and yet buffeted him in the face neither him that prayseth a man now and yet slandereth him by by after folow not the example of the vsurer who on the one side prayeth and on the other side notwithstanding taketh vsurie but if you will be true prayers and perseuerers in déede follow this virgins example plucke out the rustie yro◠out of your wound before you proceede to take a plaister and purge your soules of corruption that you may be healed and perseuere But to returne to the sequell of this Historie The yong man hauing impressed in his memorie the wise and vertuous aunswere of this rare and godly Virgin thought that time thrise happy that he directed his steppes into the doores of this olde man and passing the tyme with her in common conference found her wisdome such and her gouernement so godly that his affections which before were his owne were now alyenated and estraunged from him so farre as his whole delight was fixed how to drawe vnto him her good lyking purposing not to passe any further tyl he had made a tryal of her good will and although the consideration of her pouertie might some what discourage him from his pretended choyse yet thought he that greater ritches could not remaine in any then the true possession of a vertuous minde the which he found to be so aboundauntlie placed in the breast of this young Maiden as he thought it as harde to finde her match as to gette a blacke Swan By this her father who vsually after supper walked abroade into the féeldes returned home and finding a guest in his house more then either he knew or expected was not a little abashed for as much as through the suspition of his pouertie his poore cottage was but smally frequented yet being wise and well acquainted with courtesie bade him welcome vnto whome this young man after humble thankes for his good entertainement requested of him that he might but finde so much fréendship at his handes as for his money to tarry and refresh himselfe in his house tyll he were more apt and able to passe foorth the rest of his vnknowne iorney Vnknowne iorney quoth the old man why are you out of your way good Sir sayth he or know you not the name of the place wherevnto you are bent eyther haue you forgotten the same or dyd you neuer héeretofore trauaile this wayes Good father sayth the yong man for so both your age and state requireth I am not out of my way but rather in the same thrise happy doo I thinke my selfe that fortune guiged me into this pathe the name of this place I neuer knew and therefore haue I not forgotten the same neither did I euer before trauaile this way but I so bide mine vnknowne iorney in as much as I am ignoraunt whether it will please you to graunt me abyding within the compasse of your cottage which if you doo then is not my iorney vnknowne but at an end for as much as since my arriuall at your house I haue found the place which I hope fortune decréede I should atchieue Gentleman quoth the old man what good happe is that that you harpe on so much that hath guided you hither I know not but if you shall receyue any good by the meanes of your comming hyther I shalbe right glad of the same as for the vse of my poore cottage although it be but simple not woorthy your entertainement yet least I should séeme to deny you the same vse both it and me I beséech you at your pleasure taking such fare as you finde and see agréeable to my poore state and calling Good father quoth the other the good I haue got and the lucky hap I haue had since my comming I shall in time to come I hope make knowne vnto you in the meane while I am to yéeld you most harty thanks that being a stranger altogether in these parts you haue notwithstāding deined to proffer me such courtesie as greater can I not find amōg my best acquaintaunce and as for your fare were it neuer so simple if I should mislike the same procéeding from a franke and willing heart I might be counted an yl guest that would estéeme more of the meat then the man or more of your fare then of your faithfull hart I account the dwelling good that is not daungerous and the chéere great that is willingly bestowed Gentleman sayth the olde man the good behauiour and courtesse that I sée apparaunt in your outward habite maketh me to iudge therby the maners of your inward mind and therefore your none acquaintaunce is quitted by your modest demeanor for vertue maketh a straunger vnto euerie wise man a familliar neyther haue I euer séene that young man héeretofore vnto whome mine eye vppon so small acquaintaunce hath drawne my heart more néerer and therefore I my poore cottage are to vse at your pleasure tarry your time and depart at your leysure Thus taried this youth in the house of this olde man noting the outward pouertie of the Father and the inward vertue of the Daughter no lesse musing at the one then meruailing at the other but especiallie the Virgins godly gouernement her modest manners her words placed with wisedome her lookes without luste and her déedes ruled by discresion so that it séemed vnto him that her life was a lampe to the lende a lantorne to the loose and a light to the laciuious gouerned by grace ruled by reason and bridled with the bytte of Gods holy word wherein he sawe her so continually occupied that her whole delight séemde to be placed in the meditation thereof On the other side the old father marking the godly life of this young man noting his courteous iesture his wisdome his humility his sobriety his spéeches familiarly spoken yet wisely placed his minde stored with myrth yet vsed with modesty his contentiue minde his patient sufferaunce his earnest praiers for his Father though he might haue grudged at his vnkindnesse And knowing his Father his kindred and fréendes yet more regarding his vertue then his fortune or any part of his hoped wealth was wunne vnto such an inward affection towardes him as he studied howe to bring that to passe which the young man did most secretlie desyre Noting also the honest and mutuall fréendship the vertuous and faithfull loue that daylie increased in the minds of these two younglings he thought that match could not be made a misse where loue was the beginning and vertue was the ende and therefore breaking one day the matter vnto his daughter was desyrous to know the affections of her minde at which he aimed by y e dispositions of her body and she whome simplicity had nourished with the milke of truth hauing her face stained with the vermillion of vertue with blushing countenaunce reuealed that loue which her outward iestures could not conceale desiring therin the consent of her fathers mind from whose body she had receiued
the substaunce of her being shewing him that she was more drawn to loue him by the view of vertue then any affection dimmed with the vaile of vanitie requesting him that as he had béene a Father of her body in giuing to her those thinges necessarie for her vse so he would be also a gouernor of her life in not denying her him wheron her ioies did rest which the good olde man did as willingly graunt as she did heartely desire perswading her that as she had béen a comfortable staffe to staye vp the weight of his aged lymmes so he would be a carefull father in prouiding her a mate agréeable to her minde as soone as tyme would permit the accomplishment of the same Shortly after the old father espying an apt occasion to performe his promise brake with the young man in the demaund of this match requesting of him to know how he liked the rude demeanor of his daughter and for as much as he had moued the question of mariage vnto her of which she had certified him at large was desyrous to know what he sawe in her that should drawe him to lyking of so vnséemelie a choise perswading him that if he shot at wealth in stéede thereof he should finde want for as much as his state could yéeld no supplie to his necessitie but if he aimed at vertue he thought her able to bring him a sufficent dowrie in that his study had béene to make her therewith sufficientlie endued The young man replied vnto him that he gaped neither after gold nor goods for as much as he saw by sufficient appearaunce that there was no such gaine to be gased after within the compasse of his cottage but that he had found already an inestimable treasure in an obscure corner the possession wherof if it pleased him he might quietlie enioy he acknowledged himselfe ritcher then Cressus and his substaunce more then all the golden sandes of Pactolus or the siluer streames of Ganges more happier in his conquest then Alexander and farre more more fortunate then Policrates This good old man espying the vertuous end of this yong mans desyre and seeing that vertue was the onely marke whereat he did Jeuell the shotte of his affections could not any longer dissemble his hidden state neither the good will that he bare to his vertuous minde therefore taking him apart into a priuie corner of his cottage he shewed him a huge summe of gold siluer not gathered by his care who was rather addicted to contemplation then to heaping of treasure but bequeathed by the death of her Vncle a man of great substaunce who noting the hope of her vertuous heart that shined foorth in the image of her face deliuered to her Father to kéepe for her vse a homelie coffer in outward showe farced within full of gold and siluer all which for so much as he saw he desired not wealth but wisdome nor the body of his daughter but her minde he gaue him calling vnto him his onely child and ioyning theyr handes with the frée consent of theyr ioyful hearts he blessed them praying God that as vertue was the beginning of theyr loue so it might be the ende of the same that they might liue together héere in all godlinesse and felicitie and ende theyr dayes in peace and tranquilitie that such issue might spring of their séede as might be the common wealths commoditie to theyr comfort and Gods glorie Thus liued they together in all honestie godlinesse and quietnesse breaking all brawles with humilitie quieting euerie discorde by loue the one not being proude through rule the other not checking her husband for wealth looke what he lyked she loued looke what he loathed she lusted not after in pleasure she would be his partner in sorrowe his companion her honest myrth was his mellody and her fréendly hart his harmony in health his delight and in sicknesse his Phisitian and in bréefe the piller of his life and the onely patterne of a vertuous wife O how many wiues haue we in our Citie that follow not the example of this Damsell but rather runne with maine strength the contrary way whose liues if they were noted would rather deserue a sharpe inuectiue then a plausible prayse against whome I will not inueigh least I might be rather vniustlie accused of some of enuie then thought to write of iudgement and experience I will therfore strike sayle in such a tempest rather then striuing with contrarie windes runne against the rockes of womens venemous tongues and so put in perill the ship of my safetie accounting this only example sufficient to encourage the good and to gaule the wicked the one burning with the praise of vertue the other blushing at the want thereof Wherefore let all Maidens learne by this Virgins example how to weare out theyr golden time of virginitie not by spending the same in wantonnesse wildnesse lâ—senesse and libertie but in shamefastnesse discréetnesse chastnesse and sobrietie which as Valerius sayth is Custos castitatis The preseruer of chastitie Moreouer let them be silent not coueting by wordes rather to be séene so to shew their eloquence then by shamefastnesse to declare theyr honest silence as a number doo in these daies who make their tongues swéete instruments to delight the eares of trifling talkers count it a great gaine to florish in glorious speech so that if nature had made them for that vse I thinke some of them would prooue gallaunt Orators to pleade and as sutle Sophisters to deceyue Let them learne also to kéepe theyr féete from gadding and to exercise themselues at home in vertuous dooing of which the one will blotte theyr good name with infamie but the other adorne theyr life with glorie This Maidens modesty may be theyr myrror and her gouernment a glasse for theyr behauior how to consume their time in godlinesse and praier and to bridle theyr loose affections from vicious demeanor whose example if they immitate they shall finde more faithfull louers of theyr vertue then foolishe doters on theyr beautie more suters for theyr honestie then lykers of theyr braucrie and aboue all they shall be sure that God will prouide them such husbands as shall be trusty louers and honest lyuers But for so much as I promised in the Exordium of this historie to set downe somewhat whereby the vnskilful youth may be warned how to make a right choise in the chosing of a Wife or hauing chosen how theyr life may be spent in quietnes I wil bréefly performe it and so drawe to an end Chrysostome perswadeth him that will marrie to censider whether the Parentes be both good or both euill or whether the one be good and the other euill if they be both good then may he safely make choise of her if both euill then to refuse her if the one be good the other euill then may he be doubtfull what to doo yet if the Father be good and the mother dishonest vnquiet
this accurssed meate cleaued to close to the same that force nor strength could beat the same away The maide crying to her young maister with a shriking voice caused him quicklie to discerne the matter who assaying by stripes to repulse the same away wrought by Gods iust iudgement his owne punishment for this filthie Tode contrarie to natures temeritie which hath taught the same to flie the sight of man with forcible strength reuerted from the meate and respringing from the same leapt suddenlie into the face of this Lordlie sonne cleauing so fast therevnto that no art nor councell no force nor fortitude could driue the same from his accurssed fleshe but that sticking thus vnto his face many yéeres punished the wickednesse of this vngratious impe that contrarie to lawe nature disdayned the duetie due to his withered Parents But that which is most myraculous when any man touched any part of this hateful monster or endeuored to driue the same from of his face the terror of torment so assaulted his heart that it pinched the same with most vntollerable paines The fame of this woonder was spread throughout all the vttermost endes of Normandie and Fraunce the straungenesse whereof did amaze as many as heard the same causing in many children some feare and duetie to theyr Parentes and in many Fathers more carefull regard of theyr children Yet as there is no offence so bainous but by contrition auoideth Gods vengeaunce so is there no sinne so gréeuous but is pardoned by repentaunce for though the fire of Gods wrath be often kindled against our transgression yet the waterie teares of submission quencheth the consuming coles of his anger and obteineth present remission and so though this obstinate sonne had both offended his earthly Father and also incensed his heauenlie Creator yet his minde melting in humility prouoked the Lord to accustomable pittie so that after long patient and sufficient sufferaunce the Lord sent vnto him spéedy delyueraunce Drawe néere you dallying Daddes that marre the mindes of your children by excessiue and ouermuch cockering beholde the iudgementes of God that punisheth you in those thinges that you chéefely loue because you make them your Gods who ought to be theyr guides you adore them lyke Saintes which should serue you lyke Sonnes you let them run at lybertie which you ought to kéepe in straightly you minister to theyr néedlesse youth which should labour for your néedfull age you giue them all things and deny them nothing and yet you complaine that your children are gracelesse when you your selues are not therein blamelesse O Fathers remember you haue béen children remember that in your childhood the flesh did assayle yée letchery dyd burne yée lust dyd inflame yée the world dyd prouoke yée and the deuill dyd tyse yée and sith thou art a Father and hast béene a sonne sith thou art olde and hast béene young let not thy chylde liue so in youth as maye make thée wéepe in age neyther let him so follow his affection as maye cause thee wayle thy want of discretion Harke what the Wise man sayth If thou bring vp thy sonne delycatelie he shall make thee afraide and if thou playe with him he shall bring thee to heauinesse laugh not with him least thou weepe with him also and least thou gnash with thy teeth at the last giue him no lybertie in his youth and excuse not his follie bowe downe his necke whyle he is young hye him on the sydes whyle lie is but a childe least he waxe stubborne and giue no more force of thee and so shalt thou haue heauinesse of soule Saint Augustine reciteth a notable example of Cyrillus a Cittizen of Hiponenses who hauing a Sonne which he superfluously loued for that he was his onely sonne he possessed he brought him vp so delicately that he wanted nothing but had it of him willinglie denying nothing that he demaunded but graunting him all things that he requyred being as slowe to correct him as he was loth to displease him this youth consumed a great part of his fathers goodes in luxurious lyuing as a number doo with vs in these dayes which frequent the Tauerne before the Temple visite theyr harlottes with letters before theyr redéemer with teares delyte rather to sippe the cuppe of theyr concubine then to taste of the comfortable cuppe of Communion but beholde the glorie of foolish Fathers and marke the fruite of vnbridled children for being one day dronken with as much wine as his Syre was with superfluous loue he kylled his Father weake with age oppressed his Mother great with childe would haue defyled his sisters and wounded two of them vnto death O myserable and detestable impe of the deuill but sée héere O fathers what cōmeth of your too too foolish affection superfluous loue which blindeth your iudgement that you cannot will not correct the faultes of your children as the Philosopher sayth Amor et odium sepe faciunt iudicium non cognoscere Loue and hatred oftentimes peruert iudgement The cause of which maketh you to nussel them in such nicenes that they are vnfit for labor or study through corruption of idlenes the Emperor Octauian set his sonnes daughters to labor to the end y t they might if fortune failed obtaine a meane to liue in honest behauior he taught his sonnes the exercise of chiualrie his daughters to worke in wooll painefully Licurgus taught his yong children to suffer harme patientlie to doo good willingly Many examples may be héerin inserted in which I should séeme too tedious if I should prosecute them with prolixitie but because I will not be too long I will therefore conclude with breuitie shewing how this want of correction and this too fond affection hath caused Parents to be punished in theyr children Dauid for as much as he was too slacke in correcting his childrens abuses was therefore plagued in theyr oppressions how was he expulsed by Absalon How was he shamed in Amon And to be short Hely for his negligence in not correcting the offences of his children was punished of God so that in one day his sonnes were slaine he brake his necke and his daughter in lawe for sorrowe thereof trauailed with childe and died Boetius reciteth a History of Lucretius that was nourished vp of his father without discipline and correction vntyll mans state who consumed his money at dice and harlottes and being many times redéemed by his Father out of prison fell notwithstanding to ill company and conuersation tyll on a time being taken for some great offence and led vnto the gallowes his father folowing him he requested at the place of execution that he might speake with his father and that he might but kisse him before his departure and fayning the same most sharplie bitte of his fathers nose saying Father iustlie by thy meanes doo I suffer this for hadst thou but corrected me I neuer had come to this miserie Beholde héere
O fathers the fruite of slacke correction what foolishe pittie procureth in gracelesse children what lyttle lacke of vice and what great want of vertue corruption hath sowne in the hearts of your younglinges bring not your selues therefore vnder the yoake of your children for your shall finde it a painefull burthen The Wise man sayth Trust not to their lyfe nor regard not their labours For common experience teacheth vs in these dayes that the loue of Fathers to theyr children is verie great but the affection of children to theyr Parents verie small we sée what care Fathers haue ouer the state of theyr children and what negligence children haue euer theyr Fathers and therefore it may be saide verie well that loue by nature dooth descend but not ascend it descendeth from the Father to the Sonne but it ascendeth not from the sonne to the Father wherein the loue of the Father appeareth more and the loue of the childe lesse but what is the cause that the loue of the Father is more effectuall to the childe then the childes good will to the Father the reason is Quia radix citius putresceret quamque ramus remitteret sibi influentiam Because the roote shall sooner rotte then the braunch shall send backe his influence vnto it But somewhat to amplifie as well the duetie of children as to quallifie the vaine affection of Parents I wish all children to print this passed patterne in theyr hearts and to write the same in the table of theyr thoughts that they may learne thereby to honour theyr Parents and to cherish them in theyr latter yéeres The Wise man saith My sonne make much of thy Father in his age greeue him not as long as he liueth And againe Honour thy Father from thy whole heart and forget not the sorrowfull trauaile thy Mother had with thee It is written in the booke of Tobias Honour thy Mother all the dayes of her lyfe for thou oughtest to remember what and howe great perilles she suffered for thee in her wombe This did that Heathen man Coriolanus remember of whome Valerius maketh mention who being Consull of Rome and depressed thereof being driuen into exile by the Romaines went vnto the Volscans of whome being fréendly entertained he was made theyr Captaine against the Romaines and after many Citties taken he approched vnto Rome and comming within a thousand paces thereof they sent vnto him Orators from the Senate to intreate of peace but he would not heare them againe they sent their Priests with their Insignes adorned but he refused them at the length his Mother named Veturia cōming to the campe being suddenly espied of her sonne he cried out O mater vicisti iram meā scio quid vis O mother thou hast sayth he ouercome my anger I knowe what thou wouldest haue wherof hapned peace onely through the loue of his mother insomuch as he said more hath the loue of my mother doon then the strength of the Romains The Philosopher Aristotle sayth Dijs parentibus et magistris non potest reddi equiualens To God to Parentes and masters no man can yeeld recōpence Valerius rehearseth a notable history of a mother in Rome which had a daughter married the mother had committed a fault for which she should be burned her daughter came to the Emperor with her little child bowed her knée desiring life for her mother the Emperor sayd the case committed required death that she was worthy the same the daughter replied O mightie Emperor Princes should be mercifull not suffering their suppliants to depart without comfort yet I beséech thée O Emperor let not my mother be publiquelis put to death for how filthy will that be how ful of confusion so to die before the people but if that no pardon may redéeme my mothers life yet graunt I beseech thée that she may be condemned to perpetual prisonment there to finish her last farewel The Emperor considering y e meeknes of the daughter gaue sentence that the mother should be condemned to die in prison without any nourishment to her giuen the daughter yet craued that she might naked descend vnto her mother in the dungeon which being graunted she visited her mother in this wise O mother I came naked out of thy wombe naked vnto thee I doo descend to bring thee bread or foode was not to me permitted but as I being young did sucke thy breast to maintaine me so thou being old sucke mine to sustaine thee thus liued the mother eight dayes with the milke of her mild daughter this being showne to y e Emperor how that she was yet liuing moued him to wrath in somuch y t he would haue slaine the Jayler for that he suffred not her to famish with hunger who sware that nothing was by him administred to her the Emperor therfore marked secretlie the egresse of this kinde and louing daughter and heard her sweet and mild cōmunication and séeing her giuing vnto her mother her breasts to sucke cōmaūded this daughter to be drawne foorth of prison naked wéeping séeing the compassion of the daughter to her mother said daughter I giue vnto thee thy mother whose tender intyre good will hath deserued her deliuerance A most worthy rare example for children in these daies to immitate and folow For as saith Rauen Auelle à sole solis radium et nō lucet rinum à fonte et arescit ramū ab arbore et exiccatur membrū à corpore et putrescit separa filium à deuotione paterna et iam non est filius sed frater et collega illorum de quibus dicitur vos ex patre diabolo estis Take away from the Sun his beames and it shineth not from the fountaine his riuer it waxeth dry from the tree his bough it wil wither from the body his member it will rot so seperate a sonne from fatherly loue and then is he no sonne but a brother and a fellowe of them of whome it is sayd Ye are of your father the deuill To conclude let all children or they of what age state or calling so euer which haue Parents thinke them worthy of all honor reuerence loue feare endonoring to requite as much as in them lyeth though fully they cannot the labor trauaile the cost and care the loue losse that theyr Parents haue passed for theyr preseruatiō that they may say they haue nourished vp no Woolues to worrie them but well-willers to cherishe them that beastes in theyr nature exceed not theyr loue whom reason hath framed to excell all creatures As the Storke◠that succour theyr parents in theyr aged time recouering them with theyr winges supporting them in flying and also administring to theyr noriture and necessitie Moreouer let them consider but the tender nature and kinde affection that they ought to beare vnto them being stronglie vrged thereto by reason of theyr being for by
or without gouernment he ought rather to feare then contrariwise and the reason is because Maidens haue béene more accustomed to be conuersaunt with theyr Mothers then with theyr Fathers and therfore more inclined to follow their manners whervpon rose the prouerbe Qualis mater talis filia Such a moher such a daughter But especially let him beware that intendeth to marrie that these things concurre and méete together namely that in theyr states there be an equallitie for where there is no equallitie of condition there can be no quietnesse of life for as much as two contraries are neuer found in one subiect nor one hart in two contrarie fortunes for wealth in a woman without wisdome pouertie in a man without great gouernement doo neuer make vp a quiet marriage Moreouer let there be a lykenesse in theyr manners and a vnitie in theyr mindes least if there affections be variable they become seperable for where there is no likenesse in manners there can be no soundnesse in fréendshippe where is no soundnes in fréendship there is no faithfulnes in loue where is no faithfulnes in loue there may be no quietnes of lyfe and where the lyfe is vnquiet there is the lyfe but a death and the mariage a myserie But aboue all séeing that Natura nihil solitarium amat And that those that haue not the gift of continencie must marrie albeit that in marriage are many discommodities yet of euils the least is to be chosen For better it is to marrie then to burne in fleshlie desires let euery wise man haue a speciall regard therefore that her Parentes be honest she vertuous and therewithall Religious séeing that the lacke of Religion is the want of good lyfe and the open gappe to all vngodlinesse and surely this lacke of foresight in choyse leadeth many a man to yll chaunce making the whole lyfe vnsauerie that else might be spent in swéete and pleasaunt quietnesse and ended in myrth ioye and happinesse In breefe therefore good education is better in a Maiden then ritches albeit I will not disswade any man from profite so it be not wholie respected for I deny not but that wealth wisdome may be coupled and vertue and ritches conioyned that there may be as much vice in néedy pouertie as pride in glistering ritches for Marcus Cato had a wife who although she were poore yet was she proude poÌ„tifical péeuish yet is a poore Maiden vertuous better then a ritch that is vicious and pouertie with glorie is better then ritches with infamy But now to vse Apostrophe to those that are married as in the choyse of a wife there is to be vsed discretion so must thou gouerne her by mildnesse and wisedome austeritie of wordes must be mingled with gentlenesse of spéech feare must in her be turned into loue and bitternesse in thée into swéetnesse of behauiour seeing that she was not made of the head nor the foote but of the ryb and side of man which sheweth that as she may not be a mystresse so must she be no maide as no soueraigne so no seruaunt but an equall companion and a freendly fellow to participate with thee of euery fortune With this mildnesse of gouernement must be matched secrecie of chastisement that euery fault be not openly corrected nor euery offence publique detected euery light fault must not be found nor euerie infirmity sharply noted for as a discord in musicke being a harshe and vnpleasaunt stroke of mixed soundes sharpe and flat is unpleasaunt to the tuneable eare So the publique disagréemeÌ„t of cooples being an vnsauerie noyse of iarring wordes is gréeuous to the honest godly minde therefore if any occasion of offence fal out as it cannot chuse but euen among the best it may sometimes happen for Vnicuique dedit vitium natura creato To euerie one that liues hath nature giuen a fault there ought to be great cyrcumspection that it be not onely reprooued least a small offence vnwisely handled bréede a gaule in the minde and a gréefe in the heart Last of all accustome thy selfe to fréendlinesse in spéeche and louingnes in coÌ„munication to honesty of life and vertuousnesse of manners that going before in gouernement of life she may follow in obedience of behauior let thy life be a lantorne to light her and a guide to leade her an example of vertue and a patterne of honest demeanor that she beholding thy vertue may immitate thée in euery godly action These notes duely obserued will profite thée in singlenesse and ease thée in wedlocke make thy whole life delightfull and thy death ioyfull that departing from the shaddowe of this short life a good conscience may accompany thée to the life eternall and a good name remayne for thy eternall memorie Amen FINIS Hugo in libello ad socium voleatem nubere August ad quendam comitem Gregory in moralibus Eccle. 10. Hugo victori in lib. de claustro animae Dani. 4. 2 Sam. 15. Aelia in li. 11. cap. 19. de nat animal Eccle. 20. Aug sermo de dâ—testatione â—â—â—â—â—tatis â—â—â— â—3 1. Rhâ— Policra in lib. 6. cap. 4. Cicero in lib. Tusenlan quest 1. Reg. 4. Boe. in lib. de doctri scolarim Eccle. 16. Eccle. 3. Eccle. 7. Tob. 4. Valer. in lib. 5. cap. 4 Arist in lib. Eth. 9. Vale. in lib. de subuentione filiorum ad Parentes Peter Raâ—iâ— quodam sermo Ambrose in exame hom 5. Virgill â— Aenid Super. Math.
theyr Parents they haue the same without whome they had not béene And héerein let them consider the carefull loue and the notable thankfulnesse but of Aeneas which may onely endure them to carefull kindnesse who being a noble Prince of the Troyans disdained notwithstanding at the subuersion of the Cittie wherein he might haue prayed vpon great substance to carrie his aged Father whome as he was he counted his greatest treasure vpon his shoulders and bearing him through the middest of his enimies from flaming fire and bloody weapons he cried Parcite nunc ô Graeci nulla enim erit vobis adoria si decrepitum senem interfeceritis mihi vero maxima si parentem carissimum liberauero Spare now O you Graecians for no glorie shall you gette if you kill a croked olde creature but vnto me great glorie remayneth if I shall deliuer my deerest Parent Whose Christian example procéeding but from an Heathenish heart if children followe they shall obtaine that reward which God hath promised the obseruers of this commaundement namelie long lyfe vppon earth the which though it be abreuiated in this life as sometime it happeneth by Gods appointment shall be prolonged and performed in the true life euerlasting in respect whereof this is but a death and a continuall threatning the chaunge of our mortallitie ⧠The rare vertue of a Maiden and the singular discrecion of a young man the one in her good and godlie gouernment the other in his wise and prudent choise of his Wife An excellent example to all Maidens how they should exercise their golden tyme and a perfect platforme to young men not to runne rashlie to the bayte of theyr pleasures least they be caught in the hooke of follie to their owne harme and hinderaunce IN no one action that pertaineth to the life of man ought there to be so great care studie or foresight as in the choise or election of a Wife because that therein consysteth eyther the pleasure or paine the gaine or gréefe of him that endeuoureth to enter that state of lyfe neither may the same once taken in hand and accomplished be reuoked except by the dissolution of that bonde the destruction or at least the continuall gréefe of eyther part be procured And therefore as he that betaketh himselfe to the Seas must abyde the stormes or tempest or he that entereth warres sustaine of lyfe the daunger without reuersion tyll fortune finishe theyr trouble in bringing a happie ende to theyr taken enterprise So who so attempteth marriage without aduisement running rashlie vpon the reckes of theyr owne ruine and entring the combersome conflict of cares where the gunshotte of calamitie shall batter theyr braines and the assaultes of sorrowes ouer maister theyr mindes such must patientlie beare the brunt of theyr owne breeding abiding the bitter blastes of vnquiet brawling tyll death make a deuision of theyr fortunes by disioynting of theyr bodies conglutinate together by the free consent of theyr headdy mindes To auoiding therefore of such daungers as maye be the vnsauorie sance of the whole life it behoueth eche wise man to enter the garden of discretion there to picke out the purest hearbes of wisedome which maye serue him as preseruatiues of knowledge before choyse to make right election or as plaisters of remedie in choyse to heale the heart with contentation And that example of right choosing might appeare vnto those vnskilfull in choosing whose tender yeeres or hastie heades driueth foreward theyr posting mindes to experience of marriage before wisdome haue taught them what it meaneth I haue bréefely though bluntlie layde a platforme thereof in the consequent that followeth vnto their open construction There was sometime a ritch man of great possessions of large reuenewes and ample substance hauing a sonne whose wisedome surpassed his fathers wealth whose reason his ritchesse and whose good gouernement his fathers hereditament so that if the Father were fortunate in his wealth yet his good happe succeeded in his heyre which more adorned the lyfe of his Father by his vertue then the same was garnished by his treasure so that if the same were luckie by the inheritaunce of the Father yet was the Father more renowmed by the vertue of his sonne a great contrarietie in the giftes of fortune for as much as where she coÌ„monly giueth wealth there she withdraweth wisdome where she yeeldeth vsually beauty there she wiâ—dome placeth continencie and where for the most part she lendeth strength there many times she withholdeth humilitie yet héere it pleased her to bestowe both the one and the other as a large mystrisse of her heauenly gifts But as the vnchast minde is neuer satisfied nor the drie ground neuer suffised so is the minde of the ritch and couetous neuer contented but that he daily contriueth how to encrease his stocke plentifullie how to marry his chyldren wealthily and how to aduaunce his kindred ritchly as this Father that albeit his owne landes and substance were sufficient to the maintenaunce of his successiue heire yet his musing minde continually compassed howe to accuimulate and heape vp riches for his sonne by insinuating this braunch of his body into the stocke of some noble kindred of affinitie rather regarding the vallour of the presence then the vertues of the personage more estéeming the wealth then the wisdome the dowrie then the déeds the ritches then the renowne and hauing espied a match meete to his minde for mucke though not measured at the meatwand of wisdome for womanhead namely the daughter of a ritch Knight whose pulchritude so pleasaunt whose beautie vnblemisht whose feature well framed but chéefelie whose dowrie delightfull he thought might content as well the fantasie of his sonne as it lyked his couetous appetite brake therefore vppon a tyme with his sonne as concerning the same laying fyrst the beautie of her bodie as a baite to allure him and afterward her treasure as a trap to traine him But hee whose wisedome ouerwaide his Fathers gréedie will considered that the sweetest Cedar in smell is bitter in sent that the fayrest fruite in touch is not the best in taste that the goodliest Oke in sight is not most sound and safe nor the ritchest state on vertue chéefest stayed But that the Spider may lurke in the Rose the rotten woorme in the fayre fruite the stinging Adder in the gréene grasse and heapes of vice in high Estate And therefore discretelie aunswered his Father that as duetie dyd driue him to esteeme his good will so reason reuoktâ— him from his vnséemelie choise which his fancie grounded on vertue misliked for that he sawe not in her actions the things that might drawe his déere affections And albeit she were endowed with temporall treasure concordaunt to her corporall beautie yet vertue being a habite of the hidden minde appeared not in her externall déedes the valure whereof he estéemed aboue the masse of mouldred muck for as much as it so farre excéeded wealth as the minde surpasseth the body and as the