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Literary
August 26, 1763
The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle
Portsmouth, Greenland, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
What is this article about?
A satirical prose piece titled 'The Matrimonial Creed' that parodies religious creeds to highlight contradictions in marital roles, asserting paradoxical equality and dominance between husband and wife.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
The Matrimonial Creed.
Whoever will be married, before all things it is necessary that he hold the conjugal faith: and the conjugal faith is this:
That there were two rational beings created, both equal, and yet one superior to the other, and the inferior shall bear rule over the superior:
Which faith, except every one keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall be scolded at everlastingly.
The man is superior to the woman, and the woman is inferior to the man; yet both are equal, and the woman shall govern the man.
The woman is commanded to obey the man, and the man ought to obey the woman:
And yet there are not two obedients, but one obedient.
For there is one dominion nominal of the husband, and another dominion real of the wife:
And yet there are not two dominions, but one dominion.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge, that wives must submit themselves to their Husbands, and be subject to them in all things:
So are we forbidden by the conjugal faith to say that they should be at all influenced by their wills, or pay regard to their commands.
The man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man.
Yet the man shall be the slave of the woman, and the woman the tyrant of the man:
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the subjection of the superior to the inferior is to be believed.
He therefore that will be married, must thus think of the woman and the man.
Furthermore it is necessary to submissive matrimony, that he also believe rightly, the infallibility of the wife:
For the right faith is, that we believe and confess, that the wife is fallible and infallible.
Perfectly fallible, and perfectly infallible, of an erring soul and unerring mind subsisting:
Fallible as touching her human nature, and infallible as touching her female sex.
Who although she be fallible and infallible, yet she is not two but one woman: who submitted to lawful marriage to acquire unlawful dominion; and, promised religiously to obey, that she might rule in injustice and folly.
This is the conjugal faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be married.
Whoever will be married, before all things it is necessary that he hold the conjugal faith: and the conjugal faith is this:
That there were two rational beings created, both equal, and yet one superior to the other, and the inferior shall bear rule over the superior:
Which faith, except every one keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall be scolded at everlastingly.
The man is superior to the woman, and the woman is inferior to the man; yet both are equal, and the woman shall govern the man.
The woman is commanded to obey the man, and the man ought to obey the woman:
And yet there are not two obedients, but one obedient.
For there is one dominion nominal of the husband, and another dominion real of the wife:
And yet there are not two dominions, but one dominion.
For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge, that wives must submit themselves to their Husbands, and be subject to them in all things:
So are we forbidden by the conjugal faith to say that they should be at all influenced by their wills, or pay regard to their commands.
The man was not created for the woman, but the woman for the man.
Yet the man shall be the slave of the woman, and the woman the tyrant of the man:
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the subjection of the superior to the inferior is to be believed.
He therefore that will be married, must thus think of the woman and the man.
Furthermore it is necessary to submissive matrimony, that he also believe rightly, the infallibility of the wife:
For the right faith is, that we believe and confess, that the wife is fallible and infallible.
Perfectly fallible, and perfectly infallible, of an erring soul and unerring mind subsisting:
Fallible as touching her human nature, and infallible as touching her female sex.
Who although she be fallible and infallible, yet she is not two but one woman: who submitted to lawful marriage to acquire unlawful dominion; and, promised religiously to obey, that she might rule in injustice and folly.
This is the conjugal faith: which except a man believe faithfully, he cannot be married.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Social Manners
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Matrimonial Creed
Conjugal Faith
Marriage Satire
Gender Roles
Marital Paradox
Wifely Infallibility
Literary Details
Title
The Matrimonial Creed.
Key Lines
That There Were Two Rational Beings Created, Both Equal, And Yet One Superior To The Other, And The Inferior Shall Bear Rule Over The Superior:
The Man Is Superior To The Woman, And The Woman Is Inferior To The Man; Yet Both Are Equal, And The Woman Shall Govern The Man.
The Woman Is Commanded To Obey The Man, And The Man Ought To Obey The Woman:
Yet The Man Shall Be The Slave Of The Woman, And The Woman The Tyrant Of The Man:
This Is The Conjugal Faith: Which Except A Man Believe Faithfully, He Cannot Be Married.