, it will quench; but if you give it any
vent, it will rage. As for masculine love, they have no touch of it;
and yet there 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 have 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 past from their first interview. Marriage
without consent of parents they do not make void, but they mulct 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 spake 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