New Atlanus. Si 
Nation. Amongft other difcourfes ,. one day I told lim, 1 was much 
affe@ed with the Relation ] had from fome of the company; of their | 
Cuftom in holding the Feaft of the Family, for that (me thought) | had 
never heard of a Solemnity wherein Nature did fo muchprefide. And } 
becaufe Propagation of Familiesproceedeth fromthe Nuptial Copulation, | 
I defired to know of him what Laws and Cuftoms they had concerning |’ 
Marriage, and whether they kept Marriage well, and whether they were ' 
ticdto one Wife. For that where Population is fo much affe@ed and | 
fuch as with them it feemed tobe, there is commonly permiflion of Plu- 
rality of Wives. To this he faid, “ Youhave reafon forto commind 
“that excellent Inftitution of the Feaft of the Family ; and indeed we 
“have experience, that thofe Vamilies that are partakers of the Bleflings | 
“ of that Feaft do flourifh and profper’ ever after inan extraordinary man- | 
“ner. Buthearmenow, and! willtell you whatI know. You thall un- | 
“ derftand, thatthere is not under the Heavens, fo chaftea Nation as this 
“of Benfalem, nor {fo free from all pollution orfoulnefs; i: is the Virgin 
“ofthe World. 2 remember I have read in one of your European Books 
“ of anholy Hermit amongft you, that defired to fee the Spiritof Fornication, | 
“and there appeared tohim alittle foul ugly <2 thiope : But if he had | © 
« defiredto fee the Spirit of Chaftity of Benfalem, it would have appeared to 
“him in the likenefs of a fair beautiful Cherubin ; for there is nothing | 
“ amongft Mortal Men more fair and admirable, then thé chafte Mindes | 
“ofthis Reople. Know therefore, that with them there are no Stews, | 
“ nodiffolute;Houfes, no Courtefans, nor any thing of that kinde; nay 
“they wonder (with deteftation) at you in Europe which permit fach 
“things. They fay you have put Marriage out of office; for Marriage | 
<¢ is ordained a remedy for unlawful concupifcence, and natural concu- 
 pifcence feemeth as a {pur to Marriage : But when Men have athand | 
‘ca remedy more agreeable to their corrupt will, Marriage isalmoft ex- | 
“pulfed. Andtherefore, there are with you feen. infinite Men tharmar- | 
“ry not, but chufe rather a Libertine, and impure fingle life, then to be 
“‘yoakedin Marriage ; and many that do marry, marry late, when the | 
“prime and ftrength of their years is paft ; and when they do marry, | 
« whatis Marriage to them, but avery Bargain, wherein is fought Alli- | 
“ance, or Portion, or Reputation, with fome deftre (almoft indifterent) | 
«of iflue, and not the faithful Nuptial Union of Man and Wife that was Vi 
« firft inftituted 2 Neither is it poffible, that thofe that have ‘caft away fo | 
é«ebafely fo much of their ftrength, fhould greatly efteem Children (be- || 
| « ing of thefamematter) aschaft Mendo. So likewife during Marriage, | 
«cis the cafe much amended, as itoughttobe, if thofe things were tole- , 
« rated onely for neceflity? No, butthey remain ftill as avery affront to| — 
se Marriage; thehuntingof thofediffolute places, orrefortto Courtefans,| 
sare no more punifhed in Married men, then in Batchelors : And the de-| 
s¢ praved cultom of change, and the delight in meretricious embrace-| _ 
«ments, (where Sinis turned into Art) maketh Marriage a dull thing, and! i 
ca kinde of Jmpofition’ or Tax. They hear you defend thefe things as 
|< done to avoid greater evils; as Advowtries , Deflouring of Virgins 
-« Unnatural Luft, aud the like: But they fay this isa prepofterous W 
cedom; and they call ic Loss offer, who to fave his Guefts from abufi 
“offered his Daughters : Nay, they fay further, that there is little gained | 
«inthis, for that thefame Vices and Appetites do ftill remain and abound, } 
¢ Unlawful Luft being like a Furnace, that if you ftop the Flames alto- 
ew er 
