of all concerning our outward behauiour and such dealinges as vsuallie doe fall out betweene man and man Doe not that vnto another the which thou wouldest not haue to be done vnto thy selfe with many other such like the which we otherwise tearme The law of nature or of nations be cause they are naturallie engrauen and written in the heartes of all men Rom. 1.13 and approoued and receiued with the generall consent of all nations yea and that so far foorth that those which do violate and breake them were worthy of death as the bolie Apostle himselfe somewhere in wordes doeth testifie and witnesse if therfore it be a principle that no man doubteth of That we should doe as we would be done vnto and that we ought not to doe vnto others that thing the like wherof we would be greeued and offended they should doe vnto vs The first reason from the law of nature I appeale to the conscience of all gracelesse sonnes and daughters as now a â—aies the more is the pitie in too great multitudes betroth themselues in mariage without the priuitie nay against the will of their fathers and mother whether that they would take it in good part at the hands of their children if they should in like maner prouide themselues of wiues and husbands their good wil and consent being not first obtained before if there bee none hauing any conscience at all but that the same dulie examined euerie night when he goeth vnto his bed telleth him that he woulde not thus himselfe be serued let this rule then be sufficient to teach him that he also ought not to marie without the well liking and agreement of his father and mother Wouldest not thou whatsoeuer thou art that thy childe if thou carrie any fatherly mind towards him should in his matching and marrieng be aduised and directed by thee And darest thou affiance and assure thy selfe vnto an other in the most honorable and holie estate of mariage without the knowledge and counsell of thy father Thou thy selfe the more dearly and tenderlie thou louest thine owne childe the more deeplie wilt thou bee touched with griefe and sorrowe in thy verie innermost bowels and affections he if he bestowe himselfe contrarie to thy liking and can those that begat thee thinkest thou reioice and bee glad when thou hast wedded contrarie vnto their mind and good liking Doe therefore as thou wouldest be done vnto Marie with the consent of thy parentes as thou wouldest that thy children should doe with thine And as thou wouldest not that those vnder thy gouernment should ioin in matrimonie against thy will so in any case take heed that thou contract not thy self according to thine own pleasure but stay for the direction and good aduice of thy father for it is an hard matter to haue the testimonie of thine owne conscience to bee alwaies accusing thee that thou hast done amisse and contrarie vnto that obedience the which thou owest vnto thy superiours and lookest also that thy children should performe vnto thee Secondlie that these priuie contracts that is to say The second reason taken from the authority of parents ouer their children such as are made in secret or in corners or otherwise in place neuer so publique without the consent of the parents are not lawful may this way more plainly appeare if we weigh consider that children are not at their owne libertie disposition nor as they say their owne-men but vnder the authority and power of their parentes like as seruantes are at the disposing of their maisters Nay they are so much more bound vnto their fathers
mothers then seruants are or can be vnder the power of their maisters by howe much next vnder God they do ovve their verie being vnto those that begat them vvhich they doe not vnto their maisters therefore is the band of their obedience greater and straighter vnto their fathers then is that of seruants vnto their maisters Here of it followeth that those vvhich are alike subiect vnto the gouernment of others are also alike debarred from the same freedoms liberties that otherwise if they were not thus subiect they might enioy but seruants and children are tied with a like and equall band of subiection insomuch that if in this behalfe ther be any ods it is in this that children owe more dutie vnto their fathers then seruantes vnto their maisters as was prooued a litle before they are therefore debarred from the same libertie and freedome whereof ensueth that if seruantes haue not this libertie without the leaue of their maisters to betake themselues vnto others no more may children without the authoritie of their parentes affiance and betroth themselues in mariage vnto others but seruants are by the lawes as the learned doe knowe and I speake of the lawes and seruants The lawes of elder times restrain seruants â—â—o liberty at their owne pleasure to be take themselues to others without the leaue of their maisters not as they are with vs at this day but as they were in the more ancient and elder times restrained of this libertie to place themselues with others against the will of their maisters therefore children may not giue themselues in matrimonie vnto others without the consent of their progenitors And albeit that by the lawes of our own land nowe in force there bee as yet no prouiso made against the matching of seruants without the approbation and allowance of their maisters yet vnder the correction of others it seemeth vnto me great reason that where there are no parents euen in those places the seruants should take the direction of their godly maisters in this behalfe in vvhich my iudgement I am not singular but can if need be auouch mine assertion by the authoritie of the learned But what shall this neede when as the equitie here of may bee inferred of that which we read in the books of Moses where such as please with diligence to conferre the places Exod. 21. Leuit. 25. Deut. 15.12 they may easily find that such seruaÌ„te as were Ebrues though the time of their seruice was shorter then was theirs which were strangers and of other nations yet during the space of their yeares they had to serue in they were not to marie at their owne libertie but their maisters hand bare the chiefe stroke in this busines This course beeing obserued in the Ebrue seruants it will not as I take it be gain-said that seruants of other people and countries whose bondage in manie respects was far heauier were likewise depriued of this libertie of marrying during the time of their seruitude and thraldom without the appointment of their Lordes and maisters yet hereby is not meant to preiudicate or impeach much lesse to controlle the libertie of our lawes or law-makers in such cases as God hath left free vnto them but onely out of that which God himselfe set downe vnto his owne people in debarring seruants as seruants to make their owne choise in cases of mariage to prooue that children which are in as great or rather greater subiection vnto their fathers authority are likewise bound by as hard a band to tarie for the consent of their parentes in their contractes of matrimonie Thirdlie the great soueraintie The third reason taken froÌ„ the large iurildiction and power the which in ancient times hath bin permitted vnto parentes ouer their childreÌ„ the which custome albeit that it be not simply to to be allowed yet it proos ueth their for ueraintie in other matters to be wel per lourmed by their children without any inconuenience rule power that by the law of Moses was giuen vnto the Iewish fathers ouer their children and by the ordinances of the Romanes to the parents ouer their sonnes and daughters by vertue whereof the one in cases of necessitie might sel their children for bondslaues to releeue themselues and the other might kill them in reuenge of their owne priuate iniuries done vnto themselues or publique enormities offered vnto others albeit that of Moses may be thought to be permitted like as other thinges for a time in regard of the hardnesse of their heart and this of the Romanes deserue iustlie to bee condemned as barbarous cruell and sauage yet doe they both argue that if parents authoritie were in those times so large in thinges that seeme so hardlie to be digested that they had a far greater authoritie in those matters duties the which might be performed with more conscience and much lesse difficultie and danger namelie in bearing chiefest sway in the mariage of their children and in other causes of like dutifull obedience The fourth reason from the condition of goods vnto the power that the owners haue ouer the same To this may be added that the children are worthelie to be reckoned among the goodes and substance of their fathers and that by a more especiall right then any thing els the the which belongeth vnto their possession as those which are more neerlie linked and ioyned vnto them and which cost them more dearlie being flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone and without whom they had neuer bone so that they owe themselues whollie vnto them in all maner of obedience and dutifull affection and shall in seeking to betroth themselues at their owne pleasures not regarding to haue the good will and leaue of their parentes deale as preposterouslie and ouerthwattlie as if the goodes should goe about to dispose the owner and possessor of the same and not be disposed and ordered by those vnto whom the possession and propertie of the same doeth by right and equitie belong and appertaine for it standeth with great reason that the owner dispose of the goodes and not contrariwise the goodes of the owner which were in deed a thing verie absurd or contrarie to all reason Now if any shall doubt Children are the goodes of the parents whether that the children bee to be reckoned among the goodes of their parentes or no he seemeth to bee ignorant of that point the which the deuill himselfe well enough vnderstood as we may reade in the first of Iob where it is set downe that when God gaue him leaue to deale withal that Iob had he medleth with his sonnes and daughters as well as with his seruants and rest of his substance taking them also to be a portion of the same Wherefore euen in this that children are their fathers riches as it is the common saying they must not bestow themselues but must be bestowed of their parents whose goods they are And least any