A Preparative to Marriage, Title page 1 – Table of contents 2
A Preparatiue to Mariage.
The summe whereof was spoken at a Contract, and inlarged after.
Whereunto is annexed a Treatise of the Lords Supper, and another of Usurie.
BY HENRIE SMITH.
Imprinted at London by Thomas Orwin for Thomas Man, dwelling in Paternoster row at the signe of the Talbot. 1591.
NOBILISSIMO VIRO GVILIELMO CEcilio, Equiti aurato, Baroni Burghleiensi, summo Angliae Thesaurario, & Cantabrigiensis Academiae Cancellario, Henricus Smithus haec tria pignota in grati animi testimonium consecrauit.
To the Reader.
BEcause sicknesse hath restrained mee from preaching, I am content to doe anye good by writing. Happye is that Author which is in stead of other, that after his Booke is read, men neede reade no moe of that matter. I goe on a Theame which many hauehave trauersed before mee prolixely, or cursorily, or barrenly: If I Reuerendis. Couerdalū excipio.hauehave performed by studie any more than the rest, let my reader iudge, and giuegive glory to him which teacheth by whome he will. What I hauehave endeuored, my selfe doo feele, and others knowe. We are ignorant of many things for a few that we vnderstand: but I hauehave bin alwaye ashamed, that my writings shoulde waigh lighter for want of paines, which is the bane of Printing, and surfetteth the Reader. Now I send thee like a Bee to gather Honie out of slowers, and weedes. EueryEvery Garden is furnished with others, and so is ours. Reade, pray, and med…; thy profit shall be little in any booke, vnlesse thou reade alone, and vnlesse thou reade all. It is one of the births of my fainting, therefore take it with a right hand, and if thou finde any thing that doth make thee better, I repent not that others importunitie hath obtained it for thee. Farewell. As Iacob blessed his sonnes when he left them, so now I Gen. 49. 1.must leaue my fruite to others, I pray God to blesse it, that it may bring foorth fruit in other, and be the sauour of life to 2. Cor. 2. 16.all that reade it.
Thine in Christ, H. S.
The principall contents of this Treatise.
THE cause of contracts before Mariage. Fol. 2.
Three honours geuen of God to Mariage. Fol. 3.
Three causes of Mariage. Fol. 13.
Whether Ministers may marry. Fol. 19.
Whether an old man may marry a young woman, & contra. Fol. 14.
Whether Protestants may marry Papists. Fol. 47.
Whether Children may marry without Parentes consent. Fol. 45.
Whether Husbands may strike their Wiues. Fol. 69.
Whether the vse of Mariage be sinne. Fol. 23.
Whether Mothers should nurse their Children. Fol. 99.
Fiue markes in the choise of a Husband or Wife. Fol. 35.
The Husbands dueties. Fol. 62.
The Wiues dueties. Fol. 74.
Their duties to their Seruants. Fol. 68.
Their duties to their Children. Fol. 77.
Of Stepmothers. Fol. 105.
Of Diuorcement. Fol. 107.
Other obseruations that fall in handling the partes.
MAriage, the first ordinance of God, and calling of men. Fol. 4.
Christs first myracle at a Mariage. Fol. 5.
Three Mariages of Christ. Fol. 6.
By Mariage, the Womans curse turned to two blessings. Fol. 6.
A note of Adams sleepe. Fol. 10.
Another application of his rib, whereof was made the woman. Fol. 11.
The day of Mariage counted the ioyfullest day in mans life. Fol. 11.
A good Wife like little Zoar which Lot sled to from Sodom. Fol. 12.
Without Mariage all things should be vaine. Fol. 14.
Fornicators like the Deuill. Fol. 18.
No Bastarde prospered but Iiphtah. Fol. 19.
A maried sornicator, like a Gentleman theese. Fol. 19.
A Wife is the poore mans treasure, wherein only he matcheth the rich. Fol. 26.
Two spies for a Wise, Discretion, and Fancie. Fol. 27.
The Wife must not onelyonly be godly, but sit. Fol. 28.
A memorable saying of one that light vponupon a sit Wife. Fol. 32.
The first beginning of the Ring in Marige. Fol. 31.
Why Mariage doth come of Nuptiae. Fol. 37.
Maides must speake like an Eccho. Fol. 38.
A lesson for the married, drawne from the name of Wedding garment. Fol. 52.
The Man and Wife, like cock and dam. Fol. 54.
Marriage compounded of two loues. Fol. 55.
The best pollicie in Marriage is to begin well. Fol. 58.
They must learne one anothers nature. Fol. 59.
A sweete example, teaching how coples shall neuer fall out. Fol. 61.
Man, and Wife, like two partners. Fol. 66.
Abraham bid to leaue all but his Wife. Fol. 66.
Why Wiues are called Huswiues Fol. 79.
When the man is away, the Wife must liue like a Widdow. Fol 81.
Why a Wife was called the Contrary to a Husband. Fol. 82.
The cause why many despise their Husbands. Fol. 86.
Many obseruations vppon Seruanntes. Fol. 88.
The Maister must correct his men, and the Mistresse her maides. Fol. 97.
Children like mediators, betweene a man and his Wife. Fol. 98.
Adulterie like the disease of Marriage, and diuorcement like the remedie. Fol. 107.
Why Adulterie should dissolue Marriage more than anye thing else. Fol. 110.
A sentence for the Married to thinke vppon. Fol. 111.