VIII. They recommended silence by their example, having very few words upon all occasions; they were at a word in dealing; nor could their customers with many words tempt them from it; having more regard to truth than custom, to example than gain. They sought solitude; but when in company, they would neither use, nor willingly hear, unnecessary as well as unlawful discourses; whereby they preserved their minds pure and undisturbed from unprofitable thoughts and diversions; nor could they humour the custom of “Good night, Good morrow, God speed;” for they knew the night was good, and the day was good, without wishing of either; and that in the other expression, the holy name of God was too lightly and unthinkingly used, and therefore taken in vain. Besides, they were words and wishes of course, and are usually as little meant, as are love and service in the custom of cap and knee; and superfluity in those, as well as in other things, was burdensome to them; and therefore they did not only decline to use them, but found themselves often pressed to reprove the practice. IX. For the same reason they forbore drinking to people, or pledging of them, as the manner of the world is; a practice that is not only unnecessary, but they thought evil in the tendencies of it; being a provocation to drinking more than did people good, as well as that it was in itself vain and heathenish. X. Their way of marriage is peculiar to them; and is a distinguishing practice from all other societies professing Christianity. They say that marriage is an ordinance of God, and that God only can rightly join man and woman in marriage. Therefore they use neither priest nor magistrate, but the man and woman concerned, take each other as husband and wife, in the presence of divers credible witnesses, “promising unto each other, with God’s assistance, to be loving and faithful in that relation, till death shall separate them.” But, antecedent to all this, they first present themselves to the Monthly Meeting for the affairs of the church, where they reside, there declaring their intentions to take one another as man and wife, if the said meeting have nothing material to object against it. They are constantly asked the necessary questions,[A] as in case of parents, or guardians, if they have acquainted them with their intention, and have their consent, &c. In case it appears they proceeded orderly, the meeting passes their proposal, and so records it in their meeting book; and in case the woman is a widow and hath children, due care is there taken, that provision also be made by her for the orphans before the said marriage; advising the parties concerned to appoint a convenient time and place, and to give fitting notice to their relations, and such friends and neighbours, as they desire should be the witnesses of their marriage: where they take one another by the hand, and by name promising reciprocally after the manner before expressed. Of