upon. But be
here also a little moderate in your mirth, because oftentimes the
friends handle this matter like a bargaining; and will lay the mony
bags of each side in a balance, as you may see by the Plate.

In the mean while you may be kissing and slabbering of your Mistris in
the next room; or contriving what's to be done about the marriage, and
keeping of the Wedding; but perhaps, through the discord of the
friends, it will not be long before you are disturb'd; the differences
oft rising so high, that the sound thereof, clatters through the
Walls, into the ears of the Lovers. For many times the Portion of one
is too great, and what's given with the other is too little; or that
the Parents of the Bridegroom, promise too little with their Son; and
the Brides Parents will give too little with their Daughter. Or else
that by some subtle Contract of Matrimony, they indeavour to make the
goods of each side disinheritable, &c. So that it appears among the
friends, as if there could be nothing don in the matter.

And in plain truth, the Parents and friends, who know very well that
it is not all hony in the married estate; see oftentimes that it were
better for these two to remain unmarried, then to bring each other
into misery; and can find no grounds or reasons, but rather to
disswade then perswade the young folks to a marriage.

But tho, on each side, they use never such powerfull arguments, to
the young people, 'tis to no purpose; for there's fire in the flax,
and go how it will, it must be quencht. For the maid thinks, if this
match should be broke, who knows but that all the freedom that we have
had with one another, might come to be spread abroad, and then I am
ruined for ever. And the young man, seeing that his Mistris is so
constant to him, not hearkning to the advice of her friends, is so
struck to the heart with such fiery flames of love, that he's resolved
never to leave her, tho he might feed upon bread and water, or go a
begging with her: So, that he saies, Bargain by the Contract of
Matrimony for what you will, nay tho you would write Hell and
Damnation, I am contented, and resolve to sign it: but thinking by
himself, with a Will all this may be broken, and new made again:
hardly beleeving, that this fair weather, should be darkned with black
clouds; or that this splendent Serenissimo, would be obstructed by
Eclipses.

But finally, there comes an appearance of the desired pleasure; for
the knot is tied, a