A Bartholomew Fairing for Parents to Bestow, Title page – Dedication
A Bartholmew Fairing for Parentes, to beſtow vponupon their ſonnes and daughters, and for one friend to giuegive vntounto another: Shevving that children are not to marie, without the conſent of their parentes, in whoſe povver and choiſe it lieth to prouide wiues and husbandes for their ſonnes and daughters.
Wherin is ſufficiently prooued, what in this point is the office of the fathers and in like maner declared the part and duty of all obedient children.
By Iohn Stockwood, Miniſter and preacher of Tunbridge.
Ierem. 29.6.
Take you wiues, and beget ſonnes and daughters, and take wiues for your ſons, and giuegive your daughters to husbandes, that they may beare ſons & daughters, that you may be increaſed there, and not diminiſhed.
LONDON. Printed by Iohn Wolfe, for Iohn Harriſon the yonger, dwelling in Pater Noſter-rowe, at the ſigne of the golden Anchor. 1589.
To the right worſhipfull, M. Thomas Skeuington of Skeuington, Eſquire, at this preſent high Sheriffe of Leiceſter-ſhire and one of h…r Maieſties Iuſtices of the peace there: Iohn Stockewood Miniſter and preacher of the worde of God at Tunbridge in Kent, wiſheth all felicitie of mind and bodie, through Ieſus Chriſt our moſt merciful redeemer.
CHildren (right worſhipfull) as we al wel know, when their parentes or any of thoſe, with whō they hauehave any familiarity, goe vntounto any faire, vſe commonly at their taking their iourney to ſay vntounto them: I pray you bring me home a Fayring. And not only children are for the moſt part thus affected, but we ſee it alſo to be the faſhion of others of greater grouth, & further yeares, when as at faires they meete with their friendes and acquaintance, to bee begging and asking of them: What will you giuegive me for a fairing? And the curteſie that is this way beſtowed, be it in a maner neuer ſo ſmall and ſimple, is notwithſtanding wel accepted and kindly taken from the hand of the giuer, as being a ſigne and token of his good will and louing affection towardes the party, on whom he doth beſtowe the ſame. This cuſtome ſimply in it ſelfe not to be condemned (although through abuſe the beſt thinges may be peruerted) I hauehave at this preſent framed my ſelf vntounto, & as I could for the ſhortnes of the time, prepared this treatiſe, diſcourſing vponupon the office of parentes in prouiding their children of honeſt mariages in due ſeaſon, & ſhewing at large the dutie and obedience of their ſonnes and daughters in this behalfe.
How neceſſarie for al ſortes of people this my trauaile (ſuch as it is) may be, it is not my meaning here in many wordes to dilate. The generall want of performance of dutie in this reſpect, on the one ſide by the parentes, and on the other by their children, hath bin the foſter-nurſe, & brood-mother of many great inconueniences, wherwith both the Church & common wealth, yea and many priuate families, are not a litle peſtered, againſt the which if by this my labour, God of his merciemercy granting vntounto it this bleſsing, I may be thought to hauehave ſet downe ſome remedie, it ſhal nothing greeue me to hauehave taken the ſame, being glad if any way by my ſimple ſeruice, I can bring any profite vno the Church of God, the which howe much or how litle ſoeuer it bee, who ſo ſhall thereby receiue any benefit next vntounto God he ſhall be beholding vntounto your worſhip for the ſame, who hauehave bene the chiefe occaſion of the publiſhing hereof.
For owing a dutie vntounto you for your curteſie ſhewed, at the requeſt of the right honorable, the Earle of Huntington, my verie ſingular good Lord and maiſter, I hauehave euer ſince bene deuiſing, how I might giuegive out ſome teſtimonie of my gratefull remembrance of this worſhipful kindnes, and hauing none other meanes of greater valour, I hauehave preſumed to giuegive trial therof by theſe paper thanks whereby al poſteritie may witneſſe, that I acknowledge my ſelfe to remaine a debtor vntounto you for vndeſerued curteſie extended towards me, the which, in aſmuch as I am able no other waies to requite, I do in al humilitie requeſt your worſhip to account and reckon me in the number of thoſe, who being manie pleaſured by you, though hindmoſt peraduē ture in worldlie abilitie, will be found notwithſtanding as forward as the formoſt in all dutifull and thankfull good will, as one that hateth in the worlde nothing more than the moſt vglie and loathſome monſter of ingratitude and vnthankfulnes. The time falling out ſo fitlie with the finiſhing of this worke, and publiſhing the ſame, I hauehave geuen vntounto it the name of a Bartholmew Fayring, The reaſon o… the Title.the rather by the noueltie of the title to drawe on the multitude of people that nowe out of all places of our country repaire vntounto the citie, to the better beholding and conſideration of the matter cōtained in the treatiſe: the which, as it is general, and concerneth all that either are, or may be parents, or children: ſo the doctrine marked heedfullie, and practiſed accordingly, cānot chooſe but fal out auaillable vntounto manie, who learning here, that which for the moſt part they were ignorant of, and thought ſtrange before, will henceforth prooue to be more carefull fathers in prouiding chriſtian mariages for their ſonnes and daughters, and their children more dutifull & obedient in being ruled by them, & following of their choice, and in diligent warefulnes, that they intangle and bewrap not themſelues in wedlocke-bands without the conſent and liking of their parents. Accept therfore I beſeech you (right worſhipfull) this ſimple preſent as an vnfeined token of my good will, with that fauourable curteſie, wherewith you are woont to imbrace others much bounden welwillers, the which, if you ſhall vouchſafe me, I hauehave obtained my deſire praying the almighty for euer to protect you. Tunbridge, this 20 Auguſt. 1589.
Your W. much bounden in al dutifull and moſt thankful good will: Iohn Stockwood.