The Golden Book of Christian Matrimony, Chapter 21
¶ The. xxi. Chapter.
¶ Howe daughters and maydens must be kepte.
NOw to returne to yong daughters how ….they shuld be enstru…t in prayer & know lege of theyr christē religiō according as it is set forth in dialoges & institutions of ye chri stians, yet shall they not be to busy in teachyng & reasoning openlye, but there to vse sylence and to learne at home, openly to heare, and at home let them reasone and teache eche other. Neyther wold I nothaue them euer shutte vp, as it were in cage, neuer to speake nor to come forthe, but Good counsel for mens daughters & maydes.sometymes to se the good fasshions and honest behauiour of other for to kepe thē euer in mew is ynough eyther to make thē starcke fooles, or …lles to make thē naughtes, whē they shal once come abroad into company. As for this thyng, eueryevery discrete parente shall knowe by the aforesayd rules howe to order them, to auoyd all wā tonnes and nycenesse in wordes, gestures and dedes, to eschewe all vnhonest games and passe tymes, to auoyd all vnhonest loues and occasions of the same, as vnhonest daunsynge, wanton communicacion, company wythe rybaldes and fylthy speakers, teache them to auerte theyr syght and sences from all such inconueniences, let them auoyd ydlenes, be occupied ether doinge some profitable thyng for your family, or e…es Bokes of … bles of fon… & lyght lou… women ought not t… reade.readynge some godly boke, lette them not reade bokes of fables, of fond and lyght louelove, but call vponupon God to hauehave pure hartes and chaste, that they might cleue only to theyr spouse Christ vn to hym maryed by fayth, which is the moost pu rest wedlock of vsus all, pure virgins, beyng both maried and vnmaried. Euell wordes, saythe Paul, corrupte good manners, vnclennes and couetousnes, let them not once be named amōg Ephe. v.you, nor no foolysh rybaldry talkyng, nor light testyng, which are not comely, but be occupied in prayers and thankesgyuynge. Bokes of Robyn hood, Beues of Hampton, Tro…us, & such lyke fables do but kyndle in lyers lyke lyes and wanton louelove, which ought not in yougth wyth theyr fyrst spettle to be dronckē in, lest they euer remayne in them. If ye delyght to synge songes ye hauehave the Psalmes and many godly songes & bokes in Englysh right frutefull & swete. Take the new Testament in your handes, & study it diligently, & learne your profession in baptyme to mortify your flesh, and to be reuyued in the spirite, learne the vse of the Lordes supper, to re member his death, and to gyue hym perpetuall thankes for thy redempciō. Mothers must also teache theyr doughters to worcke, to louelove theyr husbandes and chyldren. And lette them laye their handes to spynne, sewe, weaue. etc, For Lerne them to worke.the noblest wemen, bothe amonge the Heathen Romans and Grekes & Hebrewes had greate commendacyons for theyr houswyfly working wyth theyr handes, as ye maye reade of Salomon, sayenge: He that fyndeth an honest faythfull Pr…. xixi.woman, she is more worth then precious perles. The herte of her husband maye safelye trust to her. All the dayes of hyr lyfe wyll she seke hys profit. She occupieth woll and flaxe, and laboureth gladly wyth her handes, She is lyke a marchauntes shippe. et ce. It is expedient that a man handfast not his daughter before he hath good experience of hyr housewyfrye, & go uerning of an house. For it becometh hir better to hauehave a payer of roughe and harde handes, then tobe fayer & softe glisteryng with rynges Fay… handed and tender fyngered women are not to be praysed.or kouered cōtynually wyth smothe gloues. And let the parentes be ware that they bryng them not vp to tenderly wantōly and delicately or to nycely. And at dew tyme let thē be prouyded for so that they maye gouerne theyr owne houses wyth theyr owne husbandes.
Thus moche hauehave I spoken concernyng holy wedlock accordyng to the Scriptures of god Desyryng all men, that shall reade thys lytyll treatyse hereby to take an occasyon to hate and deteste all vnclennes, & godly to embrace holye wedlocke, which is honorable among all personnes, and so to lead theyr lyfe here in all godlynes and honeste, that after theyr departure oute of this world, they may reygne for euermore in perpetuall glorye with the Bryde. grome Iesus Christ, to whome be all honoure and prayse worldes wtout ende.
AMEM.
¶ Gyue the glory to God alone.