Inter alios honores Cæsari decretos (as Sueton.cap.52. de Julio, and Dion lib.44. relate) jus illi datum, cum quibuscunque fœminis se jungendi. Every private History will yield such variety of Instances: Otherwise good, wise, discreet men, vertuous and valiant, but too faulty in this.

Priamus had fifty sons, but seventeen alone lawfully begotten. Philippus bonus left fourteen bastards. Laurence Medices a good Prince and a wise, but, saith Machiavel, prodigiously lascivious. None so valiant as Castruccius Castrucanus, but as the said author hath it, none so incontinent as he was.

And ’tis not only predominant in Grandies this fault: but if you will take a great mans testimony, ’tis familiar with every base souldier in France, (and elsewhere I think) This vice (saith mine Author) is so common with us in France, that he is of no accompt, a meer coward, not worthy the name of a souldier, that is not a notorious whoremaster. In Italy he is not a gentleman, that besides his wife hath not a Courtesan and a mistress.

’Tis no marvail then, if poor women in such cases be jealous, when they shall see themselves manifestly neglected, contemned, loathed, unkindly used: their disloyal husbands to entertain others in their rooms, and many times to court Ladies to their faces: other mens wives to wear their jewels: how shall a poor woman in such a case moderate her passion?

Quis tibi nunc Dido cernenti talia sensus?

How on the other side shall a poor man contain himself from this feral malady, when he shall see so manifest signes of his wives inconstancy? when as like Milo’s wife, she dotes upon every young man she sees, or as Martials Sota, ——deserto sequitur Clitum marito.

Though her husband be proper and tall, fair and lovely to behold, able to give contentment to any one woman, yet she will taste of the forbidden fruit: Juvenal’s Iberina to an hair, she is as well pleased with one eye, as one man.

If a young gallant come by chance into her presence, a Fastidious Brisk, that can wear his cloaths well in fashion, with a lock, gingling spur, a feather, that can cringe, and withal complement, court a Gentlewoman, she raves upon him, O what a lovely proper man he was, another Hector, an Alexander, a goodly man, a demi-god, how sweetly he carried himself, with how comely a grace, sic oculos, sic ille manus, sic ora ferebat, how neatly he did wear his cloaths!

Quam sese ore ferens, quam forti pectore & armis,

how bravely did he discourse, ride, sing and dance, &c. and then she begins to loath her husband, repugnans osculatur, to hate him and his filthy beard, his goatish complexion, as Doris said of Polyphemus, Totus qui saniem, totus ut hircus olet, he is a rammy fulsome fellow, a goblin faced fellow, he smels, he stinks,

Et cæpas simul alliumque ructat——

si quando ad thalamum, &c. how like a dizard, a fool, an asse he looks, how like a clown he behaves himself! she will not come neer him by her good will, but wholly rejects him, as Venus did her fuliginous Vulcan, at last,

Nec Deus hunc mensâ, Dea nec dignata cubili est.

So did Lucretia a Lady of Sene, after she had but seen Eurialus, in Eurialum tota ferebatur, domum reversa, &c. she would not hold her eys off him in his presence,

——tantum egregio decus enitet ore.

and in his absence could think of none but him, odit virum, she loathed her husband forthwith, might not abide him.

Et conjugalis negligens tori, viro Præsente, acerbo nauseat fastidio.

All against the Laws of Matrimony, She did abhor her husbands Phisnomy,

and sought all opportunity to see her sweet heart again. Now when the good man shall observe his wife so lightly given, to be so free, and familiar with every gallant, her immodesty and wantonness (as Camerarius notes) it must needs yield matter of suspition to him,

when she still pranks up her self beyond her means and fortunes, makes impertinent journeys, unnecessary visitations, staies out so long, with such and such companions, so frequently goes to plays, masks, feasts, and all publique meetings, shall use such immodest gestures, free speeches, and withal shew some distast of her own husband; how can he chuse, though he were another Socrates, but be suspicious, and instantly jealous? Socraticas tandem faciet transcendere metas;

More especially when he shall take notice of their more secret and sly tricks, which to cornute their husbands they commonly use, (dum ludis, ludos hæc te facit) they pretend love, honour, chastity, and seem to respect them before all men living, Saints in shew, so cunningly can they dissemble, they will not so much as look upon another man, in his presence,

so chaste, so religious, and so devout, they cannot endure the name or sight of a quean, a harlot, out upon her: and in their outward carriage are most loving and officious, will kiss their husband, and hang about his neck, (dear husband, sweet husband) and with a composed countenance, salute him, especially when he comes home, or if he go from home, weep, sigh, lament, and take upon them to be sick and swoune, (like Iocundo’s wife in Ariosto, when her husband was to depart) and yet arrant, &c. they care not for him,

Aye me, the thought (quoth she) makes me so fraid, That scarce the breath abideth in my brest; Peace my sweet love and wife, Jocundo said, And weeps as fast, and comforts her his best, &c. All this might not asswage the womans pain, Needs must I die before you come again, Nor how to keep my life I can devise, The doleful days and nights I shall sustain, From meat my mouth, from sleep will keep mine eys, &c. That very night that went before the morrow, That he had pointed surely to depart, Jocundo’s wife was sick, and swoun’d for sorrow Amid his arms, so heavy was her heart.

And yet for all these counterfeit tears and protestations, Iocundo coming back in all haste for a Jewel he had forgot,

His chaste and yoke fellow he found, Yok’t with a knave, all honesty neglected, Th’adulterer sleeping very sound, Yet by his face was easily detected: A beggars brat bred by him from his cradle, And now was riding on his masters saddle.

Thus can they cunningly counterfeit, as Platina describes their customes, kiss their husbands whom they had rather see hanging on a Gallowes, and swear they love him dearer then their own lives; whose soul they would not ransome for their little dogs;