I call not that Virginity a vertue, which reſideth only in the Bodies integrity; much leſſe if it be with a purpoſe of perpetuall keeping it: for then it is a moſt inhumane vice—But I call that Virginity a vertue which is willing and deſirous to yeeld itſelfe upon honeſt and lawfull termes, when juſt reaſon requireth; and untill then, is kept with a modeſt chaſtity of Body and Mind. Some perchance will say that Virginity is in us by Nature, and therefore no vertue. True, as it is in us by Nature, it is neither a Vertue nor Vice, and is onely in the body: (as in Infants, Children, and such as are incapable of parting from it). But that Virginity which is in Man or Woman of perfect age, is not in them by Nature: Nature is the greateſt enemy to it, and with moſt ſubtile allurements ſeeks the over-throw of it, continually beating againſt it with her Engines, and [35] ]giving ſuch forcible aſſaults to it, that it is a ſtrong and more then ordinary vertue to hold out till marriage. Ethick Philoſophy ſaith, That no Vertue is corrupted, or is taken away by that which is good: Hereupon ſome may ſay, that Virginity is therefore no vertue, being taken away by marriage. Virginity is no otherwiſe taken away by marriage, then is the light of the ſtarres by a greater light (the light of the Sun:) or as a leſſe Title is taken away by a greater: (an Eſquire by being created an Earle) yet Virginity is a vertue, and hath her Throne in the middle: The extreams are, in Exceſſe; to violate it before marriage; in defect, not to marry. In ripe years as ſoon as reaſon perſwades, and opportunity admits, Theſe extreams are equally removed from the mean: The exceſſe proceeds from Luſt, the defect from Peeviſhneſſe, Pride and Stupidity. There is an old Proverb, That, they that dy maids, muſt lead Apes in Hell. An Ape is a ridiculous and unprofitable Beaſt, whoſe fleſh is not good for meat, nor its back for burden, nor is it commodious to keep an houſe: and perchance for the unprofitableneſſe of this Beaſt did this proverb come up: For surely nothing is more unprofitable in the Commonwealth of Nature, then they [36] ]that dy old maids, becauſe they refuſe to be uſed to that end for which they were only made. The Ape bringeth forth her young, for the moſt part by twins; that which ſhe loves beſt, ſhe killeth by preſſing it too hard: so fooliſh maids ſoothing themſelves with a falſe conceit of vertue, in fond obſtinacie, live and die maids; and ſo not only kill in themſelves the vertue of Virginity, and of a Vertue make it a Vice, but they also accuſe their parents in condemning marriage. If this application hold not touch, yet there may be an excellent one gathered from an Apes tender love to Conies in keeping them from the Weaſel and Ferret. From this ſimilitude of an Ape & an old Maid did the aforeſaid proverb firſt ariſe. But alas, there are ſome old Maids that are Virgins much againſt their wills, and fain would change their Virgin-life for a Married: ſuch if they never have had any offer of fit Huſbands, are in ſome ſort excuſable, and their willingneſſe, their deſire to marry, and their forbearance from all diſhoneſt, and unlawful copulation, may be a kind of inclination to vertue, although not Vertue it ſelfe. This Virtue of Virginity (though it be ſmall and fruitleſſe) it is an extraordinary, and no common Vertue. All [37] ]other Vertues lodge in the Will (it is the Will that makes them vertues.) But it is the unwillingneſſe to keep it, the deſire to forſake it, that makes this a vertue. As in the naturall generation and formation made of the ſeed in the womb of a woman, the body is joynted and organized about the 28 day, and so it begins to be no more an Embrion, but capable as a matter prepared to its form to receive the ſoule, which faileth not to inſinuate and inneſt it ſelfe into the body about the fortieth day; about the third month it hath motion and ſenſe: Even ſo Virginity is an Embrion, an unfaſhioned lump, till it attain to a certain time, which is about twelve years of age in women, fourteen in men, and then it beginneth to have the ſoule of Love infuſed into it, and to become a vertue: There is alſo a certain limited time when it ceaſeth to be a vertue, which in men is about fourty, in women about thirty years of age: yea, the loſſe of ſo much time makes their Virginity a Vice, were not their endeavour wholly bent, and their deſires altogether fixt upon marriage: In Harveſt time do we not account it a great vice of ſloath and negligence in a Huſband-man, to overſlip a week or ten dayes after his fruits are fully ripe; May we [38] ]not much more account it a more heynous vice, for a Virgin to let her Fruit (in potentia) conſume and rot to nothing, and to let the vertue of her Virginity degenerate into Vice, (for Virginity ever kept is ever loſt.) Avarice is the greateſt deadly ſin next Pride: it takes more pleaſure in hoording Treaſure then in making uſe of it, and will neither let the poſſeſſor nor others take benefit by it during the Miſers life; yet it remains intire, and when the Miſer dies muſt come to ſom body. Virginity ever kept, is a vice far worſe then Avarice, it will neither let the poſſeſſor nor others take benefit by it, nor can it be bequeathed to any: with long keeping it decayes and withers, and becomes corrupt and nothing worth. Thus ſeeing that Virginity becomes a vice in defect, by exceeding a limited time; I counſell all female Virgins to make choyce of ſome Paracelſian for their Phyſitian, to prevent the death of that Vertue: The Paracelſians (curing like by like) ſay, That if the lives of living Creatures could be taken down, they would make us immortall. By this rule, female Virgins by a diſcreet marriage ſhould ſwallow down into their Virginity another Virginity, and devour ſuch a life & ſpirit into their womb, that it might make them as it were, [39] ]immortall here on earth, beſides their perfect immortality in heaven: And that Vertue which otherwiſe would putrifie and corrupt, ſhall then be compleat; and ſhall be recorded in Heaven, and enrolled here on Earth; and the name of Virgin ſhall be exchanged for a far more honorable name, A Wife.
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PROBLEMES
1.
Why have Baſtards beſt Fortune?
Becauſe Fortune herſelfe is a Whore, but ſuch are not moſt indulgent to their iſſue; the old naturall reaſon (but thoſe meetings in ſtolne love are moſt vehement, and ſo contribute more ſpirit then the eaſie and lawfull) might governe me, but that now I ſee Miſtreſſes are become domeſtike and inordinary, and they and wives waite but by turnes, and agree aſwell as they had lived in the Arke. The old Morall reaſon (that Baſtards inherit wickedneſſe from their Parents, and ſo are in a better way to preferment by having a ſtocke before-hand, then thoſe that build all their fortune upon the poore and weake ſtocke of Originall ſinne) might prevaile with me, but that ſince wee are fallen into ſuch times, [41] ]as now the world might ſpare the Divell, because ſhe could be bad enough without him. I ſee men ſcorne to be wicked by example, or to bee beholding to others for their damnation. It ſeems reaſonable, that ſince Lawes rob them of ſucceſſion in civill benefits, they ſhould have ſomething elſe equivalent. As Nature (which is Lawes patterne) having denyed Women Conſtancy to one, hath provided them with cunning to allure many; and ſo Baſtards de jure ſhould have better wits and experience. But beſides that by experience wee ſee many fooles amongſt them, wee ſhould take from them one of their chiefeſt helpes to preferment, and we ſhould deny them to be fools, and (that which is onely left) that Women chuſe worthier men then their husbands, is falſe de facto; either then it muſt bee that the Church having removed them from all place in the publike Service of God, they have better meanes then others to be wicked, and ſo fortunate: Or elſe becauſe the two greateſt powers in this world, the Divell and Princes concurre to their greatneſſe; the one giving baſtardy, the other legitimation: As nature frames and conſerves great bodies of contraries. Or the cauſe is, becauſe they abound moſt at Court, which is the forge where fortunes are made, or at leaſt the ſhop where they be ſold.