Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…

¹But whether husbands received dowries of their wives before the law, it is uncertain. The servant of Abraham rather gave gifts to Rebekah than received, for as much as he brought with him golden and silver vessels in the name of Abraham and Isaac to be given to his wife. But there is no mention made of the maidens dowry. Jacob also served for his wives, so far was he from receiving any thing of them in the name of a dowry Shechem also the son of Hemorh inordinately loving Dinah the daughter of Jacob, with whom he had committed fornication, said unto the sons of Jacob: Increase her dowry as ye list, I will refuse no condition, so that I may have your sister to wife. How be it I can not tell, how the custom of the ancient fathers in not taking but giving dowries to wives which they should marry, ought to be commended, yet I thought good to rehearse those things which I have read of this matter by the way. And to begin with Magadorus (as it is in Plautus) in his comedy Aulularia when he should take to wife the daughter of a poor man,² being also without dowry, commendeth ⟨p. 26⟩his counsel by these words. If (sayeth he) other men would do after my example, the City would then be in better concord, and envy should not be so rife among us, as it is. They, namely the wives will fear us the more, and we shall keep them with much less cost, &c. When I consider these things, they seem to be very wisely spoken. For now & then it happeneth, that one city is after a sort divided into two parts, when as the daughters of poor men are without hope, to marry with them that be more rich, either because of the smallness of their dowry, or else because they be altogether without dowry. For they obtain that never but by a certain hap, or else very rarely. Wherefore the richer and mightier sort are much envied & grievously hated of the poorer sort. Besides that, wives that have good dowries do not fear their husbands, yea they contemn and despise them, counting them as unworthy to be matched with them in marriage.

¹But whether husbands receaued doweryes of their wiues before the law, it is vncertain. The seruaunt of Abrahā rather gaue giftes to Rebecka thā receaued, for as much as he brought with him golden and siluer vessels in the name of Abraham and Isaak to be geuen to his wife. But there is no mētion made of the maydens dowery. Iacob also serued for his wyues, so farre was he frō receauyng any thyng of thē in the name of a dowery Sechē also the sonne of Hemorh inordinately louyng Dina the daughter of Iacob, with whome he had committed fornication, sayd vnto the sonnes of Iacob: Increase her dowery as ye list, I will refuse no condition, so that I may haue your sister to wife. How be it I can not tell, how ye custome of the auncient fathers in not taking but geuing doweries to wiues which they shuld mary, ought to be cōmēded, yet I thought good to rehearse those thinges which I haue read of this matter by ye way. And to begyn wt Magadorus (as it is in Plaucus) in his comedy Aulularia when he should take to wife the daughter of a poore mā,