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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10138	The schoole of honest and vertuous lyfe profitable and necessary for all estates and degrees, to be trayned in: but (cheefely) for the pettie schollers, the yonger sorte, of both kindes; bee they men or women. by T.P. Also, a laudable and learned discourse, of the worthynesse of honorable wedlocke, written in the behalfe of all (aswell) maydes as wydowes, (generally) for their singuler instruction, to choose them vertuous and honest husbandes: but (most specialy) sent writte[n] as a iewell vnto a worthy gentlewoman, in the time of her widowhood, to direct & guide her in the new election of her seconde husband. By her approoued freend and kinseman. I.R.	Pritchard, Thomas, fl. 1579.; Wied, Hermann von. Brefe and a playne declaratyon of the dewty of maried folkes.; Kingsmill, Andrew, 1538-1569. Viewe of mans estate. Selections.	1579 (1579)	STC 20397; ESTC S115267	56,077	90

a maruell of the ritch vpright man Therfore I wishe you haue not this minde with you as to seeke a ritche Mariage for then you misse of the right marke of Mariage ordained for your comfort there lyeth not the way leading to rest and quietnesse For they that wil be ritch fal into snares and temptations into many foolish noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction Vse oftentimes rather to repeate this sentence with your self The desire of money is the roote of all euill Take héede that that roote ouergrow not other good flowers but harken to the sentence that our Sauiour pronounceth in the sixt Chapter of Sainct Lukes Gospel VVoe bee vnto you that are ritche for you haue receaued your consolation These are the boundes that S. Pawle appointeth vs If we haue saith hée foode and rayment let vs therwith be content And truely herein consisteth not true ritches to possesse this earthly treasure the meat of Mothes and the bayte of Théeues But such as my commended suiter possesseth if you may be partaker thereof thē may you say my lot is fallen to me on a faire ground and that you haue got a goodly possession Godlinesse saith the Apostle is great gaine if a man be content with that hée hath euen that is it which my suiter bringeth godlines with contentacion Wherfore then should you desire the mariage of the ritch you sée it bringeth no rest you sée godlines is the true ritches and God of his goodnesse hauing already blessed you with sufficient store greate haboundance I doubt not but you haue so good a minde with you that you are rather vertuously desirous wisely to imploy and bestow your goods and ritches then gréedily couetous to hoard them vp and laye heape vpon heape with an insatiable desire to increase them Doo you seke to establish to you and yours an inheritance harken then what the Prophet Dauid saith in the .xxxvij. Psalme The euill dooers saith hée shal be cut off but they that wait vpon the Lord they shall inherit the Lande Againe The meeke men saith hée shall inherite and possesse the earth And againe The Lord knoweth the dayes of vpright men and their inheritance shal be perpetuall Doo you séeke a continuance and perpetuitie in things S. Iames sayth Like as when the Sunne ryseth with heate the Grasse withereth his flowerfalleth away and the beauty of the fashion of it perisheth euen so shall the ritche man fade away in all his wayes but the iuste they flourish like the Palme tree they are like the Bay tree euen greene and fresh like themselues the roote of the righteous shall not be mooued Doo you desire to haue such a heade as may best defende you from iniuries and oppressions who is of more might then the righteous godly Dauid sayth in the .xxxiiij. Psalme The Angell of the Lorde pitecheth his Tente round about them that feare him and deliuereth them in all their necessities And againe The cares of the Lord are open vnto their prayers and hee will heare their cry yea hee keepeth their bones that none of them be broken he numbreth the haires of their heades that none of them be lost Doo you feare perrill or penury of the godly righteous thus saith Dauid in the .xxxvij. Psalme They shall be confounded in the perrilous time and in the dayes of famine they shal haue ynough You will peraduenture say for my selfe I can holde mée well ynough contente but my Childrens case mooueth mée Harken then what Dauid speaketh of his experience in the xxxvij Psalme I haue been younge saith hée and am now old yet saw I neuer the righteous forsaken nor his seed begginge their bread Doubtlesse God shall prouide for you and yours sufficiently and haboundantly if you casts away all such worldly respectes and much more then otherwise Now I thinke these shall suffise to vnderset and staye you vp that you fall not on this side The nexte care concerneth my fourth Suiter that hes take you not with the bayt of beauty wherby many wise Women and Men haue bin deceaued and with a shorte pleasure haue purchased long and desperate repentance This caused Salomon to commit folly as appeareth in the seconde Chapter of the first Booke of Kinges This cooled the mighty Sampsons courage as is manifested by the sixtéenth Chapter of the Booke of Iudges Did not the beauty of Bethsaba so rauishe the eyes of holy Dauid that he committed with her most habominable Adultery and made himselfe gyltie of bloodshed so it is written in the second Chapter of the second Booke of Samuell Hee saw a Woman washinge her selfe and the Woman was very beautifull to looke vpon c. You might abuse these examples to folly as to saye These men were notable for strength for wisedome for godlinesse maruell not then might you say though I be ouercome in that case Not so good Cosin but this consider in these examples that if such of so excellent graces haue béen led away with these traynes you haue hereby a faire warninge to beware and to be very circumspecte in so subtill a pointe and so daungerous a case if you giue place to such fancies that they ouercome reason you may soone slip into those inconueniences that you see in the examples of others you may pluck the house on your owne head as Sampson did As you choose your marke so goeth your game as you make your foundacion so will your buildinge bée if the one be stedfast the other will not lightly shake but if the one be not surely grounded a litle blast marreth mutch worke Surely the hansome person of man is not of long continuance besides that it is subiecte to corruption by inuulnerable meanes Wherfore if your Mariage hang vpon that knot a litle force will breake it a litle labour will vndo it and of it selfe it wil decay and weare away If this fancie bee the leader of your loue you folow a blinde guide you may soone slide and wander out of the right waye Many an vnsauery woode beareth a faire blossome and so vnder a faire face their lyeth hidden many a foule fault and with a sound looke oftentimes is couered the holow harte full of all hatred whereof you may reade a louely example of Absolon in the fourséenth Chapter of the seconde Booke of Samuell I haue read an History of one Paulus Aemilius a Noble man of Rome matched with a Wife called Papiria both for byrth and beauty to iudge worthy such a Husbande howbeit hes deuorced her and when her fréendes infreated for her demaunding of him what should be the cause that moued him so to doo for they saw none séeinge that shée was to beholde mannerly and m oodest faire and fruitfull Then hée for answere thrusteth out his foote and saith behold sée my shoe is it not faire is it not new yet none of you wotteth where it doth wringe mée Belike there was some secret fault in that Woman

habitte of perfection and edge of excellencie to passe him whome firste I braued with bragges Erasmus highly had in honour for his knowledge and iollie iudgement in faculties by reason of brode blowen blaze of commendation had a boye of ripe witte presented by his fréendes to declayme beefore him The fréendely furtherers of the buysied boye expectynge his iudgement were answered by him Timely ripe timely rotten But the ouerthrow of ripe conceauinge commeth by securitie and ouer great confidence therein for trusting to the maturitie of wit they so longe linger in laysinesse that either they amit and quenche the qualitie thereof or with strayning it with extraordinarie meanes mayme and marre the same ¶ Of instruction AS an Horse or Coult be he neuer so tame and apte of nature cannot serue that vse of man without breaking So a man bée hee neuer so ingenious and inritched by wit and ripe conceauing without preceptes and institution can not scale nor ascend the high and haughtie Hil of Pernassus to bée acquainted with the Ladies of learninge nor climbe the craggie Cliffes and clymates of knowledge which position Cicero sincerely fortifieth saying That instruction doth corroborate and fortifie the gyfte of wit and nature and for that cause Gentilis commaunded first Schooles to bée errected in Athence a Cittie in Greece that the couente of youth might bee there instructed Aristippus a learned Philosopher compared the vnlearned to a stone and béeing demaunded by a foolish Father what learninge auayled his Sonne hee answered that a stone had no place in their Theators or place of preheminence meaning the vnlearned The Ethnickes studious of erudicion and knowledge kept an instructor in their houses to trayne vp their youthes in the pleasant pathe of Nurtur and knowledge which thing so well lyked the Athenians that it was as Law enacted that the children which were not traded vp in erudicion ought not to fauour their Fathers or tender curtesies to them inféebled with age To attaine the treasure of Vertue and gaine the gladfome guift of Discipline there bee two kindes of instructions one mute the other sowndable mute as when wee study our selues discoursinge without wordes the carued carracters and woorkes of others The other when the instructor or teacher with sounding voyce openeth the misteries and hidden hardnes of others labors This last manner of instructing the learned lore aboue others commend Pythagoras Empedocles Democritus and Plato his Peregrinations sayling ouer Surge and Sirtes of Seas to heare Lectures verifie the same who were not content to like of their priuate studies Least I should spend my winde in waste in discoursinge of instruction and passe the Campe in which youthes and others ought to bee trained vp I decipher them as foloweth Pithie Poemes heroyicall holsome Histories Princely Philosophie sacred and sincere Scripture the salue of sinfull sores and pathe to Paradice The gracious Grecians thought only Poets to be wise and therfore in honest Poetrie did first season the tender ingenie of Impes the better to aspire to furder felicitie of Science And Horace singularly séene in the art in his Epistles exhorteth Children to be first instructed in Poetrie as an Instrument necessary to pollice and file away the imperfection of lisping nature and that it soweth and planteth in their heedy heades the seede of Sapience wisedome and knowledge Diodorus sayde it was a fine and famous thinge for man by others crymes and faultes to cure him of that care and medicine and heale his infirmities which the reading of Histories Monumentes déedes of other men shall guide vs to doo Baeroaldus sayth that Histories inflameth a man to honestie enamoreth him with vertue reprooueth the wicked and exileth vice To stand vpon choyce of Philosophie the very Ecimologie of the worlde which wée interpret and conster a Louer of knowledge or imbracer of wisedome foretelleth all Bookes of that noble Science to bee spectant to surueye the lyfe of man As the Ethickes of Aristotle impugning the rebellion of vice brydling the frensie fits of flaming flesh with the bit of Nurture and manners The Pollitickes instructe vs called to the function of a Magistrate to minister Iustice to the exilement of vice and inhaunsing of Vertue Lactantius writ a worthy worke of Diuine institutions Erasmus of the institutinge of a christian Prince with infinit others commodious for the regiment of the lyfe of man. Lastlye fitly furnished and decently decked with institutions of the surueyed Sciences wee must imploy our selues to viewe the valleys of sacred Scriptures which teache vs to know our Sauiour and him onely to worshippe which as Lactantius writeth is the true Philosophie Pouertie impareth not Vertue EXperience hauing taught mée a silly sort of foolish fellowes to withdraw them selues from studie to heede handy craftes I thought by excellent examples and rated reasons to heale that passion of infirmitie and to fortifie their faynting fittes the better to abide the yoake of knowledge Apuleus sayth in his time none became famous but such as were annoyed with nakednesse and cloyde with carefull dyet from the houre of birthe And hee boldely blazeth this commendacion of Pouertie that in those dayes it was the builder of Citties the maintainer of Equitie and Science Wée reade a worthy example of Cleanthes a Philosopher who pinched with pouertie in youth in the night season haled vp water in Buckets which hée sould in the day to maintaine his studie If our English Fathers were so inflamed with the loue of Learninge no doubte our Realme royally ruled would bée a precious patron to all Europe Seneca sayth Vertue to haue a sting meaning labour which plucked awaye by sufficiencie of knowledge batheth the bier in blisse Here may rise a question whither the vnlearned may attaine Vertue or no the which question is resolued by Tullie in his Orations who saith that hee had societie with a multitude of men both godly honest and vertuous yea altogeather voyde of knowledge I annexed this Sentence to my matter least desperation should bee infixed gréeuously ingrafted in the harts of vnlearned dottrels Of vse and exercise IF a man bee armed with the fine furniture of bountifull Dame Nature beautified with the gaye Gownes of Witte and Disposition yet if Diligence bee dismiste and Practice put aside all is vaine for the beeinge and continuance of Vertue is in action and exercise Cicero whose doughty diligence aduaunced to dignitie and high calling among the Romaines instructeth vs in his Rhetorickes that preceptes and rules of disciplines anayle nothinge without daily diligence and paynefull practice therof Lactantius in his thirde Booke writeth that Artes bee learned and layde for that gotten agréeable practice and conuersation may arise therof For Tullie sayth it is a small praise to know Vertue and not to doo therafter Man mindefull of Vertue and studious thereof must imitate the busie Bées who in flagrante Sommer flee abroade tastinge of diuerse Flowers and of each pickinge reléefe store vppe and heape much Honny So

ought a man exercise him seife daily vntill he hath gotten the trimme treasure of Vertue and Learninge and the better to attayne to your purpose in youthfull yeares vse foure wayes The first in readinge selecte and picke out of learned Authors fine filed Phrases and least the treasurs house of Man I meane his memory bee robbed therof haue them Chronicled in the skirtes of a Booke And so of euery Science Which thinge Plynie practiced of whom writeth his Vnckle the second of that name The second is to follow Macrobius Preceptes teaching vs to vse and exercise the good and to banish the euill for what so euer are written they bee for our learninge for as the meate lodged in the mouth or clungde in the stomacke feedeth not the body nor hath not concoction for lacke of naturall heate to disgest the same into good blood and mayntenance of the body So doth not reading profit except it be conuerted to the behoofe of the weale publick neither is the students conscience discharged For Tullie saith in his Offices that wee bee borne partly to pleasure and profit our fréendes our Parentes and most of all our natiue Countrey The thirde is to do some thing worth the while euery day as Appelles the conning Paynter who though cloyed and ouercharged with a heape of hindraunces yet daylie drue a line and paynted some precious protrature worthy fame Hesiodus sayth Many littels makes a mickell Neyther must wee greedily gapinge gulpe vp knowledge to bury it in our bellyes as churles doo their substance and money but imploy it so that the Innocente may reape thereby vtilitie and saluation and wee must make flow speed accordinge to Augustus Caesars Adaige least before wee be fully grounded wee babble to draw others to errors a cause of sundry sectes in England this daye more is the pittie It is far better by dilligence to reade a litle well and with addisement than running as they say at randon voyde of reason to talke of the Moone shine in the water supposinge though their heads bee filled with humors of vaine glory that they perceiue not their doultish delights and vanitie of speeche that others of sound iudgemente will not condempne them as vayne glorious bablers I can compare suche fellowes to a bragginge Paynter who in the presence of Appelles cheefe of the Science brau'd it out with bragges that sodainly in the twincklinge of an eye hee had made a fine well proportioned Image Appelles knowing his singlenes of skill answered Such paultry protratures thou caust make ynough than viewing it sayd it was doone quicke ynough if wel ynough That sage saying of Cato the wise may abate and qualifie the hot courage of ouer hasty Ministers now a daies which presse to preache before they haue the ground of their worke or know the foundation of true religion patronised by our royal and gracious Quéene How sprang vp sedicious sectes in the Church but through hastie impudent bablers presuminge to goe to Pulpit when the Carte cryed for them The fourth kinde of exercise Philelphus sayd Cato the wise sage Senat to haue vsde which was at night to repeat and suruey his trauell that daye and to require accompt of his owne reading and it was decréede amonge the Lacedemonians that the Table couered and meate brought and layde theron that the Maisters and cheese of euery Cittie should call the youthes in and demaund and exigate what they had profited that day and hee that had doone nothing was barde their company as vnworthy to eate Apuleius wisheth men and specially Churche men and Schollers with the studentes of Vertue to imitate the nature of the Shéepe which at night incarcered with hurdels and closets chue the kud yea all the grasse eaten and geathered that day which chuynge yéeldeth a second fruite or milke to the shéepe Maister so should euery man doo of his reading for at night they should cal it to minde to imploy it to the seconde vse or profit that is to the common wealth to edifie the vnlearned people which ignorantly run headlong to vice What decent behauiour Vertue and honestie is to bee obserued in our proper persons and in euery age Chap. 3. MAcrobius sayth that Vertue doth consiste in two things that is in honest behauiour and show of him selfe and in godly disposition towardes others for a man must of necessitie be able to gouerne himselfe before hée be admitted and thought worthy to haue submission of others First we must bridell our owne licentious lewde liuing and inthrall to the yoke of reason our furious affections erre wée bee highted to the dignitie of the facred seate of a magistrate Herevpon a wise man espiynge a wanton witlesse magistrate spurd a question to Thales Milesius the Philosopher Who was a kinde kyng and worthie his seate He answered He that gouerneth wel him self That euery one may learne to rule him selfe I wish these preceptes folowynge to bée obserued and imprinted in the plotte of Memorie First that a man be addicted to scilence more than to talke for taciturnitie argueth wisdome and bablyng bewraieth a foole Macrobius sayd a Philosopher to make as greate a signe and shoe of Learnyng by scilence as by talke Apuleius doth write that Pythagoras a singuler instructer of youth was wonte first to season the twatlyng tungues of his disciples with the vertue scilence Socrates demaunded how man might become wise He adiured the person to obserue two preceptes the one to huysht rather than to speake the other for to learne how to speake Dame Nature prouident of the vertue scilence and of the consequent commodities thereof incarcered our tungues in a Turret inuironed with sharpe téethe to reuenge if like witlesse wiues it should miscarie to annoy any man with staynyng hue or blottes of defame And wée haue two eares and one tongue to heare more than wée should vnadnisedly blabbe abroade The Romaines embracers of this vertue had erected in their trim Temples lofted on Theaters Angerona Goddesse of Scilence with her lippes seard vp And the Egiptians so honored Harpocrates God of taciturnitie that his princely protrature was painted in euery house with his singers lockyng his lippes Xenocrates scilent in companie was asked the cause of his sadnesse scilence Hee shapte this answer That there with hee was neuer annoyed but inconuenience accident by talke graueld him daily and duely If a man bee spurred to speake let him haue spéeche of thinges fit for the place time and company Nexte interrupt none in their talke nor correct it least thou be deemed a busie body An other precept wée haue inioyned vs to kepe that which is a meane and measurable order in our talke which Terence commendeth in his Comedie called Andria with these wordes I thinke a meane to bee commodious in mans life and worthy embracinge therupon the learned sayde Vertue to be the same the which Horace doth confesse in his Epistles saying Est modus in rebus c. Englished thus In

the worst It is better to loke long then to leape lightly rake vp the ashes throughly and turne them too and fro that you be sure there remain no sparke of burning vice or at the least leaue as litle as you may and swéepe as cleane as you can And marke well I wish what condition S. Paule setteth when he giueth you your lycence to marry in the seuenth Chapter to the Corinthians The wife sayth hee is bound by the Law as long as her Husband lyueth but if her Husband bee dead shee is at liberty to marry in the Lorde Wey well this restraint of your liberty or rather I may saye the sure stay of your libertie least by abuse you turne this libertie into a bondage For vnlesse you haue God before your eyes you shall chaunge your libertie into strayte bondage wheras you soke comfort you shal finde a curse wheras you hope for ease and reste you shall enter into disease and trouble aboue all therfore haue a special and a stedfast eye vpon this rule that you marry in the lord God did make the first Mariage that euer was made and I doubt not but hee made the first that you made and if hée make the second also then shall you be sure neuer to repent you of your bargaine Hée did institute Mariage as a thinge most holy to his glory and to the comforte of man Sée therefore that you in this case bee boyde of all fleshly affection as neare as you may that you prophane not that which is holy to your owne discomforte and the dishonour of god Christ our Sauiour was presente at a Mariage in Cana where besides his presence he honored it with his first miracle hee turned Water into Wyne I pray you make your wedding place as like Cana as you can let Christe bee present with you I meane to guide your spitit with his holy spirite turne not his miracle make not I meane Water of Wyne but let that which God hath instituted to your comfort bee godly handled of you to his glory Wheras Matrimony is honourable amongst all men prouide that it turne not to your shame and confusion as you sée in some I néede not here as it were to long particulerly to giue you preceptes to rehearse the vertues to be embraced and the vices to be detested in men But shortly as our Sauiour Christe answered thou knowest the cōmaundementes doo this and thou shalt liue So I you know the commaundements méete the length of their féete by that measure shall you well perceaue whether his shooe will serue your foote And one thing more in this behalf I must ad not of mistrust but to make a double knot of a single or a treble of a double for the surer the better the warier the wiser Bée wise then and beware that you put not your heade vnder the gyrdle of the vngodly neither so burthen your selfe as to beare the yoake with an Infidell For then it may séeme that you kept not S. Pawles Rule as to marry in the Lorde for that is his counsell And what Maryage may righteousnes make with vnrighteousnesse light with darkenesse Christ with Belyall the vnfained Children with the faithlesse Infidell For here besides the danger of discorde and bodily trouble therof insuing there is also apparant perrill that may pearce the soule For so sayth the Lorde to his People Israell concerninge their ioyning with straunge Nations of forraine fayth and religion in the seuenth of Deuteronomy Thou shalt make no couenaunt with them saith hee neither shalt thou make Mariages with them neither giue thy Daughter vnto his Sonne nor take his Daughter vnto thy Sonne for they will cause thy sonne to turne away from mee and to serue other Gods then will the wrath of the Lorde waxe hotte against thee and distroy thee sodainly You are no Isralite here might be sayd how then yet a Christian I trow and by faith the Daughter of Abraham then this must you recken to bee written for your learninge There are no Hethytes no Amorites no Cananites to be feared yet are there many in our daies both faithlesse godlesse as the obstinate aduersary of the Gospell of God and the double dealing false dissembling Gospeller in whom there is no lesse daunger of deceit then is in the heath nish Hethites and currish Cananites and although the persons be not one yet there seemeth to bee litle difference in the cause for first marke the reason and then apply it The Mariage of a Cananite was forbidden the Isralite for feare least hee should bee withdrawen from the true worship of the true God of Israell And do wee not see in experience that the wicked wife corrupteth such men as wee iudge sometime most vpright in life and stedfast in profession of the truth and how much more daunger is there leaste the vnbeleeuinge and wicked man alter the good nature of the honest woman into his owne peruerse nature séeing that to him she is subiect as the body to the head you must of necessitie bee one in fleshe with him whom you shall choose Foresée therfore by wisedome that his relygion bee christian and godly with yours see that you change not your manners with your name but choose you such a Make as feareth God imbraceth and loueth his holy word and setteth his whole delight in his Lawes and testimonies Presume not of your selfe herein you are not wiser then Solomon yet as it appeareth in the nynth Chapter of the first Booke of Kinges His wisedome was so bewitched by the meanes of those forraine women with whom hee matched in Mariage that hee became a fond Idolater and so fell into the handes of God. Of this example I trust you will take sufficient warning so that herein I neede not to make many wordes vnlesse you obiect vnto mée or some other vnto you the place of Sainct Pawle in the seauenth Chapter to the Corinthians where hee sayth The vnbeleeuing Husband is sanctified by the Wife and the vnbeleeuing Wife is sanctified by the Husband If wee marke the purpose of Sainct Pawle the answere shall not be hard the Verse nexte afore doth contayne his purpose which is that the beleeuinge Woman already marryed to the vnbeleeuinge man should not vse the infidelity of her Husbande as an occasion to departe from him the wordes are these The Woman which hath an Husbande that beleeueth not if hee bee content to dwell with her let her not forsake him and then hee ioyneth the former sentence as a reason to confirme this other sentence so that that place serueth to this end purpose that if you and your husbande were first both of you vnbeleeuers afterward it pleased God to call you to the knowledge of his truth your Husband continuing in his infidelitie or if now being grounded you should aduenture to marry with an vngodly person you ought not being married together to seke a separation because there is hope of sanctification For

not to bee borne with which was so lothsome vnto the Husband as her beautie could be pleasaunt Bée aduised therfore least you finde that your handsome husband haue that which this man found in his faire Wife If you will not that your shoe wringe you measure him before you buy and iudge not of him by the colour but measure him rather within thē without least you wring for it afterwarde The goodly personage without wisedome and vertue what is it better then a paynted man Plato the wise Philosopher thus sayd to Alcibiades Hee that at any time hath loued Alcibiades body hath not loued Alcibiades himselfe but he that loueth thee loueth thy minde and soule And the wise Tully sayth Man is as his minde is and not that forme and figure which may be pointed at with the finger For man consisteth of two partes the one is the minde endued with reason and beareth the Image of God the other is the body which wee haue common with brute Beastes Dauid compareth that man that lacketh vnderstandinge vnto Horse and Mule and mée thinkes I may wel compare such lusty lads whose commendacion is only in their personage and lacketh learninge wit and honesty vnto Platoes man as Diogenes scoffingly termed For when that Plato in his Schoole had defined a man in this wise to be a lyuing and two footed creature made vpright and without any feathers Diogenes thinkinge that hee had not well defined or expressed the nature of man because hee suppressed that which was most propper to man and did concerne the minde and guift of reason hee plucked a Capon bare of all his feathers and turned him into the Schoole saying beholde Platoes man. Thus is a man if you consider not his minde a foole What is he but an vnfeathered fowle A man without manners what is hée better then a Capon without feathers wherfore if you meete any sutche in your dishe esteeme him as you list I haue tolde you the price Trust not to soone those faire faces which come like Capons vpon Soppes and Suger That braue apparrell what is it else but Peacockes feathers The good complexion the strength of the body the white hande the cleane leg what are they all but fadinge flatteringe flowers what but baytes to deceaue the foolish fishe All these doo serue but to please the eye to satisfie the fantacy of the flesh Consider that which is written in the sirte Chapter of Genesis The Sonnes of God saw the Daughters of men that they were fayre and they toke them Wiues of all that they Iyked Therfore the Lord sayd my spirit shall not alwaies striue with man c. Beholde that fleshly fancy euen of Mariage it selfe because therby they abused and polluted the holy ordenaunce of God is expressed there as one of the causes that prouoked God so to powre out the rayne of his wrath and to destroy all fleshe from the face of the earth Wherfore in this point I ende with the exhortation of Sainct Iohn in the seconde Chapter of his first Epistle Loue not the worlde neither the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him for al that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pryde of life is not of the Father but is of the world and the world passeth away and the lust thereof but hee that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer By these you may consider the true and sure way you haue to walke you haue the by wayes that may cause you to wander in some part stopped vp you may sée if it please yon the good and the bad although set forth but in a rude glasse Singe not now Medeas songe who sayd I see and allow the better but yet I follow the worse Giue not Venus your Apple but giue the vertuous your weddinge Ringe And then sée how you haue headed your Arrow sée the blessed state you stande in hee is yours for better for worser forritcher for poorer in sickenesse in health hée shal be to you an Husbande to your Children a Father to your fréendes a fauourer to your enemies a terror hee shall willingly beare parte of all your blowes and burdens hee shall double your prosperitie hee shal mourne whē you wéepe hée shal laugh when you are glad his loue is sure sealed euen ioyned by God him slfe Hée is not like the ritche of whom the Sonne of Sirache sayth in the thirtéenth Chapter If thou bee for his profit hee vseth thee but if thou haue nothing hee forsaketh thee Hée is not like the light louer of Beauty of whom the wise Plato saith Hee that loueth thee for thy fauour when that decayeth hee will giue thee ouer But hee shall bee one wit● you both body and soule hee shal walke forth with you all your Pilgrimage here on earth shall leade you the way to eternall rest Hee shal bée blessed in all his affaires for so saith Dauid in the hundred fourtéenth Psalme Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth in his commaundementes the generation of him shal be blessed ritches and treasures shal be in his house and his righteousnesse shal indure And in the hundred twentie eyght Psalme hée sayth Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and walketh in his wayes when hee eateth the laboures of his handes hee shal be blessed and it shal be wel with him his Wife shal be as the flourishinge Vyne on the sides of his house euen your Husbandes Wife shal bee such a one if your Husbande bee such a one This Dauid promiseth and in the spirit of God prophesieth and confirmeth it againe saying Loe surely thus shal the man be blessed that walketh in the wayes of the Lord and thus shall the Woman bee blessed that marryeth the man that feareth the Lorde You wil say peraduenture I would thinke my selfe well bestowed vpon such a man but the crafte is in the catching the doubt is in the obtayninge But goe you forwarde in your race of Vertue and then you shall not goe far before you meete with a méete matche It is an olde sayinge The like loueth the like The Sonne of Sirache sayth in the thirtéenth Chapter All flesh wil resort to their like and euery man wil kepe company with such as hee is himselfe A vertuous Woman saith hée in the sixtéenth Chapter is a good portion and a gyfte to be giuen to some iust ioseph or some true Tobyas You know that euery good gifte cōmeth from God as the Father and first founder therof and surely in this case God appeareth more euidente to strike the stroke to worke as it were immediatly within with his owne hande So sayth Salomon in the nynetéenth Chapter of his Prouerbes House and ritches are the inheritance of the Fathers but a prudent Wife is the speciall guisee of the Lorde Wherfore although there bee

good tokens and markes wherby to make your choice as by the fruite to iudge the Trée for so saith the Booke of Ecclesiasticus in the .xxvij. Chapter The worde declareth the harte the talke is the tryall of men Yet because these are rather probable coniectures then sure demonstracions for Fame oftentimes lyeth therefore when you haue caste the whole and the somme yet God is all in all this matter and the onely maker of good Mariages Bee free then from worldly businesse he cleare from carnall affections cast your hope vpon God depend vpon his prouidence commit the matter wholy to his handes resorte and flye to him with oft and earnest prayer for that when all other wayes bee tryed is the plainest to seeke the surest to trust and the readiest to finde for such as seeke good Wiues and good Husbandes You haue a good example in the .xxiiij. Chapter of Genesis how Abraham proceeded in the Mariage of his Sonne Isaac You haue there the praier that the seruaunt of Abraham made to whom the charge therof was committed how hée entringe his iourney desired God to prosper him and to shew mercy vnto his Maister Abraham and that God according to his faithfull prayer gaue him a token wherby hée chose the vertuous Virgin Rebecca For her Parentes when they perceaued that God wrought with man could not deny their good will vnto Isaac but answered This thing is proceeded of the Lorde we cannot therfore say vntō thee eyther euill or good You haue also there the exercise of Isaac how he was occupied in the meane time while Rebecca was taken out of his Ryb hée wente out to praye in the Féelde towardes the euening and Rebecca first found him so occupied This is all my good Cosin that I haue now to be sayd Giue your selfe ouer wholy vnto God to bee your guide Let your eyes be so earnestly bente vpon him as they were wont to be vpon your Mistreste whom you haue heretofore serued Then shall God no doubt giue you as a portion to the rightuous hée shall so ioyne you that man may not seperate you Christ shal bee present with you as at the Mariage of Cana hee shall conduct you with his holy spirit he shall turne your Water into Wine hee shall make the sower sweete and prosper all your affaires In the meane time while God worketh bee not you ydle but practise your selfe in Isaackes exercise and God shall sende you an Husbande of his kinde euen a faithfull Sonne of Abraham a chosen Childe of god Yea God shal sende his Aungell to lead that man vnto your house euen as hee brought Tobyas vnto Sara at the house of her Father Raguell And as my poore prayer may helpe I will become your faythfull Orator I will beseeke the Lorde God to guide you with his holy spirite to prouide you an Husband for your comfort and to graunt you long to liue and loue togeather to your desired hartes ease and vnspeakeable quiet And so I leaue to trouble you and betake you to God who I am sure will neuer forget you if you repose your whole confidence in him Yours to commaund during lyfe I. R. This faythfull pledge of true intente With trustie harte is truely mente FINIS THE GLASSE of godly Loue. Wherin all maried couples may learne their duties each toward others according to the holy Scriptures Verye necessary for all maryed men and women that feare the Lorde loue his lawes to haue it in their Bedchambers daily to looke in whereby they may know and do their duties each vnto others and leade a godly quiet and louing life togeathers to the glory of God and the good example of their Christian Bretheren Iames. 1. See that ye be not only hearers of the worde but also doers least that therby yee deceaue your selues Colossians 3. Aboue all thinges put on Loue which is the band of perfection To all Christian men and women that are maryed FOrasmuch as the Diuel is most ready to make strife where there ought to bee most loue and hath with heddy wilfulnesse concupiscence and ignorance soblinded the hartes of those which liue vnder the yoke of Matrimony that as I may iudge by their fruites there be very few that leade their lyues therein according to the lawes of Christe Therfore my deare welbeloued Christians which professe the Gospell to the intent that you should liue therin according to your profession and knowledge I haue here breefely and plaincly set forth what it is and how you ought to leade your lyues therin accordinge to the Rules of the holy Scriptures so that your pure and godly lyfe may bee a good example and also make such ashamed as would sclaunder the holy Gospell and professours of the same yea and that their wonted worde which is marke these new men by their lyuinge may sound to Gods glory to the honour of his most holy worde and praise of al them in Christ which do professe the same Farewell in the Lorde YOu shall first vnderstande that Wedlocke is an hie and blessed order ordained of God in Paradise which hath euer bin had in great honor and reuerence whern one man and one woman are coupled and knit togeather in one fleshe and body in the feare and loue of God by the frée louing hartie and good consent of them both to the intente that they two may dwel togeather as one flesh and bodye of one will and minde in all godlynesse most louingly to helpe and comfort one another to bring forth children and to instruct them in the lawes of god Also to auoyde Fornication and all vncleanenesse and so in all honesty vertue and godlynesse to spend their liues in the equall partakinge of all such thinges as God shall send them with thankes gyuinge And because that the Wife is in subiection to her Husband I will begin with her shortly declare what dutie and obedience shée oweth vnto him by the commaundementes of the Scriptures Ephe. 5. The duetie of the Wife to her Husband SAynct Pawle sayth Yee Wiues submit your selues to your owne Husbandes as to Lorde for the Husband is the Wiues head as Christ is the head of the Congregatiō Therfore as the Congregation is in subiection vnto Christe likewise let Wiues be in subiection to their Husbandes in al thinges So that the wife must bee obediente vnto her husband as vnto Christ himselfe whereout it foloweth that the saide obedience extendeth not vnto any wickednesse or euill but vnto that which is good honest and cumly In asmuch as God delighteth onely in goodnes forbiddeth the euill euery where it foloweth also that the disobedience that a wife showeth to hir Husband displeaseth God no lesse then when he is disobeyed himself For the wife ought to obey hir husband in all pointes as the Congregation to Christe which loueth Christ onely and aboue all thinges shee is glad and willinge to suffer for Christes sake shee doth all for the loue