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04 - The New Atlantis - Sir Francis Bacon · Classic Science Fiction Books

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  Speaker 1: Section four, and if there be a mother from whose
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  Speaker 1: body the whole lineage is descended. There is a traverse
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  Speaker 1: placed in a loft above on the right hand of
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  Speaker 1: the chair, with a privy door and a carved window
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  Speaker 1: of glass leaded with gold and blue, where she sitteth,
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  Speaker 1: but is not seen. When the tearsan is come forth,
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  Speaker 1: he sitteth down in the chair, and all the linage
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  Speaker 1: place themselves against the wall, both at his back and
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  Speaker 1: upon the return of the half pace, in order of
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  Speaker 1: their years, without difference of sex, and stand upon their
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  Speaker 1: feet when he is set the room being always full
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  Speaker 1: of company, but well captain without disorder. After some pause,
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  Speaker 1: there cometh in from the lower end of the room
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  Speaker 1: a taratan, which is as much as an herald, and
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  Speaker 1: on either side of him two young lads, whereof one
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  Speaker 1: carrieth a scroll of their shining yellow parchment, and the
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  Speaker 1: other a cluster of grapes of gold with a long
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  Speaker 1: foot or stalk. The herald and children are clothed with
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  Speaker 1: mantles of sea water, green satin, but the herald's mantle
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  Speaker 1: is streamed with gold, and hath a train. Then the
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  Speaker 1: herald with three curtsies, or rather inclinations, cometh up as
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  Speaker 1: far as the half pace, and there first taketh into
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  Speaker 1: his hand the scroll. This scroll is the King's charter,
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  Speaker 1: containing gifts of revenue and many privileges, exemptions, and points
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  Speaker 1: of honor granted to the father of the family, and
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  Speaker 1: is ever styled and directed to such do one our
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  Speaker 1: well beloved friend and creditor, which is a title proper
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  Speaker 1: only to this case, For they say the king is
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  Speaker 1: debtor to no man, but for a propagation of his subjects.
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  Speaker 1: The seal set to the King's charter as the King's
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  Speaker 1: image embossed or molded in gold. And though such charters
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  Speaker 1: be expedited, of course and as of right, yet they
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  Speaker 1: are varied by discretion according to the number and dignity
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  Speaker 1: of the family. This charter, the Herald readeth aloud, and
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  Speaker 1: while it is read, the father or Tiarsan standeth up,
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  Speaker 1: supported by two of his sons, such as he chooseth.
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  Speaker 1: Then the Herald mounteth the half pace and delivereth the
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  Speaker 1: charter into his hand. And with that there is an
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  Speaker 1: acclamation by all that are present in their language, which
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  Speaker 1: is thus much happy are the people of Bensalen. Then
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  Speaker 1: the herald taketh into his hand from the other child
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  Speaker 1: the cluster of grapes, which is of gold, both the
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  Speaker 1: stalk and the grapes. But the grapes are daintily enameled.
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  Speaker 1: And if the males of the family be the greater number,
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  Speaker 1: the grapes are enameled purple, with a little son sat
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  Speaker 1: on the top. If the females, then they are enameled
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  Speaker 1: into a greenish yellow, with a crescent on the top.
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  Speaker 1: The grapes are in number as many as there are
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  Speaker 1: descendants of the family. This golden cluster the herald delivereth
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  Speaker 1: also to the Tyrsan, who presently delivereth it over to
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  Speaker 1: that son that he had formerly chosen to be in
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  Speaker 1: house with him, who beareth it before his father as
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  Speaker 1: an ensign of honor, when he goeth in public ever after,
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  Speaker 1: and is thereupon called the son of the vine. After
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  Speaker 1: the ceremony endeth the father or Tiersan retireth, and after
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  Speaker 1: some time cometh forth again to dinner, where he sitteth
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  Speaker 1: alone under the state as before, and none of his
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  Speaker 1: descendants sit with him, of what degree or dignity soever,
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  Speaker 1: except he hap to be of Salomon's house. He is
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  Speaker 1: served only by his own children, such as are male,
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  Speaker 1: who perform unto him all service of the table upon
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  Speaker 1: the knee, and the women only stand about him, leaning
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  Speaker 1: against the wall. The room below the half pace hath
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  Speaker 1: tables on the sides for the guests that are bidden,
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  Speaker 1: who are served with great and comely order, which in
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  Speaker 1: the greatest feasts with them lasteth never above an hour
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  Speaker 1: and an half. There is a hymn sung, varied according
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  Speaker 1: to the invention of him that composeth it, for they
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  Speaker 1: have excellent poesy, but the subject of it is always
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  Speaker 1: the praises of Adam and Noah and Abraham, whereof the
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  Speaker 1: former two people the world, and the last was the
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  Speaker 1: Father of the faithful, concluding ever with a thanksgiving for
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  Speaker 1: the nativity of ours Savior, in whose birth the births
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  Speaker 1: of all are only blessed. Dinner being done, the tier
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  Speaker 1: san retireth again, and having withdrawn himself alone into a
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  Speaker 1: place where he makes some private prayers, he cometh forth
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  Speaker 1: the third time to give the blessing with all his
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  Speaker 1: descendants who stand about him, as at the first. Then
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  Speaker 1: he calleth them forth by one and by one by name,
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  Speaker 1: as he pleaseth, though seldom the order of age be inverted.
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  Speaker 1: The person that is called the table, being before removed,
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  Speaker 1: kneeleth down before the chair, and the Father layeth his
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  Speaker 1: hand upon his head or her head, and giveth the
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  Speaker 1: blessing in these words, son of Bensalem, or daughter of Bensalem,
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  Speaker 1: Thy Father. With it the man by whom thou hast
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  Speaker 1: breath and life, speaketh the word the blessing of the
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  Speaker 1: Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and the Holy Dove
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  Speaker 1: Be upon thee and make the days of thy pilgrimage
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  Speaker 1: good and many. This he saith to every of them,
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  Speaker 1: and that done. If there be any of his sons
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  Speaker 1: of eminent birth and virtue, so they be not above two,
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  Speaker 1: he calleth for them again and saith, laying his arm
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  Speaker 1: over their shoulders they standing sons. It is well ye
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  Speaker 1: are born. Give God the praise, and persevere to the end,
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  Speaker 1: and withal deliberate to either of them a jewel made
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  Speaker 1: in the figure of an ear of wheat, which they
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  Speaker 1: ever after wear in the front of their turban or hat.
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  Speaker 1: This done, they fall to music and dances and other
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  Speaker 1: recreations after their manner for the rest of the day.
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  Speaker 1: This is the full order of that feast. By that
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  Speaker 1: time six or seven days were spent. I was fallen
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  Speaker 1: into straight acquaintance with a merchant of that city, whose
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  Speaker 1: name was Joabin. He was a Jew and circumcised. For
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  Speaker 1: they have some few stirps of Jews yet remaining among them,
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  Speaker 1: whom they leave to their own religion, which they may
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  Speaker 1: the better do, because they are of a far differing
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  Speaker 1: disposition from the Jews in other parts. For whereas they
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  Speaker 1: hate the name of Christ and have a secret inbred
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  Speaker 1: rancor against the people Amoe whom they live, these contrariwise
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  Speaker 1: give unto our Savior many high attributes, and love the
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  Speaker 1: nation of Bensalem extremely. Surely, this man of whom I
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  Speaker 1: speak would ever acknowledge that Christ was born of a virgin,
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  Speaker 1: and that he was more than a man, And he
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  Speaker 1: would tell how God made him ruler of the Seraphims
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  Speaker 1: which guard his throne. And they call him also the
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  Speaker 1: Milken Way, and the Eliah of the Messiah, and many
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  Speaker 1: other high names, which though they be inferior to his
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  Speaker 1: divine majesty, yet they are far from the language of
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  Speaker 1: other Jews. And for the country of Bensalem, this man
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  Speaker 1: would make no end of commending it, being desirous by
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  Speaker 1: tradition among the Jews there to have it believed that
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  Speaker 1: the people thereof were of the generations of Abraham by
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  Speaker 1: another son, whom they call Nacharon, and that Moses, by
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  Speaker 1: a secret Kabalah, ordained the laws of Bensalem, which they
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  Speaker 1: now use, and that when the Messiah should come and
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  Speaker 1: sit in his throne at Jerusalem, the king of Bensalem
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  Speaker 1: should sit at his feet, whereas other kings should keep
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  Speaker 1: a great distance. But yet, setting aside these Jewish dreams,
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  Speaker 1: the man was a wise man, and learned, and of
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  Speaker 1: great policy, and excellently seen in the laws and customs
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  Speaker 1: of that nation, amongst other discourses. One day I told
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  Speaker 1: him I was much affected with the relation I had
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  Speaker 1: from some of the company of their custom in holding
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  Speaker 1: the feast of the family. For that methought, I had
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  Speaker 1: never heard of a solemnity wherein nature did so much preside.
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  Speaker 1: And because propagation of families proceedeth from the nuptial copulation,
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  Speaker 1: I desired to know of him what laws and customs
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  Speaker 1: they had concerning marriage, and whether they kept marriage well,
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  Speaker 1: and whether they were tied to one wife, For that
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  Speaker 1: where population is so much affected, and such as with
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  Speaker 1: them it seemed to be, there is commonly permission a
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  Speaker 1: plurality of wives. To this, he said, you have reason
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  Speaker 1: for to commend that excellent institution of the feast of
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  Speaker 1: the family. And indeed we have experienced that those families
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  Speaker 1: that are partabeds of the blessing of that feast do
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  Speaker 1: flourish and prosper ever after in an extraordinary manner. But
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  Speaker 1: hear me now, and I will tell you what I know.
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  Speaker 1: You shall understand that there is not under the heavens
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  Speaker 1: so chaste a nation as this of Bensalem, nor so
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  Speaker 1: free from all pollution or foulness. It is the virgin
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  Speaker 1: of the world. I remember, I have read in one
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  Speaker 1: of your European books of an holy hermit amongst you
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  Speaker 1: that desire to see the spirit of fornication, and there
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  Speaker 1: appeared to him a little foul ugly Athiop. But if
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  Speaker 1: he had desired to see the spirit of chastity of Bensalem,
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  Speaker 1: it would have appeared to him in the likeness of
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  Speaker 1: a fair, beautiful cherubim. For there is nothing amongst mortal
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  Speaker 1: men more fair and admirable than the chaste minds of
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  Speaker 1: this people know therefore that with them there are no stews,
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  Speaker 1: no dissolute houses, no courtesans, nor anything of that kind. Nay,
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  Speaker 1: they wonder with detestation at you in Europe, which permits
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  Speaker 1: such things. They say, ye have put marriage out of office.
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  Speaker 1: For marriage is ordained a remedy for unlawful concupiscence, and
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  Speaker 1: natural concupiscence seemeth as a spar to marriage. But when
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  Speaker 1: men have at hand a remedy more agreeable to their
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  Speaker 1: corrupt will, marriage is almost expulsed. And therefore there are
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  Speaker 1: with you seen infinite men that marry not, but chose
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  Speaker 1: rather a libertine and impure single life than to be
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  Speaker 1: yoked in marriage. And many that do marry marry late,
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  Speaker 1: when the prime and strength of their years is past.
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  Speaker 1: And when they do marry, what is marriage to them
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  Speaker 1: but a very bargain wherein is sought alliance or portion
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  Speaker 1: or reputation, with some desire almost indifferent of issue, and
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  Speaker 1: not the faithful nuptial union of man and wife that
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  Speaker 1: was first instituted. Neither is it possible that those that
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  Speaker 1: have cast away so basely so much of their strength,
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  Speaker 1: should greatly esteem children, being of the same matter as
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  Speaker 1: chaste men do so. Likewise during marriage, is the case
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  Speaker 1: much amended as it ought to be if those things
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  Speaker 1: were tolerated only for necessity. No, but they remain still
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  Speaker 1: as a very affront to marriage. The haunting of those
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  Speaker 1: dissolute places or resort to courtesans are no more punished
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  Speaker 1: in married men than in bachelors. And the depraved custom
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  Speaker 1: of change, and the delight in meretricious embracements where sin
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  Speaker 1: is turned into art maketh marriage a dull thing, and
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  Speaker 1: a kind of imposition or tax. They hear you defend
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  Speaker 1: these things as done to avoid greater evils, as at voutries,
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  Speaker 1: deflowering of virgins, unnatural lust, and the like. But they
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  Speaker 1: say this is a preposterous wisdom, and they call it
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  Speaker 1: Lot's offer, who, to save his guests from abusing, offered
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  Speaker 1: his daughters. Nay, they say farther that there is little
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  Speaker 1: gained in this, for that the same vices and appetites
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  Speaker 1: do still remain and abound, unlawful lust being like a
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  Speaker 1: furnace that if you stop the flames altogether it will quench,
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  Speaker 1: but if you give it an event, it will rage.
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  Speaker 1: As for masculine love, they have no touch of it.
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  Speaker 1: And yet they are not so faithful and inviolate friendships
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  Speaker 1: in the world again as are there. And to speak generally,
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  Speaker 1: as I said before, I have not read of any
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  Speaker 1: such chastity in any people as theirs. And their usual
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  Speaker 1: saying is that whosoever is unchaste cannot reverence himself. And
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  Speaker 1: they say that the reverence of a man's self is,
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  Speaker 1: next to religion, the chiefest bridle of all vices. And
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  Speaker 1: when he had said this, the good Jew paused a little,
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  Speaker 1: whereupon I, far more willing to hear him speak on
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  Speaker 1: than to speak myself, yet thinking it decent that upon
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  Speaker 1: his pause of speech, I should not be altogether silent,
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  Speaker 1: said only this that I would say to him, as
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  Speaker 1: the widow of Sarepta said to Elias, that he was
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  Speaker 1: come to bring to memory our sins, and that I
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  Speaker 1: confess the righteousness of Bensalem was greater than the righteousness
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  Speaker 1: of Europe, at which speech he bowed his head and
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  Speaker 1: went on in this manner. They also many wise and
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  Speaker 1: excellent laws touching marriage. They allow no polygamy. They have
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  Speaker 1: ordained that none do intermarry or contract until a month
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  Speaker 1: be passed from their first interview marriage without consent of parents,
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  Speaker 1: they do not make void, but they mulked it in
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  Speaker 1: the inheritors, for the children of such marriages are not
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  Speaker 1: admitted to inherit above a third part of their parents' inheritance.
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  Speaker 1: I have read in a book of one of your
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  Speaker 1: men of a feigned commonwealth where the married couple are
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  Speaker 1: permitted before they contract to see one another naked. This
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  Speaker 1: they dislike, for they think it a scorn to give
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  Speaker 1: a refusal after so familiar knowledge. But because of many
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  Speaker 1: hidden defects in men and women's bodies, they have a
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  Speaker 1: more civil way. For they have near every town a
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  Speaker 1: couple of pools, which they call Adam and Eve's pools,
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  Speaker 1: where it is permitted to one of the friends of
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  Speaker 1: the men and another of the friends of the woman
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  Speaker 1: to see them severally bathe naked. And as we were
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  Speaker 1: thus in conference, there came one that seemed to be
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  Speaker 1: a messenger in a rich huke that speed with the
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  Speaker 1: jew whereupon he turned to me and said, you will
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  Speaker 1: pardon me, for I am commanded away in haste. The
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  Speaker 1: next morning he came to me again, joyful as it seemed,
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  Speaker 1: and said, there is word come to the governor of
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  Speaker 1: the city, that one of the fathers of Salomon's house
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  Speaker 1: will be here this day seven night. We have seen
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  Speaker 1: none of them this dozen years. His coming is in state,
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  Speaker 1: but the cause of his coming is secret. I will
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  Speaker 1: provide you and your fellows of a good standing to
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  Speaker 1: see his entry. I thanked him and told him I
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  Speaker 1: was most glad of the news. The day being come
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  Speaker 1: he made his entry. He was a man of middle
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  Speaker 1: stature and age, comely of person, and had an aspect
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  Speaker 1: as if he pitied men. He was clothed in a
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  Speaker 1: robe of fine black cloth, with wide sleeves and a cape.
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  Speaker 1: His undergarment was of excellent white linen down to the foot,
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  Speaker 1: girt with a girdle of the same, and a sindon
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  Speaker 1: or tippet of the same about his neck. He had
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  Speaker 1: gloves that were curious and set with stone, and shoes
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  Speaker 1: of peach colored velvet. His neck was bare to the shoulders.
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  Speaker 1: His hat was like a helmet or Spanish montera, and
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  Speaker 1: his locks curled below it decently. They were of color brown.
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  Speaker 1: His beard was cut round and of the same color,
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  Speaker 1: with his hair somewhat lighter. He was carried in a
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  Speaker 1: rich chariot without wheels, litter wise, with two horses at
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  Speaker 1: either end, richly trapped in blue velvet embroidered, and two
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  Speaker 1: footmen on each side in the like attire. The chariot
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  Speaker 1: was all of cedar gilt and adorned with crystal, save
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  Speaker 1: that the fore end had panels of sapphires set in
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  Speaker 1: borders of gold, and the hinder end the like of
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  Speaker 1: emeralds of the Peru color. There was also a son
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  Speaker 1: of gold radiant upon the top in the midst and
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  Speaker 1: on the top before a small cherub of gold with
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  Speaker 1: rings displayed. The chariot was covered with cloth of gold
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  Speaker 1: tissued upon blue. He had before him fifty attendants, young men,
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  Speaker 1: all in white satin, loose coats to the mid legs
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  Speaker 1: and stockings of white silk, and shoes of blue velvet,
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  Speaker 1: and hats of blue velvet with fine plumes of diverse
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  Speaker 1: colors set round like hat bands. Next before the chariot
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  Speaker 1: went two men, bare headed in linen garments down to
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  Speaker 1: the foot, girt and shoes of blue velvet, who carried
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  Speaker 1: though one a crozier, the other a pastoral staff like
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  Speaker 1: a sheep hook, neither of them of metal, but the
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  Speaker 1: crozier of balm wood. The pastoral staff of cedar horsemen.
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  Speaker 1: He had none, neither before nor behind his chariot, as
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  Speaker 1: it seemeth to avoid all tumult and trouble. Behind his
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  Speaker 1: chariot went all the officers and principles of the companies
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  Speaker 1: of the city. He sat alone upon cushions of a
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  Speaker 1: kind of excellent plush blue, and under his foot curious
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  Speaker 1: carpets of silk of diverse colors, Like the Persian, but
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  Speaker 1: far finer. He held up his bare hand as he
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  Speaker 1: went as blessing the people, but in silence. The street
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  Speaker 1: was wonderfully well kept, so that there was never any
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  Speaker 1: army had their men stand in better battle array than
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  Speaker 1: the people stood. The windows, likewise, were not crowded, but
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  Speaker 1: everyone stood in them as if they had been placed.
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  Speaker 1: End of Section four.