“I take not that to be my dowry, which
    The vulgar sort do wealth and honour call;
    That all my wishes terminate in this:——­
    I’ll obey my husband and be chaste withall;
    To have God’s fear, and beauty in my mind,
    To do those good who are virtuously inclined.”

And I think she was in the right, for such a wife is more precious than rubies.

It is certainly the duty of parents to bring up their children in the ways of virtue, and to have regard to their honour and reputation; and especially to virgins, when grown to be marriageable.  For, as has been noted, if through the too great severity of parents, they may be crossed in their love, many of them throw themselves into the unchaste arms of the first alluring tempter that comes in the way, being, through the softness and flexibility of their nature, and the strong desire they have after what nature strongly incites them to, easily induced to believe men’s false vows of promised marriage, to cover their shame:  and then too late, their parents repent of their severity which has brought an indelible stain upon their families.

[Illustration: 
    Conception
    First Month
    Second Month
    Third Month
    Fourth Month]

[Illustration: 
    Fifth Month
    Sixth Month
    Seventh Month
    Eighth Month
   Ninth Month]

Another error in marriage is, the inequality of years in the parties married; such as for a young man, who, to advance his fortune, marries a woman old enough to be his grandmother:  between whom, for the most part, strife, jealousies, and dissatisfaction are all the blessings which crown the genial bed, is being impossible for such to have any children.  The like may be said, though with a little excuse, when an old doting widower marries a virgin in the prime of her youth and her vigour, who, while he vainly tries to please her, is thereby wedded to his grave.  For, as in green youth, it is unfit and unseasonable to think of marriage, so to marry in old age is just the same; for they that enter upon it too soon are soon exhausted, and fall into consumptions and divers other diseases; and those who procrastinate and marry unseemingly, fall into the like troubles; on the other side having only this honour, if old men, they become young cuckolds, especially if their wives have not been trained up in the paths of virtue, and lie too much open to the importunity and temptation of lewd and debauched men.  And thus much for the errors of rash and inconsiderate marriages.

* * * * *

CHAPTER VIII

The Opinion of the Learned concerning Children conceived and born within Seven Months; with Arguments upon the Subject to prevent Suspicion of Incontinency, and bitter Contest on that Account.  To which are added Rules to Know the Disposition of Man’s Body by the Genital Parts.

Many bitter quarrels happen between men and their wives upon the man’s supposition that the child comes too soon, and by consequence, that he could not be the father; whereas, it is the want of understanding the secrets of nature which brings the man into that error; and which, had he known, might have cured him of his suspicion and jealousy.