A17171:7
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…
The gold[n] book of christen matrimony most necessary [and] profitable for all the[m], that intend to live quietly and godly in the Christen state of holy wedlock newly set forth in English by Theodore Basil.The golde[n] boke of christen matrimonye moost necessary [and] profitable for all the[m], that entend to liue quietly and godlye in the Christen state of holy wedlock newly set forthe in English by Theodore Basille.
London: printed for Joha, 1543London: printed for Ioha, 1543
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
¶To his singular good friend master Anthony Gryse, Theodore Basil wisheth long life, continual health & prosperous felicity.
¶To his singuler good frende master Anthony Gryse, Theodore Basille wysheth longe lyfe, cōtinuall health & prosperous felicite.
IF God, which is the 1alone giver of all good things had endowed me with the divine gift of such and so great eloquence, that I might justly and without any reprehension have compared with that most excellent Greek Pericles, whose vain of ornate eloquence either in persuading or dissuading even of very nature seemed to be incomparable, & not able of any mortal man to be obtained, nor yet scarcely in any point so much as a shadow of the same to be expressed: yet I here freely confess that I might well appear more barbarous than the rude and gross Garamantes, if I should take upon me to decantate and set forth the dignity of honourable wedlock according to the deserts thereof, and exalt it with such encomiums, lauds & praises, as it hath always ben thought worthy even of them, that have most flourished with pregnant wits & excelled with all kind of knowledge both divine and humane. Let other praise Chastity so much as they list, ⟨image 3⟩which, they say, would God it were so, filleth 2heaven, yet will I commend matrimony, which replenisheth both heaven and earth Let other set for the single living with so many praises, as they can accumulate and tumble one in another's neck, for as much as it is void of all care, trouble & disquietness, yet will I for evermore commend the state of honourable wedlock which refuseth no kind of paye and trouble, so that it may bring any profit at all to the public weal of Christendom. Let other approve solitary living, which is partaker of none of all those burdens, that the common sort of men do sustain, yet will I prefer that state of living, which? according to the order