Solomons Marriage, Title page – Explanation of psalm
A TREATISE OF SALOMONS MARIAGE, OR, A CONGRATVLATION FOR THE HAPPIE AND HOPEFVLL MARIAGE betweene the most illustrious and Noble Prince FREDERIKE the V. Count Palatine of Rhine, Elector of the Sacred Romane Empire, and Arch-Sewer, and in the vacancie thereof Vicar Generall: Duke of Bauaria, &c. Knight of the most noble order of the Garter. AND THE MOST GRATIOVS AND EXcellent Princesse, the Ladie Elizabeth, sole daughter vntounto the High and Mighty Prince Iames, by the grace of God, King of great Britaine, France and Ireland. Ioyfully solemnized vponupon the 14. day of Februarie, 1612. In the Kings Pallace of White-hall in Westminster.
CANTICLES 6. 2.
I am my welbeloueds, and my welbeloued is mine.
AT LONDON Imprinted by F. K. for Thomas Man the elder, and William Welby, and are to be sold at the Swanne in Pauls Church-yard, 1613.
TO THE MOST ILLVSTRIOVS AND RIGHT NOBLE PRINCE, THE LORD FREDERIKE THE V. Countie Palatine of Rhine, Elector of the Sacred Empire, and Arch-Sewer, Duke of Bauaria, Knight of the most Honourable order of the Garter:
AND TO THE MOST EXCELLENT AND vertuous Princesse, the Ladie Elizabeth his wife: sole Daughter of the High and Mightie Prince, Iames, by the grace of God, of great Britaine, France and Ireland King: Encrease of piety with prosperity in this life, and true happinesse and felicity in the next.
MOst illustrious and Gratious Princes, Salomon whose mariage song this Treatise doth as it were descant vponupon, thus saith in the Canticles: Behold winter is past, the raine is gone away, Cantic. 2. 11. 12the flowers appeare in the earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the Turtle is heard in the land, &c. Arise my faire one, and come away. This your Highnesse ioyfull day, happily, by Gods grace accomplished, as the spring-tide doth refresh vsus all: The chast Turtle doue hath louingly called to his fellow: the other singing birds doe follow: then I trust, your excellencies will giuegive mee leaue in this common ioy, as one of the silly, yet cheerfull birds sitting in the branches, to cherpe forth and expresse my gladsome note among the rest: This happie day who could behold without delight?Pulchrum mihi spectaculum dies illa atribuit. Hieron. vit. Malchi. those triumphant acclamations, and showtings forth of all well affected, who could heare without great ioy? which may bee compared to the crowing of the cocke,Hexem. lib. 5. 24 which Ambrose thus describeth: Hoc canente suas latro relinquit insidias, hoc ipse Lucifer excitatus oritur, hoc canente deuotus affectus exilit ad precandum: At his singing the theefe doth leaue his lurking, the Sun doth hasten his rising, the deuout affection betakes it to praying &c. So the ioyfull voice of Gods people, for this princely marriage, as it sheweth the sunshine of the Gospell, and by Gods grace promiseth continuāce of true deuotion: so we trust it shall discouer all trecherous practises seeking for innouation: Others to expresse their ioy, and professe their dutie, bring great and rich presents, gold, iewels, pretious stones, goodly trapped horse, massiepieces of plate, only I craue leaue among the meanest of the Ministers of the Bride and Bridegroomes Friends, amid those costly ornaments to thrust in this simple gift: that as Nobles by their chiualrie, Courtiers by their Maskes & brauery; Heraulds by their heraldrie, Poets by their verses and poetrie, hauehave striued to set forth the ioy of this day: so it is fit that Diuines should not bee behinde with their parts, some by their speech and Sermons, others by their pen and writings, concurring in this solemnity.
Augustine hath an excellent saying:De diuers. ser. 43. Habet hortus ille dominicus non solum Martyrum rosas, sed & lilia Virginum, & coniugatorum violas: The Lords garden hath not onelyonly the Roses of Martyrs, but the Lilies of Virgins, and the Violets of maried persons. The Lords garden in England hath afforded all these: Martyrs in Queene Maries daies, Queene Elizabeth was a Queene of Virgins; and now the sweet mariage bed of Violets hath giuen a pleasant sent: That mariage is honourable, which vertue commendeth, and not onelyonly outward, but inward beautie graceth: as he excellently saith, Solus formae arbiter petatur Deus, Ambros. lib. de virgini….qui etiam in corpore minus pulchro animas diligit pulchriores, hoc ipsum quod vos non ornatis, ornatus vester est: God must bee consulted with, as the onelyonly iudge of true beautie, who loueth faire soules in bodies not so faire: that is your ornament, which your selues put not on, but God giueth. That wise saying of Olympias Alexanders mother is much commended, who thus said of a Courtier, which had married a faire wife, but not vertuous: if he had bin wise,foreign. Plutarch. he would not hauehave maried by his eyes: for it is not fit either to marrie by the eyes or fingers; that is, chiefly in mariage to respect outward fashion, or the greatnesse of the portion: his counsell is good, that saith, Amor sit in causa non census, venustatem eligas non vestitum, Vaeler. ad Ruffin.animum, non aurum, tibi nubat vxor non dos: Let affection be the cause, not the consideration of wealth; chuse vertue, not the vesture; the minde, not the gold; marrie the woman, not her dowrie. This, is euident, was the respect, which was had on both sides in this royall mariage; which religion began, and piety & vertue hath knit. Blessed of God are those thrice renouned parents, which hauehave not sought out a match for their daughter from among the Canaanites, but with faithfull Abraham, from the kindred and houshold of faith: which hauehave maried religion to religion, and hauehave matched the Gospell with the Gospel, and hauehave set more by the pious education of both, then by the promised mountaines of gold. Ambrose writeth thus of the Nightingale, Luscinia dum oua gremio fouet, insomnem longae noctis laborem cantilenae suauitate solatur, Lib. 6. Hexem. c. 24.vt mihi videatur haec summa eius esse intentio, quò possit non minus dulcibus modulis, quam fotu corporis, oua animare in foetus: While she sitteth vponupon her egges, shee allayeth the laborsome watch of the night, with sweet melodie: that shee seemeth to mee as well by her sweet singing as bodily cherishing to hatch her yong &c. The pious education of princely youth, which on both parts hath been performed, is like this melodious modulation, wherby those sweet birds are brooded: An happy thing in all, but twice blessed is it, when Princes from the cradle are brought to know the Prince of princes, as Hierome writeth of Paula that noble matrone, that ioyed in nothing more, then Quod Paulam neptim audierat in cunis balbutiente lingua halleluia cantare: That she heard her neece Paula euen in the cradle with a prettie stammering tongue to sing halleluia, &c. This hath bin (God be blessed) the good beginning of both your Excellencies: the continuance and encrease whereof by Gods goodnesse wee nothing doubt of: and so let me humbly recommend to each of your highnesse that exhortation of Hierome, Nunc stude, Ad Demetriad.vt calentem recentis fidei conuersionem, nouus semper ardor accendat: Studie, that a new heate of zeale, may stillkindle the warmth of your growing faith. And now nothing remaineth, but that with our earnest prayers and desires wee helpe forward this ioyfull entrance into so great expected happinesse. This famous kingdome of our nation, hath ioyned in matrimoniall affinitie diuers times, with other adioyning countries, with Germanie, France, Spaine: but with the two latter vnhappily: Out of France came that manlike Ladie,King Henrie the 6. his Queene. which was the firebrand of the ciuill wars betweene the houses of Yorke and Lancanster: Out of Spanish blood budded that branch,Q. Marie. that ouershadowed the Gospell in England; but with the other the nuptiall coniunction hath bin prosperous: the valiant Germanes hauehave taken wiues from vsus: as Henrie the fifth Emperour, maried Maud King Henrie the first his daughter; and our Kings hauehave taken wiues from them. Edward the third tooke to wife Queene Philip the Earle of Henaults daughter, that fruitfull Ladie, that bare vntounto the King diuers sonnes. Richard the second had to wife Queene Anna, Act. and Monument. p. 467 edit. 1610.the sister of Wencelaus King of Bohemia; a religious Lady, whom Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canturburie preaching her funerall sermon, commended for her piety, that she had the foure Euangelists in English, with the Fathers expositions vponupon them: And wee see to all our comforts, the hopefull fruit of matrimoniall amitie with Denmarke, which is part also of Germanie. This coniunction with France and Spaine was like to that mixture of clay and iron, wherewith the toes of the image which Nabuchadnezzar saw in his dreame,Dan. 2. 42. were tempered: but it would not hold, though they were by humane seed, and carnall affinity ioyned together: But this matrimonial combination contracted with Germanie doth represent vntounto vsus, the two tallies or pieces of wood which the Prophet put together:Ez…k. 37. 13. whereby hee signified, that Israel and Iuda should grow into one people. This former experience of such louing coniunctions biddeth vsus by Gods grace to hope well of this. God for his mercy sake heape and accumulate all his graces vponupon your Princely persons; and giuegive you the blessing of Salomon, that obtained together with wisedome, honour and riches. The Lord giuegive vntounto your Highnesse (most worthie Princesse) the deuotion ofaWhich was most liberall toward the Church. Helena, Constantine the Emperors mother: the courage and magnanimity ofbWho, her husband being dead, did resist the Gothes. Dominica, wife to Valens the Emperour, thecThe wife of Theodosius the elder, and vsed her selfe to visit the sicke. charity of Placilla, the fruitfulnesse of dWhich bare many children to Arcadius.Eudoxia, the fauour ofeWho was most deare vntounto▪ Theodosius the yonger. Eudocia, the piety of*The sister of Theodosius iunior, a zealous promoter of the Orthodoxall faith. Pulcheria, the wisedome offThe wife of Iustinus the yonger, a wise woman▪ according to her name. Sophia: And to come nearer home, the honour of Maud the Empresse, the godlinesse of Queene Anne, and goodly encrease of Queene Philip before mentioned; and the prosperity and long life of Noble Queene Elizabeth. VntoUnto your excellencie (Right worthie Prince) wee wish the like happinesse: the pietie ofgWho vsed to stand & heare the Sermons. Constantine, deuotion ofhWhose custome was to communicate with his souldiers in the campe. Constantius, victorie ofiWho going before his armie, would leape downe from his horse, and say, where is the God of Theodosius. Theodosius the elder, zeale ofkWho alone, against the mind of his Counsellors, reiected the petition of the Romans, for the restitution of Idolatry. Valentinian, clemencie oflWho was w…nt to say whē any should be put to death: I would rather I might restore them that are dead, to life Theodosius the younger: and to giuegive instance of your owne nation, The victorious successe of Henrie mWho entred Rome by force, and compelled the the Pope to consecrate him Emperour.the fifth, that married Maud, the daughter of King Henrie before named.
The blessing of God rest, and remaine with you both: euen that blessing pronounced in the Psalme, thy wife shall be as the fruitfull vine, Psal. 128. 2. whereupon Iustine Martyr giueth this good note: alleaging that saying in the law, how eueryevery one shuld sit vnderunder his owne vine; that is,aforeign. Dial. cum Tryphon. eueryevery one should be content with his owne maried wife, asbFuit castus corpore, qui praeter coniugem, nesciret foeminae alterius consuetudinem. In obit Valentin. foreign. Plutarch. Ambrose writeth of the Emperour Gratianus. Such louing contentment, and pleasant repose, we assuredly trust God will giuegive vntounto each of your Highnes, vnderunder your vine. In the vine three speciall things excell, the tendernes thereof, the pleasantnes, fruitfulnes, as was excellently obserued by that learned*The B. of Lō don, who preached before the King. Febr. 16. vponupon that text, Psalm. 128. 2 Thy wise as a fruitfull vine. Bishop in his sermon: for the vine eueryevery way easily windeth and turneth, with the grateful shadow delighteth, and with the fruit thereof cheareth: the like flexible disposition, and mutuall delectation, and fruitfull propagation the Lord graunt vntounto your Excellencies: The Lord Christ turne your water into wine (with which miracle the Lord sometime graced the mariage in Cana of Galile) that is, all sorrow and heauinesse into ioy and gladnesse,The B. of Bath, who preached at the mariage of these Princes; Febr. 14. being the Lords day, vpō that miracle done at the mariage in Cana Iohn 2. as that place of scripture was well applied by another reuerend Bishop to that present occasion.
Among the Grecians, it was a fashion, when they sacrificed to Iuno, their Goddesse of mariage, they tooke away the gall from the rest of the sacrifice, signifying thereby that there should be no bitternes in mariage. But our holy Apostle much better directeth husbands not to be bitter to their wiues, Coloss. 3. 19. Such pleasing contentment and amiable grace God will send, we trust, to this sacred mariage. Lastly, this most happie mariage we hope to see furnished, and accompanied with store and plentie of all blessings: which Christ our Lord decreed in heauen: the King our Soueraigne ratified in earth: The most worthie Archbishop as a spirituall father in the royall Chapell consecrated and blessed,The L. Archbishop of Canturburie ioyned together this Princely couple in mariage. and two learned and pious Bishops, as the most loyall and louing friends of the honourable Bride and Bridegrome, by their pithie exhortations and prayers in the sacred pulpit dedicated.
And so I conclude, wishing vntounto both your Excellencies that blessing, which the Elders of Israel gaue vntounto Boaz and Ruth, The Lord make thy wife, that commeth into thine house like Rachel, and like Leah, which both did build the house of Israel, Ruth. 4. 11. And as the Lord promised that Abrahams seed should be as the starres of heauen, Gen. 22. 17. as Hierome well saith, Abraham pro filijs claritas ostenditur astrorum: Abraham in stead of children is shewed the starres of heauen: So God make your Highnesse seed, as the starres of heauen, in glorie and multitude, and your princely persons,De vera circumcision. as the Sunne and Moone, to giuegive light and shine many daies in the Church of God: and after to be as bright and glorious starres in the kingdome of heauen, through Iesus Christ the only Sonne of God, and true Sunne of righteousnesse; to whom be praise for euer.
Your Highnesse in all dutie and seruice readie to be commanded in the Lord, Andrew Willet.
SALOMONS MARIAGE
Song out of the 45. Psalme.
The translation of the Psalme.
Vers. 10.
NOw hearken daughter and consider,
thy heedfull eare incline:
Thy fathers house no more remember,
count it no longer thine.
11
So in thy beautie only shall
the King much pleasure take:
Therefore thy Lord thou must him call,
and t'him obeysance make.
12
The citie Tyrus of such fame
shall presents to thee bring:
The rich people eke of the same,
shall giuegive each costly thing:
13
The Kings daughter within behold
with glorie bright doth shine:
14
Her garments are all of wrought gold,
and needle worke so fine:
The Virgines in her companie,
doe follow after fast:
15
The Kings palace most chearefully
to enter they make hast.
16
In stead of fathers vntounto thee
thy children vp shall stand:
Which may renowned Princes bee
euen throughout eueryevery land.
THE EXPLICATION OF the Psalme.
THe Church this daughter is, to cleaue
to Christ, she friends forsakes:
Christ her to fauour doth receaue,
and she her Lord him makes.
Tyre shall bring gifts, with the rich rout,
the truth shall Gentiles winne,
Prosperitie is the robe without,
the glorie grace within.
The Virgines, that is faithfull men,
Christs Temples doe frequent,
For fathers to the Church, children
Kings of the earth are sent.
The application.
The wife the parents must forget,
and yeeld obedience:
The man in's wife his louelove must set,
and she him reuerence:
Friends celebrate the mariage feast
with gifts sent to the Bride,
The inner parts must not be least,
whatsoeuer is beside.
The Bride is brought home chearefully,
with Virgine many one:
To her is giuen posteritie,
for fathers, which are gone.
The Conclusion.
So fruitfull be these Princes wed,
long life to each we pray:
And mutuall i…y in mariage bed,
to them God grant for ay.