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To countenance his state, he hath many times two of his wives sitting by him, supporting his body, and laying their hands upon his naked skin, above the wast, stroking, and gently pulling the same, wherein he seemes to receive content, and because I have named two of his wives, before I proceed to anything else, I will acquaint you with the manner of their women, the multiplicity of their wives, and the wonderfull great subiection they live under. The King hath an orderly allowance of seven women, which are called wives; that is which are esteemed, and acknowledged, and with a setled ceremony amongst them, distinguisht from other women which he hath use of, being absolutely tied, to attend his only pleasure, and therefore in relating of them according to our proper phrase, can give them no other title but wife, of which it seemes he cannot exceede the number of seven: for he hath the use of other women, who are not of that esteeme, but rather as we may terme them Concubines, who are of a lower birth then his wives, and these likewise are tyed unto him, but not with that manner of strictnes the other are, so as it may appeare, they are rather taken for necessity then that it is a setled course amongst them, which word necessity I must better explaine, and therefore tell you, that it may and doth diverse times fall out, that of his seven wives he hath none to accompany him in the nature of a wife; For undoubtedly these people originally sprung from the race of Canaan, the sonne of Ham, who discovered his father Noahs secrets, for which Noah awakeing cursed Canaan as our holy Scripture testifieth, the curse as by Scholemen hath beene disputed, extended to his ensuing race, in laying hold upon the same place, where the originall cause began, whereof these people are witnesse, who are furnisht with such members as are after a sort burthensome unto them, whereby their women being once conceived with child, so soone as it is perfectly discerned, accompanies the man no longer, because he shall not destroy what is conceived to the losse of that, and danger of the bearer neither until she hath brought up the child, to a full and fitting time to be weaned, which every woman doth to her owne childe is she allowed, in that nature, the mans society, so that many times it falles out, he hath not a wife to lie withall; and therefore as I said, hath allowance of other women, for necessities sake, which may seeme not over-strange unto us, in that our holy Writ doth make mention therof, as you may reade in the 23. chap. of the Prophet Ezechiel, where Ierusalem and Samasia, being called by the names of the two Sisters, Aholah and Aholibah, being charged with fornication, are in the twentie verse of the same chaper, said to doate upon those people, whose members were as the members of Asses, and whose issue was like the issue of horses, therein right and amply explaining these people.
