The Golden Book of Christian Matrimony, Chapter 6
¶ The syxte Chapter.
The parētes ought not to constrayne theyr chyldren to matrimony, nether to marry thē afore thyr tyme.
IN this poynte also ought not the parētes to take to much vpō thē selues because of theyr authoritie, neyther to abuse it, or to compell theyr chylde, eyther because of fylthy aduauntage or lothesomnes in takyng payne) to let him go, & hauehave no respecte vntounto hym. For an vngodly and vnhappy thyng is it in the cause of mary age to cōpell a yonge mā agenst his wyl, to take suche one as he hath no harte vntounto. For in mari age ought to be the full consent of both parties, wt the consent of theyr parentes. Lykewyse also A good admonicion.whā a son or doughter are come to theyr yeares & ful discresion, but are of theyr parētes in ye me ane season not looked vntounto, & so afterward with a good aduise & deliberaciō do honestly mary to gyther. Then ought the father well to considre, that thorow hys owne wrongful & vnrighteous demeanour, he hath lost his authorite as towechyng hyndryng & breakyng of that mariage.
For seyng that the parentes do not looke to the chyldren, nor make such prouision for thē as parentes & tutours ought to do (& therfore are become nothyng lesse thē the parētes) why would they thē require of chyldrē such obediēce, by the whiche the chyldren myght fall and peryshe in y• daunger & snare of the dyuel: In suche causes ve rely is not a Christen man subiecte nor bonde, in as muche as all the lawes of God do extende & serue for the honeste, welfare, and preseruaciō of man, and not for his destruccion. It hath oft tymes bene founde in dede, that suche mariages …ontracted euen agaynst the wylles of suche vn faythfull and couetous parentes, hauehave ben prosperous, holy, and acceptable vntounto God. Not wt standyng my purpose is, nother to cōmende the foolyshe affeccions, nether the wicked & wanton behauoure of certayne yonge wylfull personnes that feare not God. In summa, the measures ought here to be a lyke longe: euen thus, lyke as the chyldren must hauehave respecte to theyr parētes & not wylfully despyse them or cast them of: So shulde not the parentes wythout ony petie com pell theyr chyldren to mariage afore theyr tyme neyther wyckedly neglecte them, nor leaue them vnprouided for in dewe season. Good lawes, iust rulers, the feare of God and discreciō, shall moderate this matter well ynough. Hereof also shall we treate more largely, in the Chapter of the consentynge.
Furthermore the age or yeares of the chyldrē Mariage be fore the timemust well be considered of the parentes. For an vnnaturall and vnhonest thynge is it, to mary younge folkes, whiche yet hauehave not attayned to theyr lawful and iust yeares. Many great sicke nesses do spring therof. Yōge mothers also hauehave no iust strength, nether to norysh nor to bryng forth frute. And sometyme hathe it chaūsed that they hauehave dyed of theyr impotent chylde. Lykewyse the chyldren whiche were borne of chyldrē became sycke and feble: It shall also not be come ly for Christen menne, to hauehave lesse discresion herein, then the Hethen, whyche hauehave had great respecte to the age and yeares. For Plato, Aristotle and Heseodus appoynte the age of seuentene yeares to yonge women. Some there were that to yonge menne hauehave appoynted the age of nynetene or twentye yeares: for in those yeares be the powers somewhāt strengthened, and decreace not then thorowe maryage, as they do in weake folkes. But herein maye eueryevery manne behaue hymselfe after the best & moost honest maner, accordyng as the kynde, complexion & cause requireth.