Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

Every Man to think the best of his own Wife. [ 1198]

XEnophon being demanded,* 1.1 if his Neighbour had a better house then him∣self, and that he might have his choyce of them, which would he have, his or his own? he answered, His; so being demanded the like question of his horse,* 1.2 of his Field, and the like, he still answered, His; But being asked, if his Neighbour had a fairer or a better Wife then himself, Which of them he had rather have; Hic Xenophon ipse tacuit, he either said, His own, or said no∣thing; silently concluding,* 1.3 That she was the best: Thus it is, that every Man must think his own Wife to be the fairest and the faithfullest that he could find, esteeming of her as of the best treasure he hath, loving her above all others; not like the Egyptian Frogs croaking in other Mens chambers; but, as the Adamant turns onely to one point, so keeping to his own Wife so long as they both shall live.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In appendice Xenophontea adject. ope∣ribus.
• * 1.2

  —Uxor bona chara supellex. Ovid.
• * 1.3

  Quicun{que} bonus maritus et p••u∣dens, suam amat et curat. Homer.