rpose [6233]Saint Francis, because he used to confess women in
private, to prevent suspicion, and prove himself a maid, stripped himself
before the Bishop of Assise and others: and Friar Leonard for the same
cause went through Viterbium in Italy, without any garments.

Our pseudo-Catholics, to help these inconveniences which proceed from
jealousy, to keep themselves and their wives honest, make severe laws;
against adultery present death; and withal fornication, a venal sin, as a
sink to convey that furious and swift stream of concupiscence, they appoint
and permit stews, those punks and pleasant sinners, the more to secure
their wives in all populous cities, for they hold them as necessary as
churches; and howsoever unlawful, yet to avoid a greater mischief, to be
tolerated in policy, as usury, for the hardness of men's hearts; and for
this end they have whole colleges of courtesans in their towns and cities.
Of [6234]Cato's mind belike, that would have his servants (_cum ancillis
congredi coitus causa, definito aere, ut graviora facinora evitarent,
caeteris interim interdicens_) familiar with some such feminine creatures,
to avoid worse mischiefs in his house, and made allowance for it. They hold
it impossible for idle persons, young, rich, and lusty, so many servants,
monks, friars, to live honest, too tyrannical a burden to compel them to be
chaste, and most unfit to suffer poor men, younger brothers and soldiers at
all to marry, as those diseased persons, votaries, priests, servants.
Therefore, as well to keep and ease the one as the other, they tolerate and
wink at these kind of brothel-houses and stews. Many probable arguments
they have to prove the lawfulness, the necessity, and a toleration of them,
as of usury; and without question in policy they are not to be
contradicted: but altogether in religion. Others prescribe filters, spells,
charms to keep men and women honest. [6235]_Mulier ut alienum virum non
admittat praeter suum: Accipe fel hirci, et adipem, et exsicca, calescat in
oleo, &c., et non alium praeter et amabit. In Alexi. Porta, &c., plura
invenies, et multo his absurdiora, uti et in Rhasi, ne mulier virum
admittat, et maritum solum diligat_, &c. But these are most part Pagan,
impious, irreligious, absurd, and ridiculous devices.

The best means to avoid these and like inconveniences are, to take away the
causes and occasions. To this purpose [6236]Varro writ _Satyram Menippeam_,
but it is lost. [6237