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CHAP. LXVII.
Of private Oeconomy.
THE chief strength of Private Oeconomy consists in Matrimony; therefore Metellus surnam'd Nu∣midian being Censor, and exhorting the Romans to Marry, If, said he, we could live without a Wife, then we should all be willing to shift our selves from the trou∣ble: But since we can neither live commodiously with 'um, and that without 'um there is no possibility of living; we ought to choose the perpetual Multiplication of Man∣kind, rather than a short Pleasure. Thus Aulus Gellius relates. For indeed, without a Wife there is no Fami∣ly can either be maintained or long endure; for with∣out a Wife there is no Issue to be had, no Heir, no In∣heritance, no Kindred, no Family, no Master of a Fa∣mily can be. He who has no Wife, has no House, because he keeps not to his House; or if he have a House, he lives like a stranger and a sojourner in it. He who has not a Wife, though he be very rich, has nothing that he can call his own, because he knows not to whom to leave it, nor whom to trust
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to, and therefore he is afraid of every body; his Ser∣vants thieve from him, his Friends deceive him, his neighbours slight him, his Acquaintance neglect him, his Kindred seek to betray him: his Children, if he have any born out of Wedlock, are a disgrace to him, neither can he leave them the Name of his Family, the Arms of his Ancestry, nor his Inheritance, being re∣strain'd by the Laws: neither are they by the common Consent of all Legislators to be Advanced to any Place or Dignity in the Common-wealth; for he is not fit to Govern a City, that cannot Rule his Family; nor to Rule the Common-wealth, who never knew how to Govern a private Family, which is the true Pattern and Exemplar of a Republick. This the Gre∣cians well knew, who when Philip of Macedon studi∣ed to appease a Dissention among them, and that Leontias the Gorgion rehears'd a Treatise of Concord, which he had written in the City of Olympia, they were both Laught at, who sought to make Peace abroad, who had none in their own Families. For at home, the Son of Philip and his Mother were at Variance; and Gorgias his Wife could not agree with her Maid: therefore they thought that they who wan∣ted Prudence and Authority to quiet Domestick Brauls, could never be able to compose Publick Discords. That Person therefore who Commands a City, or a Common-wealth, unless he know how to Govern his own House and Family, is very inauspiciously pre∣fer'd. Lastly, this is the only condition of Humane-Life, wherein a Man loving his Wife, giving good Education to his Children, well-ordering his Fami∣ly, preserving his Estate, and encreasing in Children, may be said to live happily. Wherein, if any thing fall out of Burthen and Labour, as many times Crosses will happen, and there is no mans Life with∣out Misfortune; yet that very Burthen becomes light,
Page 220
and the Yoke easie: especially the Yoke of Marriage, if they prove not such Wives, whom Covetousness, Pride, Deceit, or Lust, but God hath joyn'd, for whose sake, a man is bound to forsake Father and Mother, Son and Brother, and Kindred, and adhere to his Wife, whose love ought to exceed the love of all others. So Hector seeing the Fate of Troy, which was to be De∣stroy'd, seems not so much troubled for his Parents, Brothers and Kindred, as for the loss of his dearest Wife. So we read in Homer,
I well fore-see the Fate of Mighty Troy,
That Priam and his People shall Destroy;
But nor my Countries nor my Fathers smart,
Nor Priam's fall so much Afflict my Heart,
Nor loss of Kindred many and Renown'd,
Whom Hostile rage shall bury under ground,
As care for thee my honour'd Spouse doth vex
My grieved Mind.—
I confess, that unhappy Matches are attended with ma∣ny Evils and Miseries; which Socrates remembers us of, that is to say, perpetual Care, consuming Jealou∣sie, continual Quarrelling, upbraidings with Dower, the scornful looks and countenances of Kindred, the manifold Expences and uncertain dispositions of Chil∣dren; sometimes Barrenness, and Extinction of the Family, a strange Heir, innumerable Sorrows; many times the restraint of Election, Marriage being im∣pos'd; so that whether she be of a good Humour, a Fool, Perverse, Proud, Sluttish, Deform'd, Unchast, nothing of all this can be known, till after Consum∣mation, none of which are seldom, or ever after men∣ded. Of unfortunate Marriages there are many Ex∣amples. Marcus Cato Censor, in his time the Chief, and Prince of the Roman Commonwealth, who had
Page 221
scarce his equal both in Peace and War, having in his declining years Married a young Maid the Daugh∣ter of one Solomon, a man poor, and of mean Ex∣traction, lost all Mastership and Authority at home in his own House. Tiberius having Married Julia the Daughter of Augustus, Infamous for many de∣tected Adulteries, and not daring to Correct, Accuse, or Repudiate her, was forc'd to retire to Rhodes, not without manifest detriment to his Fame, and danger of his Life. M. Antonie the Philosopher having Mar∣ried Faustina the Daughter of Antonius Pius, was forc'd to be contented with her, though an Adulteress, for fear of hazarding the loss both of Dower and Empire together. But all these Inconveniences happen, not so much through the fault of the Women, as the neg∣ligence of the Men. For it seldom happens that the Women are bad, unless the Husbands are worse. Of whom, thus Varro discourses in Gellius. The Vices of Women are either to be endur'd, or to be taken away. He that forces a Woman to mend a fault, renders her more tolerable to himself; but he that endures a fault, makes himself the better Man. Of all which we have spoken more largely in our Declamation upon the Sacrament of Matrimony. Again, many times the Education of Children proves not so happy as it was intended, many growing stubborn and disobedient to their Parents, others become Contentious, others Mad, others Foolish, others dull and thick Scull'd, others given to all Debauchery, spending all in Luxury, Lust, and Gaming; Others prove Parricides, as Al•meon and Orestes, and the Malleoli who kill'd their Mother. Therefore Artaxerxes, surnam'd Mnemon, having be got a Hundred and fifteen Children, was forc'd to put to Death the greatest part of 'um, for Plotting to take away his Life; and for this Cause, Euripides modestly supposes, what our Bernard positively •vers, That it
Page 222
is an unknown good to want Children. Augustus also, the most Fortunate of Emperours in other things, yet beholding the behaviour of his Daughter and Neece, was wont to cry out in the Words of Homer:
—O that Vnwedded I had liv'd,
And never all my dayes for Issue striv'd.
Of Servants also, thus saith Euripides: At home there is no greater Enemy; nothing worse or more unprofita∣ble than a Servant. Says Democritus, A Servant is a necessary Possession, but not pleasing. And Petrarch hath written, I knew, saith he, that I liv'd among Doggs, but never knew my self to be a Hunter, but by Admonition. Servants are called Dogs, as being snappish, devouring, and snarling. Plautus in his Pseudolus well expresses their conditions: A Pestiferous Generation of People, in∣to whose thoughts nothing enters that may at any time perswade 'um to do well; but when there is occasion, snatch, catch, carry away; this is their Practice, that a man had better leave Wolves among Sheep, than to en∣trust these Servants at home. And Lucian in his Pa∣linute; The Curses of Servants are alwayes ready against their Masters, and there is nothing more at hand among 'um than thievery, deceit, running-away, arrogance, negli∣gence, drunkenness, gluttony, sleepiness, sloth and laziness. From whence arose that Proverb, As many Servants, so many Enemies. But we do not so often find 'um Ene∣mies, as make 'um so; while Masters carry them∣selves proudly, covetously, cruelly, and contumeliously; becoming Lords and Tyrants at home, exercising a feverity over them, not as we ought, but as we please: concerning whom Plautus brings in Strophilus thus speaking in his Aulularia.
Page 223
Masters their Servants use injuriously,
And as corruptly Servants now obey.
So what is just on neither side is done.
Your sparing Old Men with a thousand Keys,
Their Cupboards, Kitchins, Cellars, Butteries shut:
Which to their Children they will scarce unlock.
But Servants, suttle, cunning, crafty Thieves,
With Keys Two thousand open 'um again.
And then by stealth they swallow and consume
What rackt a hundred times they'l nere confess:
Damn'd slaves, on their enslavers thus revenge
With Jokes and Laughter take; which makes me say,
Free Masters only faithful Servants make.
Many Commonwealths have egregiously suffer'd by reason of their Servants. As well those Historians testi∣fie who have written the Rebellions of Servants against their Masters: More especially the City of the Val∣sinenses, a City flourishing in Riches, famous for the excellency of her Laws and Government, afterwards a most miserable spectacle of the Insolency of her Slaves. For when the strict severity of the Citizens over their Servants decreas'd, insomuch that they sometimes ad∣mitted them to their Councils; afterwards a few of them presuming to take upon them the Order of Se∣nators, they Invaded the Commonwealth it self; they commanded Wills to be made at their own pleasures; they forbid the Publick Feasts and Assemblies of the Freemen; Married their Masters Daughters. Lastly, they Ordain'd by Law, that all Adulteries committed by them with Widdows, all Fornications with Un∣married Women, should be unpunish'd; and that No Virgin should be Married to a Free-man, whose Cha∣stity some one of them had not Defil'd before. Thus a most Opulent City, once the Metropolis of Caria,
Page 224
through her too kind Indulgence to her Servants, sunk into the Abyss of Injuries and dishonest Sufferings. For saith Aristotle in his Politick Orations, Omit se∣vere Discipline among Servants, and they streight pra∣ctise Treacherie against their Masters. So did the Helots against the Lacedemonians, and those of Praeneste against the Thessalians.
Of private Oeconomy.
THE chief strength of Private Oeconomy consists in Matrimony; therefore Metellus surnam'd Nu∣midian being Censor, and exhorting the Romans to Marry, If, said he, we could live without a Wife, then we should all be willing to shift our selves from the trou∣ble: But since we can neither live commodiously with 'um, and that without 'um there is no possibility of living; we ought to choose the perpetual Multiplication of Man∣kind, rather than a short Pleasure. Thus Aulus Gellius relates. For indeed, without a Wife there is no Fami∣ly can either be maintained or long endure; for with∣out a Wife there is no Issue to be had, no Heir, no In∣heritance, no Kindred, no Family, no Master of a Fa∣mily can be. He who has no Wife, has no House, because he keeps not to his House; or if he have a House, he lives like a stranger and a sojourner in it. He who has not a Wife, though he be very rich, has nothing that he can call his own, because he knows not to whom to leave it, nor whom to trust
Page 219
to, and therefore he is afraid of every body; his Ser∣vants thieve from him, his Friends deceive him, his neighbours slight him, his Acquaintance neglect him, his Kindred seek to betray him: his Children, if he have any born out of Wedlock, are a disgrace to him, neither can he leave them the Name of his Family, the Arms of his Ancestry, nor his Inheritance, being re∣strain'd by the Laws: neither are they by the common Consent of all Legislators to be Advanced to any Place or Dignity in the Common-wealth; for he is not fit to Govern a City, that cannot Rule his Family; nor to Rule the Common-wealth, who never knew how to Govern a private Family, which is the true Pattern and Exemplar of a Republick. This the Gre∣cians well knew, who when Philip of Macedon studi∣ed to appease a Dissention among them, and that Leontias the Gorgion rehears'd a Treatise of Concord, which he had written in the City of Olympia, they were both Laught at, who sought to make Peace abroad, who had none in their own Families. For at home, the Son of Philip and his Mother were at Variance; and Gorgias his Wife could not agree with her Maid: therefore they thought that they who wan∣ted Prudence and Authority to quiet Domestick Brauls, could never be able to compose Publick Discords. That Person therefore who Commands a City, or a Common-wealth, unless he know how to Govern his own House and Family, is very inauspiciously pre∣fer'd. Lastly, this is the only condition of Humane-Life, wherein a Man loving his Wife, giving good Education to his Children, well-ordering his Fami∣ly, preserving his Estate, and encreasing in Children, may be said to live happily. Wherein, if any thing fall out of Burthen and Labour, as many times Crosses will happen, and there is no mans Life with∣out Misfortune; yet that very Burthen becomes light,
Page 220
and the Yoke easie: especially the Yoke of Marriage, if they prove not such Wives, whom Covetousness, Pride, Deceit, or Lust, but God hath joyn'd, for whose sake, a man is bound to forsake Father and Mother, Son and Brother, and Kindred, and adhere to his Wife, whose love ought to exceed the love of all others. So Hector seeing the Fate of Troy, which was to be De∣stroy'd, seems not so much troubled for his Parents, Brothers and Kindred, as for the loss of his dearest Wife. So we read in Homer,
I well fore-see the Fate of Mighty Troy,
That Priam and his People shall Destroy;
But nor my Countries nor my Fathers smart,
Nor Priam's fall so much Afflict my Heart,
Nor loss of Kindred many and Renown'd,
Whom Hostile rage shall bury under ground,
As care for thee my honour'd Spouse doth vex
My grieved Mind.—
I confess, that unhappy Matches are attended with ma∣ny Evils and Miseries; which Socrates remembers us of, that is to say, perpetual Care, consuming Jealou∣sie, continual Quarrelling, upbraidings with Dower, the scornful looks and countenances of Kindred, the manifold Expences and uncertain dispositions of Chil∣dren; sometimes Barrenness, and Extinction of the Family, a strange Heir, innumerable Sorrows; many times the restraint of Election, Marriage being im∣pos'd; so that whether she be of a good Humour, a Fool, Perverse, Proud, Sluttish, Deform'd, Unchast, nothing of all this can be known, till after Consum∣mation, none of which are seldom, or ever after men∣ded. Of unfortunate Marriages there are many Ex∣amples. Marcus Cato Censor, in his time the Chief, and Prince of the Roman Commonwealth, who had
Page 221
scarce his equal both in Peace and War, having in his declining years Married a young Maid the Daugh∣ter of one Solomon, a man poor, and of mean Ex∣traction, lost all Mastership and Authority at home in his own House. Tiberius having Married Julia the Daughter of Augustus, Infamous for many de∣tected Adulteries, and not daring to Correct, Accuse, or Repudiate her, was forc'd to retire to Rhodes, not without manifest detriment to his Fame, and danger of his Life. M. Antonie the Philosopher having Mar∣ried Faustina the Daughter of Antonius Pius, was forc'd to be contented with her, though an Adulteress, for fear of hazarding the loss both of Dower and Empire together. But all these Inconveniences happen, not so much through the fault of the Women, as the neg∣ligence of the Men. For it seldom happens that the Women are bad, unless the Husbands are worse. Of whom, thus Varro discourses in Gellius. The Vices of Women are either to be endur'd, or to be taken away. He that forces a Woman to mend a fault, renders her more tolerable to himself; but he that endures a fault, makes himself the better Man. Of all which we have spoken more largely in our Declamation upon the Sacrament of Matrimony. Again, many times the Education of Children proves not so happy as it was intended, many growing stubborn and disobedient to their Parents, others become Contentious, others Mad, others Foolish, others dull and thick Scull'd, others given to all Debauchery, spending all in Luxury, Lust, and Gaming; Others prove Parricides, as Al•meon and Orestes, and the Malleoli who kill'd their Mother. Therefore Artaxerxes, surnam'd Mnemon, having be got a Hundred and fifteen Children, was forc'd to put to Death the greatest part of 'um, for Plotting to take away his Life; and for this Cause, Euripides modestly supposes, what our Bernard positively •vers, That it
Page 222
is an unknown good to want Children. Augustus also, the most Fortunate of Emperours in other things, yet beholding the behaviour of his Daughter and Neece, was wont to cry out in the Words of Homer:
—O that Vnwedded I had liv'd,
And never all my dayes for Issue striv'd.
Of Servants also, thus saith Euripides: At home there is no greater Enemy; nothing worse or more unprofita∣ble than a Servant. Says Democritus, A Servant is a necessary Possession, but not pleasing. And Petrarch hath written, I knew, saith he, that I liv'd among Doggs, but never knew my self to be a Hunter, but by Admonition. Servants are called Dogs, as being snappish, devouring, and snarling. Plautus in his Pseudolus well expresses their conditions: A Pestiferous Generation of People, in∣to whose thoughts nothing enters that may at any time perswade 'um to do well; but when there is occasion, snatch, catch, carry away; this is their Practice, that a man had better leave Wolves among Sheep, than to en∣trust these Servants at home. And Lucian in his Pa∣linute; The Curses of Servants are alwayes ready against their Masters, and there is nothing more at hand among 'um than thievery, deceit, running-away, arrogance, negli∣gence, drunkenness, gluttony, sleepiness, sloth and laziness. From whence arose that Proverb, As many Servants, so many Enemies. But we do not so often find 'um Ene∣mies, as make 'um so; while Masters carry them∣selves proudly, covetously, cruelly, and contumeliously; becoming Lords and Tyrants at home, exercising a feverity over them, not as we ought, but as we please: concerning whom Plautus brings in Strophilus thus speaking in his Aulularia.
Page 223
Masters their Servants use injuriously,
And as corruptly Servants now obey.
So what is just on neither side is done.
Your sparing Old Men with a thousand Keys,
Their Cupboards, Kitchins, Cellars, Butteries shut:
Which to their Children they will scarce unlock.
But Servants, suttle, cunning, crafty Thieves,
With Keys Two thousand open 'um again.
And then by stealth they swallow and consume
What rackt a hundred times they'l nere confess:
Damn'd slaves, on their enslavers thus revenge
With Jokes and Laughter take; which makes me say,
Free Masters only faithful Servants make.
Many Commonwealths have egregiously suffer'd by reason of their Servants. As well those Historians testi∣fie who have written the Rebellions of Servants against their Masters: More especially the City of the Val∣sinenses, a City flourishing in Riches, famous for the excellency of her Laws and Government, afterwards a most miserable spectacle of the Insolency of her Slaves. For when the strict severity of the Citizens over their Servants decreas'd, insomuch that they sometimes ad∣mitted them to their Councils; afterwards a few of them presuming to take upon them the Order of Se∣nators, they Invaded the Commonwealth it self; they commanded Wills to be made at their own pleasures; they forbid the Publick Feasts and Assemblies of the Freemen; Married their Masters Daughters. Lastly, they Ordain'd by Law, that all Adulteries committed by them with Widdows, all Fornications with Un∣married Women, should be unpunish'd; and that No Virgin should be Married to a Free-man, whose Cha∣stity some one of them had not Defil'd before. Thus a most Opulent City, once the Metropolis of Caria,
Page 224
through her too kind Indulgence to her Servants, sunk into the Abyss of Injuries and dishonest Sufferings. For saith Aristotle in his Politick Orations, Omit se∣vere Discipline among Servants, and they streight pra∣ctise Treacherie against their Masters. So did the Helots against the Lacedemonians, and those of Praeneste against the Thessalians.