A Modest Meane to Mariage: pleasauntly set foorth by that famous Clarke Erasmus Roterodamus, and translated into Englishe by N.L.Erasmus, Desiderius
General
A Modest Meane to Mariage: pleasauntly set foorth by that famous Clarke Erasmus Roterodamus, and translated into Englishe by N.L.
Erasmus, Desiderius
Dialogues, Latin (Medieval and modern) -- Translations into English; Marriage -- Early works to 1800
=So.= Neither would I thinke it much so to doe, if by that meane I
might call you backe from thys kind of life, not only most foule &
shameful, but also most miserable.
=Lu.= And why so good sir? I must get my liuing one way or other,
euery man liueth and is maintained by his craft, & science, this is
our trade our lands and reuenues.
=So.= I would to God (good friende _Lucres_) that you, voyding for a
while this dronkennesse of the mynde, coulde finde in your heart
rightly to ponder and consider with me, the thing as it is.
=Lu.= Keepe your sermond till an other time, nowe let vs take our
pleasure (my good friende _Sophronie_).
=So.= All that you doe, you doe it for lucre and gaines I am sure.
=Lu.= Therin you haue gone nere the marke.
=So.= Well, you shall loose no parte of that, which you make your
accompt vppon, I will giue you euen foure times as much onely, to lend
me your attentiue care.
=Lu.= Say on then euen what you please.
=So.= First aunswere me to this. Haue you any that beareth you euill
wil?
=Lu.= Mo then one.
=So.= And are there not some againe, whome you hate likewise?
=Lu.= Euen as they deserue at my hande.
=So.= Now if it lay in thee to pleasure them wouldest thou in faith
do it?
=Lu.= Nay sooner woulde I giue them their bane.
=So.= Verie well, consider now, consider I saye whither ought thou
mayest doe to them more pleasaunt and better lyked, then to let them
see thee leade this maner of lyfe, so shamefull and wretched. On the
other side, what canst thou do more to the griefe and misliking of
them, which be thy verye friendes in deede?
=Lu.= Such was my lot, and destinie.
=So.= Moreouer, that which is compted to be the most harde, and heauie
happe of those which are cast out into Ilands, or banished vnto the
people most inhumaine and barbarous, the same haue you of your owne
free will, and election, taken vnto your selfe.
=Lu.= And what is that?
=So.= Hast not thou of thine accorde renounced & forsaken all naturall
affections and loues, your father, mother, brethren, sistrene, aunt,
great aunt, & whomsoeuer beside nature hath linked vnto thee for they
in verye deede, are full euill ashamed of thee, and thou darest not
once come into their sight.
=Lu.= Naye marrye, mee thinkes I haue luckilye chaunged myne affectes,
in that for a few louers, nowe I haue won me verie many, among whome
you are one, whome I haue accompted off as my naturall brother.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account