forward: yet if there be any
escape, and all be not as it should, as Diogenes struck the father when the
son swore, because he taught him no better, if a maid or young man
miscarry, I think their parents oftentimes, guardians, overseers,
governors, _neque vos_ (saith [5884]Chrysostom) _a supplicio immunes
evadetis, si non statim ad nuptias_, &c. are in as much fault, and as
severely to be punished as their children, in providing for them no sooner.

Now for such as have free liberty to bestow themselves, I could wish that
good counsel of the comical old man were put in practice,

[5885] "Opulentiores pauperiorum ut filias
Indotas dicant uxores domum:
Et multo fiet civitas concordior,
Et invidia nos minore utemur, quam utimur."

"That rich men would marry poor maidens some,
And that without dowry, and so bring them home,
So would much concord be in our city,
Less envy should we have, much more pity."

If they would care less for wealth, we should have much more content and
quietness in a commonwealth. Beauty, good bringing up, methinks, is a
sufficient portion of itself, [5886]_Dos est sua forma puellis_, "her
beauty is a maiden's dower," and he doth well that will accept of such a
wife. Eubulides, in [5887]Aristaenetus, married a poor man's child, _facie
non illaetabili_, of a merry countenance, and heavenly visage, in pity of
her estate, and that quickly. Acontius coming to Delos, to sacrifice to
Diana, fell in love with Cydippe, a noble lass, and wanting means to get
her love, flung a golden apple into her lap, with this inscription upon it,

"Juro tibi sane per mystica sacra Dianae,
Me tibi venturum comitem, sponsumque futurum."

"I swear by all the rites of Diana,
I'll come and be thy husband if I may."

She considered of it, and upon some small inquiry of his person and estate,
was married unto him.

"Blessed is the wooing,
That is not long a doing."

As the saying is; when the parties are sufficiently known to each other,
what needs such scrupulosity, so many circumstances? dost thou know her
conditions, her bringing-up, like her person? let her means be what they
will, take her without any more ado. [5888]Dido and Aeneas were
accidentally driven by a storm both into one cave, they made a match upon
it; Massinissa was married to that fair captive Sophonisba, King Syphax'
wife, the same day that he saw he