Page:A Treatise concerning the Use and Abuse of the Marriage Bed.djvu/263

 tent and meaning of it, 'tis all Vice and Wickedness, and, I am sure, that is against the meaning of all Law or Rule that a Christian ought to walk by.

Jack. You surprize me. Pray, explain your self.

Tom. Why, the Thing explains it self: To marry a Wife on purpose to have no Children! Why, any Body knows the meaning of that. I am plain, and I explain my self thus: As to marry her, to give your Children her Money, was a Matrimonial Plunder; so to marry her, to have no Children at all, is a Matrimonial Lewdness; 'tis only a kind of legal Whoring, Jack, you may call it what you will; I tell you, it's Vice, under the Protection of the Church, as I said, t'other was Robbery.

Jack. You are very plain with me, that's true. But, I tell you, there is no such Thing in my Thoughts.

Tom. And, I tell you, whatever you may persuade me to, you will never make any Man else believe it. The Notion of directing your House, governing your Family, Conversing, Confidence, and such Stuff as that; all these are Pretences, and no more; the Thing is a Woman, a Woman, I tell you, and nothing else.

Jack. Nay, if you will make it be so whether I will or no, I can't help that.

Tom. Why then take a Wife in the ordinary Way of suitable Years, like a Christian.

Jack. What, and fill the House again with a new Family? No, that won't do at all.

Tom. Why, if you won't marry like a Christian, then live unmarried like a Christian. Pr'ythee be a Christian one Way or t'other.