A gold chain of directions, with twenty gold-linkes of love, to preserve love firm between husband and wife, during their lives : profitable for all, that are already married, or that intend to take the honourable and holy estate of marriage upon them hereafter : advising for a right choice in marriage, and how to keep from those sad consequences have fallen out in too many families, sometimes upon small dislike between husband and wife : that happiness may be the inheritance of parents and posterities, through the grace of God in Christ Jesus / by Immanuel Bourne, a minister of Christ Jesus, our Blessed Lord and Saviour.

London : J. Streater, for George Sawbridge, 1669,

1 item ; 115 x 70 mm

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Great Britain -- England -- London, -- publication place.

272961

From dealer's description: "A HUSBAND MUST NOT BE LIKE UNTO A CRAB, ORANGE, OR LEMON FAIR ON THE OUTSIDE TO THE SHEW, AND SOURE AND BITTER WITHIN…” AN EARLY MODERN GUIDE TO A HAPPY MARRIED LIFE FOR MEN AND WOMEN BOURNE (Immanuel). A Gold Chain of Directions, with Twenty Gold-Linkes of Love, to preserve Love firm between Husband and wife, during their Lives. Profitable for all, that are already Married, or that intend to take the Honorable and Holy estate of Marriage upon them hereafter. Advising for a Right Choice in Marriage, and how to keep from those sad Consequences have fallen out in too many Families, sometimes upon small dislike between Husband and wife. That happiness may be the Inheritance of Parents and Posterities, through the Grace of God in Christ Jesus. First Edition. Small 12mo (115 x 70mm). [22], 189, [3] pp., with the final blank but not the initial blank A1. Title-page slightly dusty and with a few minor marks and some very light browning in places, short closed tear to B3 (not touching the text) but otherwise fine. Early 19th-century polished calf, covers with a simple gilt tooled border, smooth spine ruled, tooled and lettered in gilt, plain endpapers (upper joint almost entirely split, edges and joints rubbed and worn). London: by J. Streater, for George Sawbridge, 1669 Very Rare - not in the British Library. OCLC /COPAC/Printed Wing record physical copies at Bodley and Cambridge only. No copies recorded in the USA. A presentation copy to the author’s son of a remarkable conduct book providing spiritual and practical guidance for a happy marriage by outlining twenty “Gold-Linkes of Love”, or pieces of advice, designed for husbands and wives to keep them from the “sad consequences” of separation. The advice ranges from the best choice of spouse, the preservation of affection, sex within marriage and avoidance of adultery. Bourne, daringly, dedicates the work to the family of John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland (1638-1711) who had himself been granted a legal separation from his first wife, Anne Pierrepont, which resulted in the bastardizing of his own offspring. Bourne suggests to Rutland in his dedication that the present book may be a useful guide, “...if God in his most wise Providence shall grant you a second Marriage-Union.” "The total failure of this marriage [between John Manners and Anne Pierrepont] had legal and potentially dynastic implications. There was at this time no legal divorce, and Manners’s quarrel with his first wife initiated a legal process of separation and remarriage for the few who could afford it. Manners was granted judicial separation from bed and board in the ecclesiastical court in 1663 because of Anne’s adultery. To protect the succession to his estates, Manners then obtained private acts, that of 8 February 1667 bastardizing Anne’s children born since 1659 and that of 11 April 1670 granting him permission to remarry. The ensuing parliamentary debates attracted disproportionate attention because of revelations about Anne’s sexual promiscuity, the challenge to beliefs about the indissolubility of marriage, and suggestions that Charles II could adopt the process to divorce his barren wife, Catherine of Braganza" (ODNB). Immanuel Bourne (1590-1672) was educated at Christ Church Oxford and instituted to the living of Ashover in the Derbyshire Peak District (he later purchased the advowson of Ashover himself ensuring that his eldest son Obadiah (to whom the present book is presented) would become clergyman there and later his grandson, Samuel). Bourne was at times a controversial preacher and during the Civil War he suffered at the hands of both sides, in particular he lamented the destruction of his library by the Earl of Newcastle’s cavaliers, who left, “my Manuscripts, near thirty years studies and pains night and day rent in pieces and taken away” (quoted in ODNB ). He married Jemima, daughter of Sir Thomas Beckingham of Tolleshunt Major, Essex whom he met in the home of Sir Samuel Tyron to whom he was chaplain. His will noted he had “lived comfortablie fifty yeare” with his wife ( ibid ). The “Gold-Linkes” of advice include the careful choice of a spouse in the first place, particularly in religious observance: “...yet how many such are in the World? Families where scarce a form of Religion is to be found; Strangers from prayers to God, nor Morning, nor Evening Prayer to be heard.” p.8-9). Bourne continues, “Children learn of Parents to be irreligious, and this too often amongst the Rich as well as Poor; I say but little of that common sin too often in greater Families, inticing men to Drunkeness, by that specious pretence of pledging Healths of Friends; pressing men in drink...” (p.15). The third link concerns the respective ages of husbands and wives: “...it is more fit for a very old man to marry a young woman in hope of Posterity, then for a very old woman past childbearing, to marry a young man, Equality and conveniency do best agree together for the preservation of Conjugal Love.” (p.19-20). The seventh link concerns "Communication of mutual kindness and conjugal engagements" with Bourne directing that “denial of this loving kindnesse is a dangerous occasion of Breach and Disquietnesse.” Bourne tempers this by reminding the reader, “...a Bridle must be to restrain Intemperance in all Delights, least excess destroy both Soules and Bodies” (p.39). Bourne later reminds husband that they must show the same love to their wives in private as they do in public: “a husband must not be like unto a Crab, Orange, or Lemon fair on the outside to the shew, and soure and bitter within; pleasing, with sugared words abroad, Sweet-heart before Company, and of a froward and perverse Disposition at home; or in private” (p.55-6). The book ends with a series of prayers for husbands and wives including a specific “closet or secret prayer” for each spouse. On the blank verso of the title-page is a presentation inscription from Bourne to his eldest son Obadiah Bourne (?1634-1710): "To my welbeloved Son | Mr Obadiah Bourne | pastor of the Church at | Asheover in Derbyshire | from his lovinge | Father Immanuel Bourne | dayly prayinge to God | for a blessinge uppon | him and upon ?all | people now under his | charge that sinnes | may be corrected and | Saints prepared for | Glory Eterneall with ?mine | and Deare mothers Blessinge | I give this litle | Booke for a | Remembrancer of | my desire of Eternall | [;ast line cropped away]. The inscription has been partly cropped by the binder with the last line now only partially readable. A very unusual and rare conduct book that, no doubt due to its scarcity - there does not, for example, appear to be a copy in the BL - appears to have received very little close scholarly attention and would certainly warrant further study in relation to work connected to early modern marriage and the role of women in society. Provenance: John ?Bone, early signature in the lower blank margin of H12v. The book later belonged to Joseph Garnett Claughton (1874-1917) of Whitelands, The Lanes, in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. Signatures to the final flyleaf and his ink initials in the blank margin of p.16. " Ordered from D9753 Maggs Bros. Ltd., 2024-07-18, email quote.

272961