_The mariage of a man and woman, hee being the husband of xx. wiues: and
shee the wife of xxii. husbandes._
Men commonly do reproue the honour of widowes, because they being twise
or thrise wedded, doe marrie againe: and albeit by outward apparaunce,
they which soe blame them seeme to haue reason, yet no man ought to
iudge the secrecie of the hart. Mariage is holy and ought be permitted,
and therfore by any meanes not to be reproued. Although it cannot be
denied, but that the chast life is most perfecte, notwithstanding, that
perfection in nothing doth diminishe the other. The widowe marying
againe doth not offende God by mariage, and to the world she committeth
the lest faulte. And because, manye olde and aunciente widowes, in these
dayes, may not after three or fower mariages be dismaied and terrified
from that state, I will recite an Historie, auouched by S. Hierome, in
an Epistle _Ad Gerontiam viduam de monogamia_, whom for his holines and
vertue, wee ought to beleue. It is also pretely set forth by Pietro
Messia de Seuiglia, an excellent authour, a gentleman of Spaine, in the
34 Chapter of the first parte of his worke, called _La Selua di varie
Lezzioni_. S. Hierome sayth, that in the time of Pope Damasus, he sawe
and knew in Rome, one woman lawfully maried to XXII. men, and was the
widowe of XXII. husbands: there was also a man which had had XX. wiues,
and was then the widower of the XX. Both which being free, and of equall
state and condition, they made suite one to other: and that either of
them might proue whether should be the victor, in buryinge ech other,
they maried together, which mariage was in great admiration amonges the
Romaines: who musinge which of them should die first, promised that at
the funerall, they would beautie the corpes, both with their presence,
and also with tokens of victorie. It chaunced (sore against her will I
dare say) that the woman died first. At the celebration of whose
buriall, all the Romaine husbandes laied their heades together, howe
they mighte exornate and garnish the funeralles. They concluded, to goe
before the corpes with Laurel garlands vppon their heades, singing
verses of praise for the obtaining of such a victorious conquest. Now
where the women went, I cannot tell: for I finde written, that _populus
totius vrbis præcedebat feretrum_; wher _populus_, as I take it,
signifieth the whole route of men and women. And yet I thincke womens’
hartes coulde skarce aforde to go before: therefore I thincke they came
behinde like mourners, bearinge braunches without leaues, their beades
in their handes, praying for all christen soules. But giuing women leaue
to mourne for such an ouerthrow, I woulde wishe all my frendes that be
widowes, to folow the noble Romaine matrone and widowe called Annia, who
(when her frendes and familiers, exhorted her to marie againe, because
She was yong and beautifull) aunsweared that she would not. “For, quoth
she, if it be my fortune to haue a good husband, as I had before,
I shall still be afraied, lest death should take him away: but if it be
my chaunce to matche with one that is euill, howe can I be able quietly
to beare that, hauing had so good a husbande before.” Declaringe
thereby, that being ones well matched, great heede ought to be taken,
how to chose the nexte, leaste in making hastie choise, leasure for
repentaunce should folow.