The gold[n] book of christen matrimony most necessary [and] profitable for all the[m], that…The golde[n] boke of christen matrimonye moost necessary [and] profitable for all the[m], that…

Seventhly children begotten in wedlock, are a very sure bond of matrimonial love. And ¹therefore the Latinists call them Pignora. Now is pignus as much to say, as a pledge, or gage or pawn. And the children begotten in lawful ²marriage, are as a pledge and surety of the love that can not be parted asunder. For how canst thou at any time be divided from the married spouse, by whom thou haste children: if thou wilt say. Take thou one, & I will take another yet hath each of you in that one child, something which pertaineth to yourself. For certain it is, that the child cometh of you both. God also bringeth it so to pass, that sometime the children look like the father, sometime like the mother, sometime they have the conditions and similitude of you both: And this God ordaineth that the love may be the greater in marriage. Now ³when thou wife dost love those your children as thou shouldest, bringest them well up, art diligent in looking to them, and canst take pain with them, then lovest thou thy self in thy children, ⟨p. lx⟩and givest him also an occasion to love the better then he did, so that with the pain & travail that thou hast about the children, he is pacified: Like as it is in deed the duty of every married man, not to be unpaciente with his children, or churlish to his wife, which hath labour and pain enough all ready with the children, all though her husband were of a gentle nature, and not doggish.

Seuently chyldren begotten in wedlocke, are a very sure bonde of matrimoniall loue. And ¹therfore the Latinistes call them Pignora. Now is pignus as muche to saye, as a pledge, or gage or pawne. And the chyldren begotten in lawfull ²marriage, are as a pledge and suerty of the loue that can not be parted asunder. For howe canst thou at ony tyme be deuided from the marryed spouse, by whome thou haste chyldren: yf thou wylt saye. Take thou one, & I wyll take another yet hath ech of you in that one chylde, somthing which pertayneth to yourselfe. For certayne it is, that the chylde cometh of you both. God also bryngeth it so to passe, that somtyme the childrē looke lyke the father, sometyme lyke the mother, sometyme they haue the condicious and similitude of you both: And this God ordeyneth that the loue maye be the greater in marryage. Nowe