riage rites. An honest country fellow (as Fulgosus relates it) in the
kingdom of Naples, [5943]at plough by the seaside, saw his wife carried
away by Mauritanian pirates, he ran after in all haste, up to the chin
first, and when he could wade no longer, swam, calling to the governor of
the ship to deliver his wife, or if he must not have her restored, to let
him follow as a prisoner, for he was resolved to be a galley-slave, his
drudge, willing to endure any misery, so that he might but enjoy his dear
wife. The Moors seeing the man's constancy, and relating the whole matter
to their governors at Tunis, set them both free, and gave them an honest
pension to maintain themselves during their lives. I could tell many
stories to this effect; but put case it often prove otherwise, because
marriage is troublesome, wholly therefore to avoid it, is no argument;
[5944]"He that will avoid trouble must avoid the world." (Eusebius
_praepar. Evangel. 5. cap. 50._) Some trouble there is in marriage I deny
not, _Etsi grave sit matrimonium_, saith Erasmus, _edulcatur tamen multis_,
&c., yet there be many things to [5945]sweeten it, a pleasant wife,
_placens uxor_, pretty children, _dulces nati, deliciae filiorum hominum_,
the chief delight of the sons of men; Eccles. ii. 8. &c. And howsoever
though it were all troubles, [5946]_utilitatis publicae causa devorandum,
grave quid libenter subeundum_, it must willingly be undergone for public
good's sake,

[5947] "Audite (populus) haec, inquit Susarion,
Malae sunt mulieres, veruntamen O populares,
Hoc sine malo domum inhabitare non licet."

"Hear me, O my countrymen, saith Susarion,
Women are naught, yet no life without one."

[5948]_Malum est mulier, sed necessarium malum._ They are necessary evils,
and for our own ends we must make use of them to have issue, [5949]
_Supplet Venus ac restituit humanum genus_, and to propagate the church.
For to what end is a man born? why lives he, but to increase the world? and
how shall he do that well, if he do not marry? _Matrimonium humano generi
immortalitatem tribuit_, saith Nevisanus, matrimony makes us immortal, and
according to [5950]Tacitus, 'tis _firmissimum imperii munimentum_, the sole
and chief prop of an empire. [5951]_Indigne vivit per quem non vivit et
alter_, [5952]which Pelopidas objected to Epaminondas, he was an unworthy
member of a commonwealth, that left not a child after him to defend it, and
as [5953