Or rather, because it is for the credit and honour of young damosels, to be maried in the view of the whole world; but for widowes it is a dishonour and shame unto them, to be seene of many for to be wedded a second time: for the first marriage is lovely and desireable; the second, odious and abominable: for women, if they proceed to marrie with other men whiles their former husbands be living, are ashamed thereof; and if they be dead, they are in mourning state of widowhood: and therefore they chuse rather to be married closely and secretly in all silence, than to be accompanied with a long traine and solemnity, and to have much adoe and great stirring at their marriage. Now it is well knowen that festivall holidaies divert and distract the multitude divers waies, some to this game and pastime, others to that; so as they have no leisure to go and see weddings. Or last of all, because it was a day of publicke solemnitie, when they first ravished the Sabines daughters: an attempt that drew upon them, bloudy warre, and therefore they thought it ominous and presaging evill, to suffer their virgins to wed upon such holidaies. 106. _Why doe the Romans honour and worship Fortune, by the name of_ Primigenia, _which a man may interpret First begotten or first borne_? IS it for that (as some say) _Servius_ being by chance borne of a maid-servant and a captive, had Fortune so favourable unto him, that he reigned nobly and gloriously, king at _Rome_? For most Romans are of this opinion. Or rather, because Fortune gave unto the city of _Rome_ her first originall and beginning of so mightie an empire. Or lieth not herein some deeper cause, which we are to fetch out of the secrets of Nature and Philosophie; namely, that Fortune is the principle of all things, insomuch, as Nature consisteth by Fortune; namely, when to some things concurring casually and by chance, there is some order and dispose adjoined. 107. _What is the reason that the Romans call those who act comedies and other theatricall plaies_, Histriones? IS it for that cause, which as _Claudius Rufus_ hath left in writing? for he reporteth that many yeeres ago, and namely, in those daies when _Cajus Sulpitius_ and _Licinius Stolo_ were Consuls, there raigned a great pestilence at _Rome_, such a mortalitie as comsumed all the stage plaiers indifferently one with another. Whereupon at their instant praier and request, there repaired out of _Tuscane_ to _Rome_, many excellent and singular actours in this kinde: among whom, he who was of greatest reputation, and had caried the name longest in all theaters, for his rare gift and dexteritie that way, was called _Hister_; of whose name all other afterwards were tearmed _Histriones_. 108. _Why espoused not the Romans in mariage those women who were neere of kin unto them?_