CHAP. III. Of sundry and diuers Lawes which the Ancients had in Contracting Matri∣mony, not onely in the choyse of Wo∣men, but also in the manner of cele∣brating Marriage.

IN all Nations, and in all the Realmes of the World, Mar∣riage hath alwayes beene accepted, and marueilously com∣mended: for other∣wise the world had not beene peo∣pled, nor yet the number of men mul∣tiplyed.

The ancients neuer disagreed one from another in the approbation and acception of Marriage: but there was amongst them great difference and strife, vpon the contracts, cere∣monies, and vsages of the same. For they vsed as much difference in con∣tracting Matrimony, and choosing their wiues: as these Epicures do de∣sire the varietie of sundry delicate meates. The diuine Plato, in his Booke hee made of the Common∣wealth, did counsell, that all thinges should be common, and that not one∣ly in bruit beasts, in moueables, and heritages; but also that womē should be common: for he sayd, that if these two words, thine, and mine, were abo∣lished and out of vse, there should not bee debates nor quarels in this world. They cal Plato, Diuine for many good things which he spake: but now they may call him Worldly, for the counsel profane which he gaue. I cannot tell what beastlinesse it may be called, nor what greater rudenes may be thought that the apparrell should be proper, and the wiues common. The bruite beast doth not know that which came out of her belly, longer then it suck∣eth of her brests. And in this sort it would chance to men, yea, and worse too, if women were common in the Common-wealth: for though one should know the Mother, which hath borne him, hee should not know the Father, which hath begotten him. The Tharentines (which were wel re∣nowmed amongst the ancients, and * not a little feared of the Romanes) had in their Citie of Tharente a law and custome to marry themselues with a legitimate wife, & to beget children: but besides her a man might yet chuse two others for his secret pleasures. Spartianus sayd, that the Emperour Hellus Verus, as touching women, was very dissolute: and since his wife was young and faire, and that she did complaine of him, because he led no honest life with her, hee spake these words vnto her: My wife, thou hast no cause to complayne of me, since I re∣maine with thee vntill such time as thou art quicke with childe: for the residue of the time, we husbands haue licence and priuiledge to seek our pastimes with other women. For this name of a wife contai∣neth in it honour: but for the residue, it is a grieuous burden and painefull office.

The like matter came to Ptolomeus King of Egipt, of whom the Queene his wife did greatly complaine. Ad∣mit that all the Greekes haue beene e∣steemed to bee very wise, amongst all those, the Athenians were esteemed of most excellent vertue: for the Sa∣ges that gouerned the Common∣wealth, remained in Athens with the Philosophers which taught the Sci∣ences. The Sages of Athens ordeyned * that all the neighbours and inhabi∣tants might keepe two lawfull wiues, and furthermore, vpon paine of grie∣uous punishments, did commaund, that none should presume, nor be so hardy to maintain any concubine; for they sayd, when men haunt the com∣panie Page  184 of light women, comonly they misuse their lawfull Wiues. As Plu∣tarch saith in his Politiques, the cause why the Greekes made this lawe was, considering that man could not, nor ought not to liue without the com∣panie of a woman, and therefore they would that a man should marrie with two wines. For if the one were disea∣sed and lay in, yet the other might serue in bed, waite at the Table, and doe other businesses in the house.

Those of Athens had another great respect and cōsideration to make this law, which was this, that if it chanced the one to be barren, the other should bring forth children in the Common∣wealth: and in such case, shee that brought forth Children, should be e∣steemed for Mistresse, and the other that was barren, should be taken for a seruant.

When this law was made, Socrates was marryed to Xantippa, and to ac∣complish the law, hee tooke another called Mirra, which was the daughter of the Phylosopher Aristides: and sith those two women had great quar∣rells and debates together, and that thereby they slaundered their Neigh∣bours, Socrates saide vnto them: My wiues, yee see right well that my eyes are hollow, my legges are withered, my hāds*are wrinckled, my head is balde, my bodie is little, and the haires are white: Why doe yee then that are so faire, stand in conten∣tion and strife for mee, that am so defor∣med? Though Socrates saide these wordes (as it were in ieast) yet such words were occasion, that the quar∣rells and strifes betweene them cea∣sed.

The Lacedemonians (than in the time of peace and warre, were always con∣trary to the Athenians) obserued it for an inuiolable lawe, not that one man should marry with two wiues, but that one woman should marrie with two husbands: and the reason was, that when one Husband should goe to the warre, the other shold tarry at home. For they saide, that a man in no wise should agree to leaue his Wife alone in the common-wealth.

Plinie writing an Epistle vnto his friend Locratius, and Saint Hierome, writing to a Frier called Rusticus saith: That the Atbenians did vse to marry Bretheren with the Sisters: but they did not permitte the Auntes to mar∣rie with their Nephewes, neither the Vnckles with their Nieces. For they sayd, that brothers and sisters to mar∣rie together, was to marry with their semblables: but for vnckles to marry Nieces, & Aunts with Nephews, was as of fathers to daughters, and of mo∣thers to sonnes.

Melciades which was a man of great renowme amongst the Grecians, had a sonne called Cimonius, who was marryed to his owne sister called Pini∣cea, and being demaunded of one why hee tooke his sister in marriage: hee answered: My sister is faire, sage, rich,*and made to my appetite, and her Father and mine did recommend her vnto mee: and since by the commaundement of the Gods, a man ought to accomplish the be∣hests and requests of Fathers, I haue de∣termined (since Nature hath giuen mee her for my sister) willingly to take her for my lawfull Wife.

Dyodorus Siculus saith, that before the Egiptians receyued any Lawes, e∣uery man had as manie Wiues as hee would: and this was at the libertie of both partyes, for as much as if she would goe, shee went liberally, and forsooke the man, and likewise hee left her when shee displeased him: For they sayde that it was vnpossible for Men and Women to liue long to∣gether, without much trouble, con∣tentions, and brawles.

Dyodorus Siculus sayde one thing, (where hee speaketh of this matter,) which as yet I neuer read in any book, Page  185 nor heard of the ancients past, which was that amongst the Egiptians there was no difference in Children: For they accounted them as legitimate, though they were children of slaues. For they said, that the principall doer of the generation was the Father and not the mother, and that therfore the Children which were borne among them, tooke only the flesh of the mo∣ther, but they did inherite their ho∣nour and dignitie of the part of the Father.

Iulius Caesar in his Commentaries saith, that (in Great Brittaine, now cal∣led England,) the Brittons had an vse, that one Woman was marryed vnto fiue men, the which beastlinesse is not read to haue beene in any Nation of times past: For if it bee slaunder for * one man to haue diuers Wiues, why should it not also bee a slaunderous and shamefull thing, for one woman to haue many Husbands? The noble and vertuous Women ought to bee marryed for two causes.

The first is, to the end God should giue them children, and benediction, to whom they may leaue their goods, and their memorie. The second, to the end they should liue euery one in their owne house, accompanyed and honoured with their husbands. For otherwise (I say for a truth) that the woman that is not contented and sa∣tisfied with her own proper husband, will not bee contented nor satisfied, with all men in the world.

Plutarch in his Apothegmes saith, that the Cymbres did vse to marrie with their proper and natural daugh∣ters: the which custome was taken from them by the Consull Marius, after that hee did ouercome them in Germanie, and that of them he had tri∣umphed at Rome. For the Childe which was borne of such Marriage, was Sonne of the Daughter of one sole Father, and was Sonne and Bro∣ther of one onely Mother, and they were also Cousins, Nephews, & Bro∣thers of one only Father and mother.

Truely such custome proceedeth rather of wilde beasts, then of reaso∣nable creatures: For manie, or the more part of brute Beasts, (after the females haue brought forth males) within one yeare after, they doo ac∣company with their dammes, which brought them forth.

Strabo in the situation of the world, and Seneca in an Epistle, say: That the Lydes and the Armenians hadde a cu∣stome, to send their Daughters to the Ri∣uers and Hauens of the Sea, to get their Marriages, selling their bodyes to straun∣gers: so that those which would Mar∣rie, were first forced to sell heyr vir∣ginitie.

The Romaines (which in all their af∣faires and businesses were more Sage and modest, then other Nations) vsed * much circumspection in all their ma∣riages: For they kept it as an ancient lawe, and vse accustomed, that euery Romaine should marrie with one wo∣man, and no moe: For euen as to keepe two wiues among the Chri∣stians, is a great charge of conscience, so was it deemed amongst the Ro∣maines much infamie.

Amongst the auncient and renow∣med Orators of Rome, one was called Metellus Numidicus, the which one day making his Oration to the Se∣nate, sayd these words;

Worthie Senatours, I let you vnder∣stand, that I haue greatly fludyed what the counsels shuld be, that I ought to giue yee touching marriage? For the counsel rashand sudden, oftentimes is not profita∣ble. I doe not perswade you at all to mar∣rie, neyther yet doe say that yee shall not marrie: but it is true, that if ye can liue without a woman, yee shall bee free from manie troubles. But what shall wee doe, O yea Romains? since that Nature hath made vs such, that to keepe womenPage  186it is a great trouble: and to liue without them, it is more danger? I dare say (if in this case my opinion might bee accepted) that it should not bee euill done to resist the lust since it commeth by fits, and not to take Wiues, which are continuall trou∣bles. These were the wordes which Metellus Numidicus spake, the which were not very acceptable, nor plea∣sant to the Fathers beeing in the Se∣nate: for they would not that hee should haue spoken such wordes a∣gainst Mariage. For there is no estate in this life, wherein Fortune sheweth her force more, then in this state of Matrimonie. A man may proue them in this sort, that if the fashions and vsages of the ancients were diuers, as concerning ordinance: truely there was no lesse contrarietie in theyr con∣tracts and ceremonies.

Boccace the Florentine, in a Booke that he made of the Marriages of the auncients, reciteth manie and sundrie customs, that they vsed in making the Marriages, whereof hee telleth some, not for to follow, or maintaine them: but to reproue and condemne them. For the writers did neuer write the vices of some, but onely to make the vertues of others more cleerely to be knowne.

The Cymbres had a custome, that when they would Marrie, (after the * marriage was agreed vpon) hee that was made sure should pare his nayles, and send them to his wife that should bee: and she in like sort sent hers vn∣to him. And then when she of him, and hee of her, had receyued the nayles the one of the other, they be∣tooke themselues Marryed for euer: and did afterwardes liue together, as man and wife.

The Theutonians had a ceremony, that the man that was sure, rounded the hayre of her to whome hee was made sure, and shee did the like vnto him: and when the one suffered the other to doe so, immediately they ce∣lebrated Marriage. The Armenians had a law, that the Bridegroom shuld pinch the right eare of the Bride, and the Bride should likewise pinche the * left eare of the Bride-groome: and then they tooke themselues marryed for euer.

The Elamites had a custome, that both parties which were made sure, pricked one the others little finger, vntill they bledde: the which bloud they did sucke naturally, & this done they were marryed. The Numidians vsed, that the Bryde-groome and the Bryde should gather together a piece of Earth, and with theyr spittle they tempered it, and therewith the one annointed the forehead of the other: so that the Marriage betweene them, was to annoynt the one and the o∣ther with a little clay. When those of Dace would be marryed, the Bride-groome and the Bryde, each one of themselues, were brought in Charry∣ots, the one meeting the other: and when they came together, the Bryde-groome gaue a newe name to the Bride, and shee likewise to him, and from that time forwardes they liued as in lawfull Matrimonie.

When they of Hungarie would mar∣rie, the one sent vnto the other a fa∣miliar * god made of siluer, whom they called Lares, and when they had re∣ceyued the God of each other, the marriage was finished, and they liued as man and wife. The Siconians had a custome and lawe, that when they should marrie, the one sent to the o∣ther a shooe: and that receyued of both, they agreed to the marriage.

The Tharentines had a custome, that when they did marrie, they set them∣selues at the table to eate, and the one did feed the other: so that if by mis∣happe, the one should chance to feed himselfe, that marriage was not estee∣med for constant nor good.

Page  187 The Scythians had a custome, and they kept it as a law, that when men and women should Marrie: as nowe they touch the hands the one of the other, so did they touch with their * feete, afterwardes they set together their knees, then they touched with their hands, and then they set theyr buttocks together, and so their heads, and in the ende they embraced the one the other. All these ceremonies done, the Marriages were assured, and sufficiently confirmed: and so we might say of manie others, but to auoyde tediousnes, wee will follow our matter: