to restrain their ambition, pride, and covetousness, to
correct those hereditary diseases of a family, God in his just judgment
assigns and permits such matches to be made. For I am of Plato and [5869]
Bodine's mind, that families have their bounds and periods as well as
kingdoms, beyond which for extent or continuance they shall not exceed, six
or seven hundred years, as they there illustrate by a multitude of
examples, and which Peucer and [5870]Melancthon approve, but in a perpetual
tenor (as we see by many pedigrees of knights, gentlemen, yeomen) continue
as they began, for many descents with little alteration. Howsoever let
them, I say, give something to youth, to love; they must not think they can
fancy whom they appoint; [5871]_Amor enim non imperatur, affectus liber si
quis alius et vices exigens_, this is a free passion, as Pliny said in a
panegyric of his, and may not be forced: Love craves liking, as the saying
is, it requires mutual affections, a correspondency: _invito non datur nec
aufertur_, it may not be learned, Ovid himself cannot teach us how to love,
Solomon describe, Apelles paint, or Helen express it. They must not
therefore compel or intrude; [5872]_quis enim_ (as Fabius urgeth) _amare
alieno animo potest_? but consider withal the miseries of enforced
marriages; take pity upon youth: and such above the rest as have daughters
to bestow, should be very careful and provident to marry them in due time.
Siracides cap. 7. vers. 25. calls it "a weighty matter to perform, so to
marry a daughter to a man of understanding in due time:" _Virgines enim
tempestive locandae_, as [5873]Lemnius admonisheth, _lib. 1. cap. 6._
Virgins must be provided for in season, to prevent many diseases, of which
[5874]Rodericus a Castro _de morbis mulierum, lib. 2. cap. 3._ and Lod.
Mercatus _lib. 2. de mulier. affect, cap. 4, de melanch. virginum et
viduarum_, have both largely discoursed. And therefore as well to avoid
these feral maladies, 'tis good to get them husbands betimes, as to prevent
some other gross inconveniences, and for a thing that I know besides; _ubi
nuptiarum tempus et aetas advenerit_, as Chrysostom adviseth, let them not
defer it; they perchance will marry themselves else, or do worse. If
Nevisanus the lawyer do not impose, they may do it by right: for as he
proves out of Curtius, and some other civilians, Sylvae, _nup. lib. 2.
numer. 30._ [5875]"A maid past twenty-five years of age, against her
parents' con