Why suffer not they the table to be taken cleane away, and voided quite, but will have somewhat alwaies remaining upon it?
Give they not heereby covertly to understand, that wee ought of that which is present to reserve evermore something for the time to come, and on this day to remember the morrow.
Or thought they it not a point of civill honesty and elegance, to represse and keepe downe their appetite when they have before them enough still to content and satisfie it to the full; for lesse will they desire that which they have not, when they accustome themselves to absteine from that which they have.
Or is not this a custome of courtesie and humanitie to their domesticall servants, who are not so well pleased to take their victuals simply, as to partake the same, supposing that by this meanes in some sort they doe participate with their masters at the table.
Or rather is it not, because we ought to suffer no sacred thing to be emptie; and the boord you wot well is held sacred.
65.
What is the reason that the Bridegrome commeth the first time to lie with his new wedded bride, not with any light but in the darke?
Is it because he is yet abashed, as taking her to be a stranger and not his owne, before he hath companied carnally with her?
Or for that he would then acquaint himselfe, to come even unto his owne espoused wife with shamefacednesse and modestie?
Or rather, like as Solon in his Statutes ordeined, that the new married wife should eat of a quince before she enter into the bride bed-chamber, to the end that this first encounter and embracing, should not be odious or unpleasant to her husband? even so the Romane law-giver would hide in the obscuritie of darkenesse, the deformities and imperfections in the person of the bride, if there were any.