❧ THE COMMENDATION OF Matrimony, made by Cornelius Agrippa, & translated into english by David Clapam. 1534 ❧    

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL AND HIS special good master, master Gregory Cromwell, some to the right honourable lord Cromwell lord privy seal, David Clapam sendeth greeting.  
THE VEHEMENT affection that I have to you, impellyth me often times to devise with myself what pleasure or service my simpleness might do, acceptable unto your most gentile goodness. But when I considered my small ability and your great diligence toward wisdom & excellent good qualities, that appertain to your estate, I was in manner clean discouraged to attempt any thing to present unto your mastership. Nevertheless when I again remembered your great goodness, and most gentle famylyarytie showed to me in your young age, which by outward signs appeareth stablished now in your most gentle heart, I am encouraged to write some thing, to be a testimony of the love & affection that I bear unto you. And among many other I choase out to translate this little treatise, The commendation of matrimony, that you being coupled in marriage to so noble, so good, and so virtuous a lady, & leading your lives in such honest and chaste wise (which thing over many now adays neglect, little regarding this holy and honourable sacrament) may clearly perceive yourselves in the same greatly commended and praised. And other, that have not this holy band of wedlock in so great veneration and honour, as you have, shall take occasion, partly at your example, and partly of this Declamation, to repent, that they have transgressed against so high and so holy a sacrament, to the great jeopardy of their souls. For the apostle saith: God shall judge fornicators 
1. Cor. 6  and adulterers. And, The breakers of wedlock shall not 
Gala. 5. Ephe. 5.  inherit the kingdom of god. Wherefore I thought that this little queire should do much good, to persuade such as are wedlock breakers, to lead their lives virtuously within the bonds of this holy sacrament, according to the apostles saying: Let wedlock be 
Hebre. 13.  kept honourable in all points, and let the chamber be undefiled. And as I supposed, that this treatise set forth in english would do much good, with the witty arguments, quick reasons, and weighty authorities therein contained: So I verily think, it shall no less farther, to dedicate the same to you, that are a very true patron of honest life in wedlock. Whereto should I speak of your virtuous education, for the which your right honourable father my good lord, hath be very diligent? And surely his care in that behalf hath not been only for you, but for many other: yea the thing that he specially wisheth and desireth is, that the youth of this hole realm of England should be brought up virtuously, namely the noble men's children, in good literature, & the other after their abilities, wits, and aptness, in sciences and crafts, whereby they shall highly profit themselves, to the great advancement of the common weal, and above all things, he would, that with their learning of good letters, sciences, and crafts, they should be earnestly taught, obedience to god, to the kings highness, and to such rulers and laws, as his majesty shall ordain. In which good mind, that he beareth to the common wealth almighty god long preserve him, and send you both moche wealth and prosperity.  
Amen.  
FINIS.   

❧ THE PRAISE of matrimony.  
THE SACRAment 
Gen. 1.  of matrimony, being most ancient, and first after that man was made, even at the beginning of all things, was ordained and commanded of god, and was honowred, and had always in high veneration and reverence, with people of all nations, sanctified and hallowed with religion, established by laws, adurned with miracles and wonders. The which sacrament truly is more excellent, than other mysteries and laws, in that it was ordained before them, ordained I say, not of the imagination and invention of men, but of god, prince of all, even from the first beginning of the world, before any sin, in the time of innocency, for the lawful office and propagation of mankind. All other precepts, commandments, and mysteries, that after the fall of man came forth for the reparation, safeguard, remedy, correction, and punishment, were scarcely admitted of a few, when this sacrament of matrimony, through all parts of the world, and by the consent of all men, was received and taken. And farther it was no less strengthened and maintained with the power of god, than it was by his goodness and wisdom ordained. For god the maker of all things, would this most holy bond so to be knit with indissoluble glue, and persever, that the husband in his wife, and the wife in her husband, should always both live and abide, as a bone of bones, & flesh of flesh. For this was the first commandment of god, instituting matrimony: The man shall forsake 
Gen. 2.  his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh. Which thing we read not only in the old testament, but the self same is confirmed in the gospel, that by no diversity of manners, by no satiety or loathsomeness, not for age, barrenness, or sickness, nor for pestilence, lepry, or any other contagious disease, and briefly for no crime of heresy, nor by any man's power, that sacrament at any time ought to be broken. When Christ commandeth, that whom the almighty power of god hath once 
Matth. 16. Marc. 20.  joined together, no power shall presume to separate. Nor it can be lawful for any cause, the wife to forsake her husband, or the husband his wife, because it is lawful for no man to depart from himself, nor no man to leave himself. For she which is made of a man's rib, of flesh, the same flesh, and the same bone of bones for an help unto the man: God never would her to be separate from the man, but for fornication: which one only cause, God did except. But if for any other cause the strong bond, and unity of matrimony be loused, yet the persons being separate, be and remain man and wife, nor they with whom they be coupled after their divorce, can be excused from adultery. And therefore Christ addeth, saying: He that after his 
Matt. 16.  wife is dismissed for adultery, marrieth an other woman, committeth adultery: and he that doth marry her that is so let go, is an adulterer. Now to what end and use this reverend and most worthy sacrament was commanded, we will declare. It was ordained for an help, for propagation, and to avoid fornication.  
¶ The first cause is taken, where god did institute this holy mystery under these words: It is 
Gen. 1.  not good a man to be alone, let us make for him an helper like himself. For man sithence he is a creature most accompenable, then truly and well shall use the office and duty of a man, and shall prepare a trusty keeper of his life and goods, when he entereth into the steadfast and indissoluble fellowship of matrimony. And therefore both to men that be somewhat aged yea and to those that be decrepit, and in whom there is no might of generation, no hope left of propagation, it is neverless lawful to marry, and (if a man may say it) often times nessary, whereby they may pass forth the later days of their life, in the company of their well be loved wife, with more joy, surety, and less care. Whereof David, very old, with 
3. Reg. 1.  the Sunamite maid, is an example. For what fellowship mought happen among men, more holy and pleasant? what more surer? what less careful, what more chaste than the life of man and wife? when either of them is the same that the other is, in one agreeable mind two bodies, in two bodies one mind and one consent. Only man and wife, one envieth not an other, they alone love each other, out of measure, in as much as either of them hole hangeth of the other, and hath quietness and rest in the other, one flesh, one mind, one concord, one heaviness grieveth them both, one mirth equally rejoiceth both, the very same and even like will is in both, their winning is common to both, the same riches, the same poverty, like dignity and worthiness, they be always of one chaumbre, and at one table, they keep company together, night and day, in sleeping, nor in waking they depart not the one from the other: but their life is conjoined in all acts, labours, jeopardies, and in every chance the one serveth the other, as long as they live, they keep company together to their lives end, they never depart without they die, and the one being dead. the other can scant live. So great is wedlocks love, that uneath death can set asunder those, whom life hath knit together. Such is the perseverance of matrimony, such is the unity, that one husband should have one wife, and one wife one husband. For one rib at the beginning was turned in to one wife. And there 
Gen. 2.  shall be saith god, two in one flesh. He saith not, three or more. And in 
Gen. 7.  the arch of No god commanded no more women to be preserved then men, that for one man there should be but one wife. For where a man hath many wives, or a woman many husbands: there the unity of matrimony faileth. Therefore her alone that a man hath taken to his wife, the same let him keep without violation of kindness, to the last end of his life in a perfect love and continual remembrance. Let the father give place, the mother give place, the children, the brothers and sisters, let all the heap of friends give place to the sweet benevolence and entire love of man and wife, and that for great skill. For the father, mother, children, brethren, sisters, kinsfolk, be the friends of nature, and works of fortune: man and wife be the mystery of god. And the man had a wife, & the wife a husband, before father, mother, brother, or children. And therefore it was commanded 
Gea. 2.  to the man, to leave father and mother, sisters, brethren, and children, and cleave to his wife, that above all other things he should keep to his lives end that thing, which was first of all given unto him: nor that one of them should at any time be with out the other, of whom the one was not made without the other. Wherefore the children to depart from their parents, and the parents to leave their children, no law forbiddeth, sometime necessity compelleth, profit stirreth, consideration moveth, the children often times be dymissed from authority of their parents, they oft challenge to themself liberty by religion, often times in strange countries they get they living, & in other places seek their dwelling: but the wife from her husband, or the husband from his wife, no law, no necessity, no profit, no consideration, no divorce, no religion, no licence, no absence, doth permit to depart. For which of them, that leaveth or neglecteth to keep company together, the same as forsaken, and solitary alone, must of necessity lead a life most wretched, destitute of all gladness and help, because the help that was made for him of god, and the companion of joy and gladness to him given, he neglecting depyseth to take, or contemptuousiy is bold to leave and forsake.  
¶ The second cause of matrimony, we showed to be for propagation of children, as it is red, where god blessed Adam and Eve, saying: Increase, and multiply, and 
Gen. 1.  replenish the earth. Which blessing after the blood, was even fresh again renewed by the same words. The effect whereof is, that 
Gen. 9  man should render to nature, that he had borrowed of her, and to the image of god, should bring forth and nourish children like himself, and restore the common fellowship of mankind with a certain succession, and to keep it perpetual. which blessing he that did not regard, in the old law, was counted of all men cursed and most unhappy, as it is written: Cursed is she, that hath not seed in Israel, and blessed is he, whose seed is in Zion. Whereupon Abraham for 
Gen. 13. 15. 18.  the merit of his faith, was blessed in his generation, and Sara being then old, and past child bearing, did put away the malediction of her barrenness, with this blessing of generation. For in this sacrament it is not the merit of nature, to conceive children, but the blessing of almighty God, and a mystery far passing the merits of nature. Which thing was not unknown to Jacob the Patriarch, the which when his wife Rachel thought that the accompanienge with her husband, was to give children, said to him, give me children, or else I am but dead, Jacob answered: Am 
Gen. 30.  I then in god's stead, which keepeth the fruit of thy womb from thee? And Isaac made intercession 
Gen. 25.  to god, for his wife, because she was barren, which hard his petition, and made her to conceive. For they knew, that the fruits of matrimony were of god, not of nature. And of this the bastard children be called natural: but those that come of matrimony, be only lawful. And therefore he is not admitted to holy orders, whose mother is not knit to his father by lawful copulation in this most worthy sacrament of matrimony, for a bond of perpetual fellowship. For a bastard shall not enter into 
Deut. 14.  the church of god. Which bastard also is straightly prohibited, both by human laws and constitutions of wise men, to be the heir of temporal lands and goods. For they have no lawful heir, which by neglecting and despising matrimony, at the wanton and enticing lust of the flesh, unlawfully take their congress. And it is the common sentence and judgement of lawyers, that he hath an uncertain father, and a naughty mother, which is not borne in matrimony. For he is base borne, and is the son of the people, yea rather the son of no man, which is the child of a woman not lawfully married. But he is the true heir, and true son, whose mother, without the infamy of sin, without the blame of kinsfolk, without the offence of god, to a certain and well known father, with the dignity of matrimony, and with fruit certain is married, and with out slander abideth by him continually. Therefore only matrimony maketh children to be certain, & giveth undoubtful heirs it maketh honest the couping of nature, and for sin it giveth merit, it increaseth the stock and out the consent of either of them that is coupled, the other without sin, may not intend to prayer, if thereby it might chance the other to be defrauded, or lack the carnal duty. For (as the Apostle saith) the woman hath not power 
1. Cor. 7.  of her body, but the man: and like wise the man hath not power of his body, but the woman. So great is the knot of this bond, that though for incontinency alonely it be taken, yet if one of the couples afterward would continually live continently, in no wise it can be done, but with the others consent, yea and though both do consent, yet it can in no wise be taken, that the matrimony is dissolved. So he that for cause of bringing forth of children marrieth, can not without sin put away his barren wife, and marry an other, where by he might have children. Which thing also as witnessen Ualerius Maximus, Plutarch, and Dionysius Halicarnasseus, was observed and kept among the Romans after the City was builded, five hundredth and twenty years, to the time of Spurius Carbilius, which first of all other preferring the desire to have children, above his fidelity in wedlock, not with out his great blame, forsook his wife for barrenness. But now I will return.  
¶ God the creator of all things, would this most holy bond to be so fast and indissoluble, that for what cause so ever it was once begun, by no power or strength at any time it should be dissolved. He would it to be so general, and throughout all the world, so printed in all men's minds, that no man should avoid this most holiest mystery, without most grievous offence, except he would utterly forsake all humanity. For he the first auctor of wedlock, & god before all matrimony (when he would take on him the nature of man) would his mother first to marry. And though without man's seed he would be borne of a virgin, yet he would not be borne of her out of wedlock, but of his mother married, though not defoiled with man. For he would not his mother to be unmarried, that by his mother's example, he might exhort us to the very same.  
¶ Therefore what so ever they be that regard not this most ancient and most holy ordinance, as despisers of gods and man's laws, shall be judged to perpetual fire, even like the dry and barren trees. And therefore in the old law, they that in their ripe age, did not marry a wife, were put forth of the temples, their offerings were rejected, they were counted not worthy to receive heritages and bequests, unworthy of gods and man's help, which despising gods and man's laws, refused to take the help ordained for them of god, and stablished by the laws of man. Nevertheless two kinds of men may be except from contracting matrimony, which for weakness of nature, be utterly not apt for it, as they that be cold of nature, bewyched and enchanted, mad persons, children, feeble persons, and such as be gelded, and those which being moved with the spirit of god have chosen perpetual chastity. For this sort, religion dischargeth from the bond of matrimony: and the other sort, by natural impediment, is excused. But who so ever be not of one of those two kinds, let them well know, that they are so bounden to contract matrimony, that if they leave it, or not regard it (except they be greatly repentant) they are unworthy of the kingdom of god. yet for all that, no man should be compelled by force, to contract matrimony. For in as much as this bond is made by only consent of love, it ought specially to be free, for love itself, is at no man's commandment. For the gifts of rich men buy not love, no dignity, nor yet nobility countervaileth love, no threatenings or violence of great men of power, can compel love, which god himself doth not constrain, but from the beginning created it free. And there is no love so vehement, and so steadfast as between the husband and the wife. There is nothing of greater force, than the tender love of the wife, the which no disloyalty corrupteth, no misfortune causeth to slide, no strange acquaintance withdraweth, no age, no process of time consumeth. And therefore by the commandment 
Gen. 2. Matth. 19  of god, the love of the wife should be preferred before father and mother, children, brothers and syhers, kinsfolk, alliance, and all other things. Wherefore they most grievously offend, what so ever they be, parents, near kinsfolk, tutors, and guardians, which (having no respect to the continual benevolence of the life, to the procreation of children, nor to chastity, but through covetousness and ambition that they have to worldly dignity nobility, power, riches, and such like) beyond all due obedience to parents by goddess commmandemente (by a certain tyranny) restrain and make bond (which to this sacrament ought to be given) the free consent of their sons and daughters, and compel them to be married to such as they hate, without any consideration of age, love, condition, manners, and specially of god's commandment. And hereof at lengeth do rise between man and wife, fornication, adultery, debate, railing words, continual anger, perpetual strife discord, hatred, divorces, and other infinite mischiefs. And also other while poisoning, slaugher, and violent murder ensueth: that it may be seen, that it was not god but the devil, that coupled such 
Tobi. 6.  persons together.  
¶ Furthermore in many places, certain worldly princes and lords of christendom, the enemies of god, blasphemers of Jesus Christ, defilers of holy things, presumptuousely taking upon them that pertaineth to god, at their voluntary will, yea and sometime at their express commandment, compel their subjects to marry. purchasing moreover to their coffers the dymes of dowries, not without abominable sacrilege, and so forbearing the adulterers, they punish them that marry, which wicked rulers at the last the righteous 
Matt. 21.  judge will destroy.  
¶ There is also an other no less damnable custom, which hath taken place among many nations to speak commonly evil of them that marry the second time. yea and moreover they condemn them that marry again in a certain some of money, and the same they lay up for a knot of good company, to make merry with, and they make Joseph the husband of the most blessed virgin Mary, the patron of this so wicked slander against god's mystery. But the devil hath found these felowshyps and brotherhood, and the anger of god, hath delivered them into a reproved sense, that they rejoicing at 
Roma. 1.  adultery, whoredom, and fornications, should rail upon second marriages, as who saith the grace of god is void in such marriages, mocking that sacrament, to which all honour, reverence, and liberty, is given. But this damnable fastion must be taken away and plucked clean out of the dommyons of France: for truly the rulers thereof can not in any point do more service to god, & profit the christian common wealth, then to do this, that is to say, that good things may be taught, and evil things may be banished, not only that pertain to the common society of men, but also to god's religion.  
¶ Thou therefore, who so ever thou art, that will take a wife, let love be the cause, not substance of goods, chose a wife, not a gar ment, let thy wife be married unto thee, not her dowry. With this mind almighty god being thereto called (which alone giveth a true wife) and the consent of the parents also required, and dew obedieuce showed unto them, all covetousness, desire of honour, envy, and fear, set a part, with a temperate deliberation in thyself with consent, free and fervent, but reasonable and chaste love, so take thy wife, committed and given to the for ever by the hand of god, for thy continual fellowship, not to service and bondage. Whom thou oughtest to rule with thy wisdom, with all favour and reverence. And let not her be subject unto thee, but let her be with the in all trust and counsel, & let her be in thy house, not as a drudge, but as mistress of the house, in thy household not as a maiden, but a mother, & a bringer up of those children that thou shalt beget of her, which shall be lords of thy goods, and represent thy name, to such as shall come after the. And so thou canst not choose but have a good wife, and good children, for an evil wife never happeneth but to an evil husband. For without a wife, the name can not continue, nor the progeny endure, nor the stock increase, nor a family be, neither a father of household named, nor a house called, nor a common wealth stand, nor any empire endure. This thing the builder of the Roman empire right well did know, which (when he lacked wives for his subjects) made a sharp and fierce battle with the Sabinis, that denied their daughters. For he knew very well, that his empire could not continue, if wives should be away. For seeing that a city standeth of houses, and the common wealth of private things, and of ruling of a household, and family, the diseyplyne to govern a common wealth is ordained: how shall he rule a city, that hath not learned to rule a house? how shall he govern a common wealth, that never knew his private and familiar business? Nereof Socrates testified, that he learned moral philosophy more of wives, then natural philosophy, of Anaxagoras and Archelaus. For truly matrimony giveth a great erercise to moral philosophy. For it hath a certain household common wealth annexed, in ruling the which a man may soon learn and have experience of wisdom, temperance, love to god and his kin, and all other virtues, by which in loving his wife, in bringing up his children, in governing his family, in saving his goods, in ruling his little house, in procreating and enlarging his stock, he may lead a life most happy. Furthermore to see before a man's eyes, his well beloved wife, and by children and succession, to have his family and name extended, is great gladness and felicity, it is the sweet consolation of travail. He that wanteth a wife, hath no house, because he hath not settled a house, yea and if he have, he tarrieth in it as a stranger in his mne. He that hath not a wife, though he be never so rich, hath almost nothing that is his, because he hath nothing safe from deceits, nor he hath not to whom he might leave, nor to whom he might trust. He that hath not a wise, lacketh a family, lacketh his nigh kindred, and without hope of succession is always left alone and forsaken. His servants steal from him, his fellows bribe from him, his neighbours despise him, his friends regard him not, his nigh kindred beguile him, his bastard children if he have any, be shame and rebuke to him, and witness of his iniquity, nor he can leave unto them his riches, nor the name of his family, but as he tarrieth in life without marriage, so being dead, his perisheth without name, nor in this life he deserveth to have any benevolence orlove, which is greatest comfort to man. But as a forsaker of man's nature, worthy of all calamity, is most unfortunate counted of all men, and most worthy to be forsaken. And hereof Lycurgus made a law, that who at convenient time did not regard to marry, they in the summer time should be kept back from open plays and sports, from all pastime, and merry sights: and in the winter, should be led bare round about the market place, and vexed with mocks and scorns, abhorred and cried out upon of all men, so that they should confess that they did ryghtuousely suffer, because they despised religion, obeyed not the laws, offended against nature, and as much as was in them, caused that neither common wealth, empire, nor religion could stand, because they had not endeavoured themselves, to beget those, by whom these things should be meinteined and upholden. Plato in his laws ordained, he that married not a wife should be put back from all common office and honour, and should be overate with common charges more grievous than other citizens were. And Augustus Cesar made a law, that young men should marry wives, and increase the people of Rome. which law many other afterward confirmed, And more over granted to be free from common office a year. and limited out of the common treasure a reward to him that married a wife a new. Aduoutries every where in the old time always were grievously punished with most sharp laws, because that matrimony being once violate, there is not only wrong done to man, but to god himself. And hereof in the 
Leuiti. 20. Deut. 22. Exod. 22.  old law, who so ever with breaking matrimony, had committed adultery, was advidged to be stoned to death. But he that took away other men's goods, and so committed theft, was punished in four double and five double as much. For this man unlaufullye took away men's goods, and worldly things, the other besides the offence and hurt of his neighbour yea being miuriouse to god, doth dishonest the godly things. The Roman laws condemn to death adulterers, and permit also unto the husband without any open judgement and without punishment to sle thadulterer taken, which liberty is not given to him that hath his father slain. Also for a man to slay his own wife, it is punished with sharper death, then to slay father or mother, and worthily. For nature maketh father and mother, a wife is the mystery of god. & I think that he can not be with sufficient punishment vexed, which was so hardy to slay his help, comfort, and succour, and his companion to live with, given to him by god. For he is cruel upon the gift of god, wicked against the holy, a defiler of nature, and injurious to god. And therefore also the laws canon forbeade him the fellowship and company of men, shut him forth of the church, forbeade and take away from him second marriages, deny unto him the holy sacrament, judging him unworthy of the food of god, which was not ashamed to offend god, with so outrageous a trespass and mischief. But now I can not tell by what negligence, and little regarding of justice & god, the sleers of their wives, and adulterers, escape now almost all punishment, and 
Roma. 1. Matt. 15.  thieves yea for a little faute be hanged up with ropes, except because our judges be given into reproved sense and understanding, to make the commandment of god void, for the traditions of man. But now let us conclude, and make an end.  
¶ Thou therefore who so ever, if thou wilt be a man, if thou wilt not clean do away man from thee, if thou wilt occupy the duty of manhood before other things, if thou wilt be the lawful son of god, if thou wilt be natural and loving to thy country, to thy family, to the common wealth if thou wilt possede and enjoy the earth, and deserve heaven, it is necessary that thou enter the lawful bond of matrimony, that thou chose for continuance a companion to live with, that may not be separate, that thou increase mankind, and as the son & image of god, thou procreate children like thyself. and that thou wisely and virtuously nourish bring up and govern them for the behoof of the common wealth, maintenance of thy country, and the reverence of god, which gave them unto the. He that doth these things, he is a man, he that is a man, must of necessity do these things, except he will bring forth by his nature so hindered, some thing less than a man, and not worthy of manhood, or else by climbing over man's power, will choose some thing greater than man can do, that is perpetually to keep a chastity angelical. But who so ever is not of one of these two things, and as a negligent person, doth not regard true matrimony, or violate the same, with cloaked fornication, or put away from him his companion of life, or slay her, keep no company with him, that he may be trodden down as reproved of god, and a stranger from the fellowship of Christian people.  
¶ FINIS.   

¶ LONDINI in aedibus Thomae Berthes jeti typis impress. Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum. ANNO. M. D. XL.