The Golden Book of Christian Matrimony, Title page – Dedication
The goldē boke of christen matrimonye, moost necessary & profitable for all thē, that entend to liue quietly and godlye in the Christen state of holy wedlock newly set forthe in English by The odore Basille.
¶Hebre. xiii. wedlockers honorable among al parsons, & the bed vnde…led But whoremongers & adu…erers God …all iudge.
Prouer. 5. ¶Be gladde wyth the wyfe of thy yougthe, a… wyth a louynge hynde and frendely roo, Let he… brestes alwaye satisfye the, and holde the cōtent wythe her louelove. Oh my sonne, why wylte thou hauehave plesure in an harlotte, and embrace the bosome of another woman?
Prouer. 12. ¶An honeste louynge and diligente wyfe is a …rowne, that is to saye, a great honour and glory, to her husbande. But she that behauethe her selfe vnhonestly, is a corrupcion in his bones.
Prouer. 18. ¶He that fyndeth a good wyfe, fyndeth a great treasure, and he shall receyue pleasure at the Lor des hande.
Prouer. 19. ¶House and rytches is gyuen a man of his pa rentes, but a wyse and discrete wyfe is vnfaynedly the gyfte of the Lorde.
¶To his singuler good frende master Anthony Gryse, Theodore Basille wysheth longe lyfe, cōtinuall health & prosperous felicite.
IF God, whyche is the Iaco. …. i. Cor. …alone gyuer of all good thynges hadde endewed me wyth the diuine gyfte of suche and so great eloquence, that I myght iustely and wythout ony reprehension hauehave compared with that moost excellēt Greke Pericles, whose vayne of ornate eloquence eyther in persuadynge or dissuadynge euen of very nature semed to be incomparable, & not able of any mortall man to be obtayned, nor yet scase ly in ony poynte so muche as a shadowe of the same to be expressed: yet I here frely cōfesse that I myght well appeare more barbarous thā the rude and grosse Garamantes, yf I should take vponupon me to decantate and set forthe the dignite of honorable wedlocke accordynge to the desertes therof, and exalte it wythe suche encomies, laudes & prayses, as it hath alwayes ben thoght worthy euen of them, that hauehave moost floryshed wyth pregnant wyttes & excelled with all kynde of knowledge bothe diuine and humayne. Lette other prayse Chastitie so muche as they lyste, whiche, they saye, would God it were so, fylleth A cōparison betwene cha stite & wedlocke.heauen, yet wyl I commend matrimony, which replenysheth bothe heauen and earth Let other set for the syngle lyuynge wyth so manye prayses, as they can accumulate and tomble one in anothers necke, for as much as it is voyd of all care, trouble & disquietnes, yet wyll I for euermore commend the state of honorable wedlocke whiche refusethe no kynd of pay…e and trouble, so that it maye bryng any profyt at all to the publique weale of Christendome. Let other approue solitarye lyuynge, whyche is pertaker of none of all those burdennes, that the common sorte of mē do sustayne, yet wyll I preferre that state of lyuynge, whych? accordyng to the order Roma. xv. Gala. v….of charite, is redy at all tymes to beare the burdens of o…her, and to seke the quietnes of other no lesse than of it selfe. Let other prayse ye kynd of lyfe, wherby mankynd decayeth and in processe of tyme shoulde be vtterlye destroyed, yet wyll I commende that manner of lyfe, whiche begetteth and bringeth forth to vsus excelent Kin ges, noble Princes, Pryncelyke Dukes, puyssaunt Lordes, valeaunt Knyghtes, connyng artificers for the mayntenaūce of the cōm… weale learned wyttes. &c. Let other auaunce that lyfe, wherby Monarchies, Empyres, & Kyngdōs be made desolate, barren and vnfruytfull, yet wyl I moost of all prayse that lyfe, whyche make the Realmes to florysh with innumerable thousan des of people, wherby the publique weale is preserued in safe estate. Lette other prayse suche as maye iustly seme to be monstures of nature for theyr sterrilite and barrennes, yet wyll I commende them, whyche accordynge to theyr fyrste Gene. ii.creacion and the natural disposicion, that God from the begynnyng engraffed in thē, are fruteful Psal. c. xxviias a plenteous vine. Let other allow the fan sy of those belly Goddes, whyche for a volupteous, careles and swynysh maner of lyuyng, and because they wyll not lyue of the labour of theyr owne handes / and thesweat of theyr owne b… ow …, after the commaundement of God, had rather lyue lyke abhominable adulterers, stinking whoremongers, vncleane fornicatours, detestable Sodomites, vnnaturall mōstures vntounto the great slaunder of the Christen religion: and so to dye as vnprofitable cloddes of the earth, th… godly to marrye and leaue behynde them suche frute, as in tyme to come myght both profytte the common weale, and also sette forth the glory of God, whan not withstondyng both ye lawe of God, of nature, and of man both suffereth and i. Cor. vii. …prouoketh them vntounto the contrary, seynge they hauehave not the gyfte of chastite gyuen them, and it is better to marry thā to burne, as ye Apostle sayth: Yet wyll I commende and prayse suche as do not digenerate, as Icarus dydde, from theyr naturall kynd, but enbrace holy wedlocke, which Hebre. xiii.is honorable among all personens, and brynge forth frute accordynge to the commaundement of GOD, because they wyll not perpetrate nor once attempte ony thynge, that shoulde be vncleane in the syght of GOD, and a stomblyng stocke in theyr owne conscience. Tobe shorte▪ lette other prayse them, whyche whan they dye, leaue no lyuysihe & quycke testimoni…s behynde them, yet wyll I commende them, which, whan they gyue ouer to nature, leaue quycke and lyuysh testimonies behynde them, wherby they de clare that they hauehave lyued, and not ben vnfrute full nor vnprofitable to the Christen publique weale. For can christē matrimony be ony other wyse than a thyng of great excellency and incō parable dignite, seynge it was not ordeyned of Minos, of Creta, nor of Licurgus of Lacedemonye, nor yet of Solon the Athenian, but of Not mā but God himself instituted ho ly wedlocke, yea and that in Paradisethe moost hygh and immortall God hym selfe, & by hym, yea by hī alone cōmēded to mankynd in so much that menne may seme to be allured, moued and styred vntounto thys state of lyuynge wt a certen inspiracion of the holy Ghost? In Pa radyse also that garden of pleasure was it insti Gene. ii.tuted, yea and that before ony synne reygned in this worlde, to shewe that it bryngethe to man great ioye, wealth, felicite & quietnes. And syns that tyme hath it euer ben had in great estimacion▪ yea and that not only amonge them that professe vnfayned faythe in the lyuynge God, but also amonge so many as only were led by y• instincte of nature, in somuche that it was recounted a thynge of muche ignominye, and reproche to lyue wythoute the state of wedlocke & to be vnfruytfull. Were not the holy Patriarches Gen. xi. xxiiii xxix. xli.marryed men? Did not the Prophettes of God liue in the christen state of holy wedlocke? Dyd not God in the olde lawe bothe wyll hys Leuici. xxi Ezechi. xliiiiprestes to marry, & also appoynt thē, what wyues they shoulde hauehave? Was not Christ borne Math. i. Luke. i. Math. viii. Marke. i. Luke. iiii. i. Cor. ix. Philip. iiii. Ioan. ii. Actu. xxi.in maryage? Were not the Aposties of Christ marryed men? Dyd not Christ garnysh maryage withe the fyrste fruytes of his miracles, whan he wyth his mother & his Disciples were at a weddynge in the Citie of Cana Galyle? Was not Ppilippe the Euangeliste a maryed man, and had foure doughters excellently learned in holy Scriptures: Were not many other Eccle. Histo. Lib in. Capi tulum xxiiii.holy men both Byshoppes and prestes maryed longe after the Apostles tyme, as we reade in the antentyke Hystories? Dothe not S. Paule i. Timot. iiiicall the forbyddynge of marryage, the doctrine of dyuelles.
Of these thynges it is manifest, of how great estimacion holy wedlocke hath euer bene syns ye fyrst begynnynge of the worlde amonge all degrees of parsonnes. Who wyll not nowe commende The excellen cy of weddelocke.honorable wedlocke, as a thynge of great excellency. Who wyll not thyncke it a state of li uyng worthy hygh prayse and commēdacion? Who wyll not iudge that it ought to be embraced with metyng armes, as they say, seynge that by it so many noble treasures chaunse vntounto vsus, vertue is mayntayned, vice is exchewed, houses are replenished, cities are inhabited, the grounde is tylled, scienses are practised, kyngdoms florysh, amite is preserued the publique weale is defended, naturall succession remaynethe, good artes are taught, honest order is kepte, Christē dome is enlarged, Goddes word promoted, and the glory of GOD hyghely auaunced and sette forthe?
But alas, and wo is me for it, the glorye of The dishouour of wed locke.this christen matrimony is now greatly obscu red, yea almoost vtterlye extincte and quenched thorow the abhominable whoredome, stynking adultery, wicked fornicacion, and alkynd of vn cleannes, which is vsed nowe a dayes amonge vsus, yea and that frely and wythout ony punish ment. There is no truethe, there is no mercye, Oze. iiii.there is no knowledge of God on the earthe as the Prophet sayth, Cursyng, lyeng; man slaugh ter, theafte and whorehuntyng hauehave ouerflowed the worlde. Men now a dayēs hunte ye Stewes Hiere. v.and harlottes houses, as Hieremye sayethe. They are become lyke wylde stoned horses that ronne after meares, for eueryevery one neyeth at his neyghbours wyfe. And woulde God this were the worste.
Matrimony is despised, whoredome is had in price. True wyues & faythfull yokefellowes are neglected and set at nought, but whores and harlottes are embrased, kyssed, kulled and much set by. Honeste wyues syt at home and allmoost perish for hōger but harlottes are sumptuously fed wyth al kynde of deyntyes. Matrimony is called an halter, but whoredome is recounted a pleasure. Wedlocke is now taken for a kynde of lyuynge replete wyth all misery, care sorow, po uerte, wretchednes and beggerye, but to lyue in whoredome and such other detestable vncleannes, is recounted to lyue lyke a cleane and right by man, lyke a lusty brute, lyke a ioly ruffelare, lyke a fellowe, that wyll not gyue his head for y• wasshynge, yea lyke such an one, as it woulde do a man good, saye they, to be in his company, he is suche a mynyon and pleasaunt fellow, full of his mery conceates and wanton toyes. To tary at home but one daye wyth theyr wyues, is more than twyfe an hell, but to be dallyenge amonge whores, whole dayes, nyghtes and monethes, and there to spende all that they hauehave, is a pleasure for a Pope, and recounted no payne at all. O good God howe longe wylte thou suffer this intollerable abhominacion? How longe shall the head rulars wyucke at this great wickednes? Shall Engelonde neuer be pourhed of this fylthy vnclennes and vncleane fylthynes? Shall there neuer be a remedy found in Englōd for the extyrpacion of this dyuelysh & to muche beastlyke vice, seynge we hauehave had so many occasions gyuen vsus in tymes past, & yet styll hauehave dayly? Shallwe euer laughe at this great abhominacion, whiche is waxed so hyghe, that it can growe vp no furthe? Shall this cōmaūdement of god neuer hauehave place amonge vsus Englishmē. There shall be no whore amonge the doughters Deu…o xx…iiof Israel, nor no whoremonger amonge the sonnes of Israel? Are not we also ye people of God? Are not we Israelites, and suche as be conuerted from oure olde conuersacion vntounto true godlynes? Hath not God also redemed vsus from all …. ii.iniquite, and purified vsus a peculiare people to hymselfe, that we should be earnest followers of good workes? Oughte not so muche clennes of …yfe appeare in vsus, as it dyd ī tymes past amōg the olde Iewes? Hathe God delyuered vsus from the power of our enemies, that we shoulde lyue dissolutely, and not rather that we shulde walke before hym all the dayes of our lyfe in holynesse Luke. …. Ero. xxx. Deut. v. Math. xi…: i. Cor. vii.and ryghteousnes? Is not this commaundemēt also gyuen to vsus: Thou shalte cōmit no whoredome: Is it not sayd vntounto vsus, For to auoyd fornicacion, let eueryevery mā hauehave a wyfe of his owne and eueryevery woman an husbande of her owne? Why than do we tomble and bury oure selues in this fylthy and stynckyng puddle of vnclennes, & not rather embrase holy wedlocke, whiche Hebre. xiii.is honorable amonge all men? Why hauehave we a pleasure to forsake our owne wyues, & to ronne a whorehuntynge after harlottes? Why do we consume, waste and spende awaye so vnthriftely all that euer we hauehave amonge noughty packes, and leaue our poore wyues and chyldren at home socoureles and vnprouyded for? Why do i. Cor. vi….we make of the members of Christ the mēbers of an whore? Certes oure finall destruccion is nearer at hande than we are ware of▪ For thys pronite and bent redines vntounto this fylthy synne of the flesh is an euideut token that the great & terrible daye of iudgement is at hande. For among all other Christ rehearseth this token be fore his commynge, and saythe: As it came to Math. xxi… Luke. xvii. Gene. vi. vipasse in the dayes of Nohe, so shall i… be lykewyse in the dayes of the sonne of manne. They dyd eate, dryncke, marrye, & were marryed euen Gene. xix.vn to the very daye, that Nohe entered into the Arke, and the floude came & destroyed them all. Agayne as it chaūced in the dayes of Loth, they dyd eate, dryncke, bye, sell, plante and bylde, but the very same daye that Loth wente out of Sodome, it rayned fyre and brymstone from heauē and destroyedde them all. Accordynge to those thynges shall the daye be, whan the sonne of mā commethe.
To marrye or to be marryed is no synne, so Howe it is …yn to mary.that it be done accordyng to Goddes worde, but to marry as they dyd in the tyme of Nohe, that is to saye for pleasures sake only, and to be fylthy in wycked conuersacion as the Sodomites were in the tyme of Lothe, this is synne, thys is wickednes, this is hygh abhominacion, this stin keth before the face of God, and deseruethe euerlastynge dampnaciō. What other thynge dothe the moost parte of men now dayes? As I maye speake nothyng of the fylthy Sodomites, which …he wycked … of … …lenge nowe … dayes.alas for pitie, are now to common in the worlde vniuersally, ho…e many n…we a dayes contracte matrimony aryght and after the word of God? Who regardeth not more the pleasure of ye flesh, than the hauynge of frute? Who hath not a respecte rather to the worldely rytches, than to the honest qualities & godly vertues of her, whome he entendethe to marrye? Who regardeth not more the vanite of beautye, than the honeste of condicions, in as muche that a common prouerbe is rysen therof among vsus: I wyl, say they vngodly pro uerb …s.hauehave a wyfe somewhat snowtefayre, though she be somewhat whoryshe. Agayne, what payne is it to me, though other good fellowes fare wel, so that I fare neuer the worsse? Item, God saue y• ouen, that baketh such bread, that all the whole house fareth the better for it: O extreme abhomi nacion. O shameles beastes. O vnnaturall mō stures. O wycked cloddes of the earth. It shameth me to thynke, that they are not ashamed to speake. It shameth me to speake, that they are not ashamed to do. It shameth me to do, that they are not ashamed to reioyse of. O very vilions & beastlyke slaues. Who is able to expresse eyther by tonge or penne theyr wyck…d abhominaciō. Fleshly pleasure before hauynge of frute? Ritches of the world, before ritches of y• minde? Beauty of face, before honest qualities & godlye vertues? Ah whorysh louelove. Ah adulterous wedlocke, Ah vayne vanite. A fayre woman wytheout discrete manners sayth Salomon, is lyke a ryng of golde in a swynes snowte. Agayne fauoure is deceatfull and transitory, and beautye is a vayne thynge, but a woman that fearethe God, is to be commēded. The lyppes of an harlot, sayth Salomon, are a droppyng hony …ōbe, Prouer. v.and her throte is softer than oyle. But the conclusion and ende of her, is as bytter as wormewood, and as sharpe as a two edged sworde. Her feete go downe vntounto death, & her steppes pearse thorowe to hell. And what other thyng, I praye you, is a rytche woman wythout godly qualiti What a ritch womā with oute good qualities is.es, than an asse laden withe a great multitude of treasure? Beholde vntounto what poynte theyse whorysh loose bondes, housebōdes, I wolde hauehave sayd, are fallen. This maketh them to set so lytle by theyr wyue…, and to hauehave harlottes in so great price. For whan they once hauehave that they desyred of theyr wyues, whan beauty begynneth once to decaye, whan the rytches are consumed, whiche were the alone occasion of hauyng theyr wyues, than cast they theyr wyues vp for hawkes meat, as they say, thā are they wery of theyr olde pasture, and wyll looke for newe bayte.
To moche of one thyng, saye they, is noughte. Shyfte of meate is good. Iucundum nihil est, ….nisi quod reficit uarietas. Therfore must ther sely poore wyues cōtrary to the lawe of nature, God and man, be kepte for holy dayes, teyed vp at hard meate, only beare the name of a wyfe, & fylthy whores shall be mayntayned wt all kynde of felicite, wealth and pleasure. O the preposterous manners of this worlde. O the sinistrall iudgementes of these wedlocke breakers. O the great dānaciō y• hāgeth ouer these whorehūters heades. I leaue of to speke of those abhominable Prouoke… of theyr wy ues to leudnes.v…iōs, which prouoke theyr wyues wickedly to make theyr bodyes common to other for lucres sake. Neyther wyll I rehearse here, howe there be some husbondes, whiche let oute theyr wyues to other, euen as men vse to let out theyr hackney horses for mony, and be at a composicion wyth them, what they shal hauehave for theyr wyues quar terly, and they agayne shall for theyr monye at all tymes hauehave them not only… at commaundement but also at a becke or wyncke, yea the husbandes them selues wyll not disdayne to bryng them. I also let them passe, whiche when they se other frequent & vse theyr houses, yea and abuse theyr wyues euen before theyr faces, wyncke at y• matter, & fare as though they knewe nothinge at al of it, as we reade of a certayne manne called Galba, which, whan he sawe Mecenas, minion Note.to Augustus the Emperoure dallyynge wt his wyfe before his face, kyste downe his head, nodded and fared as though he had ben a sleape. O shamefull abusion. Can ony greater dishonoure chaunce vntounto the holy state of honorable wedlocke? Do not theyse thynges requyre a redresse? Ware it not conuenient that the publique magistrates and common heade officers wt y• other nobles of y• christē Realmes vniuersaly Say not but y• ye be warned.should entreate of these thynges in theyr Parlyamentes. Assemblyes, Synodes, Councels. &c that whoredome myght once be banyshed, and christen matrimony truely obserued, faythfully kepte, and reuerently had in honour?
Furthermore as they set nought by theyr wi ues, so do they neglect the ryghte institution & Of the necli… gent bri…yng vp of childrēbryngyng vp of theyr chyldren, sufferyng them to do what they wyll. Go they to God or to the dyuell, as they saye, they passe not. Theyr exam ple leadeth the chyldrē rather to perdicion thā vntounto saluacion. For they heare nothyng of thē but lasciuious wordes, wanton communicaciō & bawdy tales, or els chydyng, scoldyng, brawlyng, fyghtynge, and alkynde of wicked rudenes What can children learue here? What goodnes Whense so great swarmes of wycked people a …yse nowe a dayes.is to be sucked oute of the breastes of suche vngodly parētes Wo worth them, yf they do no… amend and correct theyr synfull manners. For here of commeth it to passe, that there are nowe a dayes so greateswarmes of wicked lyuers, as theues, whoremongers, bloudsoupers, men s…ears, abusers of the moost blissed name of God, false wytnes berers, extorcioners couetous par sonnes, dronckardes, glottonnes, fayned frēdes, traytoures, rebellions. &c. Howe can they proue otherwyse, seynge they are brought vp wythout ony feare of God, and without ony knowledge of Goddes moost blyssed lawe. It is a common sayeng, saythe Salomon, that a chylde / whan he Prouer. xx…is olde, shall not go awaye from suche thynges, as he learned in his yougth.
Here maye we se as in a clere lampe of Phebus, howe greatly the glorious beauty of honorable wedlocke is defaced? Ah shall not that day once come agayne, that holy matrimony shal be restored to her olde fauour? Ah shal not we once se that daye, that that glysteryng strompet adulterye shall be ashamed to shewe her face? Ah shall it not once come to passe, that these whorehunters shall be ashamed to appeare in ye syghte of honest maryed folke? Graunt, O Lord, graūt I moost humbly beseche the, that it maye come to passe, yea and that shortely.
But some men peraduenture wyll maruell, The cause… of the dishonour of wed locke.howe it is come to passe, that matrimony now a dayes is so lytle estemed, and whoredome so commonly vsed, yea and that euen of thē: which hauehave wyues of theyr owne, or elles maye hauehave. Uereiy howe it chaunseth vniuersally, I know not, excepte it be, that we be more pro…e, redy & bent vntounto vice thā vntounto vertue, but of this am I certenly assured, that it is esy to declare some causes of thys great absurdite. Fyrste as towchynge Men of nobilite.men of nobilite, we se dayely by experience that they for the moost parte marry theyr chyldren at theyr pleasure whan they are verye yonge, euen to suche as wyll gyue them moost mony for thē, as mē vse to sell theyr horses, oxe, shepe or ony other cattell. Who that wyll gyue moost mony, shall be soonest sped. For all thynges are obedient to mony. They are not certen, Eccle. x.whyther the parson wyll proue godly, vertuous, well disposed, wyse, prudēt, circūspecte, honest. &c. to whome they marry theyr yonge chylde, & yet are they streyghtwayes redy to yoke them togither, so that mony come. They had rather theyr chyldren should lyue euer after in perpetuall mi sery, than they woulde loose the sale of them, although they be scase sale worthy, they be so yōge. This kynd of marryeng hath euer ben detested euen of the very Ethnyckes, and of so many as hauehave ben illumined wyth ony sparke of prudent reason. And not without a cause. For whā they come once vntounto the perfeccion of age, & se other whome they could fynde in theyr harte to fansy and louelove better, than many of them begynne to hate one another, be wery one of another, spyte one another, and curse theyr parentes euen vntounto the pytte of hell for the cowplyng of them togyther. Than seake they all means possible also to be diuorced one from another. But yf it be so, that they remayne styl togyther, what frownig ouerwhartyng, scoldyng, & chydynge is there be…ene them, so that the whole house is fylled f…l of those tragedies euen vntounto the toppe. One casteth another in the tethe wyth theyr bloud and auncient stocke. Eche of them thynke theyr selfe best at ease, whan they be furdest one from another. There is nothyng more displeasaunt than one to beholde another. One wyssheth anothers death One draweth this waye, another y• way. He fauoureth this parson, she that. He spendethe his goodes in this place, she in yt contrary. Eche of them is gladde to bryde away from another. Thus goeth all to hauocke. Nothynge remayneth in safe estate. What a wycked and he…yke lyfe is this? The baser sorte of people seeth this vnquiet lyfe, that is vsed among ye Gentylmen and theyr wyues, whiche ought to gyue an exā ple of all honeste and gētle softenes to other, th… go they home, and if ony thynge, be it neuer so lytle, displeaseth them, streyght are they togither by the eares wyth theyr wyues, so that shortely after the whole towne is an a rore. If ony man beyng of a gentle nature and sofce harte mony sheth his neyghbour of his vnquietnes & rough entreatynge of his wyfe, he is also redy to faull out with him, and sayth, why maynot I punish my vyfe so well as suche and suche a Gētle mā dothe? Whome should we followe but our heades and superiours? If it were not conuenient for vsus so to do, I am sure they woulde not do it. O euell example that sowethe discorde betwene manne and wyfe. Who so euer offendeth one of Math. xviii. Luke. xvii.these litle ones, which beleue in me sayth Christ it were better for hym that a mylstone were hā ged aboute his necke, and that he were drowned in the deapth of the see. Wo be to the worlde because of offenses. How be it, it can not be auoy ded, but yt offenses must come. Neuerthelesse wo be to yt man, by whome the offence cōmeth. what is the orygynal cause of all theyse tragicall and bloudy dissencions, but only the couetous affeccion of those parentes, which for lucres sake so wickedly bestowe theyr chyldren in theyr youth & yoke them with suche as they can not fauour in theyr age? Were it not better and more godly to leaue them vnmarryed, vntyl they were of a lawfull age, and than so to bestow them, that all parties should be contented wyth all, & euer after lyue quietly togiter in the Christen state of holy matrimony vntounto the vertuous example of the baser sorte? At the least by thys means ye parentes shoulde be wythoute blame. But it is not so lucrefull, I graūt, not to the couetous parentes, yet muche more profitable for the chyldren in tyme to come. And wo be to that father, which had rather satisfy his owne couetous affeccion, than to procure a quiet māner of liuing Themisto cles.for his chylde. Themistocles although an Emperour and a man of great nobilite, whan men marueled why he marryed his doughter rather to a good honest playne man of the contre, than to a great rytche man and one of an aunciente stocke, aunswered: I had rather hauehave a man wt out mony, than mony wythout a mā, meaning that he which is a man, shall soone get mony ynough for his necessary vses, but as for hym, ye wanteth such qualities as belongeth vntounto a mā thogh he hath neuer so many possessiōs in store & cōmeth of neuer so hygh bloude, yet is he but a …astard, & shal soone lose, yt hath byn long in get tynge. Thus se we that the couetous affecciō of certen Gentyllmen, whiche for lucres sake mary theyr chyldrē before they come vntounto any perfecte knowledge eyther of thē selues, or of other, is one occasion, why holye wedlocke is so lytle estemed nowe a dayes, and so large a wyndow openned vntounto whoredome and adultry.
What shall we now saye vntounto them, whiche at a iust and conuenient age come togither, yea and that not only by the procuremente of theyr parentes, but also by theyr owne consent, & yet lyue wickedly to the great dishonour of honorable wedlocke? Certes here must nedes be a great faulte, yf not on both, yet on one party. Dissensi on chaunceth many tymes betwene suche, because Howe dissen siō chaūceth many tymes betwene mar ryed folkes.one can not be contente to forbeare another, to gyue gentle aunswers, louyngly to cherysh one another, and to be a lyke mynded in al honeste and godly thynges, but streyghtwayes faull out for eueryevery lyght tryfle contrary to the bonde of matrimony. This engendreth muche hatred and displeasure betwene marryed folke, in so muche that yf it be not shortely remedyed by mutual recōs…iaciō, it alieneth theyr myndes so farre one frō another, y• scasely ther cometh euer after ony harty frēdship & true louelove betwene thē. This is a great dishonour to holy wedlock.
Some also hauehave such froward & scoldyng wy Frowarde & scoldyng wy ues.ues, that they can at no tyme be in quiet wythe them, they are so ladylyke, and hygh in the ynne steppe, chefely yf they broght ony substaunce wt thē, than they thynke, yt theyr husbōdes ought of very duty to gyue them place, to forbeare them, and to suffer them to hauehave the preeminence, & to do what they lyfte. The beastes wyll not be in subieccion to theyr husbondes, but rather take Gene. iii. i. Cor. xi. Ephe. v. Colloss. … i. Pet. …i.vponupon thē to rule, as though not only theyr goodes, but also them selues were not theyr husbondes and at his commaundement, yea an that by the appoyntment of God. This oftētymes cau seth the husbonde to gyue hys mynde to straūge women, and to breake the bondes of wedlocke. The woman is not behynde, but shapethe hym an hood of the same cloth, and so is holy matrimony miserably rent and torne.
Some also there be agayne, whiche hauehave gen C…rysh hus bondestle wyues, louyng, faythfull, honest, obedient, & redy to do, what so euer theyr husbondes commaundeth them, so it be reasonable, godly & honest, & yet wyll they not be pleased nor contēted but lyke stubble curres, vngentylly entreate thē beate them, buffet them, and put them out of the dores, handlyng them rather lyke dys… clowtes, thā lyke honest wyues, vntounto the great slaunder and ignominy of wedlocke.
All these do muche derogate, obscure & deface the dignite and excellency of christen matrimony, yea and that so much the more, because they professe the same order of lyuynge, and yet lyue nothyng agreable to the same.
Another sorte of people ther are, which might Obiecto… of pouertemarry, if they would, & yet do they rather chose to lyue in abhominable whoredome, than they would couple them selues wyth an honest woman in lawfull mariage. Many obiecte & laye for theyr excuse, pouerte, & saye, yt if they shoulde marry, they were vtterly beggarde for all euer. To whome I aunswere, If they be no… able to healpe for to mayntayne an honest wyfe, which wyll also laboure, worke and take paynes to get her owne lyuynge, howe are they than able to Super … …ostes.mayntayne theyr whores, and to awaye wy the the costes and charges that they spende in wanton and ryottous companye, as I maye speake nothynge of theyr waste mony, which they consume on theyr vayne iagged and garded apparell? Who euer wanted that lyued accordyng to Goddes worde? O thou wycked and shameles whorehunter, if thou thorow the sufferaunce of God haste ynoughe to fynde the and to satisfye thy beastelyke affectes & carnall pleasures, why doest thou dispayre of the blyssyng of God, yf yu shouldest leaue thyne abhominable lyuyng, and take to the a true and lawefull wyfe? God leaueth no man socourles that putteth his trust in hym, and diligently laboureth for his liuyng accordyng to his vocacion and callyng. Dyd not Christ turne the water into swete wyne at a cer …an. ii…tayne maryage to shewe that so many as lyue in holy matrimony accordyng to his word, shal neuer wante? The water of the ryuer shall soner be turned into wyne, and the stonnes of the Mar… wel.felde into bread, than the faythfull shall be lefte socourles. Dyd not God fede the people of Israel wyth meate from heauen? Dyd he not gyue Exo. xvi. Psal. lxxvii. Exo. xvii. iii. Reg. xvii.them dryncke out of the hard rocke? Dyd he not make a crowe to bryng meat vntounto the Prophet Helias twyse on a daye, and so wonderfully fed hym? Euē sowyll he do with vsus, yf we be fayth full, and seake to lyue accordynge to hys worde. The blyssyng of the Lorde maketh me rytche, Prouer. x.sayth Salomon, I hauehave bene younge, saythe the Psalmographe, & I am nowe olde, yet dyd I ne Psal. xxxvi.uer se a righteous man forsakē, nor his seed beg gyng theyr bread on the earthe. All the tyme of hys lyfe he sheweth mercy to the poore, and lendeth to them that hauehave nede, & yet hath he goodes plenty and ynough for his chyldren that suc cede hym. Therfore thou that makest thy bodye cōmon to ony woman wythout the law of wed A good lessōlocke, cease from thy wyckednes, leaue thyne abhominacion, get vntounto the such a wyfe, as fereth God, louethe his worde, is gentle, quiet, honest, silent, of fewe wordes, seruiseable, obsequious, modest, louyng, faythfull, obedient, and redy to do what so euer becommeth an honest marryed woman. Couple thy selfe with her, lyue togither in ye fear of God, in concord, louelove & mutual ami te Suffer no dissension nor discorde to preuayle Follow thi… counsell. Ephe. i…i.betwene you. If ony displeasure aryseth, recōcile youre selues streyghtwayes one to another. Let not yt son go downe on your wrath. Th…e your selues to be thā moost rytch, whā moost cōcord, amite, frendshyppe, beneuolence, and louelove raygneth betwene you, yea beleue this for a suerty, yt ye can not be poore, so longe as one of you louelove another vnfaynedly, and walcke in the feare of God, but if ye do not agre amonge your selues, nor louelove one another hartely, than shall ye curse of GOD faull vponupon you, so that all that euer ye hauehave, shall go to hauocke, and be your goodes neuer so manifold, yet shall they come to nogh… in shorte space.
Furthermore brynge vp chyldren in the nurtour of the Lorde. Order your family and house The briging vp of childrēholde vertuously and accordyng to gods worde. Let nothyng appeare in the & in thy wyfe, that maye gyue ony occasion of euell to them that be vnderunder the. Remember that God hath made the a Bysshop in thyne owne house, and that therfore EueryEvery mā is a Byshop in hisowne house. Ezec. iii. and xxxiii.thou must be a diligent ouerfeare and circumspecte in the gouernaunce of them. For yf ony of them that be in housholde wythe the perysh thorowe thy faulte, theyr bloud shall be required of thy hande at the dredfull daye of iudge ment. These thynges to fore cōsydered, & in thy dayly cōuersaciō practised, faull y• & thy wyfe to labour, eueryevery one of you, as god hath called you Laboure& pray to God yt he wyl blisse, prosper, fortunate and brynge your labours vntounto good effect, and doubte thou not, but that God shall so prouyde for the & thyne, that thou shalte wante no good thyng, as the scripture sayth: Taste and se that Psal. xxxiii.the Lorde is gentle, blyssed is that man, that tru steth in hym. Feare the Lorde, O all ye that ar… his Saynctes, for there is no scasenes to them that feare him. The rytche hauehave wanted and hō gred, but they that seke after the Lord, shal want no good thyng. Agē, Cast thy care on the Lord, & Psal. xliiii.he shall norysshe the. Awaye therfore wythe thy whoredome, and marry in the Lorde. Let no pouerte plucke the backe from the holy state of ma trimony.
Another sorte of wyueles people there are, y• myght marry yf they woulde, and are of suffici ent habilite, yet do they abstayne from mariage only for plesures sake, because they maye y• more frely ronne at rouers, defloure maydes, corrupt wynes, defyle wydowes, and lyue in all kynd of carnall voluptuousnes. For so longe as they be single, they thyncke it no greate offence thus to abuse them selues. Therfore to be bound to one woman only, they recounte it more than twyse an hel, and by this meanes do they continew in a damnable s…ate of lyuynge. For the Scripture sayth, neither whoremōgers nor adulterers shal …. Cor. vi. Ephe. v.enheryte the kingdome of heauen, All those parsonnes aforsayde cause that holy wedlocke is so lytle estemed, and that whoredome and adultry is so greatly vsed at this daye.
Hytherto hauehave I declared howe greatly y• ho nour and renowne of holy wedlocke is decayed. and by what meanes it is come to passe. What remayneth now but that some remedy be foūd? And would God that all men woulde employe theyr endeuour in this behalfe. Woulde God y• Ephe. vi.whoredom and adultry were so detested among vsus, that it myght not once be named, as ye Apostle fayth. Would God that all whorehunters & adulterers were so abhorred among christē mē, that no man would vouchesafe to eate with thē …i. Ioan. i.nor to kepe them company, no nor yet to bydde them God spede. Certes it is a thynge much to be wondered at, that whoredome shoulde growe vp into suche heyght, among them that professe How greuou slye adultrye was punisshed in times paste. The Egiptians.the fruytes of the spirite. But what maruell is it, seynge that whoredome nowe a dayes is become, but a lusty courageous pastyme of youth & reputed almoost for nosynne at all. We read, that yf a man amonge the Egiptians had bene taken in adultry, he should openly in the presēce of all the people hauehave bene scourged naked wyth whyppes vntounto the nomber of a thousande strypes. The woman that was taken wythe hym, I wolde all whores were so serued now adayes also. The Arabians.had her nose cut of, wherby she was knowē euer after to be an whore, and therfore abhorred of al men. Among the Arabians, they that were takē in adultry, had theyr heades stryken from theyr bodies. Among the Athenians adulterers were ponyshed by death wythout mercy. In lyke maner is it at this day among ye Tartari…s, & yet The Athenians. The Tarta reans. The Germaynes.are they Infidels. If a womā among ye Germai nes in tymes past, had bene conuicte of adultry, she had all the hear of her head cut of, beyng stry ped starke naked, her husband put her out of his dores before his neighbours, and in ye syght of al the people he scourged her wt whyppes about the cytye or towne, and euer after she was so despised, that no man would wouchesafe to marry wt The turke…her Amonge the Turkes euen at this day, they that be taken in adultry bothe manne and womanne are stonned streyghtewayes to deathe wythoute ony mercye. Was it not so lykewyse The Israeli tes. Leuit. xx. Deu. xxii.among the Israelites by the commaundemente of God?
Thus se we how whoredome and adultry in tymes paste hauehave bene ponysshed, and yet is in certayne nacions, Woulde GOD it were not laughed at euen amonge them, that moost of all ought to mayntayne the purite and clennes of matrimony. But the redresse of all these moost The ciuile magistrates ought to redres all enor mites.greuous enormities partayne vntounto ye ciuile magistrates, whose office and duty it is to prouide that all whoredome & adultry be banyshed oute of the boundes of Christendome, that holy wed locke maye once agayne be had in price, & restored vntounto her olde beauty & pristine glory. Howe this thyng may moost conueniently be brought to passe, the hygher powers for theyr wysdome and discreciō, wherwyth they be endewed from aboue, shall easely consyder. I beseche God prosper Age…ral ad mo…icion.theyr moost godly trauayles in these & suche lyke enterprises, that vertue maye encrease and vice decaye. In the meane season it shallbe very expedient that all men seake to lead an honest, pure, cleane and godly lyfe, and not suffer them selues by no meanes to be spotted wyth the fylthy synne of abhominable whoredome, Let thē … folkethat be marryed seake none other straung company, but let the husbonde be cōtented with his owne wyfe, and the wyfe wythe her owne husbonde. Let them that be vnmarryed, and canne …aryed.not lyue wtout ye cōpany of a womā, get thē wiues of theyr owne, and so lyue godly togither. For it is better to mary, than to burne. And to auoyd fornicacion, sayth the Apostle, lette eueryevery i. Cor. vi….man hauehave a wyfe of his owne, and eueryevery womā Sīgle li…ersan husbonde of her owne. As for suche as entende not to entangle them selues wyth maryage, but determyn to lead a sole and continēt lyfe, let them seake all meanes possible to mayn tayne the same, as by readynge the holy Scriptures, by godly meditacions, by contynual pray Cupiens ui ta…e Scyllā incidit in Charybdiners, and suche other vertuous exercyses, vnlesse whil they abstayne f…ō ye art of matrimony. Sa tan our olde aduersary drawethe them vntounto all kynde of wickednes, and suche vicious vncleann…s, Preache… Gouernors.as maye not here wythe honeste be named. Let all preachers also in theyr Sermons exhorte ye herers vntounto purite of lyfe. Let all fathers and mothers, masters and mastresses with all othe… gouernours se that none vncleannes be vsed among them that are vnderunder them. To conclude, let vsus all seake and deuyse all meanes possible, y• holy wedlocke maye once agayne be had in such honour, that all whoredome, fornicacion, adultry, incest and all other vnclennes maye vtterly be abhorred, detested & hated worsse than any ve nemous serpent. And to encourage all manner of persons in this behalfe, I hauehave sette forth this Treatyse ensewynge of Christen matrimonye, which teacheth so largely all thynges that pertayne vntounto that kynde of lyfe, that who so euer readeth it and practiseth the same. I doubte not, but as he shal be occasioned to forsake all vnclen nes, and to embrace holy matrimony, so shal he be moued to gyue God thankes for the settynge forth of this lytle worke in our maternall tong I beseche GOD, that it maye brynge forthe no lesse frute, than I hauehave entended by the settynge forthe of it. For well shall it be wythe Christes Chyrche, if they maye once se holy wedlocke had agayne in honoure, and whoredome banysshed oute of the boundis of Christendome.
This lytle Treatyse (moost gentle master Gryse) for the honest and ryght harty frēdshyp, that hathe euer ben betwene you and me, syns ye fyrst tyme of our acquayntaūce, & for the quiet and godly conuersacion that I hauehave euer perceaued betwene you and the vertuous Gentle woman your wyfe, and for the godly instituciō and honest bryngyng vp of your chyldren, I dedicate to you, as a manifest testimony of myne vnfayned louelove and ryghte harty a…ite towarde you and all yours, desyrynge you frendely to ac cepte this my lytle gyfte, as the present of hym, whiche though he be absent in body, and far frō his natiue contre, yet is he present wyth you in spirite, and wysheth to you, and to so many as tender the glorye of God, and the promocion of his holy word, all good, happy, fortunate & prosperous thynges in Iesus Christ, our Lorde and omnisufficient Sauiour for all them that repēt beleue vnfaynedly, and walke accordyng to his worde, in whome I bydde you all well to fare. Grace be wyth all them, that louelove the Lorde Iesus Christ vnfaynedly.
Amē.