ABSTRACT
Marriage,ordainedbyGod,wasseenintheearlymodemperiodasanaturaland desirablestate.Itwasregardedasanessentialingredientofsocialandmoralorder, andgenerallyunderstoodtomakesoundemotionalsense,though,obviously,there wasmuchvariationinthedegreeofcontentmentfoundinparticularpartnerships. Writersonmarriageagreedthatitshouldbeundertakenforthreemainreasons: procreation,thesatisfactionofsexualdesireinamorallyacceptableway,andto providemutualcomfortandsupport.Forthoseinthemiddleandupperrangesof society,itwasalsoawayofconsolidatingorenhancingone'ssocialandeconomic position.Forthedevout,marriagewithanothermemberofthegodlycommunity broughtclosecompanionshipforthearduousspiritualjourney,andmeantthat one'schildrencouldberaisedwithinatrulyChristianhousehold.Over80percent ofadultsgotmarried.Forwomen,themeanageforfirstmarriagewasabout26;for men,about28-therelativelatenessbeinganeconomicnecessityformost,though manyyoungpeoplewouldnothavebeeneagertotakeontheconstraintsand responsibilitiesofmarriageattooearlyanage(Ben-Amos1994:230-31;figures inCressy1997:285).Comparativelyhighratesofmortalityoftenresultedinthe prematurelossofone'spartnerand-forpracticalaswellasemotionalreasons-in remarriage.
