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THE SECOND BOOKE 77
mother being instantly urged to marry whitest he was
young, answered that it was not yet time ; and when
he camb to be old, he said it was no more time. A
man must refuse opportunity to every importunate
action. The ancient Gaules deemed it a shamefull
reproach to have the acquaintance of a woman before
the age of twenty yeares; and did especially recommend
unto men that sought to be trained up in warres the
carefull preservation of their maiden-head until they
were of good yeares, forsomuch as by losing it in youth,
courages are thereby much weakued and greatly empaired,
and by coupling with women diverted from all
vertuous action.
Ma hor conyiunto a giovinetta sposa,
Lieto homai de' figli, era mvdito
Neghaffetti di padre et di manto. 1
But now conjoyn'd to a fresh-springing spouse,
Joy'd in his children, he was thought-abased,
In passions twixt a sire and husband placed.
Muleasses King of Thunes, he whom the Emperour
Charles the fifth restored unto his owne state againe,
was wont to upbraid his fathers memorie for so
dissolutely-frequenting of women, terming him a sloven,
effeminate, and a lustfull engenderer of children. The
Greek storie doth note Iccus the Tarentine, Crisso,
Astyllus, Diopompus, and others, who to keep their
bodies tough and strong for the service of the
Olympicke courses, wrestlings and such bodily exercises
they did, as long as they were possessed with that care,
heedefully abtaine from all venerian acts and touching
of women. In a certaine country of the Spanish Indies,
no "man was suffered to take a wife before he were fortie
yeares old, and women might marry at ten yeares of
age. There is no reason, neither is it convenient, that
a Gentleman of five and thirtie yeares should give place
to his sonne, that is but twenty: For then is the father
as seemly and may as well appear and set himselfe
forward, in all manner of voyages of warres as well by
1 TASSO, Gierus. x, 89.