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04 - The New Atlantis - Sir Francis Bacon · Daily Classic Sci Fi Books

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