ALthough swete cosyn ye be wyse ynoughe of your selfe , nor nede not other mens counsel , yet for the old frendeshyp contynued from our chylhode betwyxte vs & also for your kyndnes towardes me / & fynally because of the streyght alyaunce betwyxt vs : I thought it my duty ( if I wolde be the man whom ye always haue take me for / that is to say your frend and louer ) of such thynges as I iudged to belonge moste to the preseruation and dygnyte of you and yours / gladly and frely to auertyse you . Other mens profyght sometyme we espye better then our owen . I haue ofte folowed your counsell , whych I haue found no lesse profytable than frendly . Nowe if ye agayne wyll folowe myne I trust it shall repent neyther me of my counsellynge / nor you of The narration . your folowyng . Our frende Antony Bald supped with me the last nyght , one that is ( as ye knowe well ynough ) your great frende and nere kynsman . An heuy feste and full of tearys . He shewed me ( which was a great sorow to vs bothe ) that the good gentyll woman your mother is departed , that your syster for sorowe and desyre is entred in to a house of barren nunnys / that the hope of your stocke is turned onely vnto you / that your frendes with hole assent haue offered you a wyfe of great substaunce , of noble blode , of excellent beautye , of gentyl maners , and fynally whiche berethe great loue towards you . That ye yet , this notwithstandyng , for some immoderate sorowe , or els some superstitious holynes haue so determyned to lyue a chast lyf , and neuer to marye , that nouther for the care of your stocke , nor loue of yssue , nor for any requestes , prayers , or tearys of your frendes ye canbe plucked awaye from your purpose . But ye by myne aduyse shall chaunge thys mynde , and leuyng bachelershyp , a forme of lyuynge bothe barren and vnnaturall , shall gyue your selfe to moste holy wedlocke . In whiche mater I couet that neyther the loue of your frendes which els ought to ouercom your mynde , nor myne authoryte any thynge shulde ayde my cause / if I shewe nat by clere reasons that this shal be for you bothe moste honeste , most profytable and moste pleasaunt , yea what wyll ye say if ( as this tyme requyre ) also moste necessary ?

FOr fyrst of al / if then regard of honestye moueth you / which with good men is hyghly consydered , what thyng is more honeste then matrimony , wherunto Christ hymselfe dyd greate honoure and worshype , whiche vouche saued nat onely to be present with his mother at the mariages , but also consecrated the mariage feste with the fyrst fruetz of his myracles ? What is more holy then that which the creatour of all thynges hath ordeyned , copeled , sanctifyed ? whiche dame nature her selfe hathe enacted ? What is more laudable than hit , whyche who reprehendeth / is condemnable of heresy ? So honorable is matrimony , as is the name of heretyke slaunderous . What is a thyng of more equite , then to rendre that to the posterite / whiche we our selfes receyued of oure auncestrye ? What acte on the con trarye syde is done with les consideration , than vnder the zele of holynes to flee that , as vnholy & vngodly , which god the well and father of all holynes wolde haue counted most holy ? What thynge is farder from all humanite / than man to abhorre from the lawes of mannes estate ? What is a more vnkynde acte than to denye that to your yongers , whiche if ye toke nat of your elders , ye could nat be he that myght denye ? Now if we requyre the Authour of matrymony , The Author of matrimonie . it was founded and ordeyned nat of Lycurgus , nat of Moses , nat of Solon , but of the hyghe & myghty worker of all thinges , of hym it was also praysed / enhonested and consecrate . For at the 〈…〉 Man fyrste created / forthe with was copuled with a wyfe . begynnyng when he had made man of the slyme of the erthe he thought that his lyfe shulde be vtterly myserable and vnplesaunt , if he ioyned nat Eue a compagnion vnto hym . Wherfore he brought forthe the wyfe nat of the erthe , as he dyd man , but out of the rybbes of Adam , wherby it is to be vnderstand that nothynge ought , to be more dere to vs then the wyfe , nothyng more conioyned / nothynge more faste glued vnto vs . The selfe same After ye flode of Noye . god after the flode / when he was at one agayne with mankynde enacted ( as we rede in scripture ) the law of matrimony renu ed. this lawe fyrst , nat that we shuld loue bachelarshyp / but to crease / to multiply / to replenyshe the erth . But howe coulde that be , onles men wolde gyue theyr labour to wedlocke ? And leste we shulde here fynd cauellations / allegyng the liberte of the old law of Moses , or the necessite of that season / I pray you what meaneth that sentense repeted also in the new law of Christ / ratifyed and confirmed by Chrystes owne mouthe ? For this cause ( sayth he ) shall man leue Math. xix . father and mother and styck to his wyfe . What thynge is more holy than the natural loue of the chyld to his father ? And yet the feythe of wedlocke is preferred aboue it By whose authorite ? by goddes . At what tyme ? when nat only the olde law floryshed / but also when the newe lawe of Christ began to sprynge . The father is forsaken / the mother is forsaken / and the wyfe is stycked to . The son ( in the Ciuile lawe ) emancipate / that is to saye enfranchysed & out of his fathers bondes / begynneth to be his owne man & at lybertye . The son , in the same lawe , abdicate / that is to saye forsaken and dysherited of his father / ceaseth to be his son . But only deth vndo wed locke , if yet that deth vndo it . Now syr if the other sacramentes of Christes chyrch be had in greate veneration , who seeth nat that moch worshype ought to be gyuen to this , which was both ordeyned of god , & fyrst of all other ? And the other in erth , this in paradise / the other for remedy / this for solas / the other were put to in helpe of nature , which was fallen , only this was gyuen to nature at the fyrst creation . If we count the lawes holy which be institute of men , shall nat the lawe of wedlocke be most holy whiche we haue receyued of hym , of whom we haue receyued lyfe ? and which began in maner euen at one tyme with mankind ? To be short / because he wold con ferme this lawe by sum example / when he was a yonge man / and bydden ( as sayd is ) to the brydale , he cam thyther gladly with his mother , and nat contended with so doyng , dyd also greate honour to the feste with hys wonderfull worke / makyng none other wher the prosperous cōmencemēt and beginning of his myracles ? Why A confutation . than ( ye wyll say ) dyd Christ him selfe absteyne from wedlocke ? As thoughe ther be nat very many thynges in Christe / whyche we ought rather to maruayle at , than folowe . He was borne without carnal father / he proceded without payne of his mother , he arose from dethe to lyue when the sepulcre was closed , what is nat in hym aboue nature ? Let such thynges be appropriate to hym . Let vs ( lyuynge within the lawe of nature ) wonder & prayse the thynges that be aboue nature / but folowe those workes that be for our capacite . But he wolde be borne of a virgyn . Truth it is , of a virgyn / but yet wedded . A virgyn to his mother becam hym that was god , but that she was wedded , she signyfied vnto vs what we ought to do Uirginite be cam her whiche ( by the dyuyne inspiration of the holy ghost ) beyng pure & immaculate brought forthe hym whiche was most pure & vnspotted / but yet Ioseph was her husbande , whiche thyng setteth forth vnto vs the commendation of the lawes of wedlocke . How coulde he more commend wedlocke , then whan he wyllyng to declare the preuy & wonderfull coniunction of the diuyne nature with the humane body and soule , and wyllyng to declare his ineffable & eternall loue towarde his chyrch ( that is to say , the company of Christian people ) calleth hymselfe the brydegrome and the chyrch his spouse ? Greate ( sayth Paule ) is the mystery of matrymony : To the Ephesians the v. Cha. in Christe and in the chyche . If ther had ben any cople in erth more holy , if there had be any bonde of loue and concorde more religiously to be kept , than wedlocke / vndoutedly he had fetched his similytude from thens . What lyke thyng do ye euer reade , in all scripture of bachelershyp ? Honorable wedlocke and the immaculat bryde bed is spoken of . Bachelershype is nat ones named . Nowe The law of the Iwes syr , Moses law abhorreth baren wedlocke , and therfore we reade that some were put out of the comynalte for the same cause . And why so ? suerly because they lyuyng vnprofytably to the comon wele , & for there owne syngular auayle , dyd nat multyply the people with any issue . If than the law damneth baren matrymony muche more it damneth bachelers . If the infirmyte of nature escapeth nat punyshment , certes the frowarde wyll shall nat eschape . If they were punished whose nature fayled to ther wyll / what haue they deserued / whych wyl nat so moch as put to theyr good wyll , that they be nat barren ? The lawes of the Hebrues gaue this honoure to matrymonye / that he that maryed a new wyfe , shuld nat be compelled that yere to goo forthe to the batel . The cite is in greate ieopardy if ther be not men of armes to defende it , but nedes it must decay if there be nat wedded men , by whom the youth contynually faylynge may be supplyed . Also the lawes of the Romans punyshed The law of the mar●●● them that were bachelars in remouyng them from all promotions of the cyte . But such as had encreased with chyldren the commune weale / to them they ordeyned a reward openly to be gyuen , as it were for theyr wel deseruynge . The lawe of the. iii. chylderne is a sufficyent proue for this mater . for I wyll nat here reherse all the reste . Lycurgus made The law of the La cedemonians . a lawe that they whyche maryed nat wyues , shuld in somer season be dryuen from the enterludes & other syghtes , and in wynter go about the market place all naked and curse them selues , sayng they suffred iuste punyshment , because they wolde nat obey the lawes . Nowe wyll ye know how much matrymonye was set by in olde tyme ? Consyder the punyshment for the defoyling of it . The Grekes The batel of Troy . ones thought it expedyent to reuenge the breche of matrymonye by contynuall warres enduryng the space of . x. yeres . Furthermore by the lawes nat onely of the Romaynes / but also of the Hebrues and other nacyons / aduowterers sholde lose ther lyues . The thefe was delyuered by paynge . iiii . tymes so muche as he The law of the ro mans had stolen / the syn of aduowtrye was punyshed with the axe . Also amonge the Hebrues he was stoned to deth with the peoples han The law of the Iwes . des whych desyled that , without whyche the people shulde nat be . And the rigor of theyr lawes nat contented therwith / suffered also that he whyche was found in aduowtre shuld be put to deth with out iudgement / with out lawes / gyuyng that libertye to the grefe of the wedded men , whiche vnneth is graunted to hym that in ieoperdye of lyfe defendeth hymselfe . Doutles wedlocke muste nedes seme a ryght holy thyng whych defyled can nat be repurged without mannes blode / & the reuengyng wher of / is neyther compelled to abyde the lawes nor the iudge / the whiche seuerite & rigour of law is neyther in murdre nor i treson . But what stand we alday in wrytten lawes ? This is the lawe of nature / nat grauen in tables of bras , but inwardly fyxed i our hartes , which who wyll nat obey , he is nat so much as to be estemed a man much les a good cytizen . For if ( as the Stoikes , men of sharpe iudgementes The Stoikes do dyspute ) to lyue wel is nothynge els , but to folowe the guyde of nature / what thing is so agreable to nature as matrymony ? For nothynge is so naturally gyuen nouther to man , nor yet to any other kynd of brute bestes as that euery one shuld preserue his kynd from destruction & by propagation of posterytye to make it as it were immortall , whych without carnall copulation ( as euery man knoweth ) can nat be brought to pas . And it semeth a foule shame dum bestes to obey the lawes of nature , & men ( after the maner of gyauntes ) to byd batell agaynst nature , whose worke if we wyll behold with yees nat dasselling , we shall perceyue that her wyll is that ther be in euery kynde of thynges a certeyn spyce of wedlocke . For I omytte to speake of trees , in A certier Kynde of wedlocke i trees whom yet by the authoryte of Plinie wedlocke is founde with so manyfeste diuersyte of the male & female , that if the male tree shulde nat with hys boughes lye vpon the female trees that stande aboute hym couetyng as it were a medlyng to gether , they shulde abyde baren and fruteles . I holde my In precyous stones . peace of pretious stones , i whych the same author wryteth ( but nat he alone ) that ther is founde both male & female . I pray you hath nat god so knyte all thynges to gether with certeyn bondes , that one thynge doth neade an others help ? What thynk ye to the heuen whych turneth about with contynual mouyng ? I pray you whyle it maketh the erthe leynge vnderneth , whych is mother of al / with sundry kynd of thynges fruteful , pouring seed ( as it were ) vpon it / doth it nat th office of an husband ? But to renne through eche thing were ouer longe . Nowe , to what purpose haue we spoken thys ? Suerly , that ye may vnderstand , by suche naturall commyxtions , euery thynge to haue his beynge and continuance , without which al thynges to be dyssolued / to peryshe / & to fall away . It is feyned A fabule & the exposition therof . by the olde & wyse poetes ( whose study was to couer the preceptes of philosophye vnder mystycall fabuls ) that gyauntes the sonnes of the erthe , hauynge feete lyke serpentes , dyd caste mountaynes vpon montaynes that reached vp to heuen , and so standynge vpon them warred agaynst the goddes . What sygnifieth this fable ? Suerly that certeyne vngodly persones / wylde / and of an vngentle nature dyd greatly abhorre from matrimonyall concord / and therfore they were caste downe hedelonge with Iuppiters thunder bolt / that is to saye / they vtterly decayed and cam to nought , sythe they eschued the thynge , wherby mankynd is only preserued . But the selfe same poetes haue feyned that Drpheus beyng a poete and a mynstrell dyd moue with the swete note of his musycall instru ment the hard rockes of stone . What meaned they hereby ? Nothynge els , but that a wyse & an eloquent man dyd fyrst prohybet the stony men / and whyche lyued after the maner of wylde beastes / frome leyng at large / & brought them to the holy lawes of matrymonye . Wherfore it appereth euydently that who so euer is nat touched with desyer of wedlocke semeth to be no man , but a stone / an ennemy to nature / a rebelle to god / by his owne foly sekynge hys decay and vndoynge . But goo to , sythe we be fallen into fabuls no thynge fabulous nor veyne / the same Drpheus when he descended downe to hellys and ther moued Pluto lord of hell and the soules ther abydyng on suche wyse that he myght easely leade away with hym Euridice his wyfe / what other thynge suppose we that the poetes thought , than that they wold commend vnto vs the loue of wedlocke , whyche also in helle is counted holy and relygyous ? Hereunto also belongethe , that the antyquite made Jupiter lord of wedlocke , and named hym for the same purpose Gamelium / & made Juno the lady of women in chyldbed , callyng her pronubam and Lucinam , Superstityously errynge ( I graunt well ) in the names of the goddes , but nat errynge in this that they iudged matrimony a thyng holy & worthy to be regarded of the goddes . Surely there haue bene dyuerse lawes / cerymonyes / and vsages among dyuerse peoples and nacions . But ther was neuer nacion so barbarous / so farre from al humanite / with whom the name of wedlocke hathe nat be recounted holy / hathe nat be recounted worshypfull . This the Thrasian this the Sarmate / this the man of Inde , this the Greke / this the Italion / this the Brytan furdest of all the worlde , or if ther be any further then they , haue had in hyghe reuerence . And why so ? For of necessyte that thynge must nedes be commen , whyche the commen parent of all / hathe emprynted , and so inwardly emprynted , that the sense and feelynge of it , hath nat onely perced the turtyls / and the doues / but also the moste cruell wyld bestes . For the lyons be gentil and meke to theyr lyonnesses . The tygrees fyght for theyr whelpes . The asses stycke nat to renne thrugh fyers leynge in theyr waye for the sauegarde & defence of theyr fooles . And thys they call the law of nature which as it is most stronge , so it is most large . Wherfore lyke as he is no A similitude . dilygent husband , which contented with the thynges present , tendethe ful curiously the trees redy growen / but hathe lytle regarde outher of settyng or of graffyng / because that of necessite within few yeres those orcheyardes ( be they neuer so well kepte ) must decaye and become desolate . So in lyke wyse he is to be iudged an vndyligent cytizen in the publyke weale , which contented with the company present , hath no respecte nor consideracion to supply newe in place of the olde . Noman therfore haue ben counted a noble and worthy citizen , which hath nat bestowed his dilygence in begettyng chylderne and bryngynge them vertuously vp . Among the Hebrues & Persyans he was most hyghely commended , that had moste plenty of wyues , as thoughe the contre were most bound to hym , that with most chyldern had enryched it . Do ye studye to be more holy then was Abraham ? He shuld neuer haue ben called Pater multarum gentium that is to say / the Father of many peoples / and that of goddes owne mouthe , if he had fledde the company of hys wyfe . Do ye labour to be reputed more religious than Iacob ? He stycked nat to bye his wyfe Rachel with so longe apprentyshode and bondage . Be ye wyser than Solomon ? But what a flocke of wyues keapte he at home ? Be ye chaster then Socrates ? Whyche suffered at home in hys house Xantippe that wayward woman nat only ( as he was wont to geste hym selfe ) because he myght lerne pacyence at home , but because he wolde seme nat to halt in th offyce of nature . For he a man ( whome the dyuine answere of Apollo only iudged wyse ) vnderstode full wel , that vnder thys lawe & condition he was begotten , to thys he was borne / this he dyd owe to nature . For if it haue bene well sayde of the olde phylosophers / if it haue bene nat without cause confermed of oure dyuines , if it haue bene ryghtly euery where pronounced as a prouerbe , that god A proverbe . nor nature haue made no thynge frustrate nor in vayne / why ( I pray you ) hath god geuen vs these membres ? why these pryckes and prouocations ? why hath he added the power of begettynge , if bachelarshyp be taken for a prayse ? yf one wold gyue you a pretious gyfte , as a bowe / a garment / or aswerde , ye shuld seme vnworthy the thyng that ye haue receyued , if outher ye wolde nat , or ye could nat vse it . Where as all other thynges be ordeyned by nature with moste hygh reason , it is nat lykely that she slumbered & slepte in makyng only this pryue mem bre. Nor I here nat hym whiche A confutation . wyll saye vnto me that / that foule ychynge and pryckes of carnall lust haue come nat of nature , but of syn . What is more onlyke the trowth ? As though matrymony ( whose offyce can nat be executed without these pryckes ) was nat before syn . Moreouer in other bestes I praye you from whens commeth those pryckes and prouocations ? of nature , or of synne ? wonder it is if nat of nature . And as touchyng the fowlnes / surely we make that by our imaginacion to be fowle , which of the selfe nature is fayre and holy . Els , if we wolde weygh the thynge , nat by the opynyon of the people , but by the very nature , howe is it les fowle ( after the maner of wylde bestes ) to eate / to chaw / to dygest , empte the bely , than to vse the law full & permytted plesure of the body ? But vertue ( ye say ) is to be obeyed rather than nature . As thoughe / that is to be called vertue whyche repugneth with nature , from whens if vertue haue nat his fyrste begynnynge , certes it can nat be it , whyche may with excercyse and lernynge be made perfecte . But the apostles lyfe delyteth you , for they also folowed bachelarshyp , and exhorted other to the same . Lette th apostolycall men folowe th apostles , whyche ( because there offyce is to teche & instructe the people ) can nat both satisfye theyr flock & theyr wyfes , if they shuld haue any . How be it that th appostles also had wyues , it is euidently clere . Let vs graunt bachelarshyp to the bishops . What do ye folowe the appostes forme of lyuynge , beynge so farre from the offyce of an apostle , syth ye be a man bothe temporall and also without offyce ? It is lycenced them to be without wyues , to the entent they may the better attend to begette the more chylderne to Christ . Let this be the pryuilege of prestes & relygyous men , whych ( as it appere ) haue succeded the Essenes forme of lyuyng whych damned holy matrymony . Your estate requireth otherwyse . But Chryst hymselfe ( ye wyl say ) haue pronounced them blessed whyche Mat. 19. haue gelded them selfes for the kyngdom of god . I reiecte nat the authoryte , but I wyl expound Chri stes meanynge . Fyrste of all , I thynk this sayng of Chryst to apperteine especially to those times when it was expedient to be moste redy & lose from all wordly bussynesses . Then was the tyme that they shulde fle & ren hyther & thyther through all landes , the perse cutoure was at hande on euerye syde . But now such is the state of thynges & tymes , that no where ye may fynd the purenes and perfection of maners les spotted and contaminate , than amonge wedded persons . Let the swarmes of monkes , fryers , chanons , & nunnys auaunce theyr professyon as moch as them lust . Let them bost as moch as they wyll , theyr cerymonyes & dysguysed cotes ( wher by they be chefely knowen from the temporall ) suerly the most holy kynd of lyfe is wedlocke puerly & chastly kept . Forthermore nat he onely geldeth hymselfe which lyueth without a wyfe , but he whyche chastly & holyly doth th offyce of wedlocke . And wold god they were trewly chaste , so many as cloke theyr vyces vnder the gloryous tytle of chastite and castra tyon , whyche vnder the shadowe of chastyte doo more fowly rage in fylthy and bestely abhomynation . For I am ashamed , so helpe me god , here to reken vp , in to what shamefull abhominatyons they ofte tymes falle , whyche doo thus repugne agaynste nature . To be shorte , Christ neuer commaunded bachelarshyp to none erthly persone , but he openly forbyddethe deuorcement . Suerly He thynkethe yt expedyent for prestes to haue wyues . me thynke , he shulde be nat the worste counsellour for the commune weale ( consyderyng the fashyons & manners of men ) whyche wolde graunt also the prestes & relygyous persons lycence to mary , namely sythe ther is euery where so greate a multytude of prestes , of which ( alas ) how few lyue a chast lyfe ? How moch better were it to tourne theyr concubyns into wyues , so that those whome they haue nowe with greate infamye , and with an vnquyet conscyence , they myght then haue openlye with an honeste fame , and beget chylderne whom they may loue as trewly legytymate , and bryng them godly vp , so that nother the father shall be ashamed of them , nor they of ther father . And this ( I trow ) the officyals of byshops shulde haue procured long a go , but that greater gaynes aryse by the concubyns , then shuld by the wyues . But virgynyte ( ye wyll A confutaryon . say ) is a dyuyne thynge , an angelycall thyng . Trewthe it is , but , on the contrarye syde , wedlocke is an humane thynge . I nowe speke to a man beynge my selfe a man . A commendable thyng , certes , is virgynite , but yet so that this prayse be nat transferred to ouer many , whyche commendation if euery man commenly wyl begyn to vsurpe , what can be sayde or thought more hurtfull and more ꝑnycious than virginyte ? More ouer thoughe in other men virgynyte shuld moste of all deserue prayse , yet suerly i you it can nat lacke blame , in whome it nowe standeth to preserue youre noble stocke , worthy of an immortal contynuance . Fynally he is but a very lytle of , from the prayse of virgynite , whyche kepeth purely the law of wedlocke , and whyche hath a wyfe to the cntent to beget chylderne , and nat to satysfy hys wanton luste . Yf the brother , in the law of Moses , be commaunded The sues lawe . to rayse the seade of his brother , whych dyed without yssue , wyll ye suffre the hope of your whole lygnage to be vtterly extynte , namely syth it is returned to you only ? Nor I am nat so ignorant but that I know welynoygh that the praises of virginite haue ben rehersed , and celebrate with great volumes of sum of our olde fathers . Among whom Hierome Hierome so auaunceth it , that in maner he despiseth wedlocke & was prouoked of the byshoppes that were of the trew opinyon to rechaunt & synge a newe song . But let this heate be graunted to those tymes . Howe I wolde wysh those that thus euery where without dyscretion do exhorte the youthe ( nat yet knowen to them selfes ) to bachelarshyp and vyrgynyte , to bestowe theyr labour in descryuynge the forme of chaste & pure matrimony . But yet they whyche ar so well pleased with virginite be nat dysplea sed with the warres agaynste the Turkes whyche passe vs so farre in numbre , whose iudgement if it be ryght , it shall folowe that it be chefcly thought ryght & holy , busyly to beget chylderne & supplye youthe suffycyent for the vse of the warres . Except perchaunce they thynke to prepare gonnes , weapōnys , shyppes to the warrrs , & thynke lytle neade of men . The same do alow to slee with the swerd the parentes of infideles , to the in tent that theyr chylderne myght be baptysed , yea vnknowyng also . If this be trewe , howe gentyller a dede were it to brynge the same to effecte with the offyce of intermaryinge , eche with other . No nation is so cruel that abhorreth nat the murdre of infauntes . Lawes of princes in maner with lyke rigoure punyshe them that cause that , which is conceyued in the woman to com forth deed , and them that make them baren with medycynes . Why so ? Forther is smal diuersyte betwyxt hym that murdereth that whyche begynne to be borne , and hym whych procureth that nothyng can be borne Thys that in your body eyther dryeth vp , or with the great daunger of your helth putryfyeth and corrupteth , whyche in your slepe falleth away , had ben a man if ye were a man your selfe . The olde lawe of the Iewes curseth hym whych when he is commaunded to lye with his brothers wyfe that is deade , casteth his seade on the erth that nothyng shuld be engengred , and is iudged vnworthy lyfe , whyche enuyeth lyfe to the frute that is to be borne . But howe lytle from hym differ they , which haue enioyned themselfes perpetuall barrennesse ? Do they nat seme to kyl so many men , as shuld haue ben borne , if they had gyuen theyr labour to the begettynge of chylderne ? I pray you if a manne haue a pece of ground rancke of nature , whyche vntylled , he suffreth to be contynually barren , is nat this man punyshable by the Ciuile lawe , bycause it is for the profete of the commuue wele that euery man tendeth well his owne ? Yf he be punyshed whych neglecteth his grounde whych ( be hit neuer so well tyld ) bryng forth nothyng els than wheate / or beanes / or pese , what punyshment is he worthy whyche refuseth to tylle that ground which tylled beareth men ? And in tyllage of the erthe is requyred a longe and paynefull labour , here the short tyllage is also entysed with a pleasure / as it wer a reward prepared therfore . Wherfore if the sense of nature , if Aepiloge honestye / if naturall affectyon / if deuotion / if gentelnes / if vertue any thynge moue you , why abhorre ye from that whych god ordeyneth , nature enacteth , reason entyseth / the scryptures bothe of god and man prayse / the lawes commaunde , the whole consent of al natyons approue / to whyche the ensample of euery good man pro uoketh ? That if the most parte of thynges ( yea whyche be also bytter ) ar of a good man to be desyred for none other purpose , but bycause they be honeste , matrimony doutles is chefely to be desyred wherof a man may dout whether it hath more honesty than pleasure For what thynge is sweter , then with her to lyue , with whome ye may be most streyghtly copuled , nat onely in the beneuolence of the mynd , but also in the coniunction of the body . Yf a greate delectation of mynde be taken of the beneuolence of our other kynsmen , sythe it is an especyall swetnes to haue one with whom ye may communycate the secrete affectyons of your mynde , with whom ye may speake euen as it were with your owne selfe , whom ye may sauely truste , whyche supposethe your chaunces to be his , what felycyte ( thynke ye ) haue the coniunction of man and wyfe , than whych no thynge in the vnyuersall worlde may be founde outher greater or fermer ? For with our other frendes we be conioyned onely with the beneuolence of myndes , with our wyf we be copuled with most hyghe loue , with permyxtyon of bodyes , with the confederate band of the sacrament , and fynally with the felaweshyp of all chaunces . Furthermore in other frendshyps , howe greate symulation is ther ? howe greate falsyte ? Yea they , whome we iudge ouer best frendes , lyke as the swalous flee awaye , when somer is gone , so they forsake vs , when fortune turneth her whele . And somtyme the frescher frende caste out the olde . We here of fewe , whose fydelyte endure tyll theyr lyues end . The wyues loue is with no falsite corrupted , with no symulation obscured , with no chauuce of thynges mynyshed , fynally with deth only ( nay nat with deth neyther ) with drawen . She , the loue of her parentes / she , the loue of her systers / she , the loue of her bretherne despyseth for the loue of you , her onely respecte is to you , of you she hangeth / with you she coueteth to dye . Haue ye ryches ? ther is one that shall saue it / ther is one that shall encrease it . Haue ye none ? ther is one that may seke it yf ye haue wealth / your felycyte is doubled / if aduersyte , ther shal be one whych may conforte you , whych may syt by your syde , whiche may serue you / which may couet your greffe to be hers . Do ye iudge any pleasure to be compared with this so great a coniunction ? Yf ye tary at home ther is at hand whyche shall dryue away the tedyousnes of solytary beyng . Yf from home / ye haue one that shall kysse you when ye departe / long for you when ye be absent , receyue you ioyously when ye returne . A swete compaygnyon of youth / a kynd solas of age . By nature yea any felawshyp is delectable to man , as whom nature hath created to beneuolence and frendshyp . Thys felawshyp then howe shall it nat be moste swete , in whyche euery thynge is comune to them bothe ? And contrarily , if we se the sauage bestes also abhorre solytarye lyuynge & delyted in felawshyp , in my mynd he is nat onys to be supposed a man , whych abhorreth from this fe lawshyp most honest & plesaunt of all . For what is more hatefull than that man which ( as though he were borne onely to hymself ) lyueth for hymselfe , seketh for hym selfe / for hymself / doth cost to hym selfe , loueth no persone , is loued of no persone ? Shall nat suche monstre be adiudged worthy to be caste out of all mens companye into the mydde see with Cymon the Athenyense , whyche because he fledde all mens compaygny , was called Misanthropus that is to say hateman ? Neyther dare I here propound vnto pou those plesures whyche ( wher as they be naturally moste swete to man ) yet ( I can nat tell how ( of the greate wyttes they be dyssembled , rather than despysed . Albe it , who can be borne with so rigorous a dysposytion ( I wyll nat saye dumppyshe and dastardly ) whyche maye nat be taken with suche kynde of pleasurs , namely if he maye attayne them without the offense of god & man / without the losse of his good name ? Certes I wold cal hym no man but a playne stone . Albeit , that plesure of bodyes is the leste parte of the goddes that wedlock hathe . But ymagyn that ye can contempne this , as vnworthy tor a man ( how be it without these we deserue nat onys the name of a man ) let it be put ( if ye wyll ) a monge the most base commodytes of wedlocke / nowe syr what can be more amiable then chaste loue / nay what more holy & honest ? There accresseth by the meanes a swete flocke of alyesses / ther is dubled the numbre of parentes / of bretherne / of systerne / of neuewes . For nature can gyue one only mother / one only father . By wedlocke , an other father / an other mother is goten , whiche ( because they haue committed theyr owne fleshe vnto you ) can nat but loue you moste tenderly . Nowe syr , how hyghly wyl ye esteame this thyng , when your fayer wyfe shall make you a father with a fayer chyld ? When sum litle yong babe shall play in your halle whiche shall resemble you & your wyfe ? Which with a myld lyspyng , or amyable stam - ( merynge shal cal you dade . Now adde , vn to your wyfes loue , the bond more strong then any adamante , which nat dethe hym selfe can braste a sundre .

Oh how blessed ( sayth Flaccus ) be they Horace . whom ye fast knot of wedlocke doth tey whose stedfast loue by no pleit can starte Tyll only dethe them tweyne do parte . Ye haue them that may delyght your age / that may close your eyes / that may do th offyce of the buryals / in whome ye may seme regenerate / whome beynge a lyue , ye shal be thought nat to haue dyed . Your gooddes which ye haue goten go nat to straung heyres . Thus , when ye ar passyng out of the worlde , & haue fully executed all to gether , yet nat dethe hym selfe can seme sharpe nor bytter vnto you . Age must crepe vpon vs all / whether we wyll or nat . By thys polecye nature hath prouided that in out chylderne & neuewes we may be renewed & florysh fresh agayne . For who can bere age heuyly when in hys sonne he beholdethe his owne vysage that he hymselfe bare whan he was yong ? Deth is prepared for all . But by this only waye the prouydence of nature assayethe ( as it were ) a certayne immortalite , whyll she thus maketh one thynge to yssue out of an other ( lyke as a yong plante whiche is cut of , from the tree sprigeth freshly vp ) nor he semethe nat to be vtterly quenched , which dyeth , leuynge issue behynd .

BUt I know well ynoughe The refutation of the incommodities of maryage . what among these , ye murmure against me . A blessed thing is wedlocke , if al proue acording to the desire . But what if a wayward wyfe chaunceth ? What if an vnchaste / what if vnnatural chylderne ? There wyll renne in your mynd th examples of those whom wedlocke haue brought to vtter destruction . Heape vp as muche as ye can , but yet these be the vices of men & nat of wedlocke . Beleue me , an euyll wyfe is nat wont to chaunce , but to euyll husbondes . Put thys vnto it / that it lyeth in you to chuse out a good one . But what if after the mariages she be mard ? Of an euyll husbande ( I wyll well ) a good wyfe may be mard . but of a good / the euyll is wont to be refourmed & mended . We blame wyues falsly . No man ( if ye gyue any credence to me ) had euer a shrewe to his wyfe , but thrughe hys owne defaute . And of good parentes comūly be borne lyke chylderne . Howbeit the chylderne also ( howe so euer they be borne ) communly do proue suche , as they be formed and fashoned in ther bryngyng vp . Nowe syr / I see no cause why ye shuld feare ielowsye . Thys is the syknes of folyshe louers . The chaste & lawfull loue knoweth no ielowsye . What do the tragedes cum to your mynde ? This aduouterous woman stroke in sunder her husbond with an axe . This poysoned him . That woman with her hatefull maners did dryue her husbond to deth . Why rather do nat Cornelia wyfe to Ciberius Graccus cum to your remembraunce ? Why do nat Alcestis so good a wyfe of nat so good an husbond ? Why do stat outher Iulia wyfe of Pompeius or Portia the wyfe of Cato renne in your mynd ? Why do nat Artemisea worthy eternall memorie ? Why do nat Hypsicratea wyfe to Mithridates kynge of Pontus ? Why com nat into your mynde that most gentle behauiour of Tertia Aemilia the wyfe of Scipio Africanus ? Why do nat the faythfulnes of Turia ? Why do nat Lucretia and Lentula cum in mynd ? Why do nat Arria so hyghly commended of Plinie ? Why do nat other innumerable , whose honest and chaste lyuynge / and faythfulnes towarde theyr husbandes coulde nat be altered nor corrupted nat by dethe ? A rare byrd in erthe ( ye say ) is an honest woman . And ymagine ye agayne youre selfe worthy to haue a rare wyfe .