If thou lovest the party, do as much: good education and beauty is a competent dowry, stand not upon mony. Erant olim aurei homines (saith Theocritus) & adamantes redamabant, in the golden world men did so, (in the raign of Ogyges belike, before staggering Ninus began to domineere) if all be true that is reported: and some few now a dayes will do as much, here and there one; ’tis well done me thinks, and all happiness befall them for so doing.

Leontius a Philosopher of Athens, had a fair daughter called Athenais, multo corporis lepore ac venere, (saith mine authour) of a comely carriage, he gave her no portion but her bringing up, occulto formæ præsagio, out of some secret fore-knowledge of her fortune, bestowing that little which he had, amongst his other children.

But she thus qualified, was preferred by some friends to Constantinople to serve Pulcheria the Emperours sister, of whom she was baptized and called Eudocia. Theodosius the Emperour in short space took notice of her excellent beauty and good parts, and a little after, upon his sisters sole commendation made her his wife: ’Twas nobly done of Theodosius.

Rodope was the fairest lady in her dayes in all Ægypt; she went to wash her, and by chance (her maides mean while looking but carelesly to her cloathes) an Eagle stole away one of her shooes, and laid it in Psammeticus the King of Ægypts lap at Memphis: he wondred at the excellency of the shooe and pretty foot, but more Aquilæ factum, at the manner of the bringing of it: and caused forthwith proclamation to be made, that she that owned that shooe should come presently to his Court; the virgin came and was forthwith married to the King.

I say this was heroically done and like a Prince: I commend him for it, and all such as have means, that will either do (as he did) themselves, or so for love, &c. marry their children. If he be rich, let him take such a one as wants, if she be vertuously given; for as Syracides cap. 7. ver. 19. adviseth, Forgoe not a wife and good woman; for her grace is above gold. If she have fortunes of her own, let her make a man.

Danaus of Lacedæmon had a many daughters to bestow, and means enough for them all, he never stood enquiring after great matches, as others use to do, but sent for a company of brave young gallants home to his house, and bid his daughters choose every one one, whom she liked best, and take him for her husband, without any more ado. This act of his was much approved in those times.

But in this iron age of ours we respect riches alone, (for a maid must buy her husband now, with a great dowrie if she will have him) covetousness and filthy lucre marres all good matches, or some such by-respects.

Crales a Servian Prince (as Nicephorus Gregoras Rom. Hist. lib. 6. relates it,) was an earnest sutor to Eudocia the Emperours sister, though her brother much desired it, yet she could not abide him, for he had three former wives, all basely abused;

but the Emperour still Cralis amicitiam magni faciens, because he was a great Prince, and a troublesom neighbour, much desired his affinity, and to that end betrothed his own daughter Simonida to him, a little girle five yeers of age (he being fourty five,) and five years elder then the Emperor himself: Such disproportionable and unlikely matches can wealth and a fair fortune make.

And yet not that alone, it is not only money, but sometime vainglory, pride, ambition do as much harm as wretched covetousness it self in another extream. If a Yeoman have one sole daughter, he must over-match her, above her birth and calling, to a gentleman forsooth, because of her great portion, too good for one of her own rank, as he supposeth:

A Gentlemans daughter and heir must be married to a Knight Barronets eldest son at least; and a Knights only daughter to a Baron himself, or an Earl, and so upwards, her great dowre deserves it. And thus striving for more honour to their wealth, they undo their children, many discontents follow, and oftentimes they ruinate their Families.

Paulus Jovius gives instance in Galeatius the second, that Heroical Duke of Millan, externas affinitates, decoras quidem regio fastu, sed sibi & posteris damnosas & fere exitiales quæsivit; he married his eldest son John Galeatius to Isabella the King of France his sister; but she was socero tam gravis, ut ducentis millibus aureorum constiterit, her entertainment at Millan was so costly that it almost undid him.

His daughter Violanta was married to Lionel Duke of Clarence the yongest son to Edward the third King of England, but, ad ejus adventum tantæ opes tam admirabili liberalitate profusæ sunt, ut opulentissimorum regum splendorem superasse videretur, he was welcomed with such incredible magnificence, that a Kings purse was scarce able to bear it;

for besides many rich presents of horses, arms, plate, money, jewels, &c. he made one dinner for him and his company, in which were thirty two messes and as much provision left, ut relatæ à mensa dapes decem millibus hominum sufficerent, as would serve ten thousand men: But a little after Lionel died, novæ nuptæ & intempestivis Conviviis operam dans, &c. and to the Dukes great loss, the solemnity was ended.

So can titles, honours, ambition, make many brave, but infortunate matches, of all sides for by-respects, though both crased in body and minde, most unwilling, averse, and often unfit, so love is banished, and we feel the smart of it in the end. But I am too lavish peradventure in this subject.

Another let or hinderance is strict and severe Discipline, Laws and rigorous Customs that forbid men to marry at set times, and in some places: as Prentises, Servants, Collegiats, States of lives in Coppy holds, or in some base inferiour Offices, Velle licet in such cases, potiri non licet as he said.

They see but as prisoners through a grate, they covet and catch but Tantalus à labris, &c. Their love is lost, and vain it is in such an estate to attempt. Gravissimum est adamare nec potiri, ’tis a grievous thing to love and not enjoy.

They may indeed, I deny not, marry if they will, and have free choice some of them; but in the mean time their case is desperate, Lupum auribus tenent, they hold a Wolfe by the ears, they must either burn or starve. ’Tis Cornutum sophisma, hard to resolve, if they marry they forfeit their estates, they are undone and starve themselves through beggery and want: if they do not marry, in this heroical passion they furiously rage, are tormented, and torn in pieces by their predominate affections.

Every man hath not the gift of continence, let him pray for it then, as Beza adviseth in his Tract de Divortiis, because God hath so called him to a single life, in taking away the means of marriage:

Paul would have gone from Myssia to Bythinia, but the spirit suffered him not, and thou wouldest peradventure be a married man with all thy will, but that protecting Angel holds it not fit. The devil too sometimes may divert by his ill suggestions, and marr many good matches, as the same Paul was willing to see the Romanes, but hindred of Satan he could not.

There be those that think they are necessitated by Fate, their Stars have so decreed, and therefore they grumble at their hard fortune, they are well inclined to marry, but one rub or other is ever in the way:

I know what Astrologers say in this behalf, what Ptolomy quadripartit. Tract. 4. cap. 4. Skoner lib. 1. cap. 12. what Leovitius genitur. exempl. 1. which Sextus ab Heminga takes to be the Horoscope of Hieronymus Wolfius, what Pezelius, Origanus and Leovitius his illustrator Garceus cap. 12. what Junctine, Protanus, Campanella, what the rest,

(to omit those Arabian conjectures a parte Conjugii, a parte lasciviæ, triplicitates veneris, &c. and those resolutions upon a question, an amica potiatur, &c.) determine in this behalf, viz. an sit natus conjugem habiturus, facilè an difficulter sit sponsam impetraturus, quot conjuges, quo tempore, quales decernantur nato uxores, de mutuo amore conjugum both in mens and womens genitures,