Of Marriage AND SINGLE LIFE

HE THAT hath wife and children hath given

hostages to fortune; for they are impedi-

ments to great enterprises, either of virtue or mis-

chief.  Certainly  the  best  works,  and  of  greatest

merit for the  public,  have  proceeded  from  the  un-

married or childless men; which both in affection

and means, have married and endowed the public.

Yet it were great reason that those that have chil-

dren, should have greatest care of future times;

unto which they know they must transmit their

dearest pledges.  Some there are, who though they

lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with

themselves, and account future times imperti-

nences.  Nay, there are some other, that account

wife and children, but as bills of charges.  Nay

more, there are some foolish rich covetous men,

that take a pride, in having no children, because

they may be thought so much the richer.  For per-

haps they have heard some talk, Such an one is a

great rich man, and another except to it, Yea, but

he hath a great charge of children; as if it were an

abatement to his riches.  But the most ordinary

cause of a single life, is liberty, especially in certain

self-pleasing and humorous minds, which are so

sensible of every restraint, as they will go near to

think their girdles and garters, to be bonds and

shackles.  Unmarried men are best friends, best

masters, best servants; but not always best sub-

jects; for they are light to run away; and almost

all fugitives, are of that condition.  A single life

doth well with churchmen; for charity will hardly

water the ground, where it must first fill a pool.  It

is indifferent for judges and magistrates; for if

they be facile and corrupt, you shall have a ser-

vant, five times worse than a wife.  For soldiers, I

find the generals commonly in their hortatives,

put men in mind of their wives and children; and

I think the despising of marriage amongst the

Turks, maketh the vulgar soldier more base.  Cer-

tainly wife and children are a kind of discipline

of humanity; and single men, though they may

be many times more charitable, because their

means are less exhaust, yet, on the other side, they

are more cruel and hardhearted (good to make

severe inquisitors), because their tenderness is not

so oft called upon.  Grave natures, led by custom,

and therefore constant, are commonly loving hus-

bands, as was said of Ulysses, vetulam suam praetu-

lit immortalitati.  Chaste women are often proud

and froward, as presuming upon the merit of their

chastity.  It is one of the best bonds, both of chastity

and obedience, in the wife, if she think her hus-

band wise; which she will never do, if she find him

jealous.  Wives are young men's mistresses; com-

panions for middle age; and old men's nurses.  So

as a man may have a quarrel to marry, when he

will.  But yet he was reputed one of the wise men,

that made answer to the question, when a man

should marry, - A young man not yet, an elder

man not at all.  It is often seen that bad husbands,

have very good wives; whether it be, that it raiseth

the price of their husband's kindness, when it

comes; or that the wives take a pride in their

patience.  But this never fails, if the bad husbands

were of their own choosing, against their friends'

consent; for then they will be sure to make good

their own folly.