The sanctuarie of saluation, helmet of health, and mirrour of modestie and good maners wherein is contained an exhortation vnto the institution of Christian, vertuous, honest, and laudable life, very behoouefull, holsome and fruitfull both to highest and lowest degrees of men ... / written in Latin verie learnedly and elegantlie by Leuinus Lemnius of Zirizaa, physitian, and Englished by H.K. for the common commoditie and comfort of them which understand not the Latine tongue ...

Of the lawfull societie of matrimonie.

CHAP. 54.

MAtrimonie is a lawfull and inseparable ioyning together of man and woman, instituted of God, partly to subdue inordi∣nate lusts, and to auoyde vnlawfull, vncer∣taine, and confused keeping of company to∣gether, and partly for the procreation of chil∣dren. And as S. Paul hath written of it, so also Columella out of the booke of oeconomie or houshold gouernance, made by Xenophon, hath left vnto vs in writing, that mariage was inuented by nature, that men might enter in∣to that societie of life which is not only most pleasant, but also most profitable: And to the end the same might be maintained, and that in continuance of time mankinde should not

decay & perish, nature hath ordained man 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be lawfully ioyned vnto woman, by the bles∣sing of God powred vpō thē, that by this indis∣soluble coupling together mortal man should not lack ayd & help, wherwith not only loue of procreatiō, but also mutual participatiō of life, condition and estate should knit thē together. Wherefore seeing that wedlock is a most safe hauen, & a sure stay & trusty stāding place for mankind, in whom by nature there is ingraffed a feruent desire and inclination to increase his linage & off-spring: surely that man doth well prouide for his tranquilitie, who doth betake himselfe thereunto, specially when his age is growen to ful ripenesse, & is come to the per∣fect strength of a man. But they which attempt the same too soone, and before their conueni∣ent time be come, and haue not wel tried their strength, nor perfectly prooued their firme∣nesse of nature, surely such men are vnwise in so dooing, and haue small consideration of their age. For there be some young striplings hauing almost no tokens of a man, which doe enter into this yoake either by a certain vnad∣uised rashnes, or by the instigation of baudes, or else by the compulsion of their parents, which gape for a great dowrie: Of this sorte I haue knowen some, which before the yeere were ended, haue been very weak and fee∣ble in their loynes and shancks, and all their

vitall iuice was so exhausted and consumed, that I was constrayned to comfort, recreate, and restore their decayed and impayred strength with nourishing medicines. Where∣fore let not boyes, or those that be little elder then boyes, apply thēselues to the procreation of Children: but let euery one measure & trie well his owne strength; whether his loynes be strong enough to beare the same or no. But he that purposeth to addict himselfe to ma∣trimoniall societie, must obserue this thing specially, to choose for his wife one that is of honest stock and kindred, not somuch respect∣ing her great dowrie (although that ought not to be refused) as her gētle, comly, honest, chast and shamfast maners, and good behauiour. For a woman (as the Comicall Poet sayth) if she be commendably manered, she is sufficiently dowred. A proper wittie and sage saying is that of Alcumena, as Plautus hath written, which euery young mayd & matron ought to keepe sure in remembrance, I doe not accompt (sayth she) that to be a dowrie which commonly is called so: But I iudge this to be the right and best dow∣rie, namely, honestie, chastitie, shamefastnesse, and continencie, feare of GOD, loue of parentes, and concord of Kinsfolkes, obedience to my husband, and to be chiefe ouer them that be honest, that I may bee bounteous to the good. Therefore parentes muste very carefully

beware, lest this fraile feminine sexe being brickle vessels, and prone to ruine, should be stayned with any spot of infamie, or sustaine any losse of honestie, especially when they be∣ginne to be mariagable, and come to their full ripenesse, but they must enforme and instruct their daughters vnto decent behauiour and vertue, and exhort and prouoke them vnto honestie of life and blamelesse nourture. There be some lewd progenitors and wicked parents which vtterly neglect, yee rather doe depraue and corrupt the integritie of their daughters & virgins. For they marre them with domesti∣call and familiar examples, and do open them the window vnto drunkennesse, malapartnes, and vnshamefastnesse. Whereby it commeth to passe, that by little and little they vse to shake off all shamefastnesse, and set their ho∣nestie to safe, so that they suffer the same ve∣ry easily to be assaulted, wonne, and spoyled, or doe not greatly resist the craftie deceiuer of virginitie, whose touching, feeling, hand∣ling, groaping, kisses, and ticklings, they nei∣ther feare nor abhorre, but willingly without resistance receiue the flattering allurements of such wantons.

Amongst many enormities and faults vsu∣ally committed in entring into the state of ma∣trimonie, there be three specially, in my iudg∣ment, to bee reprehended, whereof many

dammages and inconueniences do proceede. The first is, because the most part of mē do ha∣stily & vnaduisedly, & without any ripe or cō∣uenient deliberation, attempt this kind of life, yea & that at such age as is vnmeete for the same. Secondly because some do addict them∣selues to matrimonie too late and out of due season, & take vpon thē to beare this burthen, when as their flourishing age fadeth, and they begin to waxe olde. Lastly, because they suf∣fer themselues to bee coupled in an vnequall yoake of wedlock, the healthfull and sound with the sick and diseased, the young man, because he gapeth for a great dowrie, with the olde woman: Which is a thing dissonant and discordant from naturall societie; the old man with the young girle, which is a match not vtterly to be reprehended, nor in mine o∣pinion, altogether contrary to the order of na∣ture, considering that many crude olde men, and such as bee of greene olde age, are not vnable for procreation, which cannot bee in aged and fruitlesse women. But as too much hastinesse and speede in setting their mindes on mariage too soone, is to be dispraysed in young men: so is the slacknesse, slownesse, and long delay thereof in them that bee of full yeeres. For they which suffer themselues to be tyed with this bond too soone, and bound with this knot too hastily, their bodies being

not yet firme and able enough, nor their strength sufficiently increased, such young vn∣expert Souldiers cannot long abide the bru•…•… in this wrestling conflict, but after one assault or two, their courage fayleth them, and their liuely vigor withereth like plants plucked vp by the rootes. But they which delaying from day to day do suffer the lawfull time of mari∣age to passe away from them, and doe long time deferre the purpose of contracting ma∣trimonie, doe liue a sad, sowre and vnpleasant life, or sometimes pollute themselues with in ordinate and vnlawfull vncleannesse: Which inconuenience is euery where euidently to be seene in so many men that bee diseased in the fundament, that bee annoyed with ma∣ny maladies, wryed, bleare eyed, crooked, gowtie, and hauing legges puffed and swolne: which men, if afterward when they are wea∣ry and yrke of that kinde of life, do happen to be associated & linked in lawful wedlock, they throw thēselues into a great heap of griefes & troubles & much tediousnes. For insomuch as they are exhausted, wasted, spent, worne out, and their strength impayred by the intempe∣rance of Venerie, wherein they lewdly liued before, they are both grieuous to themselues, and the hope and desire of the newe maried woman is frustrate.

Notes

• A definitiō of matri∣monie.
• Lib. 12. cap.
• Gen. 2.
• The com∣moditie of mariage.
• Mariage must not be rashly taken in hand.
• Vntimely wedlock weakneth many.
• In choosing a wife haue regard of her honest stock and kindred.
• Amphi. act. 2.
• Parēts must haue good regard to the frailty of their daugh¦ters.
• Eccles. 7.
• No occasiō of offence or falling must be giuen to yong mai∣dens.
• Faults and errors com∣mitted in entring into mariage.
• Feeble and weak per∣sons vnfit for wedlock
• In entring into matri∣mony, all things must be done in due season conueniētly
• Let thē that be of full age and strength, many.