¶Of a man. Cap. 14.
A Man is called Vir in Latine, & hath that name of might and strength, as saith Isidore. For in might and strength a man passeth a woman. A man is the head of a woman as the Apostle sayth, and therefore a man is bounde to rule his wife, as the head hath cure and rule of the body. And a man is called Mari∣tus, as it were warding and defending Matrem the mother, for he taketh ward and kéeping of his wife, that is mother of the children. And is called Sp••nsus also, and hath that name of Spondere, for he betrotheth and bindeth himselfe: for in the contract of wedding, he plight∣eth his troth to leade his life with his wife without departing, and to paye hir his debt, and to kéepe •••••• and loue hir a∣fore all other. A man hath so great loue to his wife, that for hir sake he aduente∣reth himselfe to all perills, & setteth hir loue afore his mothers loue, for he dwel∣leth with his wife, and forsaketh father and mother: for so saith God, A man shall forsake father & mother and abide with his wife. Afore wedding yt spouse thinketh to winne loue of hir that hée w••••eth, with giftes, and certofieth of his will with letters and messengers, and with diuers presents, and giueth manye gifts and much good and cattell, and pro∣miseth much more.
And to please hir he putteth him to di∣uers playes & games among gathering of men, and vseth ofte déedes of armes, of might and of masterie, and maketh him gaye and seemely in diuers clothing and araye, and all that he is prayed to giue and to doe for hir loue. he giueth and doth anone with all his might, and denieth no petition that is made in hir name and for hir loue. He speaketh to hir pleasantly, and beholdeth hir chéere in the face with pleasing and glad chéere, and with a sharpe eye, and at last alien∣teth to hir, and telleth openly his will in presence of hir friendes, and spenseth hir with a ring, and taketh hir to wife, and giueth hir giftes in token of con∣tract of wedding, and maketh hir char∣ters and déedes of graunts and of gifts, He maketh reuells and feasts, and spow∣sailes, and giueth many good giftes to friends and guestes, and comforteth and gladdeth his guests with songs & pipes, and other minstralsie of musicke. And af∣terward when all this is done, he brin∣geth hir to the priuities of his chamber, and maketh hir fellow at bed & at boord: and then he maketh hir Lady of his mo∣ney and of his house, and meynie, and then he is no lesse diligent and carefull for hir, then he is for himselfe: and spe∣cially louingly he aduiseth hir if she doe amisse, and taketh good heed to keepe hir well, and taketh héede of hir bearing and going, of hir speaking and looking, of hir passing and againe comming, out and home. No man hath more wealth, than he that hath a good woman to his wife: and no man hath more wo••, than he that hath an euill wife, crieng and ianglyng, chiding and scolding, dronken, lecherous and vnstedfast, and contrarye to him, costly, stout and gaye, enuious, noyfull, leaping ouer landes, much sus∣pitious and wrathfull. Fulgencius tou∣cheth all these things in a certaine Ser∣mon that he maketh De nup••••js in Ca∣na Galileae: and so he lykeneth Christ to a good man, an holye Church to a good wife, and the Synagogue to an euill wife that breaketh spousehoode. In a good spouse and wife behoueth these conditions, that she be busie and denout