Full text of "Eunuchism display'd : describing all the different sorts of eunuchs ; the esteem they have met with in the world, and how they came to be made so ; wherein principally is examin'd, whether they are capable of marriage, and if they ought to be suffer'd to enter into that state ; the whole confirm'd by the authority of civil, canon, and common law, and illustrated with many remarkable cases by way of precedent ; also a comparison between Signior Nicolini and the three celebrated eunuchs now at Rome, viz. Pasqualini, Pauluccio, and Jeronimo (or Momo) ; with several observations on modern eunuchs ; occasion'd by a young lady's falling in love with Nicolini, who sung in the opera at the Hay-market, and to whom she had like to have been married"

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EUNUCHISM 

D  I  S  P  L  A  Y '  D. 

Defcribing  all  the  different  Sorts  of 

E  U  N  V  CH  S; 

THE 

Efteem  they  have  met  with  in  the 

"World,  and  how  they  came  to  be  made  fo. 
Wherein  principally  is  examin'd,  whether  they 
are  capable  of  Marriage,  and  if  they  ought  to 
be  fufrer'd  to  enter  into  that  State. 

The  whole  confirm'd  by  the  Authority  of  Civil, 
Canon,  and  Common  Law,  and  iliuftrated  wfith 
many  remarkable  Cafes  by  way  of  Precedent. 

Alfo  a  Comparifon  between  Signior  Nicolini  and  the 
Three  celebrated  Eunuchs  now  at  Rome,  viz*  Pafi- 
qualini,  Fauluccic,  and  Jeronimo  (  or  Momo  )  : 
"Withfeveral  Obfervations  on  Modern  Eunuchs. 

Occafion'd  by  a  young  Lady's  falling  in  Love  with 
Nicolini,  who  fung  in  the  Opera  at  the  Ray-Market, 
and  to  whom  fhe  had  like  to  have  been  Married. 


Written  by  a  Perfon  of  HONOUR. 


*There  are,  who  in  foft  Eunuchs  place  their  Blifs, 
And  pun  the  Scrubbing  of  a  bearded  Kifs. 

Drydejri  |uv. 


L  0  N  D   ON: 

Printed  for  E.  Curll  at  the  Dial  and  Bible  over  agaj^ir 

St.Dttnfian's  Church  in  Fleetfireet,   171S.     pr.  3  s. 


Sato*  a!5y  ^SSbieeKaS  Sao! 


pqpqpqpqpqp:qpqpqpqpqp«qpqp 


THE 


PREFACE 


W  £  Motives  that  enga- 
ged me  to  write  the  enfu- 
ing  Treatife  were  very  fin- 
gaUr.  It  is  not  long,  fince 
we  fatp  feveral  Italian  Eu- 
nuchs (Mafters  of  Mufick) 
who  made  a  very  great  Figure,  as  they 
might  very  well  do,  getting  fuch  confide- 
rable  Sums  of  Money  from  thofe  who  they 
could  not  have  imagined,     were   indued 


A  3 


with 


vi  The  PREFACE. 

with  fo  little  Reflection,  till  they  had  hap. 
ptly  experienced  it. 


Ihefe  unexpected  Favours,  puffed  them 
ftp  with  a  Vanity  which  is  ever  peculiar 
to  Eunuchs,  andfome  of  them  had  got  it 
tnto  their  Heads,  that  truly  the  Ladies 
were  in  Love  with  them,  and  fondly  flat- 
tered t he mj f elves  with  mighty  Qonquefls. 
But  alas !  our  Ladies  have  not  fo  little 
natural  Phtlofophy,  but  they  know  how  to 
make  ajufl  Dtflinction,  and  have  too  fine 
a  Gofit,  to  be  fatisfled  with  meer  Shadow 
and  Out-fide. 

1  cannot  better  difplay  the  Vanity  of 
thefe  Perfons,  than  in  the  Words  of  Mon« 
fieur  de  Montpinffon,  who  was  a  Gen- 
tleman  of  a,  gay  andpleafant  Genius,  and 
plainly /hewed  how  much  he  was  their  Ad- 
mirer in  the  following  Verfes,  which  have 
fo  much  of  the  fine  double  Entendre, 
and  Delicacy  of  Turn,  that  1  am  not 
afhamed  to  own  my  Incapacity  of  making 
them  Apeak  tolerable  Englijb. 


The  P  R  E  F  A  C  E.        vit 

Je  connois  plus  cP  Un  Fanfaron 

A  Crete  &  Mine  fiere, 
Bien  dignes  de  porter  Ie  Nom 

De  la  Chaponardiere. 

Crete  aujourdhui  ne  fuffit  pas 

Et  le  plus  fimples  Filles 
De  la  Crete  font  peu  de  cas 

Sans  autres  Beatilles. 

But  notwithfianding  this  fine  Raillery 
of  Monfieur  de  MontpinfTon,    it  is  cer- 
tain, there  has  been  an  Exception  to   the 
General  Rule ,  for  one  of  thefe  Singers, 
it  feems,  with  his  fine  Songs  and  Addrefs, 
bad  fo  far  engaged  a  young  LADT  of  a 
vonfiderable   Fortune,     that  fbe  begun  to 
field  to   Proportions  of  Marriage,  which 
the  Signor   had   the   Modefly  to  make  to* 
her,  and  who  probably  might  have  carried 
his  Point,  had  it  not  been  happily  prevent- 
ed, by  the  Care  and  Vigilance  of  a   Rela- 
tion, whofe  quick  Judgment  and  Penetra* 
tion  foon   difcovered    that    Affair.     He 
communicated  the  Matter  to  me,  and  de* 
fired  1  would  give  him  what  Afflfiance  I 
could  in  Writing,    which  he  might  make 
A  4  ufe 


viii  The  PREFACE. 

aft  of,  from  time  to  time,  as  Occafion 
(f)ould  offer,  to  hinder  what  both  he  and 
his  Lady  called  fuch  a  Marriage  which 
could  not  but  be  attended  with  difmal 
Confequences. 

/  had    too   much  Value   and  Refpeff 
for  that  Gentleman  and  his  Lady,  to  de- 
ny what  he  defired,  and  jet  about  a  Work 
with  Pleafure,  which  infenfibly  exceeded  the 
Brevity  I  at  frjl  propofed  -7    for  when  I 
came  to  perufe  the  looje  Sheets  I  had  fent 
him  from  time  to  time,  as  I  had  written 
them,  I  found  they  fvelled  into  a   Book, 
which  appeared  in  the  Form  it  now  wears. 
I  am  p leafed  it  had  the  defired  Succefs,  and 
would  willingly  foon  after  have  publifh^d-* 
it,  that  it  might  likervife  be  ferviceable  to 
ethers,  to  avoid  fuch  unwary  Engagements' 
with  thefe,  who  are  abfolutely  uncapable  to 
/wjwer   the  End  of  Marriage,  and  whofe 
Intentions   can  only  terminate  in  fordid 
Intereft,  downright  Money  ±    but  1  could 
never  prevail  till  now  ;  I  therefore  prefent 
it  to  the  Publick,    and  doubt  not  but  the 
Curious  will  find  fomething  that  may  pie  ale 
them  ;  for  as  the  Subject  is  very  ftnguUr, 


The  PREFACE.  ix. 

fo  without  Vanity,   I  may  venture  to  fay  I 
have  treated  it  after  no  difagreeable  man* 
ner,  and  ptrhaps,  in  the  End,  it  may  be 
found  as  Inftrutfive  as  Diverting. 

I  know  of  none  that  it  can  poffibly  offend 
hut  the  Scrupulous,  who  perhaps  may  think ' 
it  the  Work  of  an  Idle  ¥  erf  on  who  had 
little  to  do,  rather  than  of  One  that  was 
curious,  and  fiudied  for  Infl ruction,  and 
may  fay,  as  St.  Jerom  did  to  Vitalis,  whet* 
he  confulted  him  about  the  Extraordinary 
Pre-maturity  of  Kjng  Ahaz,  Hujufmodi 
baerere  qu^rtionibus  non  tam  Studiofi 
quam  otiofi  Hominis  effe  videtur,  It 
was  therefore  neceffary  to  prevent  or  unde- 
ceive fuch  People  ;  for  the  Examination 
of  tins  Matter  was  dtfired  of  me  for  thofe 
very  good  and  fubjlamial  Reafons  I  before 
ohferved. 

Not  that  I  think  I  [hould  have  done 
ill  {had  I  not  had  thofe  Obligations}  to 
have  diverted  my  felf  after  this  manner, 
and  inter  [per fed  my  jerious  Studies,  with 
what  might  give  fame  Relaxation  to  my 
Spirits,  ()\ ere  there  nothing  more)  in  treat- 
A  5  ing 


x  The  P  R  E  F  A  C  E. 

ing  of  Subjects  of  this  Nature.  The  learn- 
ed Mollerus  has  put  out  a  Book  which 
has  for  its  Title,  Difcurfus  duo  Philo- 
Iogico-Juridici,  prior  de  Cornutis,  pofte- 
rior  de  Hermaphoditis  eorumq;  Ju- 
re, uterq;  ex  Jure  Divino,  Canonico, 
Civili,  variifq;  Hiftoriarum  Monu- 
mentis,  horis  otiofis  congefti  a  M,  Ja- 
cobo  Mollero.  And  that  Work  has 
done  no  Difcredit  to  the  Author,  nor 
leffetfd  the  Efteent  which  the  Publick  had 
for  him. 

It  isfomewhat  Difficult,  I  muft  confefsf 
to  talk  of  Eunuchs,  without  faying  fome- 
t.hing  that  may  fhock  the  Mode  fly  of  the 
fair  Sex.  But  in  refpeff  of  the  Au- 
thor, it  can  no  way  he  wrong  in  him,  and 
he  is  fatisfy*d  his  Book  has  in  it  none  of 
thofe  broad  Expreffions  as  are  fo  frequent 
in  the  Priapeia  ;  a  Work,  on  which  no 
lefs  a  Man  than  Jofeph  Scaliger,  one 
of  the  great  eft  and  famous  Writers  of 
thefe  latter  Ages,  has  taken  the  Bains  to 
make  Annotations  and  Comments  without 
lejfening  his  Reputation  :  And  in  Refpeff 
af  the  Ladies,  fuch   care   is  taken,  that 

iv hen 


The   PREFACE.         xi 

when  any  thing  muft  be  expreffed  freely , 
and,  in  its  natural  Terms ,  it  is  always  in 
Latin,  a  Language  they  are  generally  unac- 
quainted with. 

But  were  it  fo  that  a  Man  was  neceffi- 
tated  to  [peak  in  fuch  plain  Terms  as 
might  put  them  to  the  Blujh,  would  is 
thence  follow  that  one  muft  refrain  dif 
cuffing  a  Point  of  fo  great  Importance^  \ 
even  to  them,  and  leave  Matters  in  Doubt 
and  Confufwn  ?  If  this  way  of  Reafon- 
ing  had  taken  place  heretofore,  fever d 
Perfons  muft  have  pe rifted,  and  Mankind 
in  general  have  fujfered ;  and  we  had  been 
deprived  of  many  an  excellent  Treatife  of 
Phyfick  and  Surgery,  jo  beneficial  to  the 
World,  if  the  plain  Truth  muft  not  have 
been  fpoken,  and  the  Parts  of  Human 
Bodies  called  by  their  proper  Names^  fa- 
caufe,  truly,  it  is  Immodeft. 

Bur,  to  go  no  farther,  Do  not  all 
Judges  both  Spiritual  and  Temporal  ex- 
pect that  the  naked  Truth  be  fpoken  in  all 
Cafes  that  they  are  to  hear  and  determine  ? 
The  Serenity  of  a  Bijhop  is  not  fhocked  at 

hearing 


xli        The   PREFAC  E. 

hearing  Rem  in  Re,  nor  the  Gravity  of 
a  Cbief-Jujlice  at  a  Spade's  being  called 
a  Spade.  Woman  you  myft  fpeak  out 
in  plain  Englifh  (fai4  the  late  Incompa* 
table  Lord  Chief  Juftice  Holt,  to  a  Wench 
that  had  Jworn  a  Rape  againfi  a  young 
Fellow)  that  the  Court,  and  the  Gen- 
tlemen of  the  Jury  may  underftand 
you  ;  You  muft  not  mince  the  matter, 
but  call  Things  by  their  proper  Names, 
you  muft  call  aSpADE,  a  Spade, 
and  not  a  P—  a  Thing,  nor  a  C— - 
a  Colly-Flomr. 


THE 


X1U 


a 


THE 

Design  and  Division 

of    THIS 

WO   R    K 


*3§f  T  SC*  Marriages  which 

4|  *  ^  are  contrafted  by  Proxy, 
Iff  If  gives  the  greateft  Precau- 
tions imaginable,  which, 
are  founded  upon  this  Reafon,  becaufe 
f  fays  the  Law)  it  is  a  very  grave  Affair, 
very  difficult  and  important,  and 
which  may  have  very  dangerous  Con- 
fequences,  Propter  magnum  quod  ex 
frcfo  tarn  arduo  fojfet  ferkulum  irnminere* 

£Ca- 


xiv  The  Defign  and  Divifwn 

[Capitul.  9.  Tit.  19.  de  Procuratoribus, 
*Lib.  i,  Sexti  Decretal.] 

And  the  Civil  Law  gives  us  a  no 
lefs  Idea  of  Marriage, .  taking  it  to  be 
the  mod  conGderable  A&ion  of  hu- 
man Life,  and  what  requires  the  great- 
eft  Thought  and  Reflexion ;  that  it  is 
either  a  happy  and  fecure  Haven,  or  a 
miferable  Shipwreck  ;  a  Thing  exceed- 
ingly dangerous,  where  all  human 
Prudence  generally  is  reduced  toWifhes 
and  Defires,  though  it  be  very  excel- 
lent in  it  felf,  and  the  Gift  of  God,  as 
that  Law  likewife  declares  in  thefe 
Words,  Magnum  fane  Excellenfq;  Donum 
&  Deo  Creatore  ad  Mart  ales  fromanavit 
Matrimoniunt.  [Imperat.  Leonis  Con- 
ftitut.  26  in  princip.] 

Marriage  being  then  the  Gift  of 
God,  and  his  Work  who  has  united 
thereby  the  two  Sexes,  and  who  con- 
fidering  that  it  was  not  good  that  the 
Man  jhoidd  be  alone,  gave  him  a  Help* 
meet,  and  commanded  them  both  to 
Inereafe  and  Alultiplj\  and  imprinted  in 
them  an  e?ger  defire  to  unice  them- 
felvcs  together  for  the  Propagation  of 

their 


of  this  Work.  xv 

their  Species.  This  Union  therefore 
ought  by  no  means  to  be  cafual  or  in 
common,  like  that  of  Beafts  (which 
have  no  Underftanding)  neither  ought 
the  End  of  it  to  be,  that  a  Man  might 
thereby  more  fecurely  enjoy  his  impure 
Pleafures,  and  cover  them  over  with  a 
fpecious  and  honourable  Title  ;  But  it 
ought  to  be  a  Conjun&ion,  Chaft,  Re- 
ligious, and  Holy,  full  of  Piety  and 
heavenly  Benediction,  having  for  its 
end  only  to  execute  the  Command  of 
God,  who  is  its  Author  and  Prote&or. 
The  Church  approves  and  authorizes 
only  thefe  laft  forts  of  Marriages, 
which  are  ever  attended  with  the  pub- 
lick  Favour  and  Applaufe;  while  the 
former  are  fure  to  meet  with  a  general 
Hatred  and  Contempt,  and  are  even 
the  averfion  and  horror  of  all  Goc  1 
Men. 

On  the  other  hand,  as  Marriage  is 
the  Foundation  of  the  Church,  being 
as  fome  Divines  call  it,  Venter  Ecclefi^ 
which  brings  forth  her  Children.  [No- 
vel 21.  Tit.  i.de  Nuptiis,  In  prsefat.]  as 
it  is  alfo  of  Civil  Society,  fince  it  is 

the 


xvi         The  Defign  and  Divipon 

the  Source  or  Fountain  of  Men,  and 
which  gives  lawful  Heirs  to  People  of 
all  States  and  Conditions.  It  mult  not 
be  wonder'd  that  both  the  Church  and 
Civil  Powers  fo  far  intereft  themfelves 
in  a  matter  of  fo  great  Concernment 
and  Importance,  as  to  prefcribe  Rules 
for  its  happy  Beginning,  Progrefe,  and 
its  Confequences,  and  wifely  provide 
againft  thofe  Inconveniencies  which 
might  arife  through  the  Ignorance  or 
Malice  of  Men. 

The  Church  and  Civil  Government 
then  do  not  leave  every  Body  to  do 
what  they  will  in  relation  to  Marriage, 
for  they  fay  that  in  thefe  Unions,  Peo- 
ple mud  always  confider,  not  only 
what  may  be  done  purely  by  favour  of 
the  Letter  of  the  Law,  but  likewife 
what  may  fuit  with  the  Rules  of  ftridt 
Honour  and  Honefty.  Semper  in  Cox* 
jjinSiombus  non  folum  quid  lice  at  confide - 
randum  eft,  fed  £ff  quid  honejlum  fit. 
[Lib.  197.  de  diverfis  Regul.  Jur.] 

They  do  not  fuffer  any  attempt  in 
this  kind  which  may  any  wife  affett  or 
glance  at  Common  Juftice  and  Order, 

and 


of  this  Work.  xvii 

and  the  publick  Good,  Honour  and 
Advantage.  They  have  eftablifli'd 
Laws  to  declare  them  good  or  bad,  >uft 
or  unjuft,  lawful  or  criminal  \  to  futfer 
or  forbid  therfi,  to  confirm,  authorize 
and  proteft  them,  or  to  diffolve  and 
annul  them,  and  punifh  thofe  who 
have  contracted  them. 

Now  what  I  propofe  in  this  Treatife, 
is  to  feeamongft  what  kind  or  fort  of 
Marriages  we  muft  place  thofe  of  Eu- 
nuchs. This  then  is  the  general  Plan  I 
defign  to  follow,  to  make  a  full  Ecdair- 
ciffement  (as  the  French  call  it  in  this. 
Matter)  and  regulate  it  by  a  Decifton 
certain  and  inconteftable.  This  Trea- 
tife  then  lhall  be  divided  into  Three 
Parts* 

i.  In  the  Firft,  I  fhall  examine  what 
an  Eunuch  is,  and  how  many  Sorts  of 
Eunuchs  there  are,  what  Rank  they 
have  held,  and  do  now  hold  in  Eccle- 
fiaftical  and  Civil  Society,  and  what 
Confideration  Men  have  had,  and 
a&ually  now  have  for  them, 

2.  la 


xviii     The  Dejign  of  this  Wo  r  k. 

2.  In  the  Second,  I  fhall  examine 
what  Right  they  have  to  marry,  and 
whether  they  ought  to  be  fufferd  ta 
enter  into  that  State  ?  And, 

j*  In  the  Third,  I  fhall  endeavour 
to-folve  all  Difficulties  andObje&ions 
which  can  be  brought  againft  thofe 
Maxims  and  Decifions  I  have  advanced 
and  eftablifh'd  in  this  Treatife, 


A 


xrx 


T   A 


L    E 


O  F    T  H  E 

CHAPTERS 

Contained  in  this 

TREATISE- 

Part     I. 


CHAP.     I. 

3&  HE  TH E  R  in  Reality  there 


W 


s  arefuch  things  in-the  World,  as 

Eunuchs,  and,  how  long  there 

have  been  fo.  Pag.  I 

Chap.  II.  What  an  Eunuch  is.  8 

Chap.  III.  How  many  different  forts  of 

Eunuchs  there  are.  i } 

Chap. 


xx  The   T  A  B  L  E. 

Chap,  IV.  Of  Eunuchs  that  are  born 
f°-  Pag.  2} 

Chap.  V.  What  were  the  red  Motives  that 
'  indued,  People  to  make  Eunuchs.      26 

Chap.  VI.  Why  fome    Men    have  made 
them/elves    Eunuchs,    or    have    been 
forced  to  be  made  fo  by  others.  5 1 

Chap.  VII.   Of  Eunuchs  fo  calPd   on 
account  of  their  Emp/ojment  or  Office^ 
and  of  thofe  who  are  fo  in  a  figurative* 
Senfe.  66 

Chap.  VIII.  What  Rank  thofe  thdt  were 
real  Eunuchs,  held  in  Civil  Society.  74 

Chap.  IX.  What  Notion  the  People  had 
of  Eunuchs.  94 

Chap.  X.  After  what  manner  the  Civil 
Law  has  confidefd  Eunuchs,  and 
what  Rights  and  Privileges  it  allowed 
them.  100 

Chap.  XI.  What  Rank  voluntary  Eu- 
nuchs have  held  in  Civil  Society^  and 
after  what  manner  the  Laws  havz  con- 
fide? d  them,  and  what  Rights  and  Pri- 
vileges they  had  thereby  allowed  them.  116 

Chap.  XII.  What  Rank  both  voluntary 
and  forced  Eunuchs  have  held  in  the 
Churchy  and  after  what  manner  her  Ca- 
nons have  confide?  d  thern^  and  what 

Rights 


The    TABLE. 


xxi 

Rights  and  Privileges  they  had  thereby 
alfow'd,  Pag.  124. 

Part    II 

CHAP.    I. 

f\  F  the  Nature  and  End  of  Marriage. 

Sf     That  an  Eunuch  can  no  wife  anfwer 

J hat  End.  138 

Chap.  II.  Eunuchs  being  entirely  unea- 
table of  anfwering  the  End  of  Marri* 
age,  ought  by  no  means  to  contraft  it. 

148 

Chap.  III.  The  Marriage  of  Eunuchs  h 
confider'd  as  null,  and  as  if  it  had 
never  been.  154 

Chap.  IV.  The  Inconveniences  generally 
attending  Eunuchs  Marriages .        161 

Chap.  V.  The  Civil  Law  forbids  the 
Marriage  of  Eunuchs*  1S1 

Chap.  VL  The  Roman  Catholick  Church 
does  not  fuffer  the  Marriage  of  Eu- 
nuchs. 185 

Chap.  VII.  The  Lutherans,  and  thofe  of 
the  Confefpon  of  Augsburg,  do  not 
fuffcr  the  Marriaje  of  Eunuchs.     1 89 


xxii        The    TABLE. 

Ghap.  VIII.  None  of  the  Reformed 
Churches  whatjoever,  allow  the  Marri~ 
age  of  Eunuchs.  Pag.  199 

Part.    III. 


CHAP.    I. 

i.Objea.  'THAT  the  Prohibition  of 

•*    Marriage  ought  not  to  be 

under  Hood  to  be  jo  general  as  to  extend 

J  to  all  forts  of  Eunuchs,  fince  there  are 
fame  capable  to  fatisjy  the  Defires  of  a 
Woman.  205 

C  H  A  P.     II. 

2.  Obje£t  That  Marriage  is  a  civil  Con- 
tract, and  therefore  lawful  for  every 
Body  to  engage  in  it,  and  confequently 
Eunuchs.  214 

CHAP.     III. 


g.  Objeft.  An  Eunuch  who  is  capable  tx> 
perform  all  the  Duties  of  Marriage,  ex* 

^  cept 


The  T  A  B  L  E  xxiit 
cept  tbofi  which  concern  Generation, 
may,  notwithii  ending,  contract  it,  fwce 
it  is  a  Maxim,  that  it  is  the  Con  lent 
of  Parties,  not  Bedding,  makes  a 
Marriage.  Confenfus  nonConcubitus 
facit  Matrimonium.  Pag,  219 

CHAP.    IV. 

4.  Obje£L  In  cafe  a  Man  cannot  be 
with  a  Wife  like  a  Husband,  yet  he 
may  like  a  Brother,  and  live  with  her 
as  with  a  Sifter.  224 

CHAP.     V. 

5.  Obje&.  If  Eunuchs  ought  to  be  for- 
bidden to  marry,  becaufe  they  are  not 
capable  of  Generation,  the  fame  Rea- 

fon  would  hold  as  to  old  Perfons,  whofe 
Age  has  put  them  into  the  like  Incapa- 
city of  performing  the  Functions  of 
Marriage  ;  and  fwce  they  are  not  for- 
bidden^  no  more  ought  Eunuchs.    227 


CHAP. 


xxiv        The    T  A  B  L  E. 

CHAP.    VI. 

6.  ObjeQ:.  If  a  Woman  that  is  about  to 
marry,  knows  that  her  intended  Hus- 
band is  an  Eunuch,  and  is  not  ignc» 
rant  of  the  Confequences,  then  in  this 
Cafe,  ]be  may  lawfully  marry  him,  be- 
caufe  it  is  a  Maxim  in  Law,  That  there 
is  no  Injury  to  thofe  that  are  willing. 
Volenti  nonft  Injuria.  pag.  2 3  2. 


Eunuchifm 


■qfcjpqpqpqo2«qp 


EUNUCHISM 

DISPLAY'D. 

Part  the  Firft. 


CHAP.     I. 

Whether  in  Reality  there  arefiich  Things 
as  Eunuchs  in  the  World,  and  how 
Jong  there  have  been  fo. 


SB 


E  F  O  R  E  I  undertake  to 
give  a  particular  Dtfcription 
or  Definition  of  an  Eunuch, 
and  enter  into  any  Difccurfe 
iC>j|  upon  the  Subject  Matter  cf 
s¥\{^2^\:/is^2  this  Work  y  according  to 
the  Rules  of  good  Order  and  Method,  -  I 
ought  to  fhew  that  there  really  are  fuch 
Things  in  Being  as  Eunuchs,  for  Philofo- 
B  thy 


2  Eunuchism  Difpla/d. 

phy  tells  us,  that  it  is  ridiculous  to  difcourfe 
of  a  Thing,  before  one  is  fatisfied  of  the 
Exigence  of  that  Thing. 

It  is  now  above  4000  Years  fince  Men- 
tion was  firft  made  of  Eunuchs  in  the  World  $ 
both  Sacred  and  Prophane  Hiftory  take  no- 
tice of  an  Infinity  of  thefe  Sort  of  Peo- 
ple, which  were  looked  upon  by  the  An- 
cients to  be  neither  Men  nor  Women,  but 
were  called  a  third  Sort  of  Men  ;  Tertia 
Homlnum  Species :  which,  bating  the  Un- 
Philofophicalnefs  of  the  Expreffion,  gives 
us  no  ill  Idea  of  the  Value  and  Efteem  Peo- 
ple had  for  Eunuchs  in  former  Times-  We 
have  heard  Mention  made  of  great 
Numbers  in  all  Ages,  and  in  all  Countries, 
and  therefore  we  have  no  reafon  to  doubt 
that  there  have  been  fuch  People  in  the 
World,  and  that  there  are  to  this  very 
Day. 

Moil:  of  the  Learned  believe,  that  Semi- 
ramis  Queen  of  the  Ajjyrians,  Widow  to 
Ninusy  and  Mother  to  Nynias,  was  the  firft 
that  introduced  this  kind  of  Mutilation  \ 
and  they  ground  their  Opinion  on  the  Au- 
thority of  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  who  in 
the  6th  Chap,  of  his  14th  Book,  taking 
Occafion  to  difcourfe  of  this  Queen,  gives 
us  to  underftand,  that  there  were  Multitudes 
of  Eunuchs  in  her  time,  that  they  looked 
pile,  and  wan,  and  deformed, all  their  Fea- 
tures and  Lineaments  diftorted,  and.  that 

when 


Eunuchifm  T)ifplafd.  j 

when  ever  any  one  went  abroad,  and  favv 
whole  Herds  of  thefe  mutilated  and  maim- 
ed Wretches,  he  could  not  but  deteft  the 
Memory  of  Semiramis,  that  old  Queen,  who 
firft  of  all  made  young  Boys  undergo  Ca- 
ftration:  His  Words  are  thefe,  Multitude 
Sfddonum  a  Senibus  in  pueros  definem,  oblucidi^ 
diftortdq\  lineament  or  um  Compage  de formes  ut 
qua  qua,  imefterit  quifquatn  cernens  mutilorum 
Hominum  agmina  deteft  at  ur  Memoriam  Semi-. 
ramidis  Regina  illim  Veteris,  qua  teneros  Ma- 
res caftravit  Omnium  Prima.  And  *  Claudian 
feems  to  be  of  the  fame  Opinion. 

However,  Diodorus  Siculus ,who  wrote  the 
Hiftory  of  Semir  amis  with  greater  Exa&nefs 
and  Care  than  any  one  befides,  (and  which 
is  in  his  Bibliothecd)  takes  no  manner  of  no- 
tice of  this  Particular,  which  undoubtedly 
would  have  been  worth  his  Obfervation,  had 
it  been  certainly  true.  All  that  he  fays,  is  on- 
ly this,  that  the  Bachians  with  whom  Ninus 
f  afterwards  her  Husband)  was  at  War  ha- 
ving routed  and  put  to  flight  the  Adrians , 
fhe  dreffed  herfell  in  a  long  Veft  like  a  Man, 


* Sen  prima  Semiramis  afiu 

Ajfyriis   mentita  Virum,  ne  voces  acuta 
Mollifies,  le^efq;  ger,&  fe  prodere  foffent 
Hosfibi  canjunxit  fimUeS)  feu  ferjica  ferro 
Luxuries  vetuit  nafci  lamtgmis  TJmbram. 

Li  Eutrop,  Lib,  c.  r.  v-'%lf* 

B  2  r,;lly'd 


4  *  Eunuchism  rDiJplayid. 

rally'd  the  broken  Troops,  put  herfelf  at  the 
Head  of  them,  and  obtain'd  a  complete  Vi- 
ctory over  the  Battr'uins.  Now  whether  this 
Yeft  pleas'd  the  Median  and  Perfian  Ladies, 
or  whether  they  had  a  Mind  to  make  their 
Court  to  Semiramisy  it  is  certain  they  wore 
ic,  and  perhaps  this  Drefs  gave  Birth  to 
thofe  Reports,  that  Semiramis  had  made  im- 
perfect. Men,  half-Men,  and  fo  on ,  till 
at  iaft  it  was  conjectured,  that  fhe  effectu- 
ally made  People  undergo  the  cruel  Cere- 
mony of  Caflration. 

*  Others  fay,  that  (he  dreft  herfelf  in 
Man's  Cloaths,  and  brought  her  Son  up  like 
a  Girl,  on  purpofe,  leaft  the  Affyrlam  grown 
afhamed  of  being  govern'd  by  a  Woman, 
might  fet  her  Son  upon  the  Throne  to  her 
Prejudice.  [|  Others  forne what  differing  in 
Opinion,  will  have  it,  that  her  Son  being 
cf  the  fame  Size,  and  having  a  Voice  ex- 
actly like  her  own,  fhe  put  herfelf  in  Man's 
Cloaths ;  and  to  fecure  herfelf  the  Govern- 
ment, gave  it  out,  that  fhe  was  Son  to  NU 
w//j,.and  not  his  Widow.  And  f  others  a- 
gain  fay,  that  being  told  as  file  was  dref- 
fing  her  Head,  that  Babylon  had  revoked,  fhe 
ran  in  all  hafte  with  her  Hair  about  her 


*   Chrlflopherl  Hehici  'Tkeatry.m  HifloYicum,  p/rg.  5. 
i!  St.  Renmald  Trefcr.  Clronol.  &  Hiftor.fol.  "torn.  I. 
pag.  79- 

I  Valer.  Max.  Lib.  9,  Cfa  3.  Art.  15* 

ShouU 


Eunuchifm  'Difflafd.  $" 

Shoulders  to  force  that  powerful  City  to  re- 
turn to  their  Duty,  and  that  (he  did  not  bind 
up  her  Hair,  till  fuch  time  as  fhe  effectu- 
ally reduced  the  Babylonians  to  their  ObedU 
ence  ;  and  that  on  Account  of  this  Action, 
her  Statue  was  erected  at  Babjhn^  with  much 
Honour  and  Ceremony,  and  reprefsnted 
her  in  a  hafty  Pofture,  with  her  Flair  about 
her  Shoulders,  as  when  fhe  undertook  that 
Expedition  \  which  together  with  her  Veft, 
made  her  look  ft  ill  more  like  a  Man. 

Diodorus  Siculus  reports  another  Circum- 
fiance,  which  is  no  lefs  confiderable  :  He 
fays,  that  this  Queen,  who  from  a  very  low 
Condition,  came  to  the  higheft  Degree  of 
Human  Glory,  abandoned  her  felf  to  all 
manner  of  Pleasures,  and  made  choice  of 
,xhe  handfomeft  and  beft  proportion'd  Men 
of  her  Army  to  ferve  her,  but  that  all  thofe 
who  were  admitted  to  her  Bed;  v/ere  af- 
terwards put  to  Death  by  her  Order.  But 
it  is  more  probable,  that  (he  had  them  made 
Eunuchs  through  an  Effect  of  Jealoufie, 
leaft  after  having  received  from  her  the 
greateft  Favours,  they  fhould  go  and  have 
Engagements  with  other  Women.  Diodorus 
Sic.dus  does  not  fay  this,  but  as  he  writes 
after  CtejJas,  as  he  himfelf  owns  ,•  and  Ctefias 
is  an  Hiilorian,  who  not  content  to  abufe 
thofe  who  lived  in  the  fame  Age  with  him- 
felf, hadalfo  an  Inclination  to  impofe  his 
Fables  on  Pofterky.  One  cannot  give  much 
B  5  Credit 


6  Eunuchifm  rDifflayid. 

Credit  to  what  he  fays,  nor  believe  what 
he  omits  as  faife.  Semiramis  then  may  very 
well  pais  for  the  firft  that  ever  made  Eu- 
nuchs. 

*  Vojfim  is  of  Opinion  that  the  Terjians 
were  the  Inventors  of   this    wicked    and 
deteflable  Cuftom,  and  that  the  Latin  Word 
Spado,  which  comprehends  feveral  Sorts  of 
Eunuchs,  was  taken  from  a  Village  ofPerfia 
called  Spada,  where  he  fancies  the  firft  Ex- 
ecution of  this  Nature  was  made,  and  corro- 
borates his  Sentiments  by  the  Opinions  of  fe- 
veral learned  Perfonsofthe  firft  Rank,whom 
he  quotes  for  that  very  Purpofe.    I  fhall  not 
pretend  to  determine  this  Controverfy  which 
has  engaged  fo  many  famous  Writers  on  both 
Sides,  whofe  feveral  Opinions  have  fo  much^ 
Probability,  that  it  would  be  a  very  dini^ 
cult  Matter  to  decide  it.    Non  nojlmm  inter 
hes  tantos  componere  lites  &  Vitulo  hi  digni  & 
HU.    I  (hall  only  fay,  that  the  firft  Eunuch 
mentioned  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  was  Puti-' 
pbor  or  Potipbar,    who    bought  Jofepb  from 
riii  Mldianites  $  and  yet  if  we  make  a  little 
Reflection,  we  fhall   find,    that  this  Word 
Eunuch  was  then  no  new  Thing,  fince  at  that 
time  it  fignified  an   Office,    or  Charge  of 
high  Dignity  and  Honour.     Now  Potipbar 


*  Etymohgicon  Lingua  Latin** 

bought 


Eunuchifm  Dlfflafd.  q 

bought  Jofefb  in  the  Year  of  the  World 
22765  which  is  1778  Years  before  the  hicar- 
nation  of  Jefus  Chrift ;  and  Cyrus  did  not 
begin  to  reign  over  the  Verfians  till  the  Year 
of  the  World  3421  \  by  which  it  evidently 
appears,  that  there  was  mention  made  of 
Eunuchs  long  before  the  Per  (tans  had  any 
Being,  and  therefore  they  could  not  poffi- 
bly  be  the  Fathers  of  that  Sort  of  People, 
for  then  Films  ante  Patrem  (which,  pre- 
pofterous  and.  abfurd  )  would  be  true. 
But  this  cannot  be  faid  of  Settsiramis,  -vho 
reigned  over  the  Ajjyriahs  in  the  Year  of 
the  World  1 826,  a  long  time  before  Pot  if  bar 
was  born.  Though  it  is  certain,  that  the 
Terfans,  ftfeJes,  and  Ajfyrhns,  mzds  ufe  of 
Eunuchs  in  their  Service  more  than  any  o- 
kgkher  People  in  the  World.  And  it  is  ob* 
*^terved,  by  no  lefs  a  Mao  than  Jo  ft  f  bus,  * 
that  Nehcbadnezz,ar  caus'd  all  the  jiu>s9am\ 
all-other  Prifoners  of  War,  to  be  gekbrcur, 
that  he  might  have  none  to  attend  him  in 
his  private  Service  but  Eunuchs.  |)  And  per- 
haps this  gave  occafion  to  fome  learned  Per- 
fons  to  believe,  that  the  Perfians  were  the  In- 
ventors of  Eunucbifm,  as  may  be  feen  in  St* 
Auguflin's  Book  de  Civitatc  Dei, 


*   Jofepb.  Antiquit.  judaic.  Lib.  10.  Chap.  iS. 
t!  St.  Augufi.  deCivit.  Dei.  Tom.  j.pag.  609. 

B4  CHAP. 


8  Euwchifm  "Difpla/J. 

CHAP.    II. 

What  an  Eunuch  is. 

LUcian  in  his  Dialogue  of  Eunuchs,  gives 
a  very  fnort  Definition  of  them.  He 
fays  chat  an  Eunuch  is  neither  Male  nor  Fe- 
male, but  a  Prodigy  in  Nature.  This  De- 
finition of  Lucian  is  too  general,  it  ought 
co  have  been  more  exaS,  that  ic  might 
have  given  us  a  particular  Notion  or  Idea 
©f  what  he  defigned  to  define.  Let  us  fee 
if  we  can  give  a  better. 

An  Eunuch  then  is  a  Perfon  which  has  not 
the  Faculty  or  Power  of  Generation,  either 
through  Weaknefs  or  Coldnefs  of  Nature, 
or  who  is  any  wife  deprived  of  the  Part*  * 
proper  to  Generation.  In  fhort,  Eunuchs 
are  fuch,  J£ui  gkntrere  non  fojfunty  as  the  Ci- 
vil *  Law  expreffes  it.  Such  who  can  by 
no  means  propagate  and  generate,  who  have 
a  fqueaiinglanguifhing  Voice,  a  Womanilh 
Completion,  and  a  foft  Down  for  a  Beard, 
who  have  no  Courage  or  Bravery  of  Soul, 
but  ever  tirnerous  and  fearful  :  In  a  few 
Words,whofe  Ways,  Manners,  and  Cuftoms, 
are  entirely  effeminate. 


*  Lib.  i.  Sect,  i,  ff.de  Adjptloynbus. 

But 


Eanuchifm  'Difpla/d.  ty 

But  if  an  Eunuch  was  thought  to  be  fuch  a  > 
Wretched  defpicable  Thing,  in  regard  of  his 
Body,  much  more  was  he  in  refpeft  of  his. 
Mind.     Let  us  fee  what  St.  Bafil  in  the  Pri- 
mitive Church  thought  of  Eunuchs. 

Simplicia  was  a  Woman  entirely  infected 
with  the  Arlan  Herefy,  and  took  upon  her 
to  cenfure  and  reproach  that  Holy  Perfoa 
with  his  Condud  and  Manners;  which  he 
juftifies,  and  calls  to  Witnefs  all  the  World 
that  knew  him,  except  fome  Eunuchs  whofe. 
Teftimony  he   abfolutely  refufed,   and  of 
whom  he  drew  this  frightful    Pi&ure.     I 
make  ufe  of  the  117th  Letter,  in  the  French 
Tranflation  of  the  Epiftles  of  St.  Bafil,  by 
Monfieur  VAbbe  de  Bdkgarde,  where  I  find 
St.  Bafil  fpeaking  after  this  manner. "  If  you- 
"  want  Witneifes,  (fays  he)  do  not  produce* 
c  Slaves  or  miferable  Eunuchs,  an  abomina-- 
*  ble  Tribe,  who  are  pad  the  Senfe  of  Ho- 
u  nour,  who  are  neither  Men  nor  Women, 
<c  whom  the  Love  of  the  Sex  has  rendered- 
<c  mad  and  furious.     They  are  jealous,  def- 
u  picable,  fierce,  effeminate,  Gluttons,  co-r 
<c  vetous,  cruel,  inconftant,  fufpicious,    fu- 
"  rious,  infatiable.     They  cry  (like  Chil- 
"  dreh)  if  they  are  left  out  of  an  Entertain- 
cc  ment  ,•  and  to  fay  all  in  one  Word,  they 
K  are  condemned  to  the.  Knife  as  foon  as 
"  born,  and  from  fuch   crooked   Wretches 

muft  we  expert  an  upright  Mind  ?  The. 

Knife  indeed  has  made  them  chafte,  but 
B  5  .     t[  this 


(£ 


io  Eamchifm  Ttifylafd. 

IC  this  Chaftity  is  of  no  Service  to  them  J 
<c  their  Luft  makes  them  furious,  which  yet 
cC  is  impotent,  fterile,  and  unfruitful.  Thus 
far  St  Bafil. 

Perhaps  this  Defcription  may  be  thought 
to  be  too  fharp  and  Satyrical,  as  proceed- 
ing from  a  Perfon  who  was  highly  angred 
and  provok'd,    and  confequently  ought  to 
be  fufpe&ed  \  but  I  fliall  inftance  one,  whofe 
Teftimony  can   by  no   means  be  liable  to 
fufpicion,  being  a  Perfon  entirely  difinte- 
refted,  who  not  only  confirms  this  Defcrip- 
tion, butalfo  adds  new  Circumftances  which 
make  Eunuchs  a  yet  more  frightful  and  hor- 
rid, and  this  is  Ammiantts  Mercellinus ,who  in 
his  1 6th  Book,  Chap.  7.  fays,  "  That  when 
lc  Nurna  Fompilius,and  Socrates  faid  any  thing 
<c  that  was  good  of  an  Eunuch,  no  Body 
ci  believed  them,  for  they  thought  they  told 
"  nothing  but  a  Company  of  Lies.     Ed  re 
<c  quod  fi  Numa    Pompilius  <vel  Socrates  bona 
u  quadam  dicerent  de  fpadone  diclifq;  Religio- 
<c  onum  adderent  fidem  d  veritate  defciviffe  ar~ 
u  gmrtntur.    It  is  true,  towards  the  End  of 
the  fame  Chapter,    he  excepts  Menophilus, 
Eunuch  to  Mithridates,  King  of  Pont  us, whom 
he  fpeaks  well  of.     It  is  alfo  certain,  there 
have  been  fome  others  befides  Mencfhllusy 
who    have    deferved  the  World's  Efteem, 
as  Favor'inus  Mardonius  Eutherius  (who  was 
firft  Eunuch  to  the  Emperor  Co??ftans3  and 
afterwards  to  the  Apoftate  Juliaw  ; )  and 

Her- 


Eunuchifm  Diffla/J*  i  * 

Hernias,  whom  for  his  excellent  Qualities, 
Ariffotk  looked  upon  as  a  God,  and  accord- 
ingly offered  him  Sacrifice  and  Divine  Ho- 
nours, but  above  all  the  Prophet  Daniel  and 
his  Companions  (Tuppoiing  them  to  be  Eu- 
nuchs, as  fome  Interpreters  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  have  believed)  But  their  Number 
has  been  always  very  fmall,  and  not  fuffi- 
cient  to  counterbalance  the  general  Opini- 
on of  Mankind  \  and  one  may  fay  of  Eu- 
nuchs the  fame  that  is  ufually  faid  of  Ba- 
ftards,  that  for  the  moft  part  they  are  very 
bad,  but  that  fometimes  we  may  chance  to 
find  one  that  may  prove  good  for  fomething^ 
And  as  Ammianus  Marcellinus  in  the  fame 
Chapter  fays,  Inter  fcpres  rofic  nafcuntur,  & 
inter  f eras  nonnuUa  mitefcunt,  Rofes  grow  a- 
mongft  Thorns,  and  fome  wild  Beafts  grew 
tame. 

Theodorus,  who  was  Preceptor  to  the  Em- 
peror Conftantine^  Sirnamed  Porphyrogenitus9 
undertook  an  odd  and  whimfical  Work,  and 
wrote  a  Treatife  which  he  called  An  Apolo- 
gy for  Eunuchifm  and  Eunuchs  \  but  the  World 
looked  upon  that  Performance  after  the  fame 
manner,  as  we  do  the  Praife  of  Bufiris,  writ- 
ten by  Ifcrates,  and  that  of  Nero  and  the 
Gout  by  Cardan  ;  or  the  Praife  of  Poverty  by, 
Sjnefius,  Blindnefi  by  Pajferat,  and  of  UgH- 
nefs  and  the  Jguartan  Agm  by  Favorinus.  tre- 
"jidelli  wrote  in'Praije  of  the  Plague  ;  Bahh, 
Schappius  in  Honour  of  War*    Glauconcf  /«- 

jufiht, 


12  Eunuchijm  TXjfiafd. 

juVuey  and  Erafmm  an  Encomium  on  Folljl 
L'Ac'ian  prais'd  Drunkennefi,  Heinfius  the  A[s 
and  Vermine.  Schuppius,  Pafferat  and  Duver- 
dier  the  Younger,  wrote  in  the  Praife  of  No- 
thing,  and  we  have  feen  La  Magnefique  Dox- 
ologie  da  Fetu,  by  Sebafiian  Rouillard. 

Thefe  Authors  undertook  to  write  in 
Praife  of  what  all  the  World  elfe  blam'd, 
ridicul'd,  and  defpifed  ;  they  did  it  to  (hew 
their  Wits,  and  fancied  by  that  Angularity  * 
they  fliould  excite  the  Curiofuy  and  Admi- 
ration of  their  Readers.  But  for  all  that, 
not  one  of  thofe  Treatifes  made  any  Con- 
verts, or  thofe  Subjects  they  treated  of  ever 
the  more  lawful  or  commendable  ;  and  the 
Book  which  has  for  its  Title  Page  de  Mul- 
tibibus,  printed  at  Oenoz,ytbople,  and  fold  at 
the  Sign  of  DionyfiUs  Bacchus,  has  given  lit- 
tle Authority  to  the  Rights  and  Privileges 
of  Drunkards,  which  it  has  difplayed  with 
the  utmoft  Pomp  and  Exaclnefs. 

But  as  no  one  by  reading  thefe  Treatifes 
<san  imagine  the  Authors  had  any  thing  elfe 
in  view  than  to  mow  the  Caprice  of  their 
Wits,  or  intended  that  Men  mould  be  fin- 
cerely  convinced  of  the  Truth  of  what  they 
gublifhed  in  their  Writings,  fo  will  the  World* 
In  the  fame  manner,  regard  the  Performance 
ef  ThiodoYus,  who  furely  very  well  employ- 
ed his  Talentsjkto  make  Apologies  for  Emu- 
chifm^  that  ridiculous,  unjuft  and  barbarous 
ffra&ke,  which  every  one  that  is  fincerely. 

a  Chri* 


Eunuchism  "Difflafd.  1$ 

a  Chriftian,  detefts  and  abhors,  and  would 
if  Occafion  offered  ufe  the  Words  of  Seneca. 
*  Principes  viri  (fays  he)  contra  naturam di- 
vitias  fuas  exercent,  exciforum  greges  habent^  exo- 
letos  fuosy  ut  ad  longiorum  pat tent iam  Impudicitia 
idonei  (inty  &  quia  ipfos  pudet  Vivos  ejje9id  agunt9 
ut  quam  paucivirifmt.  His  nemo  fuccurril  de- 
licatis  &  formofis  debilibus. 


CHAP.    III. 

How   many  different  Sorts  of  Eunuchs 
there  are. 

WE  have  been  told  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, from  the  Mouth  of  Jefus  Chrift 
himfelf,  how  many  different  Sorts  there  are 
of  Eunuchs,  whofe  Words,  according  to 
St.  Matthews  Gofpel,  Chap.  19.  v.  12.  are 
as  follows,  viz,.  There  are  fome  Eunuchs  which 
are  fo  born  from  their  Mothers  Womb  ;  and  there 
are  fome  Eunuchs  which  were  made  Eunuchs  of 
Aien  ;  and  there  be  Eunuchs  which  have  made 
themf elves  Eunuchs  for  the  Kingdom  of  Heavens 
fake.  But  the  SubciUy  of  Men's  Wits,  by 
reafon  of  later  Events,  have  found  out  more 


*  .Contro-verf.  33.  Lib.  5. 

par- 


1 4  Eunuchifm  DifyJafd. 

particular  Diftin&ions  than  our  Bleffed  Sa- 
viour was  pleas'd  to  make  ufe  of. 

The  Diverfity  of  Queftions  arifing  on  ac- 
count of  the  Marriage  of  thofe  that  were 
accuied  of  being  Eunuchs,  and  the  Reftitu- 
tion  of  the  Marriage  Portion,  have  obli- 
ged People  very  narrowly  to  examine  and 
difcufs  the  Cafe  of  Eunuchifm ;  and  as  there 
have  been  found  to  be  different  Sorts  or 
Species  of  Eunuchs,  to  reduce  them  accord- 
ingly under  different  Claffes.  Which  (fay 
the  Gentlemen  of  the  Robe)  are  Four, 

i.  The  Firft  is  of  thofe  which  are  born  Co, 
and  thefe  are  absolutely  and  properly  Eunuchs. 

2.  The  Second  is  of  thofe  who  either  by 
Force,or  by  their  ownConfent,or  with  their 
own  Hands  have  been  defpoiled  of  all  that 
which  makes  Man  and  his  Virility  ;  fo  that 
they  are  incapable  of  doing 'any  A&,  and 
are  obliged  to  let  their  Urine  pafs  through  a 
Pipe  of  Metal,  which  they  apply  to  the 
Place  of  that  which  Nature  had  given  them, 
and  is  fince  cutoff}  and  this  Se&ion  fome- 
times  happened  to  People  on  account  of 
fome  Diftemper,  which  obliged  the  Surgeon 
to  perform  this  Melancholy  and  difmal  O- 
.peration  ;  and  this  was  the  Cafe,  (as  I  was 
credibly  informed  in  Rome)  of  the  famous 
Vafqual'miy  the  greateft  Matter  of  Vocal 
Mufick  in  the  World,  now  refiding  in  thac 
City,  but  with  this  Difference,  that  Sig- 
nor  Vafyualini  was  only  obliged  to  part  with 

his 


Eunuchifm  'Diftlafd.  1 5 

his  Tefticles,  of  whom  I  ftiall  take  occafion 
hereafter,  to  make  further  mention  in  the 
Body  of  this  Work,  amongft  other  modern 
Eunuchs,  in  the  9th  Chapter  of  this  ift 
Part.  But  this  Sort  of  Mutilation,  was  not 
only  pracYis'd  in  Cafes  of  Necedity,  (as  in 
Diftempers  otherwife  incurable)  but  alfo 
on  Perfons  of  found  Health,  as  we  (hall 
fee  by  and  by,  and  was  heretofore  one  of 
the  Functions  of  a  Surgeon,  as  appears  in 
§.  8.  of  the  7th  Law.  Ad  Legem  Aquiliam ,' 
and  in  the  beginning  of  the  8th,  under  the 
fame  Title,  and  efpecialiy  in  §.  2.  of  the 
4th  Law,  fF.  ad  Legem  Corneliam  de  Si  car  lis  ^ 
where  it  is  exprefly  forbidden  any  Surgeons 
to  make  fuch  like  Operations. 

%.  The  Third  Clafs  is  of  thofe  whofe 
Tefticles,  by  a  deteftable  Art  have  been 
made  fo  frigid,  as  at  laft  quite  to  difappear 
and  vanifh,  this  is  done  by  cutting  the  Vein 
that  conveyed  theirpropsr  Aliment.and  Sup- 
port, which  makes  them  grow  lank  and  flab- 
by, till  at  laft  they  actually  dry  up  and  come 
to  nothing.  Another  Method  was,  to  take 
the  Tefticles  quite  away  at  once,  and  this 
Operation  was  commonly  effe&ed,  by  put- 
ting the  Patient  into  a  Bath  of  warm  Wa- 
ter, to  foften  and  fupple  the  Parts,  and  make 
them  more  tractable ;  fome  fmali  time  af- 
ter, they  preffed  the  Jugular  Veins,  which 
made  the  Party  fo  ftupid;  and  infenfible, 
that  he  fell  into  a  kind  of  Apoplexy,    and 

then 


16  Eunuchifm  Ttifpla/d. 

then  the  A&ion  could  be  performed  with 
fcarce  any  Pain  at  all  to  the  Patient ;  and 
this  was  generally  done  by  the  Mother  or 
Nurfe  in  the  moft  tender  Infancy.  Some- 
times they  ufed  to  give  a  certain  quantity  of 
Opium  to  the  Perfons  defigned  for  Caftrati- 
on,  whom  they  cut  while  they  were  m 
their  dead  Sleep,  and  took  from  them  thofe 
Parts  which  Nature  took  fo  great  Care  to 
form ;  but  as  it  was  obferved,  that  moft  of 
thofe  that  had  been  cut  after  this  manner, 
died  by  this  Narcotick  ;  It  was  thought 
more  advifeable  to  praclife  the  Method  I 
juft  before  mentioned  :  However,  it  was 
by  this  Means,  that  Miracle  of  a  Voice  Pau~ 
luccio,  and  the  real  Wonder  of  the  pre- 
fent  World,  a  Roman  Eunuch,  was  againft 
his  Will  made  fo,  by  his  own  Uncle,  (al- 
fo  an  Eunuch)  as  I  fhall  fpeak  of  more  at 
large  in  its  proper  Place. 

The  Perfiam,  and  feveral  other  Nations, 
had  a  different  Method  to  cut,  or  make 
Eunuchs  from  that  pra&is'd  in  Europe  :  I  fay, 
to  make  them,  for  it  was  not  always  done 
by  cutting  •,  Hemlock  and  other  Herbs  would 
do  it,  as  we  may  fee  in  a  Book  put  forth 
by  Paul  Egitieite,  which  treats  particularly 
of  that  Subjed,  efpeciaily  the  Sixth  Book 
of  that  curious  and  learned  Treatife.  This 
Third  Sort,  or  Species  of  Eunuchs,  in  the 
Terms  of  the  Law,  are  called  Tbliin*,  thofe 
which. are  called  Tblafi*  are  much  the  fame ; 

the 


Eunuchifm  Difplafd.  17 

the  only  Difference  is  this,  that  thefe  lat- 
ter are  made  by  cutting  the  Veins  that  fer- 
ved  to  ftrengthen  and  fortify  thofe  Parts  5 
fo  that  though  in  reality  they  (till  remain'd, 
yet  were  fo  foft  and  flabby  as  could  be  of 
no  manner  of  Ufe  or  Service  to  the  Pof- 
feffor. 

4.  The  Fourth  Clafs  is  thofe  that  are  cal- 
led Spadones,  who  are  born  with  fuch  ill 
Difpofition  of  Parts,  or  of  fo  cold  and  fri* 
gid  a  Temperament,  or  who  have  been  ren- 
dered fo,  through  fome  Misfortune,  that  they 
are  incapable  of  Generation, 

But  though  thefe  Four  Sorts  or  Species 
are  very  different  from  each  other,  and  the 
laft  moft  favourable  and  Lefs  unhappy 
than  the  other  Three  ,•  yet  the  Learned  in 
the  Laws,  both  Civil  and  Ecclefiaftical,  have, 
thought  it  proper  to  comprehend  them  all 
under  the  general  Term  of  6/W0,  which 
indeed  is  very  fmgular,  fince  it  i ,  a  Max- 
im in  the  Civil  Law,  that  Denominatio  fit  a 
potior* ;  and  properly  fpc>king,  thofe  who 
are  cailed  Spadones  are  not  in  reality  Eunuchs, 
fince  by  the  Force  and  Fteip  v''  Nature, 
or  Art,  they  may  poffibly  be  reitored  to 
that  perfect  State  Nature  at  fir(t  inten- 
ded them.     B. fides    *    Speelalia    gemralibus 


*  L.  147.  Hediv.*  reg.  Jut, 

in 


1 8  Eunuchifm  "Difflafd. 

in  [unt.  And  how  under  the  Name  of  Spa- 
do, which  is  not  properly  a  Eunuch,  as  I  juft 
nowobferved,  they  can  comprehend  thofe 
who  2re  abfolutely  fo,  and  in  the  moft  rigo- 
rous Senfe,  and  who  can  never  hope  to  be 
otherwife,  is,  what  I  own  I  do  not  very 
well  underftand  ;  for  I  think,  Nomina  de- 
bent  efle  convenient  i  a  Rebus,  as  they  fay  them- 
felves,  and  it  is  plain,  this  Name  Spado  does 
not  agree  with  every  Sort  or  Species  of 
Eunuchs,  and  eonfequently  one  would  think, 
ought  not  to  have  been  applied  as  a  general 
Term. 

But  be  that  as  it  will,  it  is  moft  certain 
they  will  have  it  fo,  for  fay  they,  *  Spa- 
donam  generalis  afpellatio  eft,  quo  nomine  tarn 
hi  qui  natwa  Spadones  funt,  item  Tblibia  Ihla- 
fia.  Sed  &  fi  quod  aliud  Genus  Spadonum  efii 
continent ur. 

There  are  befides  thefe,  other  forts  of 
Eunuchs,  fome  who  are  called  fo  Catachre- 
(lically,  inafmuch  as  they  are  in  Poffeffion 
of  thofe  high  Offices  and  Places  of  Honour 
which  originally  were  given  to  Eunuchs  ; 
and  fuch  was  Totiphar  in  Egypt,  and  very 
probably  the  Eunuch  of  Candace  Queen  of 
zs£thiopia,  whom  Sc  Philip  baptized,  as  we 
read  in  the  8th  Chapter  of  the  Atls  of  the 
Apoftles,  which  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  cele- 


*  L.  121.ff.de  Verhovum  Jigmfcat. 

brated 


Eunuchifm  'Dilflafd.  1 9 

brated  verbal  Controverfy,  held  fome  Years 
ago  at  Portfmouth,  between  Mr.  Chandler  and 
Mr.  Ruffe  I,  the  one  a  Presbyterian,  the  other 
an  Anabapdft  Minifter :  the  Difpute  was 
concerning  the  Obligatorinefs  of  Infant  Bap- 
tifm  :  Mr.  Ruffe  I  it  feems,  whom  fome  Peo- 
ple call'd  Dr.  Ruffel  9  after  a  great  deal  of 
Difcourfe  of  Major^  and  Minor,  and  Con- 
fequence,  (for  it  feems  thefe  Champions  af- 
fected to  difpute  in  Form,  but  who  was  the 
greater  Logician  I  am  not  able,  nor  is  it 
my  Bufinefs  to  determine)  asked  his  An- 
tagonift  Mr.  Chandler,  if  he  could  prove 
by  exprefs  Texts  of  Scripture  any  Infant 
that  was  baptized,  which  he  knew  he 
could  not  ;  that  for  his  Part,  he  could  bring 
feveral  Inftances  out  of  Scripture  of  Per- 
fons  of  riper  Years,  and  amongft  the  reft 
cites  this  of  the  Eunuch  whom  St.  Philip 
firft  inftru&ed,  fays  he,  and  then  baptized. 
Upon  which  Mr.  Chandler  thought  fit  to  re- 
ply, that  in  the  Term  of  all  Nations  whom 
our  Saviour  gave  Commifficn  to  the  Apo- 
ftles  to  Baptize,  Children  were  included, 
and  that  the  Eunuch  might  receive  from  St. 
Philip  Commiffion  likewife  to  Baptize, 
and  accordingly  might  Baptize  his  Children; 
at  leaft,  it  did  not  follow  he  did  not  from 
what  Mr.  Ruffel  had  faid,  which  fet  the  Au- 
ditory a  laughing,  and  was  the  Diverfion  of 
the  adverfe  Party  for  fome  Days,  yet  had 
the  old  Gentleman  and  his  People  reflected, 

that 


20  Eunuchism  <Diffhfd. 

that  it  was  a  Cuftom  to  call  thofe  Eunuchs, 
who  came  to  poflefs  thofe  Charges  and 
Offices  of  Honour  which  were  formerly 
given  to  none  but  Eunuchs,  they  would 
not  have  had  fo  much  Caufe  to  triumph 
over  poor  Mr.  Chandler,  who  might  have 
known  that  Truth  was  not  always  attended 
with  Noife  and  Clamour. 

There  were  befides  chefe,  others  who  were 
called  Eunuchs  in  a  figurative  Senfe,  inaf- 
much  as  they  kept  themfelves  entirely  chafl^ 
and  made  no  more  ufe  of  their  Parts  of  Vi- 
rility, than  as  if  they  really  had  none,  as 
we  may  believe  has  been  fmcerely  praclis'd 
by  fome,  both  of  the  Latin  and  Greek 
Church,  and  which  Hkewife  may  be  chari- 
tably fuppofed  of  fome  of  the  Eellows  of 
both  our  Univerfities. 

But  thefe  Sorts  of  Eunuchs,  who  were  fo 
called,  on  Account  of  their  Office,  or  Em* 
ployment,  fwhether  really  fo  or  not)  were 
called  by  this  General  Term  Bagoas ;  and 
thus  was  that  Perfon  called,  who  reprefent- 
ed  that  Eunuch  whom  Diodes  would  exclude 
from  teaching  Philofophy  in  L»sWs- Dia- 
logues. There  was  alfo  a  very  famous  Eu- 
nuch of  this  Name  in  the  Court  of  Darius, 
who  after  that  Prince's  Death,  was  prefent- 
ed  to  Alexander  the  Great.  He  was  extreme- 
ly beautiful ,  and  was  as  much  beloved 
by     Ahxandtr,    as     he    was    by     Darius. 


Eunuchlfm  'Diftlay'd*  2 1 

*  Jgutntus  Curtius  has  in  feveral  Places  in 
the  Life  of  his  Hero,  given  us  the  Hiftory 
of  this  Eunuch,  of  whom  I  (hall  hereafter 
have  occafion  to  make  mention  in  this 
Treatife. 

The  Eunuch  of  Hole-femes,  General  of 
Nebuchadnezzar's  Forces  at  the  Siege  of 
Bethulia,  who  was  employed  by  his  Lord 
to  difpofe  Judith  to  pafs  the  Night  with 
him,  and  who  accordingly  conduced  her  in- 
to his  Pavilion,  (though  fhe  afterwards  car- 
ried away  his  Head)  was  called  Bagoasx 
However,  fome  Verfions,  and  amongft  others 
that  of  MeJJleurs  de  Fort  Royal,  call  him  Va» 
goo,  but  this  Variation  is  inconfiderable. 
Now  though  this  Name  was  really  the  pro- 
per Name  of  feveral  particular  Eunuchs, 
yet  Gilbert  Couftn  (of  whom  Monfieur  Baile 
has  made  an  Article  inhisfirftTome,  P.  974. 
in  his  Dictionary)  fays  in  the  Obfervation, 
that  he  has  made  upon  the  Word  "Bagoas,  that 
he  finds  by  Lucian,  that  in  barbarous  Lan- 
guage, it  fignifies  a  Eunuch  in  general,  in- 
sinuating, that  Lucian  never  would  have 
made  ufe  of  the  Word,  had  it  not  been  a 
Term  which  comprehended  under  it  all 
Sorts  of  Eunuchs,  as  fo  many  Species  under 
their  Gems ;  and  to  confirm  his    Opinion, 


*  Lib.  6. Cap.  5.  &  Lib.  10.  Cap,  I. 

quotes 


•22  Eunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

quotes  this  Verfe  of    Ovid,   out  of  his  zd 
Bood  de  Triftibus. 

Quern  Penes  eft  Dominant  fervandi  cur  a  Bagoel 

It  is  certain,  that  in  the  Babylonijh  Lan- 
guage, Bagoas  fignified  an  Eunuch.  There 
was  one  alfo,  an  Eunuch  of  that  Name, 
of  whom  Plutarch  relates  many  Things 
which  deferve  more  our  Silence  than  Cu- 
riofity. 

Some  of  the  Learned  are  of  Opinion,  that 
this  Bagoas  mentioned  by  LucUn,  was  a  Per* 
fon  who  had  fuch  an  awkward,  ungraceful 
Mien  and  Carriage,  that  he  was  taken  for 
an  Eunuch,  and  not  fo  in  reality. 

Jjj>uintilian  alfo  makes  mention  of  a  Ba- 
goas, but  by  all  appearance,  he  only  made 
ufe  of -that  Name,  as  a  Name  common  to  a 
certain  Species  of  Men,  *  for  he  fpeaks  at 
the  fame  time  of  Megabytes  and  Doripboron  j 
now  it  is  certain,  that  Megabytes  is  a  Name 
common  to  all  the  Priefts  of  Diana,  -f  who 
were  obliged  to  be  Eunuchs  on  account  of 
their  Charge,  which  was  to  take  Care  of 
thofe  Virgins  who  were  confecrated  to  that 
Goddefs ;  and  Doriphoron  fignifies  a  Launce- 
Bearer.  It  is  true,  it  likewife  fignified,  that 
moft  admirable  Statue  of  a  beautiful  Youth 


*  PUp.  Lib.  13.(^.4.  t  Vlutarchin  AJexanA 

which 


Eunuchifm  DiffJafd.  2j 

which  held  a  Launce  in  his  Hand,  and  was 
the  inimitable  Performance  of  Policletes,  and 
of  which  he  was  fo  much  in  love  with, 
that  he.u(ed  to  call  it  his  Miftrefs. 

But  it  is  fufficient  for  our  Purpofe,  that 
it  is  likewife  a  Term  of  that  general  Ex- 
tent, as  to  be  applicable  to  every  Man  that 
bears  a  Launce. 


CHAP.    IV. 

Of  Eunuchs  that  are  lorn  fo. 

I  Am  very  well  perfwaded,  that  it  is  not 
impoflible  but  certain  human  Creatures 
may  come  into  the  World  deftitute  of  thofe 
Parts  which  are  proper  for  Generation.  We 
fee  every  Day  Children  born,  fome  with- 
out their  Eyes,  Ears,  Hands,  or  fome  other 
Part  of  their  Body ;  and  therefore  it  may 
poflibly  happen,  that  fome  may  be  born 
without  thofe  Parts  I  juft  now  mention'd.'  « 
Nature  which  every  Day  produces  fo  ma- 
ny Monfters,  might  very  well  form  one  of 
this  Sort.  I  know  the  Naturalifts  fay,  that 
there  never  yet  has  been  an  Example  of  this 
Kind ;  and  in  reality,  Pliny,  who  recounts 
fo  exadtly,  and  fo  fully,  fuch  a  vaft  Number 
of  Monftrous  Human  Figures  which  have 

been 


'24  Eunuchifm  Diftlafd* 

been  produced  all  the  World  over,  makes 
no  mention  of  fuch  as  I  have  mentioned. 

However,  I  can  truly  fay,  I  faw  one,' 
and  perhaps  it  has  been  feen  by  all  Europe  -7 
for  the  Parents  of  this  Creature  having  ob- 
served, that  the  Publick  would  be  pleafed 
with  fuch  a  Angular  Piece  of  Curiofity,  and 
that  thereby  they  might  get  confiderable 
Sums  of  Money  by  fliowing  it  about  from 
Place  to  Place,  and  from  one  Country  to 
another,  I  do  not  doubt  but  accordingly 
they  carried  it  to  all  the  Principal  Parts  of 
Europe* 

When  I  faw  it,  it  was  at  'Berlin,  m  the 
Year  1704.  He  was  one  of  thofe  Cripples 
whom  the  French  call  Un  CA  de  jatte,  and 
we  in  Engli[h  have  no  Name  for,  and  was 
carried  in  a  Box  upon  a  Man's  Back  3  but 
with  this  Difference,  that  thofe  whom  the 
French  call  by  that  Name  have  neither  Legs 
nor  Thighs  that  they  can  make  any  ufe  of, 
but  draw  themfelves  along  upon  their  Back- 
fide  in  a  kind  of  Wooden  Bowl-difh  or 
Platter  5  this  that  I  am  now  fpeaking  of,  had 
no  Back-fide  at  all,  that  is,  no  Hips  or 
Buttocks.  His  Head  was  well  fafhioned,  his 
Face  fweet  and  pleafanr,  of  a  brown  Com- 
plexion, and  his  Hair  Chefnut  ,•  and  though 
he  was  then  above  20  Years  of  Age,  yet 
had  no  manner  of  Beard,  or  the  leaft  Sign 
he  would  have  any.  His  Arms  and  Hands 
were  very  well   proportioned,    his  Body 

hand- 


Eunuchifm  Difplafd  25 

handfomely  enough  fhap'd  ;  he  was  be- 
tween 2  and  3  Foot  high,  he  fupported  him- 
felf  on  a  kind  of  a  Block  of  Wood,  or  ra- 
ther the  Trunk  of  a  Tree,  and  walked  (if  I 
may  be  allowed  the  Expreffion)  upon  his 
Hands.  He  had  two  PafTages  as  other  Men 
have,  for  Nature  to  difcharge  her  Excre- 
ments ;  that  before  was  very  (mall  and  fhorr, 
and  below  it  hung  a  kind  of  Cod,  or 
Scrotum,  very  lank  and  flabby,  in  which  I 
could  find  not  fo  much  as  the  leaft  Sign  of 
a  Tefticle.  I  informed  my  felf  very  par- 
ticularly of  his  Parents,  if  he  was  actually 
born  fo,  and  they  ferioufly  affured  me  he 
was  abfolutely  and  entirely  fo,  as  Nature  had 
formed  him. 

Now  as  I  know  that  we  ought  not  al- 
ways to  judge  ill  of  the  Virility  of  a  Man 
who  has  no  vifible  Tefticles,  becaufe  it 
fometimes  happens,  that  they  remain  high- 
er up  in  the  Body,and  do  not  come  down  by 
fome  Obftacle  or  Impediment  which  hinders 
their  Defcent.  Thofe  Men  neverthelefs 
that  are  in  this  Cafe,  ought  not  therefore 
prefently  to  have  their  Virility  called  in 
queftion,  for  it  has  been  often  found,  that 
fuch  Perfons  who  have  had  thofe  Parts 
thus  hidden,  have  been  as  perfed  as  other 
Men,  and  have  had  all  the  other  neceifary 
Tokens  to  prove  their  Manhood. 


Ic 


j%6  Eunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

It  was  for  this  Reafon  that  I  more  cu- 
rioufly  and  attentively  examined  this  Per- 
fon,  and  finding  befides  ail  the  Marks  of  a 
real  Eunuch  $  I  had  all  the  Re  ifon  in  the 
World  to  conclude  he  was  fo  in  £ff,&,  and 
that  he  was  properly  one  of  thofe  Eunuchs 
that  in  the  Language  of  the  Holy  Scripture 
have  been  Emuchs  from  their  Mother's  Womb. 

This  therefore  is  a  plain  Proof  (abftra<3> 
£ng  from  Revelation,)  that  there  have  been 
Eunuchs  fo  born,  whatever  the  Naturalifts 
/and  particularly  Pliny  in  the  2d  Chapter 
of  the  7th  Book  of  theHiftory  of  the  World) 
fay  to  the  contrary. 


C  HAP.    V. 

What  are  the  real  Motives  that  indu- 
ced People  to  make  Eunuchs. 

IF  it  be  really  true  that  Semiramis  was  the 
firft  that  brought  into  the  World  the  abo- 
minable Invention  of  making  Eunuchs,  we 
have  feen  in  the  beginning  of  this  Treatife, 
what  were  the  Motives  that  induced  her  to 
rput  it  in  practice ;  that  it  was  an  effect  of  Jea- 
loufy,which  made  her  after  having  throughly 
experienced  the  fecret  Services  of  the  hand- 
fomeft  young  Fellows  of  her  Army,  caufe 
than  to  undergo  this  kind  of  Mucilation, 

left 


Eunuchlfm  rDifpla/d.  27 

left  they  fliould  go  and  difpenfe  the  fame 
Satisfactions  to  other  Ladies  of  her  Court. 
But  not  to  ftay  long  on  Uncertainties  and 
Conjectures,  I  fhall  inftance  the  follow- 
ing Caufes,  which  are  certain  and  undenia- 
ble. 

Eunuchs  were  made  to  look  after  the 
Wives  and  Daughters  of  great  Men,  to  ob- 
ferve  their  Conduct,  and  to  hinder  them 
from  doing  any  thing  contrary  either  to 
Virginal  or  Conjugal  Chaftity  ,•  and  it  is 
paft  contradiction,  that  Eunuchs  were  pro- 
perly defigned  for  that  Employment  ,•  the 
very  Word  imports  fo  much,  for  it  f\g- 
nifies  a  BeLguard^  or  Chamber-guard,  or  in: 
modern  Englijh3  a  Chamberlain,  and  this  is 
the  Ufe  they  put  them  to  in  the  Eafi  at  this 
very  Day.  But  when  Men  who  firft  made 
a  lawful  ufe  of  them,  abufed  them,  and 
made  them  ferve  to  Criminal  Ends,  they 
began  to  chufe  the  moft  beautiful  Youths 
they  could  find  from  the  Age  of  14  to  the 
Age  of  17  Years.  St.  Gregory  Naz,iariz,en 
complains  bitterly  of  this  Practice  in  the 
Life  of  St.  Bafil,  and  in  his  :51ft  Sermon  or 
Oration  ,•  but  this  infamous  Cuftom,  it 
feems  was  much  more  antient  than  thofe 
Days,  for  Juvenal.'m  his  10th  Satire,  v.  306, 
307.  declaims  alfo  againftihis  abufe^  in  thefe 
Words. 

C  z  —Nttlbs 


28  Eunuchism  Difflafd. 

• — >— ;  N«//#j  Ephebum 
Dcformem  Sctvd  caftravit  in  arce  Tyrannus,&c] 

That  is  in  the  Tranflation  of  our  Coun- 
tryman the  Incomparable  Dry  den  $ 

We  never  read  of  fuch  a  Tyrant  King 

Who  gelt  a  Boy  deform *d 

Nor  Nero  in  bis  more  luxurious  Age, 
E'er  made  a  Miflrefi  of  an  ugly  Page. 

Sporus  his  Spoufe  nor  Crooked  was  nor  Lame, 

&c 

It  is  true,  Eunuchs  have  been  likewife 
made,  that  they  may  be  offered  up  in  Sa- 
crifice to  the  Gods.  Againft  thL  horrible 
Cuftom,  St.  Auguftin,  who  condemned  and 
refuted  the  ridiculous  Pra&ices,  and  infa- 
mous Cruelties  of  the  Heathen  Religion, 
exclaims  in  his  moil  excellent  Book  de 
Civttate  Dei,  (of  the  City  of  God  J  in  the  6th 
Book  and  ioth  Chapter. 

Some  of  the  Heathen  Priefts  were  ob- 
liged to  be  Eunuchs,  that  they  might  (Tay 
they)  live  with  greater  Chaftity  and  Pu- 
rity. It  is  certain,  this  was  pra&is'd  amongft 
the  Athenians,  and  the  Priefts  ot  Diana  of  £- 
f  befits  were  likewife  oblig'd  to  be*caftrated. 


*  Crinittts  de  hottft*  difciplipa,  Lib,  p.    S.  Femnald. 

Chri- 


Eunuchlfm  DiffJafd.  29 

Chriftianity  has  had  alfo  her  Eunuchs, 
though  much  againft  her  Inclination,  for 
the  Chriftian  Church  abhors  and  detefts 
that  abominable  Practice.  However,  it  is 
certain,  that  Vakfius,  a  Native  of  Arabia  be* 
gan  a  Se&,  and  he  was  fo  far  from  belie- 
ving that  Mutilation  was  an  Obftacle  or 
Impediment  to  the  Pricfthood,  according: 
to  the  Canons  of  the  Council  of  Nice,  that 
on  the  contrary,  he  maintained  it  abfoluce- 
ly  neceffary,  and  that  a  Man  ought  not  to 
exercife  that  Charge  without  it.  And  his' 
Followers  not  only  pradHfed  on  themfelves 
the  cruel  Example  of  Origen,  but  they  re- 
duced into  that  miferable  and  unhappy 
Condition  all  thofe  that  fell  into  their 
Hands ;  thh  is  the  58th  Herefy  refuted  by 
St.  Efipbamus. 

A  2d  Motive  that  induced  People  to  make 
Eunuchs  was,  that  they  might  have  fine 
Voices,  and  which  would  be  much  longer 
preferved  by  Caftration.  Macrobius  gives 
very  good  Reafons  why  Eunuchs  have  fine 
Voices,  in  the  p<l  Chapter  of  his  Saturna- 
lia. And  this  is  the  Chief  End  the  Italians 
at  this  day  propofe  to  themfelves  in  cutting 
young  People. 

But  without  entering  into  thofe  Reafons 
of  Macrcbii4ss  which  are  very  long  and  te- 
dious, I  fhall  only  fay,  that  I  know  it  to 
be  fa&,  that  there  can  be  no  finer  Voices 
in  the  World,  and  more  delicate,  than  of 
C  5  fome 


3o  Eumcbifm  rDiftlay'id. 

fome  Eunuchs,  fuch  as  Tafqualini,  Pauluccloy 
and  Jerommo,  (or  Momo,)  and  were  efteem- 
sd  fo  when  I  was  in  Rome,  which  was  in 
the  Years  1709  and  1706,  and  I  believe  are 
all  living  at  chis  very  Day. 

It  is  impoffible  to  give  any  tolerable  Idea 
of  the  Excellencies  of  thefe  Three  Celebra- 
ted Eunuchs,  or  the  Beauty  of  their  feverai 
Voices :  In  fhort,  they  are  above  Defcripti- 
on,  and  no  one  can  poflibly  entertain  any 
Notion  of  them  but  thofe  who  have  had  th 
Pleafure  to  hear  them,  for  though  they  were 
all  Excellent   in  their    kind,    yet  neither 
of  them  had  the  leaft  Semblance  with  each 
other.      Pafqualini   had  a  Voice   much  of 
the  fame  Tone  as  Niccolini,  who  was  late- 
ly in  England,  but  then  he  was  infinitely  a 
greater  Mailer,  for  he  was  allowed  in  Rome, 
even  by  his  Enemies  ("for  Excellency   ft  ill 
meets  with  thole,)  to  be  the  greateft  Mafter 
of  Vocd  Mufick  in  the  World,  and  tnis  can 
be  no  Difparagement  to  Niccolini,    whofo 
chief  Excellency  confifted  in  fine  A&ion, 
and  it  may  be,  is  the  belt  Eunuch  A&or  in 
the  World,  and  'twas  for  that  he  was  made 
Cavallero  di   San  Niorco,    or   Knight   of  St; 
Mark  by  the  Venetians. 

But  if  Vafcjualini  was  allowed  to  be  the 
greater  Mafter,  Pauluccio  was  allowed  to 
have  the  fineft  Voice.  This  Eunuch  who 
was  then  about  19  Years  of  Age  (and  now 
about  30)  was  indeed  the  Wonder  of  the 

World. 


Eunuchifm  Ttifylafd.  f% 

Worl3.  Forbefides,  that  his  Voice  was  an 
0#ave,  at  leaft  (and  I  fpeak  within  Com- 
pafsj  higher  than  any  ones  elfe,  it  had  all 
the  Warblings  and  Turns  of  a  Nightinga!,but 
with  only  this  difference,  that  it  was  much 
finer,  and  did  not  a  Man  know  the  con- 
trary, he  would  believe  it  impcffible  fuch 
a  Tone  could  proceed  from  the  Throat  of 
&ny  Thing  that  was  humnn.r  Jeronimo>(pz 
Momo^)  had  a  Voice  fo  foft,  and  ravilhing- 
ly  mellow,  that  nothing  can  better  repre- 
fent  it  than  the  Flute-ftbps  of  fome  Organs. 
In  fhorr,  they  are  all  three  fo  excellent  in 
their  kind,  that  a  Man  does  not  know  which 
he  likes  beft  ;  for  after  the  Mafterly  Per- 
formances of  VafquaUni^  which  ftrike  you 
with  Admiration  and  Wonder,  you  are  ra- 
viflied  with  the  higft  Warblings  Qt¥auUcc\o% 
and  when  you  think  you  are  almoil  fatia- 
ted  with  thofe  Luxuriancies  of  Sound,  you 
are  rnoft  agreeably  charmed  a  new  with 
the  foft  Strains  of  Jcronimo  ( which  I  have 
fometimes  almoft  imagined  have  been  no* 
unlike  the  gentle  Fallings  of  Water  I  ha\re 
fomewhere  in  Italy  often  heard)  lulling  the 
Mind  into  a  perfeft  Calm  and  Peace.  So 
that  of  thefe  famous  Singers,  one  may  fay  as 
L^ffeces  very  truly  did,  of  200  of  the  Princi- 
pal Churches  of  Rome,  that  the  laft  which 
ever  it  happened  to  be,  was  always  the 
fined. 

G-4  :  I 


5  2  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

I  fliall  now  Chew  you  by  one  Inftance, 
what  a  prodigious  Mafter  of  Vocal  Mufick 
Pafqualini  is,  or  at  leaft  then  was. 

It  muft  beobferved,  that  this  Gentleman 
(for  he  is  of  a  very  good  Family )  is  not  on- 
ly a  great  Mafter  for  Singing,  but  is  alfo 
a  perfe£  Mafter  on  the  Harpfichord,  and 
siot  only  a  good  Performer  on  both,  but 
an  excellent  Compofer  of  both,  though  he 
feldom  does  Compofe;  but  he  has  fome- 
thing  very  lingular  in  his  Temper  in  rela- 
tion to  his  Singing,  which  is  this  ,•  that 
whereas  other  Eunuchs  have  always  their 
Parts  fent  to  them  over  Night,  or  in  the 
Morning,  at  teaft  fome  time  before  the  Per- 
formance, fufficient  to  perufe  what  they 
are  to  go  about  :  Pafqualinl,  on  the  contra- 
ry,* never  has,  and  takes  it  as  an  Affront  to 
have  it  offered  him,  and  never  looks  on  the 
Book,  till  the  Mafter  of  the  Choir,  or  Ma- 
nager of  the  Concert  (hows  him  where  he  is 
to  fing,  and  this  muft  not  be  dene  too  long 
before  the  time  neither. 

This  peculiar  Temper  of  his  is  not  very 
pleafmg  to  the  other  M  ifters  of  Rome,  which 
they  think  a  piece  of  infupportable  Pride 
and  Vanity  ;  they  therefore  were  refolved, 
if  poffible,  to  break  him  of  it,  and  thought 
no  Method  fo  proper  as  (naming  him  out 
of  it  in  one  of  themoft  publick  AiTemblies  in 
Rome,  and  'twas  not  long  after  a  very  favou- 
rable Opportunity  offered  it  felf,  which  was 
this.  Ic 


Eunuchifm  €D\ftlayr&  %  3 

It  is  fit  feems)  a  Cuftom  in  the  Kowzft 
Seminary,  (which  is  a  mixt  Sort  of  Society  r 
for  thofe  who  are  not  immediately  defign- 
ed  for  the   Church,  may   learn  to  dance, 
fence,    ride,    vault,    fing,    and    play  or* 
any  Inftrument  of  Mufick  ;   in  (hort,  any 
Exercife  fit  for  a  Gentleman,  I  fay  it  is  a 
Cuftom  in  this  Houfe)    once  or  oftner  in 
the  Year,  for  the  Students  to  prefent  their 
Relations  and  Friends  with  Poems,  Orati* 
ons,  and  Dialogues,   in  Latin  and  Italian* 
and  there  is  never   wanting  a  Concert  of 
moft  excellent  Mufick,  Vocal  andlnftrumen- 
tal,  by  the  beft  Matters  $  and  the  Cardinals 
and  Princes  frequently  come  to  this  Enter- 
tainment to  encourage  the  Students.    Now 
was  the  time   for  Fafaualinfs  Antagonifts 
to  put  their  Defign  in  execution,  the  Prin- 
cipal of  whom  were  the  famous  Arch* angelo 
Corelii,  and  Scarlatti ;  the  former  the  greateSr 
Matter  in  the  World  on  the  Violin,  and  the 
latter  on  the  Harpfichord.     They  accord- 
ingly   between  them    composed  the  moft 
crabbed,  odd,  and  diiagreeable  Piece  of  Mu- 
fick as  was  poffibie  for  the   Art  of  Man* 
The  Symphony  had  an  Air  fuitable  to  it, 
and  both  compofed  after  the  ftrangeft  man- 
ner in  the  World,  nothing  but  Octaves,  and 
hopping  from  one  extream  Note  to  ano- 
ther, full  of  Flats  and  Difcord  as  could  be 
vv  ifhed ;  that  when  it  came  to  be  perform'd^ 
it  was  wonderfully  (hocking,  nocwithftand- 
C  J  ingi 


34  Eumcbifm  Diftla/d. 

ing  its  wonderful  Contrivance.    I  was  then 
in  Company   with  Mr.  Gilbert  Talbot,   and 
we  were  both  well  feated,  by  the  Care  of 
Mr.  Pickering,  who  plays  fo  finely  on  the 
Arch-lute,  and  from  whom  we  then  learnt 
this  Defign.  I  perceived  almoft  every  Body 
knew  it,  and  ic  was  fcarce  a  Secret  to  any 
Body  but   Vafaualini)  who  was  to  fing  firft,' 
Never  was  fo  great  a  Silence  in  fo  great 
an  Audience  as  there  was  when  the  Sym- 
phony began.      And   never  was  any  one 
in  fo  much  Confufion  as  Pafqualini,  who  red- 
dened and  grew  pale  %  or  4  times  fucceffive- 
ly,  for  then  he  began  to  find  the  Defign ; 
but  when  all  the  Audience  thought  he  muft 
have    failed,  he  performed  that  difagreea- 
ble  Part  with  all  the  exa&nefs  and  promp- 
titude in  the  World,    infomuch   that  the 
Compofers  themfelves  owned  their   Afto- 
nilhment  and  Wonder  ,•  and  the  Audience, 
if  they  were  not  delighted  with  the  Mu- 
fick,  were  certainly  very  well  pleafed  that 
he  acquitted  himfelf  with  fo  much  Honour. 
I  muft  own  I  cannot  but  think  this  to  be 
a  Piece  of  Vanity   in   Pafqual'wi    to  truft 
fo  much  to  his  Knowledge,    but  if  it  dif- 
covers   his  Vanity,    it  (hows  at  the  fame 
time  the  great  Perfe&ion  of  his   Science, 
and  I  believe  no  one  in  the  World  can  do 
this  but  himfelf. 

Pauluccio  fleers  another  Courfe,  and    is 
always  complaifant  to  the  Matters,  indeed 

he 


Eunuchism  "DifpJafdi  3  $ 

he  is  but  young  in  Companion  of  the  other, 
and  he  is  in  the  right  to  keep  himfeif  in  then: 
good  Graces.  But  now  I  am  got  in,  I  can- 
not omit  relating  fomething  of  this  Eu- 
nuch, who  was  well  loved  by  the  Mifters, 
efpecially  Corelli. 

'm  It  was  within  the  O&ave  of  the  Affump- 
tion  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  (for  now  I  am  at 
Rome  I  muft  fpeak  in  the  Roman  Style)   % 
Holy-day,  kept  by  the  Church  of  Rome  with 
great  Devotion,when  Cardinal  Oitoboni  gave 
an  Entertainment  of  Mufick  to  the   Peo- 
ple of  Rome  for  ;  Nights  together  in   his 
own  Palace  of  the  Cancellaria  or  Chancery, 
any  Body  might  come  in  that  was  genteel- 
ly dreft.    This  Palace  which  is  much  larger 
than  the  Royal- Exchange ,  is  not  much  unlike 
it  when  you  are  in  the  Court ;   but  with 
this  difference,  that  (i?  I  remember  welU 
the  Galleries  up  two  pair  of  Stairs,  as  well 
as  thofe  up  one,  are  all  open  with  Arches 
and  Pillars  as  they  are  below  on  the  Ground. 
Oppofite  to  the  great  Door  coming  in,  was 
a  magnificent  Theatre,  ere&ed  and  painted 
for  the  Performers  \   between  the    Pillars 
that  fupported  the  Arches,  hung  Pieces  of 
Crimfon  Silk  in  Waves  ;  and  in  the  Mid- 
dle of  each  Arch   a  Branch    Candleftickj, 
fome  of  Silver,  and  others  of  cut  Cryfta!, 
with  white  Wax-Candles.    The  Ladies  and 
Gentlemen   of  the  Higheft  Quality,   were 
fome  above  in  the  Cardinals  Apartment,  and 

others 


3  6  Eunuchijm  T)i]f>lafd. 

others  fitting  in  their  open  Chaifes  or  Ca- 
leflies  in  the  Court,  fome  of  which  were 
lhaped  like  large  Efcallop  Shells,  others 
like  Dolphins,  &c.  but  all  richly  gilt  and 
painted  \  in  fliort,  every  one  might  come 
that  appeared  clean,  and  every  one  was 
ferved  between  the  Performances  (which 
were  three)  with  cool  Waters,  made  with 
rich  Fruits  and  Wines,  and  variety  of  Sweet- 
meats ;  and  at  the  fame  time  flew  from  the 
Leads  as  thick  as  Hail,  Printed  in  Quarters 
of  Sheets  of  fine  Paper,  the  Words  of  the 
next  Performance,  and  each  dedicated  to 
the  People  of  Rome  in  thefe  Words,  Al  In- 
tlito  Topolo  Romano.  To  (how  that  this  En- 
tertainment was  defigned  for  no  one  in 
particular,  but  to  the  whole  People  of 
Rome.  This  (hows  ( fays  a  Roman  that  flood 
by  me)  there  is  yet  remaining  in  this  great 
Man  fomething  of  the  publick  Spirit  of  the 
old  Romans,  and  could  not  forbear  frequent- 
ly to  regale  me  with  Vedete  Signor  ni  quefio 
Trend fe  la  Gallant  aria  di  Roma,  You  fee  Sir 
in  this  Prince  the  Gallantry  (or  Magnifi- 
cence,) of  Rome,  indeed  that  Cardinal  in  his 
Entertainments  is  mod  Princely,  and  I 
was  credibly  informed,  that  this  which  held 
3  Nights  fucceffively,  coft  him  above  3000 
Roman  Scudi,  or  Crowns,  which  is  about 
900  Pounds  Sterling,  a  great  Sum  where 
Things  are  fo  reafonable  as  in  Rome* 

It 


Eunuchlfm  TilffJafd.  fj 

It  was  at  this  Entertainment  Vaulncclo 
fung  a  Solo,  and  Corelli  plaid  to  him  on  his 
Violin,  and  furely  nothing  in  the  World  ever 
was  fo  fine  ;  but  what  was  very  remarkable, 
in  the  middle  of  a  long  Divifion  which 
Pauluccio  was  running  with  admirable  Di- 
ftin&ion,  yet  with  fo  much  Vivacity  and 
Swiftnefs,  that  Corelli  threw  down  his  Bow, 
and  cry'd  out,  it  was  impoflible  to  follow 
him.  It  may  eafily  be  imagined,  that  this 
was  followed  with  a  vaft  Applaufe,  and 
though  the  Eunuch  continued  his  Song,  yet 
was  he  almoft  drownM  with  theEccho  of  fo 
manyKjWs.  Some  will  have  this  to  have  been 
a  FineJJe  of  Corelli 's,  but  whether  it  was  fo, 
in  order  to  (how  his  Favourite  Eunuch  to 
the  beft  Advantage,  or  whether  he  really 
was  fo  much  pleafed  with  the  Excellency 
of  the  Performance,  that  in  a  kind  of  Ex- 
tafie  he  was  forced  to  defift  playing,  is  what 
no  one  could  tell  but  himfeif:  However, 
be  that  as  it  will,  it  gave  the  Eunuch  no  lit- 
tle Reputation. 

I  know  fome  willfcarce  believe  any  thing 
can  furpafs  Niccol'mi  who  fung  on  our  Stage, 
it  is  impoflible  to  convince  fuch  Pesfons, 
but  thofe  who  have  been  at  Rome  know  the 
contrary.  It  is  certainly,  but  a  bad  Argu- 
ment to  fay,  becaufe  I  never  heard  any 
better,  therefore  there  are  no  better ;  nor 
muft  it  be  imagined  the  Romans  will  part 
with  their  beft  People,    Thefe  I  have  now 

dif- 


3  8  Eunuchifm  T)ifpJafd. 

difcourfed  of,  have  all  Obligations  to  flay 
in  Rome.  I  can  fay  nothing  indeed  as  to 
Fafqualini,  who  has  a  very  plentiful  Eftate  of 
his  own,  but  for  the  other  two  they  have 
Penfions  from  Cardinal  Ottoboni,  and  be- 
sides are  every  Day  employed  in  Tinging  at 
one  Church  or  other  (which  muft  not  be 
wondered  at,  there  being  400  Churches  in 
Rome,  befides  private  Chapels)  and  for  eve- 
ry Service  receive  a  Piftole,  or  %  Roman 
Crowns,  which  in  the  Years  end,  together 
with  the  Pope's  Salary  for  his  Chapel,  and 
Prefents,  make  no  inconfiderable  Sum  in 
Rome,  where  one  Crown  will  go  as  far  as 
%  in  England.  And  Jironlmo  had  a  Penfion 
from  the  Queen  of  Poland,  Dowager  to  King 
Jcbv  Sobie ski- 
As  to  Niccolini,  his  Cafe  is  quite  other- 
wife  ;  for  as  I  obferved  before,  his  Excellen- 
cy confifts  principally  in  A£Hon,  and  grace- 
fully treading  the  Stage,  and  his  Intereft 
or  his  roving  Humour,  or  both,  make  him 
that  he  can  never  flay  long  in  a  Place, 
which  has  made  his  Countrymen  give  him 
the  Title  of  7/  Cavallero  Errante,  the  Knight 
Errant. 

By  what  has  been  faid  it  is  plain,  that 
Caftration  does  not  only  meliorate,  but  pre- 
ferve  the  Voice,  and  it  has  been  frequently 
known,  that  Eunuchs  have  had  their  Voices 
perfe&ly  well  at  jo  or  60  Years  of  Age. 
But  if  Caftration  does  better  a  good  one, 

yec 


Eunuchifm  Difflafd.  3  Q 

yet  it  never  can  give  a  Voice  where  there 
was  none  before,  or  make  a  bad  one  good, 
though  indeed  it  may  make  it  to  be  lefs  bad. 
I  have  been  told,  that  when  they  ufed  to  cue 
Children  in  their  moft  tender  Infancy, 
there  were  200  Eunuchs  made,  which  pro- 
ved to  be  good  for  nothing ,*  for  when  they 
grew  up,it  fo  happened,that  not  one  of  them 
had  a  tolerable  Voice,  and  thus  the  Parents 
were  fruftrated  of  their  Expedation  (for 
they  are  generally  the  Perfons  who  exe- 
cute this  Cruelty  on  their  Children,  in  hopes 
they  may  one  Day  be  a  Help  to  them,  and 
raife  the  reft  of  theFamilyj  and  fo  many  poor 
Children  made  doubly  miferable,  firft  mang- 
led and  maimed  in  their  Body,  and  Second- 
ly rendered  incapable  of  getting  a  tolera- 
ble livelihood,  their  Voice  being  good  for 
nothing  5  and  it  is  certain,  nothing  in  Italy 
is  fo  contemptible  as  a  Eunuch  that  cannot 
fing. 

But  fince  that  Misfortune  wherein  fo  ma- 
ny mifcarried,  they  now  are  grown  (as 
they  think  much  wifer,  they  therefore  will 
cut  none  now  till  they  know  they  have  a 
Voice  1  and  this  was  the  Cafe  of  VauUccio, 
who  was  caftrared  by  his  Uncle  at  10  Years 
of  Age.  His  Parents  were  very  poor,  and 
he  lived  with  his  Uncle,  a  very  famous  Eu- 
nuch in  his  time,  who  finding  then  his  own 
Voice  begin  to  decay,  and  his  Nephews  ve- 
ry promifingp  and  that  he  took  extream  de- 
light 


40  Eunuchifm  Difftafd. 

light  in  Mufick,  and  believing  that  one 
Day  he  might  be  a  Support  to  the  Family 
if  he  was  like  himfelf,  for  then  he  might 
getconfiderable  Sums  of  Money  which  muft 
flow  into  that  Channel,  fince  he  could  have 
no  Children  of  his  own  to  divert  the  Cur- 
rent, performed  that  execrable  Operation 
on  the  poor  Youth  -7  after  he  had  thrown 
him  into  a  dead  deep  by  Opium,  who  when 
he  came  to  himfelf,  with  Floods  of  Tears 
for  many  Months  together,  bewailed  the 
Lofs  of  what  was  impoffible  for  him  to 
recover.  So  fatal  is  it  in  Italy  to  be  the 
Son  of  a  poor  Man,  and  have  a  fine  Voice, 
and  I  have  often  heard  him  bemoan  his 
Misfortunes  in  the  moft  moving  manner. 
The  Romans  are  very  civil  to  him,  indeed 
he  deferves  it,  being  the  beft  natured  Crea- 
ture in  the  World.  I  told  him  one  Day  (for 
he  loved  to  be  taken  notice  of  by  the  En* 
gli(h)  that  I  thought  him  mighty  happy, 
being  fo  much  refpe&ed  by  the  greateft 
Quality,  and  living  in  the  greateft  Afflu- 
ence and  Plenty,  the  World  ac  his  Com- 
mand, and  had  the  Favour  of  Princes.  He 
replied,  with  a  deep  figh,  and  the  Tears 
flood  in  his  Eyes,  Sl9  Signor  ma  fi  mane  a  qual- 

che  Cofa,  Yes,    Sir,  fays  he,  but there 

*— ~  is  fomething  wanting. 

But  Pafqualini,  as  1  faid  before,  was  obli- 
ged on  the  account  of  a  Diftemper,  other- 
wife  incurable,  to  undergo  that  Operation, 

but 


Eunuchifm  Diftla/d.  41 

but  as  he  is  a  Perfon  of  Quality,  and  a  Ma- 
tter of  a  good  Eftate,  he  has  all  the  Refped 
fhown  him  fuitable  to  his  Rank;  and  he  has 
this  Satisfaction,  that  it  was  only  to  fave 
his  Life,  and  not  by  Compulfion. 

But  to  return  to  our  Subjed ;  If  to  make 
and  preferve  a  fine  Voice  has  been  one  Mo- 
tive of  making  Eunuchs,  Avarice  has  been 
another,  for  that  Vice  has  pufhed  fome 
People  on  to  make  Eunuchs  on  purpofe 
to  Trade  and  make  Money  of  them.  Some 
Travellers  have  reported,  that  in  the  King- 
dom of  Boulan  only,  there  have  been  made 
every  Year  at  leaft  20000  Eunuchs,  which 
are  fent  away  to  be  fold  to  feveral  Places 
in  other  Countries.  The  Hiftory  of  Panwne, 
of  the  Ifland  of  Chio,  which  I  (hall  relate 
in  its  proper  Place,  will  plainly  (how, 
that  this  Sort  of  Commerce  is  no  new 
thing. 

Others  have  been  forced  into  Eunttchifm, 
as  a  Punifhment  for  fome  Crime ;  for  if  we 
may  believe  *  Luitf,r*nJus7  Meibcmius^  and 
others,  we  (hall  find  that  it  was  a  common 
Practice  to  punilh  Malefadors,  either  for 
Defertion  oi  Mutiny  in  the  Army,  or  any 
notorious  Crime,  with  this  fort  of  Punifh- 


*  Luttprand  Tionienjit^  Lib.  4.  de  rehus  per  Europam 
geftis,  Cap.  4.  Meibom.  Rer.  Germ.  Tom.  I.  c.  47.  ^.247. 
Camerar.Medit.Ji4/t0r.  Tom.  1.  Lib.  5.  cap.  19. 

ment, 


42  Eunuchifm  Uifpla/d. 

merit,  which  they  looked  upon  as  a  Note 
or  Mark  of  the  higheft  Shame  and  Infa- 
my. 

But  belides,  there  have  been  likewife  o- 
ther  Motives,  as  Raillery,  Refentment,  and 
Infult  ,•  to  prove  which,  may  be  inftanced 
a  Hiftory,  wherein  is  recounted  a  very  par- 
ticular Cafe,  which  becaufe  it  may  not  be 
unpleafant,  I  fhall  now  relate  it. 

That  Hiftory  tells  us,  that  in  the  Reign 
cf  Henry  the  ift  of  France,  "  In  the  Wars 
"  between  the  Greeks  and  the  Duke  oi  Bene- 
tf:  vento,  the  Greeks  treated  the  Duke  very 
"  ill.  Theobald  or  Ttbbald,  Marquifs  of  %- 
■"  leto,  his  Ailie,  came  to  his  Affiitance,  and 
<c  took  feveral  Greeks  Prifoners,  whom  he 
<c  commanded  to  be  caftrated,  and  then 
$  fent  back  in  that  Condition  to  the 
si  Greek  General,  and  faid,  they  fhould  tell 
"  him  that  he  did  it  to  oblige  the  Emperor, 
<c  who  he  knew  had  a  very  particular  love 
iC  for  Eunuchs,  and  that  he  would  try  very 
"  fpeedily  if  he  could  not  make  him  a  Pre- 
"  fent  of  a  greater  Number*  The  Mar- 
"  quifs  refolved  to  keep  his  Word,  and  ha- 
"  ving  taken  feveral  other  Prifoners,  was  one 
"  day  going  to  execute  that  fatal  Refolution, 
"  when  there  came  a  Woman,  whofe  Hus- 
cc  band  was  one  of  them,  running  through 
"  the  Camp,  and  crying  molt  pitifully, 
"  begg'd  (he  might  fpeak  to  Theobald.  The 
[c  Marquifs  having  asked  the  Reafon  of  her 

"  Sor- 


Eunuchtfm  Hilplafd.  4* 

"  Sorrow,  My  Lord,  fays  fhe,  1  am  aftonijh- 

€  ed  to  think  fuch  a  Hero  as    yon  are,   jhould 

amufe  your  [elf  in   making    War  with  poor 

Women,  now  the  Men  are  not  in   a  Conditi- 

"  on  to   refift  you.     Theobald   replied,     that 

"  fince  the  Time  of  the  Amazons,  no  one, 

as  he  ever  heard,  made  War  with   Wo- 

w  men  ;  My  Lord,  fays  the   Greek,  can  you 

<c  wage  a  more  cruel   War  againft  us,    than  to 

1  deprive  our  Husbands  of  that    which  gives  us 

"  Health,  Tleafure,    and  Children  ;  when   you 

do  thisy  you   make  us,  not  them,  Eunuchs  ; 

,  you  have  for  fever  al  Days  p^ft,  taken  away  from 
u  us  our  Baggage  and  Catrel,  and  I  never  made 
<c  any  Complaint,  but  (and  then  (lie  looked  ve- 
"  ry  wiftly  at  the  Marquifs,  fays  the  Hifto- 
?   ryj  the  Lofs  ofthofe  Goods  you    have   taken 

c  away  from  a  great  many  Women  of  my  Acquain- 
u  tance  being  irreparable ,  1  could  not  help  coming 
li  to  implore  the  Com  p  2 jfpn  of  a  Conqueror.  This 
"  honeft  Speech  of  rhe  poor  Woman  fo  well 
<c  pleafed  the  whole  Army,  that  they  not 
"  only  gave  her  back  her  Husband,  but 
ec  every  thing  elfs  rhat  had  been  taken  from 
"  her.  But  as  (he  was  going  away,  the 
"  Marquifs  asked  her  what  fhe  would  con- 
"  fent  mould  be  done  to  her  Husband  in  cafe 
<c  he  was  found  again  in  Arms.  He  has  Eyes, 
cc  (fays  fhe  very  haftilyj  a  Nofe,  Hands  and 
cc  Feet,  thefe  are  his  Goods,  and  you  may  take 
*c  them  away  from  him  if  he  deferves  it,  but  if 
cc  you  pleafe  let  that  alone  which  belongs  to  me. 

But 


44  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

But  the  Woman  in  the  Mercator  of  Tlau- 
f«/feems  to  have  been  of  another  Opinion, 
for  (he  looked  upon  thofe  Goods  that  be- 
longed to  her  to  be  of  fo  little  Significant 
cy  and  Value,  that  it  feems  her  Husband 
was  afraid  (he  would  deprive  him  of  them 
her  felf. 

*  Jjguafi  Ulyricum  mctuo  ne  Uxor  me  cafiret  mea< 

Eunuchifm  was  likewife  a  Punifhment 
for  Adultery,  of  which  I  could  give  a  great 
many  Inftances,  but  (hall  content  my  felf 
with  Three  only,  and  which  are  very  par- 
ticular. 

i.  The  firft  is  taken  from  t  Valerius  Max- 
imus9  who  tells  us,  that  Vibienus,  and  Publius 
Cerniusy  having  one  furprized  Carbo  Accienusy 
and  the  other  Pontius  in  Adultery,  foon  put 
them  in  a  Condition  of  never  doing  the 
like  Injury   for  the  future. 

2.  The  Second  b  m  Martial  ||  of  one  Hylasi 
who  had  an  Affafr  with  a  Tribunes  Wife, 
of  whom  that  Poet  has  made  the  following 
Verfes. 


*  A&.  i.  Seme  2.  t  Lib*  6.  Cap.  I.  Art.  13. 

II  Lib.  2.  Epigram,  60. 

Ux» 


Eunuchifm  Ttifflafd.  45 

Uxorem  armati  futuis,  puer,  Hyle>  Tribuni 
Supplicium  tantum  dum  puerile  times. 

V#  tibi  dum  ludts,  cafirabtre.  Jam  mihi  dices 
Non  licet  hoc.  Quid,  Tu  quod  facts  H)le  licet  ? 

3.  The  Third  and  Principal  is  the  Exam- 
ple of  Abelard  *.  This  amorous  Do&or, 
having  abufed  Heloife,  whofe  Mafter  or  Pre- 
ceptor he  was,  her  Relations  caufed  thofe 
Parts  which  had  diflionoured  their  Family 
to  be  cut  off,-  they  went  to  the  Root  of 
the  Evil,  and  in  fuch  a  manner,  that  ren- 
dered him  ever  incapable  of  a  Relapfe. 

Servants  that  had  ftoln  from  their  Ma- 
tters were  alfo  made  Eunuchs.  This  was 
a  PuniOiment  infli&ed  on  fuch  Offenders  by 
the  Salick  Law,  provided  the  Thing  ftolen 
was  worth  40  Pence.  Servi  qui  quippiam 
valens  quadraginta  denarios  furati  tjjent  caftra- 
ri  jubebantur  in  penam.  But  Servants  now- 
adays would  think  it  very  hard  to  be 
difmembred  for  10  Groats,  an  Attorney's 
Fee. 

Sometimes  Neceffity  obliged  People  to 
undergo  this  Operation,  as  in  Cafe  of  fome 
Diftemper,  otherwife  incurable,  as  I  ob- 
ferved  before,   in  the  Cafe  of  Paftualini  ; 


*  Monfieur  BaylsS  Qiftionary,  AtU  Jbelard  Heloife 
Sonique  s}  &c» 

and 


46  Eunuchifm  'Difpla/j. 

and  they  who  are  the  unhappy  Subjects  of 
this  Affliction  ought  not  to  be  looked  up- 
on with  an  evil  Eye,  but  rather  fhould 
merit  our  Companion  and  Confolation. 

Others  have  been  made  Eunuchs  by  way 
of  Reprizal,  or  Retaliation,  of  which  He- 
odotus  *  gives  us  a  very  curious  Example, 
Hermotimusy  fays  he,  a  Native  of  Pedafusy 
the  moft  confiderabfle  amongft  the  Eu- 
nuchs of   Xerxes,    of  all  Men  revenged 
himfelf  the  beft  of  that  Injury,  and  which 
was  after  this  manner.     He  had  been  ta- 
ken Prifoner,  and  foon  after  was  fold  to 
Fanioney  of  the  Ifle  of  ChiOy  who    traded 
in  Eunuchs,  and  caftrated  all  the  beau- 
tiful Boys  he  could  purchafe,  to  fell  them 
afterwards  at  a  good  Price  in  Ephefus  and 
Sardisy    becaufe  in  thofe   Parts  Eunuchs 
were  much  efteemed  on  account  of  their 
Honefty  and  Fidelity,  and  the  Confidence 
that  might  be  repofed  in  them  in  all  Ca- 
fes of  Moment  whatfoever  .*  Now  as  this 
Panione,  who  had  bought  Htrmotimusy  as 
I  faid  before,    made  a  livelihood   of  this 
execrable  and  infamous  Practice,  he  made 
him  undergo  the  fame  Fate  with  a  great 
many  others.     But    Hermotimus  was   not 
unhappy  in  all  Refpe&s,  for  being  fent 
to  the  King  of  Sardis,    with  other  Pre- 


*ftero<titKS}Lib.2, 

6  fents, 


Eunuchlfm  DiftUfd.  47 

fents,  he  fo  well  behaved  himfelf  in  that 
Court,  that  in  time  he  grew  much  more 
in  the  good  Graces  of  that  Prince  than 
any  of  the    other  Eunuchs.     When    the 
King    with   his  Troops    left  Sard*,  and 
was  muching  to  Athens  $  Hermotimus  was 
fent  about  fome  Affair  of  Confequence 
to  Atarne,  a  Place   in  Mjfia,    where    he 
found  Panlone,  whom  he  presently  knew, 
and  addrelfed  himfelf  to  him  with  all  the 
Complaifance    in    the  World,    with   the 
higbeft  Expreffions  of  Civility  and  Te- 
ftimonies  of  Friendfhip.     He   told   him 
fuft,  that  'twas  to   him  he  owed  all  his 
Advancement    and    Profperity    in    the 
World  ;  and  then  promifed  to  (hew  him 
all  the  Marks  of  his  Efteem  he  had  for 
him,  and   that   he  would  in  a  very  lin- 
gular manner  (hew  his  Acknowledgment 
and  Gratitude  for  all  the  Benefits  he  had 
received  from  him,  if  he  would  only  bring 
his  Family  with  him,  and  live  in  an  A* 
partment  of  his  Houfe.     Panione  permit* 
ted  himfelf    eafily  to  be   perfwaded  by 
this  Difcourfe,  and  very  readily  brought 
his  Wife  and  Children  along  with  him  to 
accept    of    the  Favours  of   Hermotimus  ; 
but  (carce  had   they   entered  the  Houfe 
when  Hermotimus  fpoke  to  him   in  thefe 
unexpe&ed  Words.     O  thou  mofi  wicked  of 
of  all  Mankind!  Thou  haft  hitherto  gained  a 
Livelihood  by    a  Commerce  the  mofi  dete/ra- 

'  bh 


'48  Eunuchifm  Difplay'd. 

ble  In  the  World,  What  Injury  haft  thou  tvef 
received  from  me,  or  my  Parents,  thou,  or  any 
of  thy  Family ,  that  thou  haft  brought  to  this 
'wretched,  miferable  Condition,  in  which  from 
being  a  Man  as  I  was,  I  am  now  become 
neither  Man  nor  Woman  ?  Doft  thou  think 
the  Gods  could  not  fee  thy  Aclions  ?  As  they 
are  full  of  "juftice  and  Equity,  thou  infamous 
Artifan  of  Mifery  and  Wretchednefs,  fo  have 
they  this  Day  put  it  into  my  Tower  to  pro- 
portion  thy  Punijhment  to  thy  Crimes*  After  he 
had  thus  reproached  the  now  moft  un- 
happy Panione,  he  commanded  his  4  Sons 
(he  brought  with  him)  to  Hand  before 
him3  and  made  him  geld  his  own  Chil- 
dren, and  when  that  was  done,  forc'd  the 
Children  to  do  the  fame  ungrateful  Of- 
fice to  their  Father.  Such  was  the  Ven- 
geance of  Hermotimus,  and  fuch  the  Pu- 
nilhment  of  Panione. 

Some  People  believe  Hermotimus  carried 
this  Matter  too  far,  according  to  the  Rules 
of  Juftice,  and  that  it  had  been  fufficient 
only  to  have  let  the  Father  fuffer. 

The  Revenge  of  Narfes  was  much  more 
important,  fuppofing  it  to  be  true  ;  for 
Baronius  and  other  Authors  very  much 
doubt  of  ir.  Narfes  having  conquered  the 
Barbarians  and  Goths,  prefented  himfelf  be- 
fore the  Emperor  Juftinian;  the  Emprefs 
Sophia,  in  raillery  told  this  General,  (he 
would  have  him  go  into  the  Women's  Apart- 

ment 


KEmuchifm  *Difflafd  4  j 

ment  to  affift  them  in  their  Spinning  (for 
he  was  an  Eunuch)  This  unfeafonable  Piece 
of  Wit,  raifed  the  Anger  and  Indignation 
of  Narfes  to  that  degree,  that  it  extorted 
from  him  thefe  Words,  -fUfpin  fuch  a  Thready 
fays  he,  that  your  Husband  jhall  never  be  able, 
to  unt-wifi  it.  And  accordingly  fome  time 
after,  he  was  the  Occafion  that  the  Lombards 
effectually  withdrew  themfelves  from  the 
Jurifdi&ion  of  the  Empire. 

I  muft  confefs,  bating  the  Circumftance 
of  caftrating  the  Sons,  who  could  not  help 
their  Father's  ill  Actions,  there  is  nothing 
appears  more  Juft  to  me,  than  the  Refent- 
ment  of  Hermotimus ;  and  the  Punifhmenc 
of  Panione  (who  not  only  caftrated  him, 
but  a  Million  of  others  to  fatisfy  his  Ava* 
rice)  could  not  certainty  be  too  great.  It 
was  founded  on  die  Law  of  Reprizals  oc 
Retaliation  5  for  the  Lex  Yalionis  was  then 
eftablifhed,  a  Law  of  the  greateft  Equity; 
and  in  the  Law  of  the  12  Tables  are  thefe 
exprefs  Words,  *  Pena  autem  injuriarum  ex 
lege  duodecim  Tabular  urn  propter  fnembrum  qui* 
dem  ruptum  Talio  erlt. 

The  Emperor  Juftinlany  fince  that,  has 
pofitively  decreed3  that  the  Law  of  Reta- 
liation ihould  be  in  force  againft  thofe  thac 
ihould  execute  this  kind  of  Martyrdom  on 


f  Igftiti  Lib,  4*  tit,  4.  de  Injuriis,  §,7. 

D  any 


r  50  !  Emmchifm  Difplafd. 

any  one  whatfoever. -<*  Saucimus  igitur,  fays 
lie,  «f  ^tfi  iw  quocunq,  Reipublicae  mftr*  loco^ 
quamcunq\  perfonam  caftrare  prefwnunt  aut  etiam 
prefuwpferint,  fi  quidem  viri  fint  qui  hoc  fa- 
cere  prefumpferint,  aut  etiam  pnfumunt  idem 
hoc  quod  aliis  fecerunt  &  ipfl  patiantur.  And 
this  Law  is.  conformable  to  right  Reafon, 
(abftra&ing  from  the  Law  of  Mofes  where 
it  is  exprefly  mentioned )  and  even  the  Hea- 
thens were  of  that  Opinion,  for  as  f  Ovid 
1  fays, 

_  J§#*  primus  pueris  genitalia  membra  recidit 
Vulnera  que  fecit  debuit  ipfe  pat'u 

However,  as  the  Chriftian  Religion  does 
by  no  means  approve  of  Eunuchifm,  this 
Lex  Talionis,  or  Law  of  Reprizal  was  abro- 
gated as  to  that  refpecft  by  the  Emperor  Leo, 
for  very  grave  and  Chriftian  Reafons,  as 
may  be  feen  in  his  Conftitution.  || 

In  fliort,  there  have  been  Eunuchs  who 
have  made  themfelves  fo,  or  have  been  for- 
ced to  be  made  fo  for  feveral  Reafons,  as 
may  be  feen  in  the  following  Chapter. 

*  Novel  42.  Cap,  1,  f  Amor  Jib.  2,  Eleg.  3.  0,  3.  & 
.4.    ^Novthfa 


C  ttA*. 


yEunuchifm  Diftlafd.  ^ 

i 

CHAP.    VI. 

Why  fome  Men  have  made  themfelves 
Eunuchs^  or  have  been  forced  to  be 
made  [o  by  others. 

THERE  have  been  fome  Men  who 
have  made  themfelves  Eunuchs  through 
a  Spirit  of  Devotion,  believing  that  by  fo 
doing,  they  might  render  themfelves  more 
acceptable  to  God,  and  be  more  capable  of 
working  out  their  Salvation.  But  as  Or£- 
gen  was  the  Chief,  the  Father,  (if  I  may 
fo  fay,)  and  the  Patriarch  of  thefe  Sort  of 
Eunuchs,  it  will  not  be  improper,  in  a  few 
Words,  to  examine  what  was  the  real  Mo- 
tive that  induced  him  to  a&  and  think  aftec 
fo  lingular  a  manner. 

I  know  very  well  *  Jufiin  Martyr  makes 
mention  of  a  young  Man  of  Alexandria,  that 
lived  before  Origen,  who  to  convince  thofe 
who  accufed  the  Chriftians  of  committing 
the  mod  horrible  Impurities  in  their  Al- 
femblies,  that  fuch  Accufations  were  only 
malicious  Calumnies ,  prefented  a  Petition 
to  Felix,  Governour  of  that  City,  that  he 
would    affign  him  a  Surgeon  who  might 


iius. 


Apl  2./4T.  7i,  Dedicated  to  tfc  Em£eror  Antoni- 

D  *  forth- 


g?  i  -EmmchifmrDijpIafd. 

forthwith  pat  him  out  of  the  Condition  of 
committing  what  the  Chriftians  were  accu- 
fed  of  *,  bat  as  Felix  refufed  his  Requeft,  as 
being  contrary  to  the  Roman  Laws,  which 
forbid  Caitration,  as  the  Ecclsiiaftical  Ca- 
nons have  fince  alio  done,  we  may  well 
reckon  Origen  to  be  thefirft  ill  Order;  for 
if  .he  wasiiot  the  firft  which  had  fuch  a  De-» 
fign,  he  was  the  Bffl  at  -c  it  that  put  it 
In  Execution. 

Origen  was  born  in  Ahxa^-kJu  in  che  Year 
of  our  Lord  185,  his  Fathers  Nacne  was 
Leonidas,  who  e&ufejfhihi  to  ftudy  Div-in;ry, 
in  the  Knowledge  of  which,  ha  m*ide  Lim- 
felf -very  Learned.  Or  this  Truth  we  can- 
not bring  a  better  Proof  than  the  Teftimoqy 
of  St.  Jerom,  for  at  the  fame  time  that  he 
wrotefeverely  enough  againfl:  him,  he  ac- 
knowledged that  he  was  a  great  Man  from 
his.  Infancy  %  Magnus  Vlr  ab  Infant  id.  He  was 
fo  zealous  in  the  Profeffion  of  the  Chriftian 
Religion,  that  in  the  Perfecution  which  be- 
gan in  Alexandres,  under  the  Reign  of  the 
Emperor  Severus,  in  the  Year  of  Chrift  202, 
he  had  a  great  Defire  to  fuffer  Martyrdom, 
though  he  was  then  only  16  or  17  Years  of 
Age;  and  accordingly  had  thrown  himfelf  in- 
to the  Hands  of  the  Perfecutors,  had  not  his 
Mother  hindered  him  partly  by  good  Words, 


*  Epifi.  $j6*ad  Yat?jma;hwm  de  JLmnhys  QngmU. 

2nd 


and  partly  by  Force.  Being  thus  debarred* 
from  differing  himfelf,  he  exhorted  his  Fa- 
ther by  Letters,  to  lay  his  Life  down  for 
Godf  with  a  trus  Chriftian  Magnanimity 
and  Courage,  and  who  accordingly  had 
his  Head  cut  off,  and  his  Goods  confifca- 
ted  ;  fo  that  Origen  his  Son  was  reduced  to5 
the  utmoft  Poverty. 

A  rich  Lady  of    Alexandria  taking  Pi^y 
upon  him,  received  him  into  her  Family  1 
there  lived  with  her  a  famous  Heretick  of 
Ar.tioch,  whom  (he  had  adopted  for  her  Son, 
who  ufed  to  hold  many  Conferences  in  the' 
Family,  at  which  both  Hereticks,  and  the* 
Orthodox  affiled  without   any   difference*- 
Origan  frequently  converfed  with  him,  but 
never  would    have     any    Communication- 
with  him  in  Prayer,  obferving  very  religi- 
oufly  the  Rules  of  the  Church,  and  had  the 
utmoft  Horror  for    all  falfe  Dc&rine  and- 
H- 

n'v  defired  to   live  without  ha- 
dance  on  others,    and  ac- 
co  himfelf  to  teach  Gram- 

mar; i  rafter  the  School  of  Alex- 

andria was  gi  sn  him,  being  vacant  on  the 
Death  of  the  ProfeiTor,  bat  that  not  afford- 
ing him  fufficioni  wherewithal  to  live*  he 
fold  all  his  Books  treated  of  Pro* 

phane  Sciences,  and  contented  hitttfejf  to 
live  on  4  Oboli  or  Hair  p$j  c  Re 

then  began  to  lead  a  very  uuilere,  lahori. 


54  Eumchifm  'Dlfj>?ajM- 

ous,  and  rigorous  Life;  and  as  his  Employ- 
ment obliged  him  to  be  often  with  Wo* 
men,  whom  he  taught  as  well  as  Men,  to 
take  from  the  Heathens  all  pretence  of 
Sufpicion  of  any  ill  Conduct  in  refped  of 
his  Youth,-  He  refolved  literally  to  arrive  at 
that  State  of  Perfection  he  perfua'ded  him- 
felf  that  Jefus  Chrift  had  propofed  in  thefg 
Words  of  the  Ciofpel  :,  There  he  Eunuchs 
which  have  wade  themfehes  Eunuchs  for  the. 
'Klngfhm  of  Heaven, 

He  endeavoured  to  keep  this  Action  pri- 
vate, even  from  his  mod  intimate  Friends,, 
but  it  was  not  long   before  it  was  fpread 
abroad.     Demetrius,    Bifhop    of  Alexandria^, 
was  informed  of  it,  who  praifed  his  great 
Zeal,  and  the  Ardour  of  his  Faith,  but  he. 
food  changed  his  Tone ;    for  the  Reputa- 
tion of  Origin  being  fpread  through  all  Pla- 
ces where  ever  he  went,    Demetrius  wrote 
again ft  him,  and  reproached  him  for  that 
Accion  he  had   before  fo  much  praifed  and 
extolled.     His  Paffion   carried  him   on  fo 
hr,  that  he  f,o:   him   baniftied   from  Alex- 
andria^ depofed  in  a  Council  of  Bifhops  at 
Egypt,    and    even    excommunicated,     and 
wrote   circular    Letters   to  have  him  ex- 
cluded the  Communion  of  all  the  Churches 
in  the  World.    This  Narrative  which  I  have 
extracted  from  a  very  *  Authentick  Writer, . 

*  Vu  Pin  nou-uelh  Bihliothe^ue  des  Auteurs-  Ecdejiflfti- 
ques    Tor-u  I.,  p..  121.. 


Eunuchifm  UiffJafd,  5  5 

approved  of  by  the  Publick,  and  agreeable 
to  Eufeb'ws,  fufficiendy  deftroys  and  re- 
futes what  St.Rcmnald  fays  upon  this  Sub- 
ject. 

*  The  Account  that  he  gives  of  it,  in 
fliort,  is  this.  In  the  Year  232  (fays  hej 
there  was  a  Popular  Sedrion  in  Alexandria 
raifed  againft  Origen,  which  obliged  him  to 
retire  elfewhere,  leaving  his  Difciple  He- 
racles to  take  care  of  the  Schools  of  trie  Guy 
in  his  Abfence.  It  is  not  cerrainwhat  was  the 
Caufe  of  this  Sedition,  fome  attribute  it  to' 
his  Publi  firing  his  Teriarchon,  or  his  Princi- 
ples, which  indeed  (fays  he)  is  a  true  La- 
byrinth of  Errors  \  others  again  imagine, 
that  it  was  on  account  of  his  often  per- 
fuading  his  Scholars  to  imitate  him,  and 
make  themfelves  Eunuchs,  either  by  Section 
or  Hemlock,  thereby  entirely  to  enervate 
that  Rebellious  Part  of  the  Body,  fo  as  ne- 
ver more  to  be  troubled  with  the  brutal 
Movements  of  the  Fle(h.  And  this  Author 
declares  himfelf  to  be  of  this  latter  Opini- 
on, becaufe,  fays  he,  much  about  that  cime 
that  Error  of  his  grew  into  a  Herefie 
through  the  falfe  Zeal  of  Valejius  the  Ann* 
biav,  whom  I  have  before  fpoken  of,  and 
who  was  the  Ring- leader  and  Propagator  of 


*  S.  Romnald.  Tom.  2.  p\lSy.  da  Trefor.  El  for.  & 
ChrcnoU  in  FoL- 

V  4  that 


$6  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

that  SecV    But  it  is. certain,   that  in  the 
firft  Place,  Orlgen  never  did  Violence  to  any 
Man,  he  kept  this  Action  of  his  fecret,  and 
whzn  it  was  divulged,  it  was  againft  his 
Intention.     idly.  He  himfelf  condemned  it 
afterwards,  and  this  is  a  Fad  which  the  fame 
Author  from  whom  I  took  the  Abridgment 
of  his  Hiftory   expredy  obferves  ;    Euftbim 
bis  great  Protector  fpeaks  after  fuch  a  man- 
ner as  plainly  difcovered  he  was  aihamed 
of  it.     He  alfo  was  afhamed  to  have  (pent 
fo  much  time  in  prophane  Sciences,  and  he 
f;xeufes  himfelf  in  the  Second  Book  of  his 
Apology    or  Defence.     The   very  Words 
which  Orlgen  made  ufe  of  to  condemn  this 
Action,  are  in  the  i?th  Sermon  upon  the 
19th  Chapter  of  St.  Matthew,    and  in  hit 
Treatife  againft  Ccifus,  in  the  Seventh  Book. 
To  be    more  fully  convinced  of  this,    we 
have  nothing  elfe  to  do,  but  to   read  what 
he.  fays  in  his  Seventh    ±reatife   upon  the 
39th  Chapter  of  St.  Matthew,  and  we  (hall 
foon  perceive  that  he  changed  his  Opinion. 
Thefe  are  his  Words  >  Nos  autem  fi  Spirituals 
fumus  Verba    Spirit  us  fpiritualitcr   accipiamusr 
&  de  tribus    ijHs  Eunucbi&aticnibus  adificati- 
cn.em  intrcdtecentes  rnorakm.     Eunuchi  nuncmo- 
raliter  abllinentes  a  veneriis  funt    appellandi  ; 
Eorum    autem    qui  fe   continent   differentia    tres 
font.    '  Thofe,  fays  he,  who  are  Eunuchs 
'  from  their  Mother's  Womb,  are  thofe  who 
*■  are  fo  by-  a  certain  Temperament  of  Hu- 

'  mours, 


Emuchifm  ^ifplayrd:  ff- 

mours,   that   are    frigid   and    impotent, 
Thofe  who  are  made  fo  by  Men,  are  they- 
who  become  fo  by  reafon,  as  were  thofe 
Philofophers,  who  making  Profeffion  of 
Worldly  Wifdom,  abftain  from  the  Com- 
merce of- Women  through  human  Max- 
ims and  Motives,  or  a  falfe  Shame,  or  hu- 
man Laws.     La/My,,  fays  he,    there  are 
thofe  who  make   themfelves  Eunuchs  for' 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  \    and  there  are: 
fuchas  arechaftby  Virtue  and  Piet}r,  the 
better  to  be  difpofed  to  the  Service  of  God^ 
and  with  Intention  to  render  themfelves- 
'  more  pleafing  to  him. 

*  Socrates  the  Hiftorian,   fays  ofOrigen]. 
whom  he  calls  Doctor  valde  Sapiens,   was  at* 
laft  convinced,  that  the  Precept?  of  the  Mo~ 
faick  Law  ought  not  to  be  underftood  alto- 
gether Literally,  but  ought  to  have  a  more, 
fublirae  Explication,    And  he  adds,  that  he 
interpreted  the  Precept  of  the  Pafchal  to 
a  higher  and  more  Divine  Senfe,  Precentiw? 
de  Pafchale  ad  altlorem  diviniorernq;  fsnfam  t?a*^ 
duxity  which  plainly  demonftrates  more  than 
any  thing  that  Origcn  had  awakened  from: 
his  former  Error  of  believing,  that  what 
was  contained  in  the  Old  and  New  Tefta* 
ment  rauft  be  underftood  according  to  the 
Letter. 


Lib,  5.  C^.ai, 


D  5 


$-8  Eu^ucbijmT)if^IayTd. 

VaUfius,  whom  I  have  often  mentioned' 
in  this  Work,  came  after  him,  and  as  the 
Scholars  always  go  .farther  than  their  Ma- 
tters,    (fuppofing   that  Valefius,  who  only 
imitated  Origen,    but    was  never  by.  him 
taught  or  recommended  to  pra&ife  that  cru- 
el Doctrine  may  (or  ought  to)  be  called  his 
Scholar,)   fo  VaUfm  improved  very  much 
upon  this  Fa£t  of  Origen  ;  for  hiOrigen  cbn- 
fidered  the  Words  of  Jefus  Chrift  only  as 
of  Council,  not  of  Precept,    and  that  he 
pra&ifed  it  not  as  a  Duty  abfolutely  in- 
cumbent,   but  only   ad  melius  ejfe,   in  the 
Language  of  the  Schools,  through  an  ear- 
Belt  Defire  to  arrive  at  Ferfe&ion,  and  to 
take  from  his  Enemies  all  pretence  of  judg- 
ing ill  of  his  Gonverfation  with  his  Female 
Scholars  ,•  Valefius  on  the  contrary,  changed 
this  voluntary  Adion  into  a  neceffary  one, 
and  forced  all  thofe  who  fell  into  his  Hands 
to  make  themfelves  Eunuchs  5  and  if  they  re- 
fufed,  he  forcibly  had  them  bound  toaBench^ 
and  with  his  own  Hands  performed  that 
cruel  Office,  telling  them  at  the  fame  time? 
that  they  muft  fulfil  to  the  Letter  what  our 
Saviour   faid,   That    there  have  been  Eunuchs 
who  have    made   themfelves     Eunuchs  for   the 
Kingdom  of  Heaven,  which  with  Submiflion 
to  Valefius,  was  a  little  improper,  and  not 
agreeable  to  the   Letter  of   the    Scripture 
K either,  for  the  Words  are,  who  have  made 
tbtmftfocs  Eunuchs  1  but  thofe  who  have  been 

forced 


EunuchifmT>i}Ylafll  '  59 

forced  to  be  made  fo  by  others,    are  not 
thofe  who  have  made  themfdves  Eunuchs. 

This  Sec5t  which  was  called  the  Se&  of 
the  Pahfiam  or  Eunuchs,  was  not  very  long, 
jived.    Firft  it  was  abfolutely  condemned" 
by  the  firft.  General  Council  of  Nice,   on 
occafion  of  Leontim,  a  Pried,  who  was  an 
Eunuch;    Secondly,  Becaufe  thofe  who  had 
undergone    the    Operation,    fuffered  fuch 
horrible  Pains  and  Torture,  that  they  were 
often  in  great  Danger    of  dying,    which 
flruck  others  with  fo  much  Fear  and  Ter- 
ror, that  they  abandoned  the  Sed  entirely, 
But  the  Third  and  moft  effedual  Caufe  of 
all  was,    that  it  was  abfolutely  forbidden 
by  the  Roman  Laws,  unlefs  Leave  was  fipft 
had  of  the  Civil   Magiftrate,    and  People 
were  afhamed  to  ask  fuch  Leave,  efpeciaU 
ly  fince    they  were   almoft    allured    they 
fhoutd  be  refufed,  witnefs  that  young  Man 
mentioned  by  Juftin  Martyr 3  in  his  2d  Apo- 
logy to  the  Emperor  Antoninus %  who  wens 
to  ask  leave  of  the  Governour,   as  I  ob- 
ferved  in  the   Beginning  of  this   Chapter, 
becaufe  the  Surgeon  would  not  other  wife 
undertake  to  do  it  timore  Poena,  for  fear  of  ths 
Punifhment  or  Penalty  he  would  incur  by 
fo  doing,  but  was  abfolutely  refufed  ;  and 
what  that  Punifhment  was,  may  be  feen  in 
L-  4'  §•  2.  ff.  ad  Legem  Cornelians  de  Steams 
&  VenefUus ;   and  thus  was  the  Beginning, 
Progrefs,  and  Eod  of  jhis  Se<5b 


6$  'Emnzhijm  THJpJafd:-. 

We  have  now  fean  what  were  the  Mq* 
tives  that  induced  Origen  and  VaUfius  to 
make  themfelves  Eunuchs ;  but  fince  their 
Time  there  have  been  others  who  have 
made  themfelv-es  fo  on  a  quite  different  Ac-» 
count. 

All  the  World  knows  the  Hiftory  of 
€ombabm,  it  is  in  Lucian,  but  Monfieuc 
Bayle  has  publifhed  it  in  his  Hiftorical  Di- 
<8:ionary.  with  all  its  Circumftances. 

Gomhbus  was  a  young  Lord  atthe.Court 
of  thsKing  of  Syria,,  well  skilled  in  Ar- 
<shite£fcure.  He  was  pitched  upon  by  that 
Monarch  to  attend  his  Queen  Stratonice  in  a 
long  Voyage  which  (he  was  obliged  to  make, 
m  order  to  build  a  Temple  to  Juno,  accord- 
ing to  the  Directions  fte  had  received  in, 
3fc  Dream,  Cbmbabtn  was  young  and  hand- 
feme,  and  had  got  it  in  his  Head,  that  th& 
King  would  infallibly  entertain  fome  Jea- 
loufy  againflf  him;  he  therefore  earneftly 
Untreated  him  that  he  would  difpenfe  with 
Mm  from  undertaking  that  Employment,  but 
when  he  faw  he  could  by  no  means  prevail, 
lie  looked  upon  himfelf  as  a  dead  Man, 
if  he  did  not  take  fuch  Care  in  his  Conduct 
as  might  not  give  occafion  for  the  leaft  Sha- 
dow of  Sufpicion.  He  only  then  begged  of 
ehe  King  that  he  would  be  pleafed  to  allow 
him  feven  Days  to  prepare  for  his  Journey, 
m& 'this  he  did*  after  this  manner. 


As- 


Eitmchifm  "DiffJafd.  Ci 

As  foon  as  he  came  to  his  Lodgings,  he 
bewailed  the  Wretchednefs  of  his  Conditi- 
on, which  expofed  him  to  this  difmal  Al- 
ternative, either  to  loofe  his  Sex  or  his 
Life,-  and  after  having  fetched  a  few  bit- 
ter Sighs:  he  cut  off  his  fecret  Parts, 
and  having  embalmed  them,  fealed  them 
up  in  a  Box-  When  the  time  came 
that  he  was  to  undertake  his  Journey,  h3 
prefented  the  Box  to  the  King,  in  the 
Prefence  of  a  great  Number  of  Courtiers, 
an&begg'd  his  Majefty  tha.t  he  would  keep 
it  for  him  till  his  Return,  and  told  hinv 
that  there  was  in  it  what  was  more. valuable 
than  Gold  and  Silver,  and  was  as  dear  to 
him, as  his  Life,  The  King  put  his  Seal 
upon  the  Box,  and  gave  it  the  Mafter  of 
the. Wardrobe  to  take  care  of  it.  This. 
Journey  of  the  Queen's  continued  three 
Years,  and  what  Combabus  imagined  he  fore- 
Caw  really  came  topafs,  and  the  Event  plain- 
ly juftified  his  Precaution, 

This  A&ion  of  Combabus  gave  Birth  to 
other  Motives  for  Eunuchifm.  His  inti- 
mate Friends  gelt  themfelves  to  be  Com- 
panions of  his  Difgrace,  and  to  comfort 
him  according  to  the  old  Maxim,  that  it 
is  a  Comfort  to  the  Unfortunate  to  have 
Companions  or  Partakers  of  their  Mi-- 
ferg- 


3$- 


6  2  Eunuchifm  TUlftlafd. 

Solamenmiftris  Socios  habuijje  Dolor  is.     '■* 

For  'tis  a  Comfort  which  the  Wretched  know 
TJhave  others,  like  themselves,  deep  phtng'd  in 

\lVoe. 

Lucian  adds,  that  this  Condud  of  the 
Friends  of  Combabus,  laid  the  Foundation 
of  a  certain  Cuftom,  which  was  Annually 
obferved,  to  caftrate  feveral  Perfons  in  the 
Temple  which  Stratonice  and  Combabus  had 
built ;  and  he  fays  they  did  it  five  Combabum 
confolantes  five  Junoni>  &c. 

But  the  young  Gentleman  I  am  going 
now  to  fpeak  of,  had  quite  different  Mo- 
tives from  thofe  of  Combabus  or  his  Compa- 
nions. This  young  Gentleman,,  who  was 
very  handfome,  having  by  his  Add  reft  and 
Perfeverance,  obtained  an  entire  Victory 
over  his  Miftrefs,  who  put  her  felf  into  his 
Poffeffion,  but  finding  by  an  unfortunate 
Accident  he  could  not  reap  any  Advantage 
by  his  Conqueft,  as  being  then  fo  unhappy 
as  nottobeMafter  of  the  Inftmments  of 
his  Paffion,  which  would  not  now  obey 
him,  but  were  all  Ice  and  Snow,  while  his 
Heart  was  on  Fire,-  mortified  at  this  fad 
Adventure,  he  cut  them  off  as  foon  as 
he  came  to  his  Lodging,  and  fent  them 
to  his  Miftrefs  as  a  Bloody  Vi&im,  on- 
ly capable  to  attone   for  their   Offences, 

Mm- 


Eunuchifm  'Difylafd.  6^ 

*  Montaigne,  who  tells  this  Story,  makes 
this  Exclamation,  had  he  done  this,  fays  he, 
for  Religion,  like  the  Triefts  of  Cybele,  what 
might  one  not  have  faid  of  fo  bold  an  Enter- 
frize. 

The  fame  Author  tells  us  of  a  certain 
Teafant  in  his  Neighbourhood,  that  m3cte 
himfelf  an  Eunuch  for  quite  different  Rea- 
fons,  which  was  for  meer  Paffion  and  An- 
ger againft  his  Wife;  this  good  Man,  as 
foon  as  he  came  home,  was  received  by 
his  Wife,  who  was  jealous  of  him  to  an 
Extravagance,  and  was  continually  tor- 
menting him  with  the  ufual  Welcome,  and 
faid  any  thing  againft  him  that  came  up- 
permoft,  and  as  her  Jealoufie  furniftied  her 
with  malicious  Abufes,  he  made  no  more 
ado,  but  immediately,  with  his  Scyth  that 
he  then  had  in  his  Hand,  whipt  off  thofe 
Parts  which  gave  her  fo  much  Umbrage, 
and  without  any  more  Ceremony-  threw 
them  in  the  good  Woman's  Face. 

There  are  yet  others  who  make  them- 
felves  Eunuchs  through  fear  of  the  Lepro- 
fy,  or  the  Gout,  and  to  fecure  themfeives 
from  the  Pain  and  Inconveniencies  that  at- 
tend thefeDiftempers,  who  had  rather  loofe 
the  Advantages  thofe  Parts  bring  with  them, 
than  run  the  rifque  of  furTering  thofe  Pains 


*  ftUnta'igm  Ejfays.  Lib.  2.  Chap.  zc,.  * 


« 


i^j.and 


6x  Emuchifm  Difpla/d. 

and  Inconveniencies.  It  is  certain,  thas- 
Eunuchs  are  never  troubled  with  the  Le- 
profie,  according  to  Monfieur  le  Pretre,  a 
Counfellor  in  the  Parliament  of  Paris,  who 
has  thefe  Words  in  his  notable  Queftions* 
*  Antipathia  vero  Ekphantiafis  Veneno  re/iftit  y 
Hinc  Eunuchiy  &  quicuncf^  funt  mollis ,  frigi- 
da  &  effeminate  nature  nunqttam  aut  raro  le~ 
pra  corripiuntur,  &  c^uidem  cjuibus  imminei 
Uvre  perieulum  de  Confilio .  Medkorum  fibi  Vi- 
rilia  amputare  permittitur.  C.  ex  pacl.  11.  ex- 
de  Ccrpa.  <vitiatis  ordinandis  <ml  non  ,•  .Quod 
etiam  aliquando  permiferunt  nonnulli  leprcfa 
mimjirantesj  manifefto  'Experiment o  magno^  vi- 
ta. &  Sanitatis  comrnedo.  AncT  '{*  Me&eraji, 
fays,  he  has  read  in  the  Life  of  Philip  the 
Auguft,  that  fome  Men  had  fuch  Apprehen- 
fions  of  the  Leprofie,  that  fhameful  and  na- 
tty Diftem  per,  that  to  prefeive  themfelves 
from  it,  they  made  themfelves  Eunuchs. 

It  is  obferved  that  Eunuchs  are  never 
bald,  becaufe  their  Brains  are  more  entire 
than  thoie  of  other  Men,  who  loofe  great 
Part  by  the  ufe  of  Venusy  the  Seminal  Juices 
deriving  thence  chiefly  their  Original. 
They  are  like  wife  exempt  from  the  Gout, 
for  which  ||  Hippocrates  and  **  Pliny  give 


■^Centttr.  i .  (jap,  C.  de  Separation?  ex  Caufa  1ms  Ve- 
?;pye<c.  |  Abreg.  Ohrofioh  'Tom.  1.  pag.  6$$. 

H  Kippocrat.  JikAphcrifm,  a$,  &  *?.  $n??  W™-  M- 
31..  Cap.  27,. 

?ery: 


Emuchifm  Difpla/d-.  6f 

very  fubftantial  Reafons.  C&lins  Rhodlgi- 
ftus  fays  the  fame  thing  in  the  ;oth  Chap- 
ter of  his  1 9th  Book,  Lettlonum  Anticjuarum  ; 
an&  in  another  Place  of  the  fame  Treatife, 
that  Eunuchs  only  are  exempt  from,  being 
affecled  with  a  certain  Vapour  whidh  fteams 
forth  of  the  Earth  in  fome  Parts  of  Egjpt, 
which  kills  all  other  Perfons  with  its  into- 
lerable Stench. 

This  Circumftance.  probably  is  the  fame 
which  Ammianus  MarcelHnns  *,  and  Dion 
take  notice  of  in  the  Life  of  Trajan,  con- 
cerning the  Grott  of  HUrapolis.  There  is, 
fay  they,  a  Ciftern  clofe  of  all  Sides,  with 
a  Theatre  built  upon  it,  under  which  there 
ifTues  a,  Vapour  fo  pernicious  to  all  Sorts  of 
Animals.,  that  they  immediately  die  asfoon 
as  they  fmell  it,  except  Eunuchs,  who  are 
not  at  all  affe&ed  with  its  Malignity. 

To  conclude,  there  are  fome  who  havs 
made  themfelves  Eunuchs  after  they  have 
been  condemned  to  fuffer  an  ignominious 
or  -painful  Death,  on  purpole  to  avoid  their 
Execution  by  this  Operation,  which  they 
know  muft  infallibly  kill  them,  without- 
timely  Applications  of  proper  Medicines, 
which  they  have  no  Intention  in  fuch  Cafe 
to  make  ufe  of.  ?u;  '    v  :  *&$\k <£&&&- 

'  _:'        '     '.''■      ■  ^ 

CHAP* 


66  Eunuchism  *Dlff>laf'd. 

G  H  A  P.     VII. 

Of  Eunuchs  fo  called^  on  account  of  their 
Em  payment  or  Office,  arid  of  thofe 
who  are  jo  in  a  figurative  Senfe. 

THOSE  who  were  in  poffeGion  of  the 
Employments  or  Offices  which  were 
ufually  given  to  Eunuchs,  were  themfeives 
alfo  called  by  that  Name,  as  thofe  who  are 
admitted  into  Holy  Orders,  are  at  this  Day 
called  Priefts  or  Presbyters,  which  figni- 
ftes  a  Perfon  in  Years,  becaufe  originally, 
none  but  Presbyters,  or  Perfons  in  Years 
were  admitted  to  exercife  that  Function  $ 
and  the  modern  Word  Prieft,  was  formerly 
Priefter  or  Preffer,  which  is  nothing  but 
a  Corruption  from  Presbyter. 

And  therefore  as  Eunuchs  were  employ- 
ed in  feveral  Sorts  of  Offices  in  the  Courts 
of  Princes,  fo  thofe  who  fucceeded  them  in 
fuch  Offices  were  called  alfo  Eunuchs.  In 
this  Senfe  the  Holy  Scripture  is  to  be  un- 
derftood,  when  it  makes  mention  of  the 
Eunuchs  of  Pharaoh,  King  of  Egypt,  thofe 
of  the  Kings  of  Ifrael  and  Jttdah,  oi  Ajjmmi- 
King  of  Perfia,  the  Kings  of  Babylon,  of  him 
who  ferved  Qandace  Queen  of  Ethiopia,  men- 
tioned in  the  A&s  of  the  Apoftles,  and  of 
the  Prefident  or  Governour  of  the  Eunuchs. 

It 


Eunuchism  Difplafd.  6j 

Tt  mayalfobe  faid,  that  this  Term  Eunuch, 
was  of  fo  general  a  Signification,  that  k 
was  ufually  applied  to  all  kinds  of  Officers 
whatfoever,  that  were  employed  in  the 
Courts  of  Kings  and  Princes  ,  and  thefe  as 
I  have  before  obferved,  were  only  called 
To,  becaufe  in  their  Employment  they  re- 
prefented  thofe  who  were  properly  Eu- 
nuchs and  their  Predeceffors ;  thefe  were 
Eunuchs,  ratiom  Impotent  ia  ejradempt*  Virilita- 
tis,  the  others  ration*  officii.  Potiphar,  for 
Example,  who  was  Eunuch  to  Pharaoh, 
was  fo  called,  merely  becaufe  he  executed 
an  Office  which  was  ever  before  given  t@ 
Eunuchs.  No  one  doubts  but  Potiphar  had 
a  Wife,  and  \ris  highly  probable  a  Daugh- 
ter too,  called  Afenatb,  who  was  married  to 
Jofeph,  for  it  is  (aid  in  the  4.1ft  Chapter  of 
Gemfis,  v.  45".  that  Pharaoh  gave  him  to  Wife 
Afenath  the  Daughter  of  Potipherab,  who  in 
all  probability  was  the  fame  Perfon  that  a  lit- 
tle before  is  called  Potiphar  5  this  Difference 
or  Variation  is  ineonfiderable,  and  is  fre- 
quent in  Scripture,  where  fometimes  the 
fame  Perfon  is  called  both  Nebuchadnezzar 
and  Nebuchadonozor  ,  Eli[ha  is  fometimes  cal- 
led Elizeusy  and  Elijah,  Elias,  Jonah,  Jonas, 
and  fo  of  many  others  where  the  Variati*- 
on  is  much  greater  than  between  Potiphar 
and  Potipherab.  If  it  be  objected,  that  in  the 
fame  Verfe  Potipherab  is  faid  to  be  the  Prieft 
©fO/,  and  consequently  could  not  be  the 

fame 


6&  Eunuchism  T)i[^lafL 

fame  Perfon  as-Votipbar9  who  was  an  Offi- 
cer under  Tbaraob^nd  Captain  of  his  Guard, 
which  a  Prieft  could  not  be  3-  it^muft  be  re* 
membered,  that  the  Original  is  Prince  of 
On ,  and  not  Prieft  of  On,  as  may  be 
feen  in  thofe  Bibles  that  have  Marginal 
Notes.  By  what  has  been  faid,  it  is  plains 
that  married  Perfons  have  been  called  Eu- 
nuchs according  to  their  Charges  or  Em- 
ployments. We  fhall  fee  as  we  proceed* 
farther  in  this  Treatife,  more  particularly, 
what  Pofts,  or  rather,  what  Rank  Eunuchs- 
have  held  in  the  Courts  of  thefe  Kings  and* 
Princes,  and  in  other  Courts  where  they 
have  been  encouraged  and  eftablifhed.  Lee 
us  now  fee  what  an  Eunuch  means,  when  ifc 
is  taken  in  a  figurative  Senfe. 

An  Eunuch  then  in  this  Senfe,  is  a  Perfon 
who  lives  in  a  State  of  Celibacy  and  Cha- 
ftity,  and  fuch  were  the  Ejjeans  or  Ejjenians 
amongft  the  Jews,  and  fuch  there  have  been- 
and  now  are  amongft  the  Chriftians. 

I  am    not  willing  to  ftretch  the  figura- 
tive Signification  of  this  Woxd  .B^ach  -oo 
far;  every  Body  knows  that  tobe  get,  and 
to  be  an  Eunuch,  is  much  the  fame  thing,and 
is  generally  applied  to  Members  which  have* 
forne  Part  cut  ofTfrom  them.    There  have 
b,een  therefore  Women  Eunuchs  who  were, 
gelc  by  Adramit,   the   firft  King  of  Lydia9. 
who    was  the  firft  that   caufed   the   poor 
Creatures  to  be  fo  roughly  handled,  and 

em- 


'Etmuchifm  Diftlafd.  69 

employed  them  inftead  of  Men  Eunuchs. 
Had  this  Prince  lived  at  the  fame  time 
with  Semiramis,  and  been  her  Husband, 
what  a  fine  Court  had  there  been  between 
them  ? 

We  alfo  fay  a  Book  is  gelt,  when  any 
thing  is  left  out  of  it,  and  thus  the  Eunuch  of 
Lucian,  tranilated  by  Monfieur  D'Ablancourt, 
and  feveral  Ciafficks,  put  out  by  the  Jefuits, 
are  geit,  becaufe  under  Pretence  of  paring 
away  fome  Obfcenicies,  they  have  left  out 
whole  Periods.  Vines  and  other  Trees  may 
likewife  in  this  Senfe  be  faid  to  be  gelt. 

Monfieur  Mezerai,  in  his  Hiftory  of 
France,  pag.  160  fays,  that  amongft  the 
mad  Whims  of  Dvmtian,  before  he  was 
Emperor,  one  of  the  oddeft  was,  that 
he  commanded  all  the  Vines  of  feveral 
Provinces ,  particularly  in  Gaul ,  to  be 
rooted  up  and  deftroyed  ;  but  that  up- 
on his  coming  to  the  Empire,  he  affected 
the  Reputation  of  a  good  Prince,  and  for- 
bad  the  gelding  of  young  People  for  the 
future  (fox  at  that  time  the  Luxury  and 
Effeminacy  of  the  Great  Men  ran  into  all 
the  wild  Extravagancies  of  the  Eaft,  and 
after  the  Example  of  that  part  of  the  World, 
made  no  Scruple  to  commit  that  Outrage 
and  Violence  to  Nature,  that  they  might 
have  Eunuchs  according  to  the  Eaftern 
Mode)  Upon  this  the  Philofopher  Afollo- 
mus9  who  was  a  profefled  Enemy  to  Tyran- 
ny, 


jo  Euntichifm  'Diftlafet. 

ny>  faid  thefe  Words,  which  were  not  like- 
ly to  be  forgotten,  that  that  Prince  had  truly 
fecured  to  Men  their  Virility,  but  that  he  had 
gelt  the  Earth.  We  now  fee  the  Earth  made 
an  Eunuch,  but  this  is  only  a  Piece  of  that 
Phiiofopher's  Raillery,  and  only  ferves  to 
fliew  how  many  Ways  and  different  Senfes 
that  "Word  may  be  taken  in. 

There  have  been,  laftly,  Eunuchs  in  the 
Marriage  State,  though  capable  of  per- 
forming its  Duties.  Some  Interpreters  be- 
lieve, that  fuch  were  the  Eunuchs  mention- 
ed in  the  ?6th  Chapter  of  Ifaiah  ;  but  that 
is  not  probable,  iince  an  Eunuch  is  brought 
in  there  calling  himfelf  a  dry  Tree,  which 
cannot  agree  but  with  one  who  is  proper- 
ly fo,  and  in  the  moft  rigorous  Senfe  of 
the  Word. 

There  have  been  an  Infinity  of  thofe  mar- 
ried Eunuchs  which  have  been  undeniably 
fo,-  of  this  Gregorius  Turomienfis,  in  his  Hiftory 
of  Frame,  gives  us  a  famous  Example,  after 
this  manner.  *  A  certain  Senator  (fays 
c  he )  of  Clermont  in  Auvergne,  who  was  an 
c  only  Child,  was  contracted  to  a  young 

*  Lady,  likewife  an  only  Child  of  the  fame 

*  Quality  with  himfelf,  but  very  rich.  They 
1  were  married  fome  few  Days  after,  and 

*  put  to  Bed  together  according  to  Cuftom. 
c  But  when  the  Company  retired,  the  young 
e  Lady  immediately  turned  her  Face  to 
«  the  Wall,  and  figh'd  and  wept  bitterly. 

'  The! 


Eunuchifm  Difflafd.  1A 

tf,hrefhBriDCgr00m   was  furPrized,   asked 
f     Au-£  . °n'  and  injured  her  by  Te- 

know  the  Caufo  of  her  Sorrow  and  Dif- 
cpntenr.    She  told  him  fhe  had  made  a 

I™  <S  ke£/r  h-er  Vir^inity  «  long  as 
ftie  hved  and  feemg  herfelf  now  upon  the 

that"  rL  T^  r?  V°W'  fte  believed 
£  ?  i  £ad  J?lfiken  her-  That  in, 
II 1  J£fus  Chrift'  which  fte  believed 
fte  fhould  have  had  for  her  Bridegroom, 
who  proofed  to  give  her  the  King! 
dom   of  Heaven    for    her  Dowry,   fhe 

£fWW  °nly  a  m,°rtal  Man>  who  could 
beftow  on  her  nothing  but  the  tranfitory 

£&<?"  World^ and  tnen  ^^  th« 

JJiftory)  (he  wept  afrefh.  The  young 
Gwiitlem^  who  had  a  great  deal  of  Piety 
and  Goodnefs,  reprefented  to  her,  That 
as  they  were  the  only  Children  of  their  Pa- 
rents,  they  had  married  them  on  purpofe 

Fam.lies,  and  that  their  Eftates  lhould  not 
go  away  to  Strangers.    She  replied,  That 
the  World,  and  its  Riches,  were  nothing 
its  Pomp  and  Magnificence  a  mere  % 

S 1  Lifu  £  fdf  a  blaft  5  and  ^at  it 
would  be  much  better  to  have  an  Eftate  in 
Heaven,  and  Life  Eternal.  She  fpoke  all 
this  after  ft .lively,  and  ft  moving  a  man- 
zZ'/^P*  Ta^<hed  her  Husband, 
and  drew  from  him  theft  Words,  fo  con- 

l  formable 


72  Eunnchifm  Difflaf3. 

formable  to  her  defires,  viz.  That  if  it 
was  really  her  Will  to  abftain  from  all  Gon- 
cupifcence,  and  carnal  Converfation,  he 
promifed  he  would  a£t  in  Conformity  to 
her  Intention.    She  told  him,  That  it  was 
a  difficult  Thing  to  pra&ife,  however,  if 
he  kept  his  Word,  and  they  two  lived  to- 
gether in  this  World  in  Virginity/  (he 
would  give  him  part  of  the  Power  promi- 
fed her  by  Jefus  Chrift,  when  (he  gave 
her  felf  to  him,  and  vowed  to  be  his  Spoufe,  j 
and  Servant.     He -renewed  his  Promife, 
affured  her  he  would  effe&ually  perform 
it,  and  having  taken  each  others  Hands 
in  fign  of  Agreement,   they  fell  gfleep. 
They  lay  together  in  the  fame  Bed  many 
Years  after,  without  the  lead  Infringement 
of  their  Vow  of  Chaftity,  which  was  not; 
known  till  after  her  Death,  for  (he  diedj 
firft.    Her  Husband  -gave  her  a  decent 
Funeral,  fuitable  to  her  Quality,  and  while 
they  were  "placing  her  in  her  Tomb,  he 
fpoke  thefe  Words  with  a  loud  Voice.    J 
return  thee  Thanks,  O  Lord  God  Eternal,  that 
I  have  refiored  to  thee  this  Treajure  as  entirt 
as  1  received  it  from  thee.'     The  Hiftory 
adds,  that  (he  replied  with  a  fmiling'Coun- 
tenance  ("for  you  muft  know  they  had  ncj 
Coffins  in  thofe  Days)  And  why,  fays  (he,  d 
you  reveal  a  Secret  without  being  asked.     But  a 
this  is  no  Article  of  Faith,  a  Man  may  dif 
believe  it  without  endangering  his  Salvation 

m 


Eunuchifm  T>ifplafd  73 

*  Nkefhorus  Calliftas,  and  the  f  Tripartite 
Hiftory  cell  much  the  fame  Story,  of  a  cer- 
tain Egyptian,  whole  Name  was  Amon,  and 
who  afterwards  retired  into  a  Monaftery. 
The  Difference  was  this,  that  here  the  Huf- 
band  accofted  the  Wife,  and  perfwaded  her 
to  keep  her  Chaftity,  and  which  perhaps  was 
the  greater  Miracle  of  the  two. 

But  it  is  mod  certain,  this  was  actually 
the  Cafe  of  the  Emperor  Henry,  and  his 
Emprefs  Chunegunde,  who  lived  together  af- 
ter the  fame  manner  as  the  youngGentleman 
of  Awvergm  did  with  his  Wife,  as  I  have  juft 
now  related.  Chunegnnde,  was  a  Princefs 
very  young,  and  of  admirable  Beauty,  how- 
ever, having  told  her  Husband  that  (he  had 
made  a  Vow  of  Chaftity,  he  lived  with  her 
no  otherwife  than  as  with  a  Sifter.  When 
he  was  upon  his  Death-Bed,  he  fpoke  thefe 
Words,  publickly,  before  all  the  Lords  and 
Princes  of  the  Court.  A  Virgin  (fays  he) 
you  gave  me,  and  a  Virgin  I  refiore  her  to  you. 
And  for  this,  fays  Monfieur  ||  Godeau,  they 
were  both  Canonized  by  Eugenlm  the  3d. 

Much  the  fame  may  alio  be  faid  of  Macci- 
any  who  lived  like  an  Eunuch  with  his  Wife 
Vulcheria ;  and  of  many  others,  but  thefe  Ex- 
amples are  fufficient.    If  any  one  has  a  mind 


*  L'b.  &Lcap,  41.  f  L;b-  1.  cap.  12. 

H  Elog,  5.  des  Empereurs,  Elog,  9,  da  Imperatriccs, 

E  to 


74  Eunuchifm  Difflafd. 

to  fee  a  greater  Number,  let  him  read  the  7th 
Chapter  of  the  4th  Book  of  Marulie,  and  the 
9th  Book  of  the  Hlftory  of 'Crotntrusy  in  which 
he  will  find  the  Hiftory  of  Bobiflaus  the  ?th, 
and  his  Wife  Cunegondei  who  by  mutual  con- 
f  ''ved  all  their  Life  long,  together,  in 
&  Continence,  which  gave  Occailon 
X  Cicmon  Latinius,  a  Pd!e>  to  make  this 
DSftich. 

Conjuge  conftnuit  cum  Virglne  Virgo  Maritmy 
Addiffim  ftudiis  Cap  a  Diana  tuls. 


CHAP.     VIII. 

What  Rank  thofe  that  were  real  Eunuchs 
held  in  Civil  Society. 

AS  the  World  ever  made  a  vaft  difference 
between  Eunuchs  that  were  born 
Eunuchs,  or  have  been  fo  afloon  as  they 
were  born,  or  have  been  forced  by  Violence 
as  in  more  advanced  Age3and  thofe  who  have 
voluntarily  made  themfelves  fo,  it  is  very  ne- 
celfary  t9  diftinguilh  them  in  this  Work.  I 
Trial!  therefore  accordingly  range  them  into 
two  diftind  Claifes,  and  then  examine  what 
RankEunuchs,  that  have  been  forced  to  be  fo, 
have  held  in  Civil  Society. 

To 


Eimuchifm  cDifplafd.  7  5 

To  give  a  full  and  exa<5fc  Hiftory  of  this 
Matter,  in  all  its  Circumftances,  as  mighc 
poffibly  be ,  would  far  exceed  the  Limits 
I  havepropofed  to  my  felf  in  this  Examina- 
tion. I  (hall  therefore  only  fay,  that  it  ap- 
pears, both  in  (acred  and  prophane  Hiftory, 
that  Eunuchs  have  pofTeffed  the  higheft  Em- 
ployments and  Offices  in  Courts,  and  have 
had  the  Ear  and  Favour  of  their  refpe&ive 
Princes.  I  (hall  content  my  felf  with  a  few 
Examples. 

I  (hall  fay  nothing  of  th'ofe  odious  Mo- 
tives which  induced  Princes  heretofore  to  be 
in  love  with  Eunuchs.  Ail  the  World  knows 
the  Hiftory  of  Svorus,  whom  Nero  caufed 
to  be  gelt,  and  whofe  Folly  was  fo  extrava- 
gant, that  he  endeavoured  to  change  his  Sex; 
he  made  him  wear  Woman's  Cloachs,  and 
afcerwards  married  him  with  the  ufual  For- 
malities, fettled  a  Dowry  upon  him,  gave 
him  the  nuptial  Veil,  and  kept  him  in  his 
Palace  in  quality  of  a  Woman,  which  gave 
birth  to  this  pleafant  Saying,  That  the  World 
'would  have  been  happy  had  his  Father  Dbmitian 
bad  fuck  a  tVife.  In  fhort,  he  caufed  this  Sfo- 
rus  to  be  dreft  like  an  Emprefs,  had  him  car- 
ried in  a  Litter,  and  attended  him  to  all  the 
Affemblies  and  publick  Fairs  of  Greece,  and 
at  Rome  to  the  Sigillaria,  and  Squares  of  the 
City,  where  he  kiffed  him  every  Moment. 
I  relate  only  this  Example,  becauie  I  have 
hinted  enough  of  this  in  the  ftti  Chapter  of 
this  firft  Part.  E  z  In 


j  6  ■  Emuchtfm  Difpla/d. 

In  the  Book  of  Eft  her  *  we  find  that  Eu- 
nuchs were  the  ordinary  Officers  of  King 
jibafuemsy  and  in  the  3d  Verfe  of  the  next 
Chapter,  that  Hege,  z  Eunuch,  had  the  par- 
ticular Care  of  the  King's  Women.    There 
were  two  others,    whofe  Names  we  find, 
were  Bigthan  and  Tarejh,  and   their  Office 
was  to  keep  the  tirft  Entrance  of  the  King's 
Palace.     The  Hiftory  of  Judith  tells  us, 
That  he  that  attended  on  Hohfernes,  and  had 
the  immediate  Care  of  his  Perfon,  his  Tent 
and  Baggage,  was  an  nunuch,  named  Ba- 
goas.    The  Eunuch  of  Queen  Candace,  who 
was  baptized  by  St.  Philip,  was  one  of  the 
principal  Officers  of   that   Princefs,    her 
Chief,   or  High-Treafurer.     The  General 
that  commanded  the  Forces  of  Zedekiah, 
King  of  Judahy  was  an  Eunuch. 

Cyrus,  after  he  had  conquered  all  his  Ene- 
mies, taken  Crafus  and  Sardes  Prifoners,  and 
reduced  the  City  of  Babylon  to  his  Obedience, 
fet  up  his  Residence  in  the  Royal  Palace  of  the 
greateftCity  in  theUniverfe  :  But  confider- 
ing  the  People  looked  upon  him  but  with  an 
evil  Eye,  he  thought  fit  to  fecure  his  Perfon 
with  a  ftrong  Guard,  and  yet  he  chofe  only 
Eunuchs  for  that  Employment,  as  well  as 
for  all  the  Offices  of  his  Houfhold.  His 
Reafons  for  fo  doing,  are  fet  forth  at  large 


*  Clap.  7.  i'sr  lo 

towards 


Eunuchljm  ViffJafd.  77 

towards  the  end  of  the  fixth  Chapter  of  the 
feventh  Book  of  Cyropedia. 

*  Eunuchs  had  the  Care  of  bringing  up, 
and   educating  Children ;    they   inftru&ed 
them  in  all  Sciences,  and  polite  Learning  ; 
and  all  thefe  different  Employments  gained 
them  the  greateft  Refpe&  and  Honour  in 
the  World!     Kings  and  Princes,   whether 
they  had  been  their  Pupils,  or  nor,  had  yet 
a  particular  Value  and  Refpecl:  for  them, 
and  repofed  in  them  a  great  deal  of  Truft 
and  Confidence  -,  and  thefe  Eunuchs  very 
often  made  fuch  Advantage  of  thofe  Favours, 
that  they  infenfibly  became  themfelves,  in 
effect,  Matters  of  the  State  and  Govern- 
ment,   and  frequently  abufed   their   great 
Trufts,  by  which  Chriftianity  has  too  often 
fmarted.    Courts  fwarmed  with  this  Sort  of 
People,  who  got  themfelves  into  all  the  prin- 
cipal Potts  and  Employments. 

A  convincing  Argument  of  this  Truth, 
may  be  drawn  from  the  Court  of  the  Empe- 
ror Con/rantim,  which  was  full  of  Eunuchs, 
and  they  were  Matters  of  all  Affairs  in  the 
Government.  Of  which  Court,  we  cannot 
draw  a  more  natural  Pi&ure,  than  from  what 
Monfieur  Herman  fays,  in  his  excellent  Life 
of  St.  Athanafius.  The  Authors,  whofe  Af- 
fittance  he  made  u-fe  of  in  that  Work,  he  has 


*  Plato  de  leg.  lib.  5. 

E  ?  put 


7  8  Ermuehlfm  rDifpJay'>d. 

put  down  (as  I  fhall  do)  in  the  Margin. 

*  Befae,  that  Avian  Prieft  (Tays  he)  would 
e  prefume  to  attack  the  Emperor  ;  he  had 
c  the  Addrefs  to  gain  thofe  that  were  about 
,  him,-  for  the  Familiarity  he  had  with  the 
c  Empertfr,  having  made  him  known  to  the 

*  Emprefs,    he  insinuated  himfelf  into  the 

*  Acquaintance  of  the  Eunuchs,  and  parti- 

*  cularly  oiEufebiw,  who  was  at  the  Head 
"  of  that  Effeminate  Tribe.,  and  one  of  the 
J  ntoft  wicked  Perfons  living,  f  Having 
'  prejudiced  this  Eunuch  in  his  Favour,  by 
6  his  means  he  loon  gained  the  reft.  In 
c  fhort,  in  time  he  infus'd  his  Poifon  into 
€  the  Emprefs,  and  the  Ladies  of  the  Court, 
c  which  made  St.  Athanaftm  fay,  The  Arians 
c  made  themfelves  a  Terror  to  the  World, 
c  being  fupported  by  the  Intereft  and  Cre- 
c  die  of  the  Women. 

c  After  this,  it  was  no  hard  Matter  for 
e  him  to  gain  the  Emperor,  who  was  him- 
'  felf  a  Slave  to  his  "Eunuchs,  of  whom  his 
1  Court  was  full,  and  he  followed  in  every 
c  Thing  the  Advice  and  Counfel  of  thofe 
c  lewd  Wretches. 

c  But  whacfoever  Credit  and  Intereft  the 
1  inferiour  Eunuchs  might  have,  it  is  certain, 
c  it  was  nothing,  in  Comparifon,  to  that  of 
i  Eufebius,  who  was  High  Chamberlain,  or 


°\  Ammian*  Marcellin.  UK  18. 

c  chief 


Eunuchifm  DifpJa/d.  79 

chief  Eunuch  to  the  Emperor ;  thefe,  in 
refpect  to  him,  were  but  as  little  Serpents, 
that  could  only  crawl  and  hifs,  while  E«- 
febius,  like  a  Dragon,  held  high  his  proud 
and  lofty  Creft  ;  and  in  reality,  *  made 
himfelf  fo  formidable  by  his  Power,  that 
according  to  Hiftorians,  to  conceive  a  true 
Idea  of  him,  it  will  be  fufficient  to  fay, 
That  Conftantim  repofed  fo  much  Confi- 
dence in  his  Adminiftration,  and  he  was 
arrived  to  fuch  a  prodigious  height  of  Glo- 
ry and  Power,  that  thofe  of  his  Party 
were  fo  vain,  as  to  Matter  him  with  a 
Title  due  only  to  God,  and  called  him  the 
Eternal  King  -\\  They  have  given  us  like- 
wife  a  full  Defcription  of  his  excellent 
Qualities.  He  was,  fay  they,  of  an  in- 
fupportable  Vanity,  equally  unjuft  and 
cruel ;  he  punifhed,  without  Examination, 
thofe  that  were  con vided  of  no  Crime  at 
all,  and  made  no  difference  between  the 
Guilty  and  the  Innocent.  ||  Prophane 
Authors  are  full  of  Complaints  againft  the 
Malignity,and  Tyrannical  Government  of 
this  Eufebius,  and  other  Eunuchs  of  Cvn- 
ft  ant  i  us ;  but  they  only  confidered  the  E- 
viis  that  thereby  arrived  to  the  State.  And 
we  have  Reafon  to  bewail  and  deplore 


*  Ammianus  Marcellin.  lib.  15.   f  Ibid.  lib.  8.  cap.  1 5. 
||  Julian,  Impevat.  ad  Athenienf.  p.  501. 


E  4  'thofe 


. 


So  Eunuchifm  T)ifplafd. 

c  thofe  which  the  Church  fuffered  by  their 

*  Violence  and  Injuftice. 

'*  c  We  have  feen  (fays  St.  Athanafws) 
1  thefe  voluptuous  and  effeminate  Perfon?, 
t  whom  Men  of  the  World  will  fcarce  truft 
1  with  the  leaft  Affair  in  relation  to  their  Fa- 
'  milies,  and  whom  the  Church  has  entirely 
'  excluded  from  her  Councils,  according  to 
\.  her  holy  and  inviolable  Canons,  yet  we 
4  have  feen  thefe  very  Men  Matters  and  So- 
c  vereigns  of  all  Church  Affairs,  and  lord  it 
£  over  her  in  their  judgments,  for  Conftan- 

*  tlus  has  had  no  Will  at  all  but  what  they 
c  Infpired  him  with  ;  and  thofe  who  wore 
'  the  Name  of  Bifhcps,  thought  -it  honour- 
1  able  and  meritorious,  to  be  the  Minifters, 
\  and  faithful  Executors  of  all  their  Paffions, 
1  and  ad  thofe  Theatrical  Parts  thefe  defpi- 
1  cable  and  corrupt  Wretches  (hall  at  any 

*  time  ccnipofe.  Let  us  now  fee  who  were 
c  the  Caufe  of  all  the  Evils  and  Diforders 
c  the  Church  then  fuffered,  and  thefe  were 

*  (Tays  t  St.  Athanafius)  undoubtedly  moft 
c  worthy  to  be  the  Protedors  of  the  Arlan 

*  Herefy,  and  the  Enemies  of  the  Divine 
«  Fecundity  of  the  Eternal  Father/  Lee 
us  hear  how  that  Holy  Perfon  proceeds. 

*  Ettjzbius,  the  Eunuch,  fays  he,  being  arri- 


*  Athanaf.  ad  Solitar.pag.  834,  S3 5.     f  Pag.  8.  52. 
£r  Hexman^e  de  St.  Athanaf.  Uv.  7.  ch.  10. 

<ved 


Eunuchifm  Difpla/J.   t        8 1 

ved  in  Rome,  loft  no  Time,  but  immediate- 
ly went  to  Liberiwy  and  follicited  him  to 
fubfcribe  the  Condemnation  of  Athanafim, 
and  joyn  himfelf  to  the  Communion  of  the 
Brians,  telling  him,  that  it  was  the  Empe- 
ror's Pleafure,  and  he  had  exprefs  Orders 
to  tell  him  fo ;   and  after  having  (hewn 
him  the  Prefents  which  he  had  brought  to 
allure  him,  lie  took  him  by  the  Hand,  and 
faid   to  him,  Be  ftrfwaied  by  the  Emperor, 
and  accept  "what  be  fends  you.     But  that  Ho- 
ly Bifhop  couragioufly  defended  himfelf, 
and  juftified  his  Refiftance  by  this  Dif- 
courfe  ......  [which  he  inferts  at  length] 

You  fee,  fays  he,  what  Anfwer  Liberius 
gave  Eufibius  ;  but  that  Eunuch  was  left 
troubled  at  his  refufal  of  fubfcribing  that 
Condemnation,  than  in  finding  him  an 
Enemy  to  the  Anan  Herefy  \  and  not 
confidering  that  he  was  in  the  Prefence 
of  a  Bifhop,  after  having  given  him  feve- 
ral  high  Threats,  he  left  him,  taking  with 
him  the  Prefents  he  brought  to  offer  him. 
1  This  generous  Adion  of  Liberies  added 
new  Fuel  to  the  Tranfport  and  Rage  of 
this  Eunuch,  that  he  provoked  the  Empe- 
ror, by  telling  him,  That  he  need  no: 
for  the  future  be  fo  uneafy,  becaufe  Libe- 
rlus would  not  fubfcribe  the  Condemnati- 
on of  At  ham [fms,  but  rather,  becaufe  he 
was  ever  fo  very  averfe  to  Arikmfm,  which 
was  fo  odious  to  him,  that  he  pronounced 
E>  f  '  Am. 


$2  Eunuchifm  T)ifpFafdl 

*  Anathema's  againft  feveral  of  the  Avians  by 
c  Name.    By  fuch  like  Difcourfes  he  iike- 

*  wife  inflamed  the  other  Eunuchs,  of  which 
^  there  was  a  vaft  Number  at  the  Emperor's 

*  Court,  without  whom  he  could  do  nothing, 
?  but  with  them  every  Thing  he.defired. 

c  Upon  this  (c@ntinues  St.'  Atkanafius) 
'  Conftantius  wrote  to  Rome,  and  fent  thither 
e  feveral  Officers  of  his  Palace,  Secretaries 

*  and  Lords,  with  Letters  directed  to  the 
fe  Governor  of  Rome,  by  which  he  gave  him 

*  Orders  to  furprize  Liberius  by  Stratagem, 
8  and  fend  him  to  his  Court,  or  if  that  fail- 

*  ed,  to  ufe  open  Force  and  Violence.  This 
&  put  all  Rome  into  the  utmoft  Confirmation, 

*  and  there  was  fcarce  a  Corner  but  there 

*  were  Ambufhes  laid  to  take  Liberius.  How 

*  many  Families  were  threaten'd  ?    How 
£  many   Perfons  received  Orders  to  feize 

that  Holy  Perfon  ?  How  many  Bifhops 
hid  themfelves  when  they  law  Matters 
come  to  this  Excefs  ?  How  many  Ladies 
of  the  higheft  Rank  and  Quality  retired 
into  the  Country,  on  Account  of  the  ma- 
ny malicious  Calumnies  the  Enemies  of 
Jefus  Chrift  raifed  againft  them?  How 
many  religious  Perfons  were  expofed  to 
their  Rage?  How  many  Perfons  were 
perfecuted,  who  had  retired  to  pafs  the 
remainder  of  their  Days  in  privacy  and 
folitude?  Wkh  what  Care  did  they  fre- 
quently guard  the  Gates  and  Ports,  lead 


Euuttchifm  THfpIa/J.  8j 

any  of  the  Orthodox  fhould  come  in  to  fee 
Liberlus  l    Rome  then  knew,    by  Experi- 
ence, what  was  the  Conduct  of  thofe  im- 
pious Wretches,  that  declared  War  even 
againft  Jefus   Chrift  himfelf  \    then  fhe 
found,  that  to  be  true,  which  till  then  fhe 
could  fcarce  believe,  and  was  fully  con- 
vinced, what  had  been  reported  to  her, 
how    they     had    over-turned    all    other 
Churches  that  lay  in  their  way  in  fo  many 
different  Parts  of  trie  World. 
c  It  was  the  Eunuchs  which  caufed  all 
thefe  Diforders,  and  were  the  chief  Au- 
thors of  all  the  Excefles  which  others  com- 
mitted ;  and  in  reality,  it  ought  to  be  won- 
dered at,  that  as  the  Arian  Herefy  made 
Profeflion  of  denying  the  Son  of  God,, 
that  it  fhould  fupport  it  felf  by  the  Credit 
of  Eunuchs,  who  being  naturally  unpro- 
lifick,  and  no  lefs  barren  in  their  SouJs, 
in  relation  to  A&s  of  Piety  and  Virtue, 
than  in  the  Body,could  not  bearto  hear  the 
Son  of  God  mentioned. 
c  Indeed  it  is  true,   the  Eunuch  of  the 
Queen  of  Ethiopia,    though  he  could  not 
comprehend  what  he  read,  yet  upon  St. 
Philip's  Inftru&ions,  believed  in  the  Di- 
vine Saviour.     But  the  Eunuchs  ofC*?;- 
fiantius  could  not  bear  that  ConfefBon  of 
his  Divinity  which  had  been  theretofore 
made  by  St.  Peter.    Nay,  they  oppofe  even 
the  Eternal  Father,  who  had  declared  thac 

!  Chrift 


84  Bumtchijm  TDifplay'd. 

*  Ghrift  was  his  beloved  Son,  and  vent  their 
c  utmeit  Kage-  againft  thofe  who  fay  he  is 

*  truly  the  Son  of  God  ;  and  'twas  for  this 

*  very  Region  they  were  forbidden  by  the 
£  Law  to  be  admitted  giving  Judgment  in 

*  EcclefiafHcal  Matters.      But   the   Avians 

*  have  made  them  Supreme  in  Spirituals  •, 
a  Confcaniiiis  pronounces  nothing  but  what 

*  is  agreeable  to  them,  and  thofe  who  bear 

*  the  Name  and  Characters  of  Bifhops,  fpeak 
s  not  a  Word,  and  behold  thefe  Disorders 

*  with  Diffirnulation.  Alas!  who  will  there 
12  be  to  write  one  Day  this  Hiftory,  and 
€  tranfmit  to  Pofterity  a  Relation  of  fo  ma- 
€  ny  fad  and  dreadful  Events?  Who  hereafter* 

*  will  believe,    that  Eunuchs,    which   we 

*  hardly  truft  with  pur  domeftick  Affairs,, 
a  and  whofe  Service  is  liable  in  fuch  Cafes 

*  to  be  fufpe&ed,  being  a  Sort  of  People 
e  that  love  nothing  but  their  Pleafures,  and 
4  whofe  End  is  to  hinder  others  from  enjoy- 
4  ing  what  Nature  has  refufed  them,    are 

*  now  thofe  who  govern  Churches  ? 

This  Saint,  we  fee,  fliowed  a  juft  Indig- 
nation againft  Eunuchs,  who  were  then  ab- 
folate  at  Court,  and  had  made  themfelves 
execrable,  not  only  in  their  Days,  but 
to  all  Pofterity.  Arianifm  had  by  their 
Means  fo  fpread  its  Poifon,  that  at  that  time, 
anongft  the  Orthodox,  as  St.  t  Gregory  Na~ 

t  St.  Greg.  Na&,  Or  at,  3  u 


Eunuchism  Difflafd.  S5 

zianze*  obferves,  to  call  a  Man  impious,,  or 
an  Eunuch,  was  the  fame  Thing.  And 
their  Violences  werefo  odious,  even  to  the 
very  Pagans,  that  Ammianus  Marcellinus 
writes  thus  of  them,  that  being  Perfons  al- 
ways fierce  and  ill  natured,  and  having  no 
dcmeftickTyes  and  Obligations,  and  natu- 
ral Engagements,  like  other  Men,  they  ca- 
relTed  their  Riches,  which  they  Icoked  up- 
on as  their  deareft  Children. 

*  Monfieur  Herman  (from  whom  I  have 
taken  this  Account,)  fays,  that  this  Contro- 
verfy  was  fo  famous  in  After-times,  that  even 
Heathen  Authors  took  notice  of  it  -y  but 
that  he  had  rather  borrow  from  the  pure 
Fountain,  than  dip  into  thofe  troubled  Ri- 
vers ;  and  as  he  with  Reafon  preferred  the 
Teftimony  of  St.  Atbanafius  to  all  oftier 
Authors  of  that  Age,  he  believed  he  ought 
to  begin  that  important  Relation  from  his 
Words. 

Eunuchs  had  been  very  powerful  in  the 
Days  of  Con[t  amine  the  Great,  Father  to  this 
Emperor  Conjlantius ;  he  preferred  them  to 
the  higheft  Honours,  and  called  them  his 
Friends ;  but  when  he  came  to  be  inform- 
ed, and  was  fatisfied  they  were  pernicious 
to  the  State,  he  foon  humbled  them,  and 
reduced  them  to  the  Management  only  of 
Domeftick  Affairs 

-  — n 

*  Lh,  7.    Chap,  ic 

There 


86  Eunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

*  There  is  a  Law  in  the  Theodofian  Code, 
which  fays,  that  the  Empire  groaned  under 
the  Oppreffion  of  this  Sort  of  People,  and 
dared  not  complain  ;  but  when  the  Empe- 
ror knew  it,  he  publifhed  this  Law,  by 
which  he  permitted  every  Body  to  come 
and  tell  their  Grievances,  and  promifed  to 
hear  himfelf  what  could  be  alledged  againft 
the  Eunuchs ;  and  that  if  they  were  con- 
victed, would  punifh  them  accordingly.  He 
obtained  that  they  mould  be  excluded  the 
Priefthood  in  the  famous  Council  of  Nice9 
which  was  affembled  in  his  Days.  But 
though  they  were,  as  I  may  fay,  degraded 
and  deprived  of  ail  manner  of  Employments, 
both  Civil  and  Military  ;  yet  as  they  attend- 
ed on  the  Emperor,  and  had  his  Ear,  they 
were  ftill  very  formidable,  and  People  ftood 
in  fear  of  them  till  fuch  time  as  they  were 
entirely  removed. 

Licinius,  who  was  his  Ally,  andforfome 
time  Partner  in  the  Empire,  mortally  hated 
them,  and  called  them  the  Moths  and  Vermine 
of  the  State  $  but  as  $  Licinlus  was  a  Tyrant, 
and  a  Prince  who  had  made  himfelf  odious 
on  feveral  Accounts;  that  which  he  did 
out  of  particular  Views  and  Motives,  ought 
not  to  be  drawn  into  Confequence. 


*  Lib.  9.  Tit.  1.  /.  4.  t  2*M  Bipr.  Ecclef. 

&B..10..  Cap.  80. 


Eunuchifm  T)iff1afd.  87 

*  Alexander  Severus  had  no  greater  kind- 
nefs  for  them,  he  ufed  to  call  them  Tmi- 
ttm  Homtnum  genus,  and  though  his  Prede- 
ceffor  Heliogabalus  had  been  their  Slave,  and 
was  himfelf  an  Eunuch}  yet  this  Emperor 
humbled  them,  and  reduced  them  to  a  very 
fmall  Number.  He  gave  feveral  of  them  to 
his  Friends,  and  to  (hew  how  little  he  va- 
lued them,  he  told  thofe  to  whom  he  gave 
them,  that  if  they  did  not  behave  themfelves 
better  than  hitherto  they  had  done,  they 
might  kill  them  without  being  called  to  an 
account  by  the  Government.  He  is  very 
much  extolled  in  Hiftory^  for  not  imitating 
the  Kings  of  Terfia,  who  permitted  them- 
felves to  be  governed  fo  much  by  thefe  Peo- 
ple, that  they  were  fcarce  ever  fQQti  by  their 
Subje&s,  who  could  not  addrefs  themfelves 
to  their  Prince,  or  receive  any  Anfwer  from 
them,  but  by  palling  through  the  Hands  of 
Eunuchs,  who  told  them  what  they  pleafed, 
and  very  frequently  reprefented  things  quite 
contrary  to  what  they  were,  and  took  great 
care  that  the  King  (hould  know  nothing 
but  what  they  thought  good  to  let  him 
know,  which  was  the  Cauie  very  frequent- 
ly of  great  Inconveniencies,  for  they  gave 
Prince  and  People  what  Impreffions  they 
pleafed- 


The 


88  Eunuchifm  Difflafd. 

*  The  Hiftory  of  Orfines  proves  diffid- 
ently this  Truth  ;  Orfines  was  defcended 
from  Cyrus,  and  the  greateft  Lord  of  Perfia, 
and  of  the  mod  noble  Blood  in  all  the  Eaft  •, 
he  made  great  Prefents  to  the  Principal  Offi- 
cers in  the  Court  of  Alexander  the  Great, 
and  neglected  Bagoas ;  fome  Perfons  took 
the  Liberty  to  tell  him,  he  did  ill  in  not 
doing  it;  he  replied,  he  honoured  the  King's 
Friends  but  not  his  Eunuchs ;  and  that  in 
Ferfia  thofe  fort  of  People  were  ufed  after 
a  different  manner  than  they  were  in  Greece. 
This  Difcourfe  having  been  told  Bagoas,  he 
fwore  he  would  be  the  ruin  of  Orfines,  who 
was  a  Perfon  of  an  unfpotted  Character, 
and  he  was  as  good  as  his  Word  ,-for,  in  fhort, 
he  told  Alexander  fo  many  falfe  Stories  a- 
gainft  him  in  private,  that  he  fo  efFe&ually 
provoked  Alexander,  that  Orfines  was  chain- 
ed, and  imprifoned,  and  condemned  to  die. 
Bagoas  was  not  content  to  bring  an  Inno- 
cent Perfon  to  Punifhment,  but  had  the  Im- 
pudence to  ftrike  him  as  he  was  going  to 
Execution.  But  Orfines  looking  upon  him 
with  a  Countenance  full  of  Indignation, 
told  him  he  had  often  heard  that  Women 
formerly  rul'd  in  Afia,  but  it  was  a  new 
Thing  to  fee  the  Reign  of  an  Infamous 
Eunuch. 


*  Quint.  CurU  Lib.  io.  Qap>  I. 

Jim 


Eunuchifm  Diftla/d.  Sg 

Alexander  Sevcrus  being  throughly  con- 
vinced of  the    Diforders  that  were  caufed 
in  the   State  by  the  Eunuchs,    effe&ually 
brought  them  down,  and  reduced  them  al- 
moft  to  nothing.     Thefe    Eunuchs    would 
know  every  thing  that  palled  at  Court,  and 
would  make  People  believe  that  no   Body 
knew  it  butthemfelves  j  if  any  Favour  was 
to  be  obtained  of  the   Prince,  Application 
mud  be  made  to  them.     The  Governments 
of   Provinces  were  got  by   their  Intereft, 
and  they  fold   for  ready  Money  what  the 
Prince  bellowed  Gratis.     This  Emperor  lo- 
ved Solitude,    he  would  commonly  after 
Dinner  be  alone,  and  at  certain  Hours  in 
the  Morning,  and  would  fee  no  Body.  Ve* 
tronius  Turinm,  (an  EunuchJ  knew  fo  well 
how  to  make  his  Advantage   of  thefe  Re- 
tirements of  ths  Emperor,  and  make  Peo- 
ple believe,  that  at  thefe  Hours  he  did  what 
he  would  with  Severus,  and  could  perfwade 
him  to  do  what  he  pleafed  j  that  every  Bo- 
dy made  their  Court  to  him,  and  he  in  Re- 
turn, made  large   Promifes  to  grant  them 
every  thing  they  defired,  and  by  this  means 
heaped  up  immenfe  Riches.     But  as  it  was 
no  ways  true,  that  the   Emperor  was  fuch 
as  he  reprefented  him  to  be,    and  that    he 
had  no  fuch    Credit  with  him  as  he  had 
made  his  Boafts,    he  kept    his  Word  with 
no  Body,    which  occafioned    great    Mur- 
muring and  Difcontent.    This  Conduct  of 


go  Emmchifm  T^ifflayd. 

Turinut  being  at  laft  made  known  to  the 
Emperor,  he  commanded  every  one  to 
come  and  make  good  their  Accufation  a- 
gainft  him  ;  which  difcovering  what  he 
had  promifed,  and  not  performed,  and  what 
vaft  Sums  he  had  got  together  on  that  Ac- 
count ;  Severn.:  made  him  be  fixed  to  a 
Stake  in  the  High-Way,  which  was  fur- 
rounded  at  a  diftance  with  a  flow  Fire,  made 
of  Green  Wood,  and  fuffocated  him  with  the 
Smoke;  and  while  he  fuffered  thisPunifhment, 
there  was  a  Man  that  cry'd  out  with  a  loud 
Voice,  he  who  fold  Smoke  is  now  punifli- 
ed  with  Smoke,  Fumo  punltur  qui  vendidit 
fumum  *. 
1  Eunuchs  were  in  much  greater  Efteem 
for  fome  time  under  the  Reign  of  Conftan- 
tlne ;  and  yet  much  more  under  Confianti us, 
as  I  obferved  before  :  But  neither  this  Prince 
nor  his  Brothers  were  either  loved  by  their 
Subjects,  or  dreaded  by  their  Enemies,  as 
their  Father  Confiantinc;  and  they  could  fcarce 
fupport  part  of  that  Burden,  the  whole  of 
which  he  himfelf  alone  bore  with  fo  much 
Glory,  but  in  their  Reign,  the  Eunuchs 
were  in  Place  and  Credit. 

It  feems  too,  they  were  in  favour  in  the 
time  of  Theodofius  the  Younger,  for  we  find 
in  the  Code,  which  was  made  by  his  Or- 


*  JEViui  Latnpridius  in  Sever  urn. 

der 


Eunuchlfm  Difplafd.  g1 

der  •,  that  whereas  thofe  who  obtained  from 
the  Crown  any  forfeited  Goods,  or  Eftates, 
were  obliged  to  pay  half  the  Value  into  the 
Fi feus  or  Treafury,  he  difpenfed  with  the 
Eunuchs  from  this  Obligation,  and  let  them 
keep  all.  And  *  Zoziwus  obferves,  that  this 
Favour  of  the  Emperor  gave  Occafion  to 
the  Eunuchs  to  commit  a  thoufand  remark- 
able Frauds,  for  they  told  the  Prince,  that 
thofe  People,  whofe  Goods  they  begg'd  as 
confifcated  and  forfeited,  died  without  leav- 
ing any  Widow,  Children,  or  Relations, 
which  often  caufed  the  utter  Ruin  of  many 
Families,  and  Tears,  and  Lamentations  to 
the  Lawful  Inheritors,  which  commonly 
were  old  Widows,  fickly  and  infirm,  and 
innocent  Orphans.  It  'is  true  indeed,  that 
he  put  out  an  Edi<5t  forbidding  Eunuchs  to* 
be  of  the  Number  of  the  Patricii,  or  Chief 
Nobility  ;  but  in  this  he  had  his  particular 
Views,  being  only  to  difgrace  Antlochm, 
who  thereupon  was  forced  to  (hut  himfelf 
up  in  a  Monaftery. 

-\-Lucian  tells  us,  that  ThiUierus,  who  was 
the  firft  Prince  of  Vergamns,  was  an  Eu- 
nuch,, and  that  he  lived  Fourfcore  Years. 
There  was  anotherPrince  an  Eunuch,  whofe 
Name  was  Hermias,  who  could  never  bear 
any  Body  mould  talk  of  a  Knife  in  his  Pre- 


Lih.  5.  fag.  Soo.  t  Lucian.  Macrob. 

fence, 


92  Eunuchifm  "Difplafd. 

fence,  nor  of  cutting,  becaufe  he  imagined 
thac  thofe  Words  were  meant  of  him  as  be- 
ing an  Eunuch. 

*  If  an  Extrafl:  of  a  Letter  written  from 
Batavia  in  the  Indies  ,  dated  the  27th  of 
November  %  1684  (as  may  be  feen  in  a  Let- 
ter of  Monfieur  de  Fontenelle,  which  was 
received  in  Rotterdam  by  Monfieur  Bafnage) 
gives  a  true  Account  of  a  certain  Adventure 
in  thofe  Parts,  as  may  very  well  be  believed, 
fince  Monfieur  Bayle  has  thought  fie  to  re- 
late it  not  as  a  Thing  fabulous,  but  as  if  he 
believed  it  certain  ;  fo  far  ought  we  to  be 
from  fufpeding  the  Truth  of  it.  There  is 
fomewhat  very  particular,  which  is  this* 
Mreo  Queen  of  the  Ifle  of  Borneo ,  would 
have  ail  her  Miriifters  be  Eunuchs.  The 
Princefs  Eenegu,  who  difputed  her  Right 
to  the  Throne,  on  the  contrary,  would 
not  fuffer  an  Eunuch  at  her  Court.  But 
as  we  do  not  yet  know  what  Succefs  the 
Wars  and  Contefts  of  thefe  two.Princef- 
fes  may  have,  nor  by  Confequence  which 
of  them  at  prefent  enjoys  the  Kingdom  ; 
fo  we  are  not  certain  whether  the  Mini- 
ftry  of  the  Ifle  of  Borneo  be  compofed  of 
Eunuchs  or  not.  We  can  only  fay,  that 
Mreo\  Conduct  is  exadly  like  that  of  Plau- 


*  Nouvelles  de  la   Re^ublique  des    Lettres    Janvier. 
1686.  Art.  10.  'Tom.'),  f.  87! 

c  tianus% 


Eunuchifm  Difp/a/d.  0j 

*  nanus,  who  in  the  Reign  of  the  Mtonini 

caftrated  all  thofe  who  were  to  ferve  in  the 

;  Family  "of  his  Daughter  FlautiUa,  whom 

Caracalla  had  married,    not  fparing  Men 

''any  more  than  Boys,  as  may  be  feen  in 

c  the  Colledions  of  Confiantine  Pcrpbyrogeni- 

c  tus  upon  Dion. 

A  Man  muft  have  very  little  Knowledge 
in  the  Turkifi  Hiftory,  that  does  not  know 
that  Eunuchs  are  thofe  who  generally  arrive 
to  the  higheft  Pofts  of  Honour  in  the  State, 
which,  properly  fpeaking,  are  poffefled  ve- 
ry rarely  by  any  befides.    The  two  moil 
famons  Batfas  that  acquired  the  greater!:  Re- 
putation in  thofe  Wars,  fo  much  celebrated 
in  Hiftory,  were  Eunuchs.    One  was  cal- 
led Hali,  and  the  other  $i*ar.    It  is  faid, 
that  Hali  was  a  Perfon  of  much  Wit  and 
Humour,  and  had  nothing  of  the  Sournefs 
and  Morofenefs  of  Temper,  fo  common  to 
:he  generality  of  Eunuchs  y    and  a  certain 
Author  *  tells  us,   that  he  could  not  help 
i>eing  very  pleafant  with  a  Courier,  who 
nought  him  the  bad  News  of  the  Lofs  of 
Strigoma,  which  was  taken  by  the  Chrifti- 
ins  in  the  Year^ijjtf.    telling  him,    that 
oe  bad  anotber-guife  Lofs  when  tbsy   took  from 
nm  tbe   mofi  important   Piece  be  bad.     And 
?aulus  Jovius  tells  us,  that  Sinar  was  caftra- 


*  Thu anus >  lib*  17. 

ted 


94  Eunuchism  Diffla/d. 

ted  by  a  Hog,,  which  tore  off  his  In  ft  ru- 
mens, and  devoured  it  when  he  was  a  Boy, 
lying  afleep  in  the  Shade. 

What  has  been  faid  in  this  Chapter,  on- 
ly concerns  what  Rank  Eunuchs  have  held 
in  civil  Society,  in  Relation  to  Sovereign 
Princes.  Let  us  now  fee  what  Idea  the 
People  had  of  them,  which  (hall  be  the  Sub- 
jeft  of  my  next  Chapter. 


CHAP.    Iv 


..A.. 


What  Notion  the  People  had  of  Eunuchs. 

TH  E  Eunuchs  having  abufed  the  Fa- 
vour of  their*  refpe&ive  Princes,  as 
we  have  feen  in  the  foregoing  Chapter, and 
made  themfelves  fo  many  mercilefs  Tyrants 
to  their  fellow  Subje&s ;  /  it  is  not  in  the 
leaft  to  be  doubted,  but  thefe  oppreft  Peo- 
ple had  their  OpprefTors  in  utmoft  Horror, 
and  who  were  confequently  infinitely  much 
more  feared  than  loved. 

But  it  is  not  the  Defign  of  this  Treatife 
to  difcover  what  Sentiments  thefe  People 
might  have  of  their  Servitude  or  Oppreflion, 
or  of  the  Credit  of  thofe  Eunuchs  that  ex- 
ercifed  fo  much  Tyranny  over  them.  The 
Queftion  here  to  be  examined,  is  only  what 
Notion  or  Idea  the  People  entertained  of  an 

Eunuch, 


Ettnuchifm  Diftlafd.  95 

Eunuch,  as  an  Eunuch,  and  not  of  an  Eu- 
nuch as  a  Tyrant. 

And  Hiftory  informs  us,  that  they  not 
only  utterly  defpifed  and  hated,  but  that 
they  could  not  abide  fo  much  as  to  fee 
them. 

Eunuchs  according  to  the  Prophet  Ifai- 
ah  are  only  dry  Trees  *.  They  are  fmtten, 
(as  another  f  Prophet  faid  of  Ephraim)  their 
Root  is  dried  upy  they  fliall  bear  no  Fruit,  Trees 
that  ought  to  be  cut  down,  and  deftroyed, 
and  their  Remembrance  be  for  ever  blotted 
out  j  why  do  they  |j  cumber  the  Ground  ?  There  is 
fcarce  any  one  but  would  willingly  give  the 
iirft  Stroke  to  cut  them  down,  or  pluck  them 
up  by  the  Roots,  to  abolifh  for  ever  this 
^abominable  Pra&ice  out  of  the  World  ,•  thefe 
are  imperfed  Creatures,  inaWord,Mon- 
fters,  to  whom  Nature  indeed  has  been 
fparing  of  nothing  but  the  Avarice,  Lux- 
ury, or  Malice  of  Men,  have  disfigured  and 
deformed. 

If  they  have  fometimes  been  raifed  to 
the  higheft  Pinacles  of  human  Glory,  and 
bask'd  in  the  Sun-fhine  of  this  World  ;  the 
People  look'd  upon  them  as  fo  many  Er- 
roneous Productions  of  the  depraved  and 
corrupted  Minds  of  Princes,  who  elevated 


*Ifaiab,Chap.  56.^.  3.         f  Hofea,Cbap,  9.  v.  16. 
11  S.  Luke,  Chap.  13.  v.  17. 

them 


()6  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

them  to  thofe  high  Stages  of  Honour,  and 
when  they  appeared  in  Publick,  they  only 
encreafed  and  augmented  the  Hatred  and 
Averfion  the  People  had  for  them,  who 
laughed  at  them  amongft  themfelves,  cal- 
ling them  old  Women,  &c. 

"*  Omnia  ctfferunt  Eunuchi  Confute  monftra 
HeUy  terra  cosliq^  pudor  !  Trabeata  per  urbes 
Ofientatur  anus^  titulumqi  ejfeminat  anni. 


JQuibus  unquam  Sacula  terris 


Eunuchi  videre  forum, 

—  — -  Nunquam  Spado  Conful  in  Orhe 
Nee  Judex  Duciorve  fuity  quodcunq^  virorum 
Eft  DecuSy  Eunuchi  fcelus  eft. 


A  front e  recedant 


Imperii,  tenero  traclari  peclore  nefcit 
Tublica  Majeftas ,  unquam  vel  in  aquore  puppim 
Vridimui  Eunuchi  clavo  par  ere  magi  ft  ri 
Nos  adeo  fperni  faciles  ?    Orbifq\  Carina 
Vilior  ? 

All  the  World  knows,  Caligula  made  his 
Horfe  Conful,  and  obliged  People  to  pay 
him  the  Honours  due  to  that  Dignity  *,  and 
afterwards  the  Emperor"  Arcadius    took 


*  Claudia?!  in  Eutrop.  Lib*  I. 

fancy 


Eutiuchifm  'Diftla/J.  97 

fancy  likewife  to  make  Flaccus  Eutroplus  Ma- 
tter of  his  Wardrobe,  and  an  Eunuch  Con- 
ful,  who  was  the  firft,  or  more  properly 
fpeaking,  the  only  one  of  that  Quality  that 
ever  held  that  Employment.  We  have  feen 
in  the  above- cited  Verfes  out  of  Claudlant 
what  Value  they  had  for  this  Eutroplus,  on 
whom,  as  foon  as  he  was  nominated  to  be 
Gonful  of  Rome,  that  Poet  made  a  very  (harp 
Satire,  and  reprefented  him  (as  we  have 
feen  above  in  the  Verfes  quoted,)  as  an 
old  Woman  inverted  with  the  Honours  of 
the  Confulfhip. 

Thofe  who  are  the  leaft  acquainted  with 
Ecclefiaftical  *  Hiftory,  know  after  what 
manner  John  Bifhop  of  Conftantlnopk  declaim- 
ed againft  this  fame  Eutroplus,  and  how 
much  he  contributed  to  his  Ruin.  He  had 
an  End  worthy  of  himfelf  and  his  Inhuman 
Actions.  This  Eunuch  having  an  Intention 
to  punifh  fome  Perfons  who  had  taken  San- 
ctuary or  Refuge  in  the  Churches,  he  pre- 
vailed upon  the  Emperor  to  publifh  a  Law, 
that  no  Body  mould  take  Refuge  in  Churches, 
and  permitted  his  Officers  to  take  thence 
thofe  who  had  done  fo.  This  was  looked 
upon  in  thofe  Days  as  a  Piece  of  the  higheft 
Injufticc  to  violate  thofe  Privileges  of  the 


*  SocraU  Hijin  Ecdefiaft.  Lib,  10,  Cbaf*  5* 

E  People ; 


98  Eunuchifm  Tj'ifpta) >  d. 

People;  Init  Eutropius  not  long  after,  had  a 
Reward  fuicable  to  his  Deferts,  for  fcarce 
had  this  Law  been  promulged,  before  he 
fell  into  Difgrace  with  the  Emperor,  and 
was  forced  to  take  the  fame  Sanctuary  as  o- 
thers,  and  hid  himfelf  under  the  Altar, 
where  while  he  lay  trembling  for  fear,  the 
Bifhop  got  up  into  the  Pulpit,  and  inveigh- 
ed bitrerly  againft  him.  The  Hiftory  adds, 
that  the  Emperor  caufed  him  to  be  behead- 
ed, and  put  his  Name  out  of  the  Lift  of  the 
Confute,  and  razed  and  defaced  out  of  the 
Regifters  this  Law  which  he  had  prevailed 
upon  him  to  publifh.  The  Difcontent  of 
the  better  Sore  of  People,  on  account  of  his 
being  advanced  to  this  high  Poft  of  Ho- 
nour, was  the  Caufe  of  his  Ruin.  In  fhort, 
Gap  fas,  the  Emperor's  General,  revolted 
when  he  faw  this  Eunuch  mining  in  all  his 
Confular  Glory,  and  would  not  return  to 
his  Obedience,  till  the  Emperor  had  fent 
him  Eutropius^s  Head. 

The  People  compared  this  Eutropius  to 
Gorgon,  becaufe  he  had  fo  much  Addrefs  in 
all  his  Defigns,  as  few  People  could  guefs 
at  his  Meafures,  he  was  looked  upon  as  one^ 
of  thofe  Plagues  that  then  raged  in  the 
Courts  of  Princes.  He  fold  all  the  Offices 
in  the  Magiftracy,  difpofed  of  Govern- 
ments of  Provinces  in  favour  of  thofe  he 
beft  liked,  and  not  content  to  fee  himfelf 
m  ida  Conful,  he  endeavoured  to  make  him- 
felf 


Eunvxhifm  cDifpla/d.  99 

felf  Matter  of  the  Empire.  He  was  info- 
lent  even  towards  his  Prince,  and  fell  into 
Difgrace  for  having  fpoken  very  difrefpe<9> 
fully  of  the  Emprefs. 

But  the  People  did  not  only  defpife  Eu- 
nuchs, but  they  had  a  perfect  Hatred  and  A- 
verfion  to  them,  and  if  the  Name  at  firft  paft 
for  a  Title  of  Honour,  it  grew  at  laft  to  be 
very  injurious  ;  and  one  could  not  more 
fenfibly  affront  a  Man  than  by  calling  him 
Eunuch.  Eunuchs  were  of  fu'ch  an  evil  Au- 
gury amongft  the  Heathens,  that  *  LucUn 
in  more  than  one  Place  allures  us,  that  they 
made  many  People  that  met  them,  turnfud- 
denly  back  to  their  own  Houfes,  who 
would  rather  go  home  than  profecute  their 
Bufinef  that  Day,  as  having  met  what  por- 
tended to  them  fome  Di  fa  Iter,  or  fome- 
what  very  unlucky.  This  is  agreeable  to 
what  -[  Vllny  fays,  in  relation  to  Animals 
having  an  Averfion  to  any  of  their  own 
Species  that  mould  happen  to  be  gelt.  He 
obferves,  that  if  one  gelds  a  Rat,  that  he 
makes-  all  other  Rats  run  away  from  him, 
and  that  they  will  fooner  abandon  their  ufu- 
al  Haunts,  than  let  him  come  amongft  them. 
But  furdy  this  was  not  the  Motive  that  indu- 
ced Diocley  to  exclude  Bagoas  from  teaching 
Philofophy. 


*  In  Ffsnd.  &  in  Eur.ucK         *f*  Lib.  3.  cap.  uli. 

.       F  2  CHAP. 


ioo  Eunuchifm  Difpla/d* 

CHAP.    X. 

oAfter  what  manner  the  Civil  Law  has 
confidered  Eunuchs ,  and  what  Rights 
and  Privileges  it  allowed  them. 

THE  Emperor  Domitiatt,  in  the  Be- 
ginning of  his  Reign,  feverely  for- 
bid all  Perfons,  as  well  within,  as  without 
the  Limits  of  the  Roman  Empire,  to  dare 
to  make  Eunuchs,  which  before  was  too 
frequently  pra&ifed.  Thus  Martial  compli- 
ments this  Emperor  on  that  Edid  or  De* 
cree. 

*  Lufus  erat  Sacra  connubia  fallete  uda 
Lufus  &  immeritos  execuiffe  Mares 

Utrafy  Tu  prohibes,  C*fary  populifq\   futuris 
Succurris,  nafci  quos  fine  fraude  jubes 

Nee Spado  jam >nec  Machus  erit  tePrtfide  quifquam 
A  Priusy  O  Mores  1  &  Spado  Machus  erat. 

This  Law  or  Decree  of  Domitian  was  fo 
well  relilhed  by  the  People,  and  looked 
upon  as  an  A&ion  worthy  a  wife  and  ge- 
nerous Prince,  that  Martial  on  that  occafion 
inscribes  to  him  this  fine  Epigram. 


*  Martial  Lib.  6.  Ep.  2. 

Ttbl 


Bunuchlfm  Difpla/J.  i  o  i 

*  TUt  fumme  Rheni  Dcmitory  &  Parens  Orbit 

Vudice  Princeps,  gratias  agunt  Urbes 
Topulos  habebunt,  par  ere  jam  fcelus  non  efi 
Non  puer  avari  Sextus  arte  Mangonls 
Virilitatfs  damn  a  maret  erept*. 

However,  it  is  certain,  his  Motives  were 
not  fo  commendable,  for  he  only  made  that 
Prohibition  to  mortify  his  Brother  Titus, 
who  had  no  fmall  Kindnefs  for  Eunuchs,  as 
Xiphilinus  and  Dion  CaJJius  ©bferves  in  his 
Life.  Suetonius,  'tis  true,  does  not  mention 
this  particular,  but  it  is  no  lefs  certain  for 
all  that.  However  this  Law  or  Prohibici- 
on  is  not  put  into  the  Code,  under  the  Name 
either  of  Domitian  or  Nerva,  who  afterwards 
made  the  like  Decree,  but  under  the  Names 
of  t  Confiantine  and  Leo, 

The  famous  and  learned  Monfieur  it 
Leibnitz,,  to  whom  I  propofed  this  Difficulty 
by  way  of  Converfation,  effe&ually  cleared 
up  this  Matter,  by  telling  me,  that  this  Law 
was  put  under  the  Names  of  thefe  two  laft 
Emperors,  becaufe  they  had  revived  it,  tho* 
Hiftory  affures  us,  they  were  firft  of  all 
publifhed  by  Domitian  and  Nerva,  which 
has  been  the  Cafe  of  feveral  other  Laws,  as 
thofe  made  againft  Duels,  which  have  paf- 


*  Martial.  Lib.  9.  Ep.  7.     f  Tit.  8.  Lib.  48.  J. 

F  ;  fed 


102  Ennuchifm  "Difflay^d. 

fed  for  the  A<5b  of  modern  Princes,  who  re- 
newed and  re-publifhed  them,  though  we 
know  by  Hiftory,  that  other  Princes,  ma- 
ny   Ages  before,     had  given   them    their 

People. 

The  Emperor  Adrian  improved  upon  this 
Decree  or  Conftitution,  for  he  not  only  pro- 
hibited making  thofe  Eunuchs  by  force,  who 
did  not  defire  to  be  fo,  but  alfo  making  them 
Eunuchs  who  did  defire  it.  There  are  three 
Laws  fucceffively  upon  this  very  Subjed  in 
Title  8tb3  *  Ad  legem  Crneliam  de  Sicariis  & 
Vemficiis.  The  fir  ft  is  in  thefe  Terms,  viz* 
CviJrituinm  qui  dent  eft  ne  fpidones  fierent,  eos 
aufttH  qui  hoc  crimine  arguerentur  Cornelia  legit 
ftna  teneriy  eorum(\\  bona  merit o  fifco  meo  vin- 
dicari  debere  ;  fed  &  in  fervos  qui  Spadones  fe* 
ccrint  ultimo  fupplicio  amm'advertendum  ejje, 
Et  qui  hoc  crimine  tenentur  fi  non  ad  fuerint> 
d'.  bfcnt'ibus  qucq;  tanquam  lege  Cornelia  tene- 
aniur,  pronunciandum  ejfe.  Plane  fi  ipfiqui  banc 
Ivjurfatto  p-JJi  funty  proclamaverint  audire  eos 
Vrisjes  proline) a  debet ^  quivirilitatem  am'iferunt  *y 
nemo  cnim  liberum  frvumve  invitum  fcien- 
temve  ciftrare  debet  ;  ncque  qui  fe  fponte  ca- 
ftrtndum  p'&here  debet.  Ac  fi  qux  adverfus 
E''.:clum  meum  fecerit  Medico  quidem  qui  excide- 
rit  capitale  exit  item  ipfe  qui  fe  fponte  cijfran- 
dum  prabuit. 


The 


Eunuchifin  Uilflaf-d*  i  c  j 

The  Words  of  the  Second  are,  Hi  quc% 
qui  Thlibias  faciunt  ex  Ccnftitutione  D.  Hadri- 
ani  ad  ninium  ha  ft  am  in  eadem  Caufa  funt 
qua  hi  qui  caftrant. 

And  the  Third  has  thefe  Words,  Is  qui 
fervum  caftrandum  tradiderit  pro,  parte  dimidia 
bonorum  mulciatur  ex  Senatus  Confulto  quod  Ne- 
ratio  Frifco  &  Annio  Fero  Ccnfulibus  faftum 
eft. 

By  which  fevere  Penalties  infli&ed  by 
thefe  Laws,  fome  of  which  were  Capital, 
at  le.aft  Confiscation  of  one  Moiety  of  the- 
Goods  of  chofe  that  fhouid  at  any  time  be 
convifted  \  it  plainly  appears,  that  Caft ra- 
tion was  looked  upon  as  a  thing  (hameful, 
odious  and  highly  prejudicial  to  Society, 
as  weii  to  the  Agent  as  the  Patient  in  this 
cruel  and  unnatural  Operation. 

*  Qui  hominem,  libidinis  >vel  cofnrncrcii  eaufd 
cafiratyerit  Senatus  Confulta  pand  legis  Cornell  a 
punitur.  \  TLt  ft  puerum  quts  caflravcrit  &  pre- 
tiqfiorem  fecerit  V'wianus  fcribit  cejfare  *s£'qui- 
I'lam,  fed  Injuriarum  erit  agendum >  aut  ex  E- 
diclo  *s£dilium.y  aut  in   q^adruplum* 

This  Word  Pretiofior  is  fome  what  obfeure, 
for  I  cannot,  well  comprehend  how  any 
one  who  is  mutilated,  and  degraded  (if  I 
may  fo  fay)  from  the  Quality  of  a  Man, 

•  *  L.  3.  §.  4.  Tit.  ecd.  t  £&&*<  &$•  28.  fit 

2.  U  9,  AdJegem  Aquiliam.' 

F/  4  "fhouid 


io4  EunuchifmDiJplay*d. 

fhoiild  on  that  Account  be  more  prccioui  than 
he  was  before.  But  I  fuppofe  the  meaning 
of  it  was  this,  that  as  Eunuchs  were  beloved 
and  careffed  by  Princes,  who  often  advan- 
ced them  to  the  higheft  Honour  in  the 
S^ate  ;  rheir  Condition  in  that  refpeft  was 
rendered  more  considerable^  as  appears  in  the 
Code  ad  Legem  4.  de  Tnpcfitis  Sacrl  Cubi- 
tufh 

But  the  Emperor  Jujllnian  who  reigned 
a' i.ervards,  and  who  confidered  throughly 
the  Evils  which  might  continually  grow  to 
the  State  by  that  Cuftom,  as  well  as  to  par- 
ticular Perfons,  repeated  the  fame  Prohibi- 
tkrs  in  his  Code*,  wherein  he  decrees, 
that  he  who  gelded  any  one  (hould  be  pu- 
nifhed  as  one  guilty  of  Murder y  tanquam  Ho- 
wicida  punitur  ilk  qui  crajlrat  aliquem^  that 
i  j  fl.ould  loofe  his  Life,  it  may  be  faid,  that 
.Hcmhida  only  means  one  guilty  of  Man* 
paughter]  nor  Murder  \  but  k  muft  be  obfer- 
vuj,  that  the  Roman  or  Civil  Law  never 
made  thofe  Diftin&ions  as  we  do,  all  .Man- 
slaughter with  them  was  Murdtr7  and  Homi- 
ddium  with  them,  amounted  to  as  much  as 
what  is  Murdrum  or  Murderium  with  us. 

And  the  fame  Emperor  in  two  Chapters 
of  his  Novels,  (before  which  is  a  curious 


*LiL$.  f/7,42,/.*.       t  Authent.  Coll.  9.  tit.  24. 


Eunuchlfm  'Difpla/d.  J  05 

Preface,  which  contains  his  Motives)  he 
treats  this  Adfcion  as  impious,  lewd,  fhame- 
ful,  difhoneft  and  criminal  5  and  fays,  that 
this  Crime  has  been  committed  on  a  Mul- 
titude of  People,  few  of  whom  have  reco- 
vered, fcarce  Three  as  he  knew  out  of  Four- 
fcore  and  Ten  j  he  looked  upon  thefe  A#s 
of  Caft  ration,  as  fo  many  Murders,  as 
Anions  quite  oppofite  to  the  Intention  of 
God  and  Nature,  as  well  as  the  Intention  of 
his  own  Laws.  He  prohibited  under  fevere 
Penalties  in  his  Code,  which  I  juft  now 
mentioned,  the  felling  or  buying  Romans 
that  had  been  made  Eunuchs,  either  in  the 
Roman  Empire,  or  in  foreign  Parts  \  he  like- 
wife  forbad,  under  pain  of  Death,  to  make 
Eunuchs  in  the  Roman  Empire  *,  and  who- 
ever (hould  permit  his  Slave  to  be  made  an 
Eunuch  fhould  forTeit  to  the  Imperial 
Treafury  or  Exchequer,  the  half  Part  or 
Moiety  of  his  Goods  and  Eftate. 

*  The  Emperor  Leo  has  declared  him- 
felf  againft  it  in  much  ftronger  Terms, 
Virttttisy  fays  he,  a  Deo  Nature  indit  a  executlo 
non  minore  cum  audacid  identidem  committitur 
eyiam  (i  apud  Deum  nutll  pn&  obnoxia  ejjtt  cum 
tamen  vel  maxime  fit,  Et  cjuanquam  veteribm 
legiflatoribm  curafuerit  ut  id  malum  ultricelege 
excideretUr  quo  refpubllea  ah  ifiiujmodi  invento 


*  Lccb.  ConflH.  60.  hm 

V  c  mtmd*  j 


106         Eunuch'iftn  T>i]frayTd. 

munda  effet,  baud  fcio  tameny  cum  ft  qui  aliiy 
hulc  arte  prtfcripto  obtemperariy  atq$  a  nature 
mutilatione  abfiineri  aquum  fit,  quamobrem  non 
ita  faciant  homines,  fid  tanquam  utilitatem 
quandam  ifiiufmodl  adverfus  generandi  vim,  in- 
fidias  reputantes  membra  qua  hominis  nafandi 
caufam  Juppe  d  it  ant  y  laucinent,  &  creaturam  all- 
am:  quam  quails  Conditcris  fapkntia  placuerit 
m,  Mundum  mtroducere  contendant.  Hoc  igitur 
aim  in  ultum  relinquendum  non  putemus,  lege 
mid panam  confjtituenteSj  quibus  adeo  Dlvinam 
creatuTiim  defirmare  Religio  non  eft,  eorum  au- 
dkciam^  auxilianie  Duo  reprlmere  conemur- 

He  calls thofe  whom.ike  Eunuchs,  Nature 
j-uridiatores  drfcftanda  hujus  Arils  Artifices ,  the 
iM&flinesof  Nature,  and  the  Artificers  of 
this  deteftable  and  abominable  Art.  He 
accordingly  condemns  them,  and  concludes, 
that  molt  excellent  Conftkution  in  thefe 
Beau'ifui  Exprtffions,  that  if  they  bore  any 
Office  in  the  Imperial  Family,  they  mould 
be  immediately  ftruck  out  of  the  Lift,  Si 
in  Albo^  fays  he,  Imperatorii  famulalus  fitys 
Artiftx  detejlanda  bujus  Anis  prlmum  albo  exi- 
matisr.-  .    * 

A  Man  who  made  an  Eunuch,  was  look- 
ed upon  to  be  a  Notorim  or  TaheUio9  as  one 
tint  made  a  faife  or  counterfeit  Deed;  and 
the  Pkce  where  fuch  A&ion  was  commit- 
ted,  was  considered  as  a  Place  where  High? 
Ireafon  had  been  committed, 

t  Mornajr 


Eumichifm  'Difolafd.  i  o  7 

Mornay,  who  has  made  an  excellent  Com- 
mentary upon  the  Title  of  the  Code,  which 
treats  de  Eunuchis,  fays  he  read  in  a  French 
Hiftorian,  that  a  Soldier  was  punifhed  for 
having  caken  from  a  Friar  that  which  he 
believed  could  be  of  no  ufe  to  him  ;  an  un- 
heard of  Aaion,  fays  the  Hiftorian,  quod 
in  audita  afud  nos  fueraP. 

Mejjire  Claude  de  Ferricre,  who  alfo  made  a 
Sort  of  a  Commentary  upon  the  fame  Place, 
tells  the  very  fame  Hiftory,  buc  he  adds  his 
Refle&ions ;  and  tho'  a  good  Catholick,  he 
fays,  that  there  arefome  People,  who  fay  it  is  much  to 
be  wished,  that  the  Church  had  no  other  Minifters 
but  Eunuchs.  Quod  folos  Eunuchos  ha'oerec 
Ecclefu  Mioiftros,  to  prevent  thofe  Diforders 
•which  we  fee  often  committed,  as  well  as  thofe 
we  never  hear  of  It  is  true,  continues  he, 
that  there  may  be  a  great  many  who  may  find 
their  Account  in  it,  if  it  were  fo  }  however  J 
believe  it  would  be  much  betterAo  let  things  re- 
main as  they  now  are,  and  not  to  do  Evil  to 
thofe  who  defire  nothing  but  the  good   of    their 


1CUYS. 


Neighb>,„ 

Buc  leaving  thefe  Speculations,  it  is  moil 
certain,  the  Civil  Law  looked  uoon  this  A- 
<ftion  of  making  Eunuchs  as  abominable,  and 
theEunuchhimlelfasa  Monftsr,  and  there- 
fore never  granted  and  allowed  Eunuchs 
the  Rights  and  Privileges  as  other  Men  had. 
For  Example,  they  were  not  permitted  to 
make  a  Will, 

Sown 


108         Eunuchijm  €DiJfla/d. 

I  own  the  Emperor  Con  ft  ant  me,  who  gave 
them  chat  Privilege,  (for  he  did  juft  as  they 
would  have  him)  put  out  an  Edi&  in  their 
Favour,  whereby  it  was  decreed,  that  it 
fhouid  be  lawful  for  Eunuchs  to  make  a 
Will,  or  Laft-Teftament  as  well  as  other 
People;  and  on  occafion,  add  Codicils.  Eu- 
nucbh  (fays  that  Edid:)  liceat  facers  Tc ft  amen- 
tum e&mpdnere  y  oft  rem  as  exemflo  omnium 5  vg- 
iuntateS}  c&nferibere  Codicillos,  falvd  Teftamen^ 
tarum  obfervantid.  But  all  the  Learned  in 
thofe  Laws,  are  of  Opinion,  that  this  Li' 
berty  was  reftri&ive,  and  only  concerned 
thofe  Eunuchs  that  were  about  his  Perfon  or 
the  Emprefs  ;  and  it  is  certain,  in  whatfo- 
ever  degree  of  Favour  the  Eunuchs  were 
at  Court,  yet  they  were  ftill  looked  upon 
in  reality,  to  be  no  better  than  Slaves,  j  they 
were  ever  the  Sport  of  Princes,  who  very 
often  abufed  their  Services.  And  the  fame 
thing  may  be  faid  of  them  as  of  Mon- 
keys which  Ladies  are  fo  fond  of,  and  drefs 
them  up  in  Velvet  and  Brocade. 

But  it  is  certain  that  Eunuchs  were  de- 
barred the  Privilege  to  make  chek  Wills- 
The  Emperor  Leo  gives  a  very  good  Rea- 
fon  for  it  in  his  q&h  Novel,  but  more  par- 
ticularly in  the  Law  Jubemtts,  which  is  the 
Fourth  of  the  Code  de  Vr*fofitis  facrl  Cubi- 
culiy.  &  de  omnibus  CubicuUriis  &  pivilegiis 
ecrum.  The  Title  fufficiently  fhows,  that 
It  relates  to  Eunuchs,  but  the  Terms  put  it 

quite 


Eunuchifm  Difflafd.  iof 

quite  out  of  Queftion.    Nam  cum  hoc  pri- 
vilegium,  fays  he,  videatur  principalis  ejfe  pro- 
fritim  Majeftatis   ut  non  famulorum  ficut  pri- 
vate conditionis  homines   fed  liberorum  honeftis 
utatur  obfequiis7  psriniquum  eft  cos  duntaxat  pati 
for  tun  a    deterioris    incommoda,    fed   t  eft  amenta 
quidem  ad  fimilitudinem  aliorum  qui  ingenuita~ 
xis   infulis  decorantur  pro  fud    liceat  els  condere 
voluntate.    He  neverthelefs  adds  this  Refle- 
ction, which  diftinguifnes   them  free  Sub- 
jects.    *  Int  eft  at  ovum   vero  nemo  dubitet  facul- 
tatesy  Mtpote  fine  legit  i  mis  fuccejforibus  defuncjo- 
rum  fifci  juribus  vindicari  *    and   that   which 
evidently   demonftrates,    that  the  Eunuchs 
were  by  this  Law  or  Ordinance  ranged  a- 
mongft  thofe  which  are  there  called  Intefta- 
ti,  is  the  following  Sentence  in   the  fame 
LaWj  viz,.     Hcec  omnia  diligenti  obfervatiom 
volumut  cuftodii    cum   fponte  fuaq;     uoluntate- 
gjuts  dederit  Eunuchum  facri  Cubiculi  Minifte- 
riis  adhafurum.     We  fee  now,  that  Eunuchs 
were  upon  no  better  footing  than  of  Slaves, 
fmce   they  were  reckoned   amongft  thofe 
who  could  have  no  lawful  Heirs  or  Succef- 
fors ;    and  confequently    after   they  were 
dead,  were  by   that  Law  efteemed  as  In- 
teftate,  or  as  having  made  no  Will  at  all. 
It  is  true,  thofe  of   them  which  were  of 


*  L.  6.  ff.  de  Lihens  &  poftbum.  fared*  htftitmndis 
mel  exh^TiVdks, 

the 


fi  o  EuniichifmcDifflay>d* 

the  Prince's  Guard  were  excepted,  but  this 
Exception  only  confirms  the  general  Rule, 

Exceptio  in  non  except  is  fir  mat  Regulam.  In 
general  then  it  is  certain,  that  they  could 
not  make  any  one  their  Heirs ,  or  be 
themfelves  Heirs  to  any  one  \  and  their 
Eftate  and  Goods  after  their  Death  de- 
volved to  the  Prince's  Treafury  or  Exche- 
quer. 

They  were  alfo  confidered  as  infamous 
Perfons,  unworthy  of  the  Privilege  and  Be- 
nefit of  the  Laws  •,  witnefs  that  famous  De* 
claration  of  the  Civilian  Paulus.  *  Quam- 
vis  nulla  perfona  excipiatur,  tamen  intelligendum 
eft  da  his  legem  [entire  qui  liberos  tollere  pojffunt  • 
Jtaqi  (i  Caftraium  libert um  jure  jurando  quis  ade- 
perit  dicendum  eft  non  puniri  Vatronum  hac  hge. 

They  were  uncapable  of  the  Privilege  of 
Adoption,  the  Law  being  exprefs  againft 
them  in  that  refped,  f  Sed  &  illud  utriufq-^ 
adopt ionis  commune  eft y  <\*od  &  ii  qui  generare 
non  piffunt^  (quales  funt  Spadones)  adopt  are  pof~ 
funt,  caftrati  autem  non  pojfunt.  The  difference 
between  Spado  and  Caftratus,  I  have  fhewn 
above  in  Chap.  III. 

However,  I  cannot  but  own,  that  the 
Emperor  Leo  has  (if  I  may  ufe  the  Expref- 
fion)  re-capacicated  them  in  Novel  26,  by 


*" L.  ■  6.  ff.  de  jure  Vattomtus.  f  S$f«'   $ed    & 

illud  hJkSuU  Ub.  uSiii  11.  de.Adtyt; 

which 


- 


Eumichifm  cDifplafd.         i  x  i 

which  he  enables  them  to  adopt;  and  the 
Reafon  he  alledges  is  very  plaufible,  which 
is,  that  as  thofe  who  have  loft  the  ufe  of 
their  Speech,  or  are  not  able  to  bring  the 
Words  out  of  their  Mouths,  fo  as  to  be  un- 
derftood,  are  by  no  means  forbidden  to 
make  Signs  with  their  Hands,  to  fupply  the 
Office  of  their  Tongue,  or  write  down  how 
they  would  have  their  Affairs  managed.  So 
neither  fliould  thofe  who  have  loft  their 
Genitals,  and  fo  can  have  no  Children,  for 
that  reafon,  be  debarred  fome  other  Way,  to 
make  up  their  want  of  them.  His  Words 
are,  jQuvmadrnodum  cut  vocls  ufm  ademptm 
qua  lingua  munia  funt  per  manus  ad  implere 
&  <[ui  Sertnonem  labiis  fundere  nequitj  non  pro- 
hibetur.  Ita  neque  qui  quod  genitaltbus  privati 
funt  liberos  non  habtnt  horum  indigentiam  alia 
Tttodo  ccmpenfare   ijetandum  eft. 

But  tnis  notwithstanding  does  not  feem 
to  be  conformable  to  the  Rules  of  Ju- 
ftice  ;  for  ic  is  a  Maxim  of  the  Civil  Law,  as 
well. as  Philofophy,  and  good  Senfe,  that 
adoptio  nat twain  imitatur9  whence  follows^ 
that  pro  Monfiro  eft  tit  mayr  fit  filius  quam 
pattr,  which  would  be  if  this  fhould  take 
Place. 

It  is  certain,  the  Law  has  prefcribed  the 
Age  at  which  one  may  adopt  in  fuch  man- 
ner, that  the  Proportion  of  Ages  fhculd 
ever  be  obferved ;  for  it  would  be  ridicu- 
lous, that  in  Adoption  the  Son  fliould  be 

older. 


1 1 2  Eunuchifm  'Difflafd* 

older  than  the  Father,  or  not  fo  many 
Years  younger  as  might  be  according  to 
Nature ;  for  thofe  Reafons  it  is  faid,  that 
Adoption  follows  or  imitates  Nature.  But 
how  would  it  imitate  Nature  in  this  Cafe 
of  Eunuchs,  to  permit  one  who  not  only 
never  was  a  Father,  but  has  not  the  Capa- 
city or  Parts  requifice  ever  to  make  him 
fo? 

Befides  it  mud  be  obferved,  that  Adop- 
tion originally  was  only  permuted  to  thofe 
Perfons  which  once  had  Children  to  com- 
fort them,  znd  in  forne  meafure  to  fupply 
that  Lofs  $  which  Privilege  afterwards  was 
extended  to  thofe  who  had  no  manifeft  Im- 
pediment to  hinder  them  from  having  Chil- 
dren, but  who  in  effedhad  the  unhappinefs 
never  to  have  any  ;  but  it  never  was  aliow'd 
Women  to  adopt,  becaufe  they  were  unca- 
pable  of  the  principal  ErTedr.  of  Adoption, 
which  is  raievnd  ?ower,  but  yet  fometimes 
they  were  permitted  to  adopt  by  Difpenfe- 
tion,  or  by  Indulgence  of  the  Prince,  and 
that  they  might  be  comforted  for  cheir  dead 
Children.  Ex  Iniulgentia  Vrincips  ad  fola-  i 
tiam  liberor-tttn  amijjorum. 

But  furely  it  would  be  to  abufe  Adoption, 
to  fuffer  thofe  People  who  never  had, 
or  ever  could  have  any  Children  to  make 
ufe  of  that  Privilege.  This  is  not  to  imi- 
tate or  follow  Nature,  but  to  furpafs  it  ;  | 
or  rather  infult  and  affront  it,  to  give  Chil- 
dren 


Ennuchifm  DiffJay'd.  1 1 } 

dren  to  thofe  who  are  defpoiled   of    the 
Means  to  produce  any. 

*  The  Civilians  have  had  fo  great  a 
regard  to  thefe  Confiderations,  that  they 
would  not  fuffer  one  of  thofe  Eunuchs  who 
were  permitted  to  make  a  Will,  to  inftitute 
a  Pofthumous  Child  for  his  Heir.  The 
Words  of  Ulpian  are  very  plaia  in  this  Cafe 
in  the  Law,  Sed  eft  quafitum  §.  i.  Sedfi  Gaftra* 
tits  Jit,  Julianus  Proculi  opinionem  feculas  non 
put  at  pofthamum,  Haredem  pojje  inftitnerey 
quo  jure  utimur. 

I  muft  confefs,  I  cannot  but  wonder  that 
Scbueidevin,  a  Perfon  of  fo  much  Judgment 
and  Learning,  fhould  maintain,  That  a 
Eunuch  was  capable,  according  to  Law, 
of  taking  upon  him  the  Office  of  a  Tutor 
or  Guardian.  It  is  true,  he  feems  as  if  he 
would  be  underftood  ro  mean  thofe  Impo- 
tents  who  have  only  loft  one  of  thofe  Parts 
Nature  had  beftow'd  upon  other  People, 
and  his  Comparifon  gives  us  room  to  be- 
lieve fo  :  Fory  t  fays  he,  as  one  cannot  refufe 
Wardship  to  any  one  under  pretence  that  be  has  but 
One  Eye,  or  that  he  is  what  the  Lawyers  call 
Morbofus,  certainly  he  whom  they  call  Spado, 
can  on  no  pretence  whatsoever  he  exempt  from 


*  Lib.  6.  ff.  de  Liber.  &pofth.  hired,  infiituendis  vel 
exbtredexdis  lib.  29.  Seel,  penult,  de  inofficios  Teftam. 
t  Schueideuin    in   Fnjlitut,  lib,    1.    fit,   25.  Seel.    7. 


executing 


1 1 4  Eunuchism  T)ifflafd. 

executing  that  Office :  And  he  confirms  his 
Opinion  by  the  *  Spadonem  2.  of  the  6  ff. 
de  ts£dilitio  Edicto  &  Redbibitio?jey  &  quanti 
minoris7  which  contains  thefe  Terms,  Spa- 
donem morbofum  non  ej]e,  neq\  vitiofum  verius 
mihl  vjdetuY  fid  fanum  effe,  fecuii  ilium  qui 
unum  Tefticulum  babet  qui  ethm  generare  pottfi. 
That  which  makes  me  believe  that  he  does 
not  mean  in  that  Place  an  Eunuch  properly 
fo  called,  is,  that  in  the  very  Title  there 
is  a  diftinclion  made  between  \  Morbofus 
and  Vitiatusy  as  alfo  between  Vitwm  Simplex, 
and  Vitium  corporis  penetrans  ad  Stimium^  [j 
and  particularly  mentions*  thofe  who  are 
excefiively  fearful,  greedy,  covetous,  or 
foon  provoked  to  Anger.  How  then  can  a 
Man  fo  timorous  and  -fearful  as  an  Eunuch 
is,  ferve  as  a  Support  and  Affiftance  to  a 
Minor  under  his  Tutelage,  who  perhaps 
may,  notwithftanding  his  Non-Age,  have 
infinitely  greater  Courage  and  Vigour  of 
Spirit  than  himfelf? 

But  be  that  as  it    will,    I  am  fure  the 
thing  it  felf  appears  to  me  to  be  contrary 
to  Order  and  Jufb'ce,  and  I  may    add,    the  * 
Law  it  felf,  which  (ays,-  that  Wardfhip  is  a  f 
Manly  Office,   far  beyond  the  weaknefs  of 


*  Infitut.  de  laved,  cualli.  QP  differ.  /.  4.        f  Lib.  I 
SeB.  11.  ||  Lib.  20.  SeB.  7.  ff.  qui   'Tejlamenta.    j 

facere  poffunt. 


a  Wo- 


Eunuchlfm  *Diftla?d*  1 1  5 

a  Womanifh  Soul.  -J-  Tutelam  adminiftrare 
'virile  munia  eft,  &  ultra  Sexum  feminea  infir- 
mitatis  tale  Officium  eft. 

I  haveofcen  wonder'd  how  the  Civil  Law 
came  to  permit  them  to  take  Arms.  ||  Qui 
cum  umco  Tejticulo,  fays  the  Law,  natus  eft 
juve  militabity  fecundum  Divi  Trajani  refculum. 
And  the  Reafon  which  the  Law  gives  for  it 
is  (till  more  furprizing,  becaufe  truly  the 
Generals  Sylla  and  Cotta,  were  faid  to  be  iff 
the  fame  Condition.  Nanr  &  Duces  Sylla 
&  Cotta  r/iemorantur  to  habitis  fuijfe  Na>ur<e. 
But  becaufe  there  happened  to  be  two 
great  Men  that  were  Eunuchs,  by  a  very 
particular  Exception  to  that  Rule,  muft  k 
be  therefore  made  a  Law,  that  all  others 
are  capable  of  bearing  Arms  ? 

The  Conjugal  Combat  is  of  a  different 
Nature  from  the  Military,  and  fo  are  the 
Arms  ,•  but  as  Eunuchs  are  not  accoutred 
with  thefe,  they  aie  intirely  in  an  incapa- 
city of  engaging  in  this  agreeable  Warfare. 
This  is  the  Decifion  of  Plautus  in  that  witty 
Aliufion  of  his,  *  Si  amandum  eft,  amore 
oportet  teftibus  prafentibus. 

In  fhort,  an  Eunuch  was  never  fuffered  to 
appear  in  any  folemn  Ad:,     t  Ad  folewnia 


f  Lib.' 1.    Cod.   yuand.  Alulier  Tutor,   off.  fung.fotefi. 
"||   L.  4.  lib.  49.   tit.  16.    de  Re  Militar'i.*         *    Plant, 
in  Cur  ml.  \  Lib,  z^j.  Sect.  7.  ff.  Qxi  Teftament.  face- 

re  foffu?it, 

adhi- 


n6  Eunuchifm  DifplayJd. 

adhiberl  non  pete/}  cum  juris  Civilis  Communio- 
nem  non  habeat  in  totumy  ne  Vr&tcris  c^uidem  £- 
diffi  Natur&. 

I  have  faid  enough  of  this  Subjeft,  and 
fliall  conclude  this  Chapter  by  obferving 
that  we  muft  make  a  great  difference  be- 
tween voluntary  Eunuchs  who  have  been 
made  fo  by  their  own  Will  and  Confent, 
and  thofe  who  have  been  conftrained  to  be 
made  Eunuchs  to  fave  their  Lives.,  or  fome 
fuch  like  Neceffity,  The  former  were  ever 
odious  and  defpicabie,  but  the  latter  ("if 
their  Behaviour  do  not  deferve  otherwise) 
ought  to  be  pitied,  and  demand  our  Help 
and  Support. 

CHAP.    XL 

What  Rani  voluntary  Eunuchs  have  held 
in  Civil  Society ,  and  after  what  man- 
tier  the  Laws  have  confider }d  them9 
and  what  Rights  and  Privileges  they 
had  therehy  allowed  them. 

IF  forced  Eunuchs,  that  is,  thofe  who 
have  been  made  fo  in  their  Infancy  of 
Youth,  in  the  times  of  Perfecution,  or 
by  the  Command  or  Direction  of  a  Tyrant, 
and  even  thofe  who  became  fo  by  fome 
Accident  or  Misfortune,  were,  notwith- 
ftanding,  the  Objeft  of  the  Contempt  and 

Raillery 


Eunuchifm  Difpla/d.  1 1 7 

Raillery  of  the  reft  of  Mankind  ;  wliac 
Indignation  muft  they  have  conceivM  a- 
gainft  thofe  bafe  and  groveling  Souls,  who 
by  mere  views  of  Intereft  and  Ambition, 
have  caufed  that  exteriour  part  of  their 
Body  to  be  cut  off,  which  is  the  mod  noble 
and  moft  advantagious  to  Society  ?  The 
Law  condemns  them  to  the  greateft  PunHh- 
ment,  as  thofe  that  are  their  own  Mur* 
derers.  Let  us  fee  how  the  Emperor  Adrian 
paffes  Sentence  againft  them.  If  any  one, 
fays  he,  does  contrary  to  my  Edi&,  the  Sur- 
geon who  performs  the  Operation,  as  well 
as  he  that  fpontaneoufly  offer'd  himfelf  to 
undergo  it,  (hall  be  put  to  Death ;  or  which 
is  the  fame  thing,  it  (hall  be  a  capital  Crime 
in  both.  His  words  are,  *  Acfi  quis  adver- 
[us  Ediclum  me  urn  fecerit.  Medico  quidetns  qui 
exciderit,  capitate  erit3  Item  ipfi  qui  fe  fponte 
excidendum  pr<tbuit. 

They  were,  as  I  have  often  obferv'd, 
look'd  upon  heretofore  as  infamous  in  the 
higheft  Degree;  they  were  banifhd  the 
Society  of  Men,  nor  could  they  make 
either  Man  or  Woman  their  Heir,  nor  be 
themfelves  Heir,  to  either. 

Agreeable  to  this,  I  (hall  inftance  a  Cafe 
out  of  \  Valerius  Alaximus.  Genutius,  Prieft 


*  L.  4.  ff.  ad  Legem  Cornel,  de  Sicatiis.         f  Vale- 
rius Max,  lib.  7.  cap.  7.  Exem%.  6, 

to 


i  i  8  Eunuckifm  TUfpla/d. 

to  C/hele  Mother  of  the  Gods,  having  ob-- 
tain'd  of  the  Praetor  Cn.  Orefiesy  the  Poffef- j 
fion  of  the  Eftate  left  him  by  Nevianus  in 
his  Will,  Sardinius  appealed  to  the  Conful 
Mamercus,  infixing,  that  Genutius  being  vo- 
luntarily deprived  of  thofe  parts  which 
made  him  a  Man,  ought  not  to  be  rank'd 
either  among  Men  or  Women  $  upon 
which,  the  Decree  of  the  Prator  was  re- 
vers'd.  This  was  an  A&,  fays  our  Author,} 
worthy  Mamercus,  and  a  Prince  of  the 
Senate,  for  he  bindred  the  Seats  of  our  Judges 
from  being  fullied  with  the  fight  of  fo  unworthy 
a  Terfon  as  Genutius,  and  that  his  fauealing 
effeminate  Voice  fhould  not  be  heard  on  his  fre- 
ttnce  of  demanding  Juftice. 

This  is  fufficient  for  this  Article ;  what 
has  been  laid  in  the  foregoing  Chapters  may 
be  applied  as  to  other  Cafes.  I  fhali  only  add, 
that  even  alfo  amongft  volunrary  Eunuchs^ 
fome  are  excepted  from  the  general  Con^ 
tempt,  and  that  publick  Condemnation  fo: 
juftly  due  to  others,  fuch  as  the  unhappy; 
Combafas,  and  others  in  the  like  Cafes :  not 
that  they  are  altogether  excufable,  but  it 
may  be  faid  of  them,  that  they  became  fo, 
becaufe  they  thought  thereby  to  avoid  the 
greater  Evil,  and  imitated  that  Merchant 
of  whom  Juvenal  makes  mention,  or  rather 
the  Beaver,  who  Gelds  himfelf  tq  fave  his 
JLife. 


lmi\ 


Eunuchtfm  Dijf!ay\L  \  r  9 

-  lm  it at us  C  aft  or  a  qui  fe  * 

Eunuchum  ipfe  facit,  cuficns  evadere  Damno 
TefticuLfum  — 

Juft  as  the  Beaver,  that  wife  thinking  Brute^ 
Whoy    when  hard  hunted  on  a  clofe  Ptrfuit, 
Bites  off  his  Stones,  the  caufe  if  all  the  ft  rife  y 
And  pays  *em  down  a  Ranfom  for  his  Life, 

Dryden. 

This  Poet  was  of  the  fame  Opinion  with 
thofeNaturalifts,  \  who  believed  that  the 
Beaver  bit  offhisTefticles  to  deliver  himfelf 
from  the  Hunters  Po^er,  imagining  tjiat  he 
ispurfued  for  nothing  elfe  j  but  Monfieur, 
the  Baron  de  la  Hontan,  has  fufficiently  re- 
futed^ that  old  Error :  Thefe  are  his  Words, 

||  '  With  fubmiffion  to  the  Difcoverers 
c  of  Nature,  and  the  Searchers  into  the 
1  Secrets  of  the  Almighty  upon  the  Earth, 

it  is  not  true  that  the  Beaver  mutilates  or 
?  makes  himfelf  an  Eunuch  as  has  been  be- 
1  liev'd,  that  he  might  thereby  efcapg  the 
f  too  eager  purfuit  of  the  Hunter  ;  no, 
I  the  Males  have  coo  great  a  Value  for  their 


*  Juvenal  Satyr.  12.  -f   Ariftol.   lib.-],    cap.?. 

Hiftor.  Animal  JEfop.  in  Apol  JElian.  lib.  tf.   cap.   33. 
Ptir.  hb.  17.  cap.  6.  i|  Vofage   de  la,  tfohtan  dans 

VAmeriyue  feptentrionah.  Torn*  1.  Lett.  16.  p.  181.  QPc. 

c  Sex, 


20  Eunuchism  Difpla/d. 

Sex,  and  have  a  greater  regard  than  that 
to  the  Propagation  of  their  own  Species. 
I  cannot  at  the  fame  time  conceive  upon 
what  grounds  People  have  built  fo  great 
a  Chimera,  for  in  truth,  the  Matter 
which  the  Followers  of  Hyfocrates  call 
Caftoreumy  is  not  enclos'd  in  thofe  precious 
and  folded  Parts,  but  in  a  Receptacle  or 
Vehicle  made  not  unlike  a  Pouch  or 
Pocket,  which  is  fo  peculiarly  adapted  to 
the  Organicai  Mechanifm  of  thefe  Ani- 
mals, that  Nature  feems  only  to  have 
form'd  it  for  them  j  the  Ufe  that  the 
Beaver  makes  of  this  Matter,  is  to  cleanfe 
anddifengage  his  Teeth  when  they  are 
full  of  the  Gum  of  fome  certain  Shrubs  he 
generally  feeds  on,  and  which  very  much 
incommodes  him. 

*  But  fuppole  I  (hould  grant  that  the  Ca- 
fioreum  is  lodged  in  the  Tefticles,  how 
could  this  Animal  bite  them  off  without 
tearing  to  pieces  thofe  Nerves  to  which 
they  are  joined  near  the  Os  Pubis.  (Show. 
me  any  Huron  Officer  of  them  all  can  talk! 
more  like  an  Anatomift)  But  —  I  have 
been  fo  much  taken  up  with  my  own 
Praifes,  that  I  have  almoft  forgot  what 
Confequence  I  would  draw  from  this 
tearing  off  the  Nerves,  &c  No  Matter, 
I  will  not  for  all  that  be  beat  out  of  my; 
Scientificai  Ratiocinations.  And  were 
not  e/£/w»,  think  we,  and  other  fuch  like 

I  Dreamers 


Eunuchifm  Difpla/d.  r  2 1 

Dreamers  in  natural  Philofophy,well  em* 
ployed  to  tell  us  of  hunting  of  Beavers? 
Did  they  extrad  this  profound  Knowledge 
in  their  moft  ftudious  Medications  in  their 
Studies  ?  Had  they  had  the  Honour  to  live 
as  I  have  done  amongft  thefe  Amphibi- 
ous Animals,  they  would  have  known  that 
a  Beaver  does  not  trouble  himfeif  about  a 
Hunter }  for  you  mult  underftand,  that- 
this  Animal  has  the  Inftind  or  Precaution 
never  to  ftir  far  from  the  Bank  of  the 
River  or  Lake  where  he  has  made  his  Den 
or  Hole  ;  befides,  he  is  very  quick  at 
hearing,  and  ever  upon  the  Iiften,  and  on 
the  lealt  Noife,  he  plunges  himfeif  in  and 
fwims  under  Water  till  fuch  time  as  he 
fancies  he  may  return  fafely  to  his  Habi- 
tation. But  if  this  Reafon  bears  no 
weight  with  it  in  refped  to  the  Land 
Beavers,  I  muft  fend  you  both  to  the  Os 
Pubis,  another  very  peremptory  Argu- 
ment •,  for  if  the  Beaver  to  flop  the  pur- 
fuit  of  the  Enemy  makes  that  bloody 
Operation  as  fome  have  believ'd,  Nature 
would  have  given  him  in  that  Adion  but 
a  very  imperfed  Inftind  ;  for  when  this 
Animal  by  lofing  of  his  Tefticles  (hall 
have  no  Caftoreum  left,  yet  he  would  be 
ftill  liable  to  be  hunted,  and  with  no  lefs 
eagernefs  of  purfuic  than  before ;  for 
the  Caftoreum  is  not  fo  confiderable,  o: 
rather,  it  is  nothing  in  companion  of  the 


*  Skin 


122  Eunuchtfm  Difplafd. 

'  Skin:  This  is  the  cheif  Prey,  and  the 
\  Mafterpiece  of  the  Bead  j  and  therefore 
1  the  poor  Beaver  to  fave  himfelf  from 
c  the  Avarice  of  the  Hunter,  ought  at 
c  leaft  to  flea  himfelf  alive,  and  throw  him 
c  his  Skin ;  and  even  then  I  cannot  tell 
i  whether  that  barbarous  and  infatiable  Fi* 
c  gure  call'd  Man,  would  be  contented  with- 
'  out  the  Fleih  too  and  Bones  of  this  inno- 
'  cent  Animal. 

c  His  Skin  is  very  odd  and  different  one 
c  part  of  it  from  the  other,  forra'd  and 
c  composed  of  two  quite  oppofite  forts  of 
c  Hair  or  Fur,  one  long,  blackifh,  mining 

*  and  round,  the  other  loofe,  foft,  and 
c  longer  in  Winter  than  at  other  times,  and 
c  is  the  fineft  filky  Down  in  the  World.  I 
c  need  not  tell  you  'tis  this  laft  fort  which 
c  is  fo  valuable,  and"  fought  after  with  fo 
c  much  eagernefs,  and  that  thefe  Animals 

*  would  live  more  peaceably,  and  with 
*■  greater  fecurity,  had  they  only  a  Skin 
c  covered  with  the  other.  Thus  far  Mon- 
fieur  le  Baron  de  la  Hontan. 

This  Gentleman  has  given  a  very  curious 
Defcriprion  and  Hiftory  of  the  Beaver, 
but  I  have  contented  my  feif  with  citing 
only  what  regards  Caftration,  and  I  can 
have  no  manner  of  Difficulty  to  give  into 
the  Opinio;)  of  chis  noble  Traveller,  who 
was  not  only  a  Perfo;  of  Learning,  but  a 
Man  of  good  Senfe  and  Tafte  of  Things, 

and 


Eunuchijhi  rDifplafd.  1 2  j 

and  therefore  furely  at  leaft  very  capable  of 
thinking,  reafoning,  and  framing  a  juft 
Judgment  on  fuch  a  Subject  as  this,  which 
only  requires  Sight  and  Difcernment. 

I  have  obferv'd  in  reading  Pliny,  that 
about  his  Time  there  was  an  old  Phyfician 
whofe  Name  was  Sextius,  diligentiffimus  Me- 
dicine veteris  Autory  who  was  much  of  the 
fame  Opinion  with  this  learned  Baron  Je  la. 
Hontan,  and  as  I  have  had  the  Honour  of 
feeing  this  ingenious  Baron,  to  whom  the 
Publick  is  fo  much  oblig'd  for  many  rare 
Difcoveries  he  has  made  them,  and  for  his 
having  fo  agreeably  entertain'd  them; 
(though  his  Works  are  wretchedly  tranfla- 
ted  into  Engiifo)  'tis  therefore  I  cannot  help 
fpeaking  of  him  with  that  Refped  and  Ho- 
nour which  I  think  due  to  his  high  Merits 
and  excellent  Qualities. 


G  2  CHAR 


1 24  Eunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

CHAP.     XII. 

What  Rank  loth  voluntary  and  forced 
Eunuchs  have  held  in  the  Churchy 
and  after  what  manner  her  Canons 
have  confided d  themy  and  what  Rights 
and  Privileges  they  have  thereby  aU 
low^d. 

GO  D  Almighty  ever  had  an  Averfion 
for  all  mutilated  and  maimed  Ani- 
mals, they  were  an  Abomination  to  him. 
*  You  fliall  not  offer  unto  the  Lord,  (fays  he 
himfelf  in  the  Holy  Scriptures)  that  which 
is  brulfed  cr  crufiied,  or  broken  or  cut  ^neither  flj  all 
you  make  any  Offering  thereof  in  your  Land. 
This  Prohibition  indeed  is  general,  but 
there  is  another  which  has  a  particular  re- 
lation to  Man,t  and  proves,  that  an  Eu- 
nuch fhall  not  enter  into  the  Congregation  of  the 
Lord,  it  is,  Church  of  the  Lord  in  the 
Original. 

Some  Interpreters  of  the  Holy  Scripture, 
believe  that  by  this  Word  Congregation  or 
Church,  is  only  meant  the  Affembly  of  the 
Jtwsy  and  that  God  only  forbids  by  this 
Law,  thofe  who  were  made  Eunuchs  (as  Jefus 


*  Levit.  Chap.  22.  v.  24.      f  ^cut.  Chap.  23.  v.  1. 

Chrijl 


ttunuchifm  Difpla/J.  1 2  5 

Cbrifi  himfelf  is  pleas'd  to  exprefs  it  in  the 
19th  Chapter  of  St.  Matthew's  Gofpel)  to 
be  admitted  into  Affemblies  or  publick 
Offices.  I  (hall  not  here  infert  the  feveral 
fpiritual  Senfes  which  Tbeodoret,  Clemens 
Alexandrinus,  and  feveral  other  Fathers  of 
the  Church  have  given  upon  this  Paiftge, 
it  is  certain  that  by  this  Text,  one  may 
clearly  perceive  that  a  certain  Sterility  and 
Impotence,  are  things  unworthy  and  very 
difpleafing  to  God,  and  thefe  Explications 
would  not  only  take  up  too  much  Room  in 
this  fmall  Work,  but  would  be  likewife  too 
great  a  Digreffion  ,•  I.  fhall  therefore  only 
fay,  that  by  this  Word  Congregation  or  Church, 
from  which  Eunuchs  are  excluded,  muft  be 
underftood,  not  only  the  Affemblies  of  the 
Jews  and  their  Magistracy,  but  even  all 
their  Rights  and  Privileges;  an  Eunuch 
could  not  enjoy  any  of  thefe  Advantages, 
they  could  not  be  reckoned  or  accounted 
amongft  the  Numbers  of  God's  People, 
nor  be  an  Ifraelite,  nor  a  Son  of  Abraham, 
nor  enjoy  any  of  the  Privileges  of  the 
Jewifh  Nation,  nor  partake  of  the  Benefits 

l  yj?  Ju,biIee'  In  a  Word>  Eunuchs  were 
banifli'd  from  the  publick  Society  of  the 
Jews,  and  in  this  Senfe  is  the  Word  Congrega- 
tion underftood  in  the  4th  Verfe  of  the  20th 
Chapter  of  the  Book  of  Numbers,  and  in 
feveral  other  parts  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture.  J  r 

G  %  We 


12  5  Eunuchifm  Ttifpla/J. 

We  fee  here  a  terrible  Curfe  and  Male- 
£ i&ion  ;  the  Law  of  God  is  much  more 
fevere  agaioft  Eunuchs  than  the  Civil  and 
Political  Laws  I  have  before  cired.  But 
perhaps  fome  will  fay,  that  thefe  Laws  do 
not  bind  under  the  new  Difpenfation,  and 
that  they  are  far  from  excluding  Eunuchs 
iiom  the  Church  ox  Congregation  of  the 
FaithfuL  If  we  believe  Origen  or  the  Va- 
hfians,  it  is  neceffary  to  be  an  Eunuch  to 
gain  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

But  I  have  evidently  made  it  appear  in 
the  foregoing  Chapters,  how  thofe  Words 
of  Jefus  Cbrift,  in  the  19th  Chapter  of 
St.  Matthew's  Gofpel  are  to  be  underitpod, 
and  how  even  Origen  himfelf  underftood 
them  afterwards,  as  alfo  that  the  Laws  of 
the  Chriflian  Churck  exprefly  condemn'd 
voluntary  Eunuchs,  and  even  fome  of  the 
other  forts.  The  Canon  *  fays,  that  Corfore 
vitiati  fimiliter  a  [acrid  Officiis  prohibentur,  this 
is  a  little  general,  but  what  follows  is  more 
particular.  %  Si  quis  fro  agritudine  nat#ralia 
a  Medicis  fecJa  habuerit  }  fimiliter  &  quia 
Barbaris,  aut  qui  a  Dominis  fuis  caftrati  fnerinty 
&  moribm  digni  inveniuntur  bos  Canon  •  admit- 
tit  ad  Clerum  promoveri.  Si  quis  autem  fanw 
ven  per  Dijciplinam  Relpgionis  abftineptia  fed  per 
abfcijjiowm  ■ -   exifiimat   pofje  a  fe  carnaks 


*  Di/lfatf.  55.  cap.  K  t.  Ibid>  cap,  10.  . 

\  -  Con* 


i 


Eunuchifm  Difpla/d.  1 27 

Concupifcentias  amptttari,  &  ideo  fe  caftrayerit, 
non  turn  admitti  dectrnimtts  ad  aliquod  Cierica- 
tr/s  Officium.  Quod  (I  jam  ftterit  ante  promotes 
ad  Clerum  probibitus  a  juo  minifierio  deponalur. 
The  Reafon  of  this  Difference  we  are  told 
in  the  8th  Canon,  which  after  having 
fpoken  of  thofe  Eunuchs  who  are  invo- 
luntarily fo,  that  cafu  aliquo  contigerit  dum 
operi  rujtico  curam  impcndunt,  aut  aliquid  faci- 
entes  Jeipfos  nonfpontepercutiunty  and  oppos'd 
them  to  voluntary  Eunuchs,  it  fays,  ni  Mis 
enim  Voluntatem  vindicanda  qua  (ibi  caufa  fuit 
ferrum  injicere,  iniflis  atttem  Ca/ibus  Veniam  me- 
ruit, and  fays  the  fame  thing  of  thofe  whom 
Barbarians,  Sicknefs,  a  Tyrant,  or  an  Ene- 
my has  redue'd  to  that  wretched  Condition, 
and  thefe,  fays  the  Canon,  deferve  our 
Commiferation  and  Support. 

This  Law  is  much  more  ancient  than  the 
Decree  of  Gratian,  whence  I  have  extract- 
ed the  Decifions  I  have  here   inferted  •   it  is 

eftablifti'd  by  the  Council  of  Nice,  which 
is  the  firft  of  the  OEcumenicai  or  General 
Councils,  the  firft  Canon  of  which  is  as 
follows :  c  If  any  Perfon  who  is  diftem- 
*  pered  and  oblig'd  to  be  made  an  Eunuch 
c  by  the  Surgeon,  or  if  he  be  cut  by  Bar- 
c  barians,  he  may  remain  among  the  Cler- 
c  gy,  and  in  the  State  oc  an  Ecclefiaftick  ; 
c  but  if  he  be  well  in  Health  and  caftrates 
c  himfeif,  if  he  be  of  the  Body  of  the 
c  Clergy,  he  muft  abftain  from  exercifing 
G  4  *  his 


128  Eunuchifm  DifpJa/J. 

f  his  Minifterial  Function,  and  that  for  the 
€  future,  no  one  of  that  fort  (hall  beadmit- 
'  ted  to  bean  Ecclefiaftick. 

Now  as  it  is  evident  that  this  Decree  re- 
fpe&s  only  thofe  who  have  deliberately 
acled  after  this  manner,  and  who  have 
caftrated  themfelves,  this  cannot  any  ways 
affe<5l  thofe  who  were  made  Eunuchs  by 
Barbarians  or  by  their  Mafters,  for  thefe 
may  be  receiv'd  into  Orders  according  to 
the  Rules  of  the  Church,  provided  they  have 
no  Impediment  otherwife. 

This  Canon  of  the  Nicene  Council  is 
infer  ted  in  the  Life  of  St.  Athanafias  by 
Monfieur  Herman,  with  Reflections  of  that 
Judicious  Author,  which  it  will  not  be  im- 
p  oper  to  mention  here,  and  which  is  as 
follows.     '  It  is   not  poflibla,   in  reality, 

*  to  fay  what   were   the  Motives  that  in- 
>*  duced  the  Fathers  of  the  Council  of  Nice 

*  to  treat  uf  this  Subject,  and  to  make  ufe 

*  of  this  juft  Severity  againft  thofe  who 
c  made  themfelves  Eunuchs  by  their  own 

*  Hands;  it  is  certain  that  this  wilfurl  mu- 

*  tiiation,  which  was  forbidden  by  the  Ci- 

*  vil  Laws,    and   particularly  by  thofe  of 

*  the  Emperor  Adrian,  could    not   be   ap* 

*  prov'd  of  by  the  Authority  of  the  Church. 

*  The  inconfiderate  Zeal  of  Origen,  who 

*  made  himlelf  an  Eunuch  through  a  too 

*  literal  Explanation  of  the  19th  Chapter 

*  of  St.  Matthew's  Gofpel,  was  condemn'd 


Eunuchifm  T)ifpla/d.  f  2  9 

by  Demetrius  his  Bifhop,  though  at  the 
fame  time  he  admired  this  Action  as  a 
Tranfport  of  extraordinary  Piety.  The 
abufe  of  fome  Hereticks  who  were  callsd 
the  Vakfiam,  caftrated  all  who  were  of 
their  Se&,  had  before  that  been  confider'd 
as  an  Extravagance  fufficiently  contrary 
to  the  Sentiments  of  true  Religion,  as- 
well  as  the  common  Rules  of  Humanity. 
All  thefe  Confiderations  fufficiently  jufti- 
fy  the  Council  of  Nice,  but  do  not  inform 
us  what  was  the  Occafion.  Some  will 
have  it  that  this  Canon  was  made  upon 
occafion  of  Lefutius,  who  was  advanc'cl 
by  the  Arrians  to  the  Epifcopal  See  of 
Antiocby  and  was  deprived  becaufe  he  had 
caftrated  himfelf;  but  fince  Theodoret  de- 
clares that  his  Ordination  was  contrary 
to  the  Decrees  of  the  Nicene  Council,  ic 
has  given  occafion  to  fome  People  to- be- 
lieve, that  that  Prieft  had  not  then  com- 
mitted that  Extravagance,  and  that  ic 
was  not  till  fince  the  Time  of  that  Holy 
and  Venerable  AfTembly,  that  the  Defoe-, 
he  had  to  have  a  more  free  Converfation 
with  Eflolia,  a  young  Lady,  made  him> 
with  his  own  Hands,  like  Origen,  arm  him- 
felf  againft  all  Sufpicion,  which  he,  like: 
him,  imagin'd  otherwife  might  arife  froma 

*  a  malicious  and  cenforious  World. 

ff  But  however  that  be,,  it  is  certain  thar. 

*  thole  who  of  p§rfe&  Men  became  Eu- 

G  £  1  BoicUs* 


1 3  o        Eunuchifm  'Diftlafd. 

nuchs,  either  through  Violence  of  others, 
or  Sicknefs,  are  not  excluded  from  the 
Dignities  of  the  Church  ;  and  this  actu- 
ally was  the  Cafe  of  Si  German  and  St.  Ig- 
natius, who  fo  worthily  filled  the  Patri- 
archal See  of  Conftantinople.  But  thofe 
who  out  of  a  falfe  Zeal  for  Chaftity,  or 
fome  other  Motive,  have  been  induced  to 
commit  on  themfelves  fuch  an  Ad  of 
Barbarity,  are  judged  unworthy  of  the 
1  Fun&ions  of  the  Miniftry,  if  they  were 

*  before  in  Orders,  and  of  ever  being  ad- 

*  mitted   thereto    if   they  were  Laymen* 
Thus  far  the  Canon. 

As  to  thofe  who  are  made  Eunuchs  for  In- 
sereft,  Ambition, or  other  vile,bafe,and  odious 
Motives,  it  was  not  enough  that  they  were 
excluded  the  Miniftry,  but  they  were  eyer 
jeputed  as  infamous,  and  baniuYd  the  So- 
ciety of  Men  ,•  and  that  this  was  the  fenfe 
©f  Antiquity,  I  have  fufficiently  made  ap- 
pear in  the  Example  of  Gmutius. 

But  I  go  yet  farther,  and  not  only  efteem 
shem  as  Perfons  deferving  the  utmoft  Shame 
and  Infamy,  but  that  they  ought  to  be 
puniuY'd  with  all  the  feverky  of  capital 
Offender?.  The  Civil  Law  looks  upon 
them,  and  declares  them  to  be  felf-murder- 
ersj  for  it  fays,  f  That  if  any  one  cut  him- 

*  felf?  that  is,  if  he  cut  off  his  viril  Mem- 
c  bers,  he  (hall  not  be  admitted  a  Member 

*  of  the  Clergy,  becaufe  he  is  a  Suicide  or 


Eunuchism  'Difflay'd.  i  }  x 

c  Self  murderer,  and  an  Enemy  to  the  Purpo- 
'  fesof  God  5  but  if  he  t>e  already  a  Clerk, 
c  or  in  Orders,  let  him  fuffer  condemna- 
c  tion,  for  he  is  a  felf-murderer.  *  Si  ^«/x 
abfeideritfemttipfum,  id  eftyfiquis  amputaymt 
fibi  Virilia  nonftet  Clericus,  quia  Jul  eft  homicida  y 
&  Dei  Condition*  inimicus.  Si  quis  cum  Cleri- 
cusfuerityabfcideritfemetipfum  omnino  damnetur, 
quia  fui  homicida  eft. 

This  Term  Homicida  or  Murderer,  mud 
not  be  taken  in  the  literal  Senfe  }  for  rigo- 
roufly  fpeaking,  it  is  not  always  true  that 
he  who  makes  himfelf  an  Eunuch  dies  un- 
der the  Operation,  but  it  is  here  made 
ule  of,  becaufe  he  is  in  danger  of  dying 
by  fuch  Operation  ,•  for  it  has  been  ob- 
ferv'd  in  the  ioth  Chapter  of  this  Work, 
by  the  Emperor  Juftinian,  that  of  Fourfcore 
andTeri People  which  he  knew  to  have  been 
gelt,  not  above  Three  efcap'd  Death.  It  is 
fpr  this  Reafon  then,  that  thofe  who  are 
voluntary  Eunuchs  are  called  Suicides  or  Self- 
murderers  ;  that  is,  by  reafon  of  the  Danger 
that  might  follow  Caftration  ,•  propter  peri- 
culum  quod  fequti  porerat  feclionem ;  in  the  fame 
fenfe  as  it  is  faid  in  the  laft  Chapter  of  the 
87th  Diftinction,  that  wbofoever  expofes  an 
Infant  is  a  Homicide  or  Murderer  •  which  is 
grounded  upon  this  Reafon,  that  we  muft 


Ibid*  Cap*  5. 

*Ofc 


i  5  *        lunueBifm  TSifflafi. 

not  confid'er  what  actually  does  happen, 
but  what  may.  frator  non  ait  cttjus  cafus 
nocere  pofa,  fays  the  Law^  ex  bis  Verbis  * 
maniftjlatur  non  omm  quidquid  fofitum  eft>  fed 
quidyuidfic  pofitum  8 ft  ut  nocere  fojjit ,  hocfolum 
fropicere  "Pratorem  ne  poffit  nocere^  nee  fpBamm 
%t  noceat%  fed  mnino  fi  nocere  poffit  Ediclo  hew 
ft  ;  Cmcetttr-  antem  qui  pofitum  habuity  (lv& 
jwcuit  id  quod  pofitum  &r it  five  non  nocuit. 

I  ffaall  add  to  the  Cafes  excepted  by  the 
law  another  Cafe,  and  that  is,  when  the 
Welfare  and  Health  of  the  whole  Body  re- 
quires*  that  one  part  be  cut  off,  as  when 
people  have  Mortifications  in  their  Legs 
$&$  Arms,  &c.  for  it  is  a  Maxim  of  good* 
Seiafe,  thas  one  part  had  better  be  loft  than 
the  whole,  prxftat  partis  quam  totim  facere 
jjtBwrafn?  but  I  have  evidently  fnewn,  that 
neither  Conference  nor  Religion  can  ferve 
as  a  pretence  for  this  Infamous  Operation  5; 
fe»  k  is  not  lawful  though  k  be  to  preferve 
&ny  Virtue,  as  for  Example,  ChaQity,  be- 
caufe  there  are  never  wanting  other  Means 
iy  God's  Grace,  whereby  a  Man  may  not 
only  acquit  but  preferve  and  defend  this 
'Virtue,  Non  eft  1hit&  ad  fcundam  aliquant 
Tirtutem^  v^g.  C^ftitatem  quia  non  defunt  alia- 
ynedia  quibw  cum  Dei  Gratia  fojfit  homo  & 
ajfzqui  &  tnerl  banc  Virtutzm* 

*  L.  Si  vero  5.  Seft>  n.  lib*  ?•  ff.  tit.  3.  de  his  qui 
iffctderint  vel  dejectrint*, 

lilt: 


Eunuchifm  7)iffJafd,         i  j  j 

But  before  I  end  this  Chapter,  I  (hall 
beg  leave  to  fay,  that  there  remains  yet  one 
thing  worthy  the  Obfervation  of  the  niceft 
Criticks,  andmoft  celebrated  Canonifts  and 
Civilians  j  which  Mornac  takes  notice  of  in 
his  Commentary  upon  the  Law  Si  quis  Cod.. 
de  Eunuchis,  and  is  this. 

The  9th  Canon  of  the  f  yth  Diftindion^ 
has  thefe  Words,  Eunuchus  ft  per  infidias  ho- 
minum  faclus  eft  txl  [i  in  perfecutione  ei  funt 
antputat  virilia  vel  it  a  natus,  eft  dignns^ftat 
Efifcopus  ;  this  Word  Epifcopus  feems  to  be 
very  ill  placed  ;  we  muft  therefore,  to  clear 
up  this  Doubt,  have  reeourfe  to  the  21  of 
the  Apoftolical  Canons,  where  we  find  in 
the  Greek  Copy,  the  Word  xMjpai*  and  not 
'$.irinta7r.&9  and  what  gave  occafion  Clays 
Mornac)  to  the  Learned,  to  be  be  in  doubt 
concerning  this  Matter,  was,  that  the  Inde- 
cency and  Deformity  attending  an  effemi- 
nate, defpicable  and  beardlefs  Man,  would- 
not  permit  us  to  believe,  the  Church  would 
advance  an  Eunuch  (one  who  was  no  Man., 
properly  fpeaking,)  to  the  Epifcopal  Dig- 
nity, which  would  qualify  him  to  teach, 
prefide  over,  and  govern  the  reft  of  the 
Clergy,  who  properly  were  fo.  This  Re- 
flexion is  not  ufelels  here,  for  k  plainly 
(hews,  that  what  ever  Support  and  Com- 
paffion  the  Church  may  have  for  thole  un- 
happy Perfons,.  their  Condition  was  never- 
thetelk  fo  abje<ft  and  vile,  that  however  0- 

ihciK 


i  j  4         Eunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

therwife  worthy  they  might  be,  (he  never 
would  place  them  in  her  higheft  Stations, 
or  confer  on  them  her  moft  confiderable  and 
eminent  Dignities. 

I  fhall  conclude  this  Chapter,  and  this 
firft  Part  of  my  Treatife,  with  fome  Re- 
marks which  will  not  be  foreign  to  the 
Subjed.  I  muft  fay  then,  that  I  have  not 
here  pretended  to  write  a  natural  Hiftory 
of  Eunuchs,  or  an  exact  Relation  of  thofe 
People,  as  they  have  been  confidered  in  ail 
Ages  and  Countrys,  the  Cuftoms  of  Nati- 
,-  ons,  and  Times,  differ  very  much ;  and  to 
'  the  foame  of  human  Reafon  be  it  fpoken, 
we  fee  that  which  was  the  common  Tail  in 
one  Age,  was  Difguft  in  another.  This  di- 
verfity  appears  every  where  amongft  diffe- 
rent People,  who  have  a  different  Taft  and 
Genius.  This  deficiency,  deprivation,  or 
lack  of  Virility,  or  Manhood,  is  not  equals 
ly  opprobrious  in  all  Places;  in  many  Places 
in  the  World  it  has  rendered  fome  People 
very  Confiderable,  which  otherwife,  would 
not  have  been  in  the  leaft  taken  notice  of. 

They  have  been  employed  in  the  higheft 
Offices,  and  have  received  Honours  not  in- 
feriour  to  Sovereign  Princes  ,•  and  even  to 
this  Day  are  held  in  the  fame  Refpeft  in 
the  Levant,  Verjia,  Egypt,  Mefopotamia  ;  and 
it  is  notorious,  that  in  the  Port  of  the  Grand 
Seignior,  and  through  all  that  vaft  Empire, 
which  extends  it  felf  over  three  Parts  of  the 

old 


Eunuchifm  DiftJa/d.         i  3  5 

old  World,  Eunuchs   poflefs   an  Authority, 
little  lefs  than  Sovereign.    They  were  here- 
tofore the  Eyes  and  Ears  of  the  Kings  of 
Terjiay  as  they  are  now  of  the  Ottoman  Em- 
perors. 

The  Rowan*  on  the  contrary,  ever  held 
thefe  Hail-men  in  the  utmoft  Difdain  and 
Horror ;  they  abominated  Caftration.  Let 
us  hear  how  Cafar  fpeaks,  on  occafion  of  an 
Infinity  of  People  whom  Pharnaces  had  cau- 
fed  to  be  deprived  of  their  Virility ;  *  which 
Vunifhmcat,  fays  he,  the  Romans  efteem  worfe 
than  Death.  Jguod  quidem  fupflicium  gravius 
morte  civa  Roma-ni  ducunt  *  and  yet  we  fee 
that  forne  little  time  after  ?lautianus>  in  the 
time  of  the  stntonwijhey  made  a  great  Num- 
ber of  Eunuchs,  as  I  have  before  obferved  in 
this  Work  ;  and  at  prefent  the  Italians  make 
no   fmall  Account  of  them. 

t  Monfieur  Chevrean  fays,  (and  it  is  true 
enough)  that  they  call  their  Eunuchs  or 
Ca/trati,  if  they  have  a  fine  Voice,  Vertuous 
\Vertuofi~]  ('and  fo  they  honour  their  Courtis 
fans  likewife  with  that  Title  when  they 
iing  or  play  on  the  Guitar^  Queen  Chriftina 
ufed  to  call  them  la  Virtuofa  CanagHa,  than 
which  could  not  be  a  more  poignant  Ex- 
preffion. 


*  De  Bell,  Alex  and,     |  Chevrean  a  Tom,  i,  p.  200. 

But 


ij6        Hunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

But  it  is  a  Matter  worth  Obfervation^ 
that  Italy  only  (which  is  but  a  little  Angle 
in  Comparifon  of  the.Chriftian  World;  pro- 
duces Eunuchs.  I  know  very  well,  they 
will  tell  us  at  Rome,  that  every  one  who 
makes  an  Eunuch  is  excommunicated,  ipfo 
faBo  ;  but  how  the  great  Men  at  the  Court 
of  Rome  can,  notwithftanding,  encourage 
this  Practice,  (as  in  fad  they  do,  by  encou- 
raging Eunuchs,  not  only  in  their  Operas,, 
but  even  in  their  very  Churches,  which  if 
they  did  not,  there  would  be  none)  is  what 
I  have  not  capacity  enough  to  comprehend. 
For  certainly,  no  fine  Voice  can  compen- 
fate  for  fuch  a  Loft  to  the  Eunuch,  what- 
ever he  may  gain  by  it ;  nor  give  fo  much 
Satisfaction  to  the  Audience,  as  may  coun- 
tervail the  Encouragement  of  fuch  Mutila- 
tions, which  is  abfolutely  againft  the  very 
Letter  of  the  Ecclefiaftical  Canons,  and  in- 
volves the  Agent  in  an  Excommunication^ 
ipfo  fatfo. 

But  this  being  not  my  Bufmefs  to  dive  in- 
to, and  no  ways  the  Intention  of  this  Work, 
I  mail  only  fay,  that  it  will  be  fufficienc 
for  me  to  conclude  all  what  I  have  hitherca 
faid  on.- this- Subject,  that  there  appears  to 
be  not  any  one  Ordinance,  nor  Law,  nor? 
Conftitution,  that  regulates  the  Marriage 
of  Eunuchs,  which  infallibly  we  mould  dis- 
cover in.  either  ancient  or  modern  Hiftory,. 
<qi  in  the  Compilers  of  the  Laws^  if  it  had 

besa. 


Eunuchifm  'DiftJa/d.         i  jy 

been  permitted  them  to  contract  Marriage, 
as  we  do  a&ually  find  feveral  Laws  in  rela- 
tion to  their  making  themfelves  fo,  and  con- 
cerning their  Power  of  making  Wills,  A- 
doption,  and  becoming  Guardians,  &c. 
But  on  the  contrary,  we  find  Laws  which 
abfolutely  forbid  and  prohibit  them  to  mar- 
ry ;  and  this  fliall  be  more  particularly  ex- 
amined in  the  2d  Part  of  this  Treatifs. 


The  End  of  the  Firft  Part.     » 


PART,  IE 


&i*mmmiM®i§iW^Mm^^m 


PART    II. 

Wherein  is  examined  what  Right 
Eunuchs  have  to  marry,  and  whe* 
ther  they  ought  to  be  fuffered  to 
enter  into  that  State. 

CHAP.     t. 

Of  the  Nature  and  End  of  Marriage* 
That  an  Eunuch  can  no  ways  anjwer 
that  End. 


M 


Y  Defign  is  not  here  to  make 
an  Elogium  on  Marriage,  or 
throughly  examine  the  Mat- 
ter of  that  State  in  all  it's 
Circumftances.  This  feems 
to  be  the  Employment  of  the 
Cafuifts,  and  Sanchez,,  and  Pontius  have  found 
wherewithal  on  this  Subject,  to  make  each  of 
them  a  large  Volume  in  Folio  ,•  and  we  have 

feen 


Eunuchifm  T^ifplafd.  ijo. 

feen  in  our  Days  an  Ecclefiaftick  of  Florence, 
Charles  Maz&i,  who  has  endeavoured  to 
treat  fuccin&ly  on  this  Subject,  and  reduce 
the  mod  material  Cafes  into  an  Abridgment, 
as  appears  in  the  Title  Page  of  his  Book, 
which  is,  Mare  magnum  Sacrament  i  Matrimo- 
nii in  exiguo.  However,  this  Treatife  of  his, 
is  a  Volume  in  Folio,  which  made  a  pleafant 
Gentleman  fay,  that  if  that  Author,  in  pre- 
fencing  the  World  with  a  Book  in  Folio, 
has  only  given  us -the  Ocean  of  Matrimony  in 
Miniature,  how  many  Volumes  would  it 
make  in  its  full  Extent?  But  be  that  as  it  will, 
it  is  certainly  a  Sea  of  fuch  vaft  Circumfe- 
rence, fo  troubled,  and  fo  full  of  Rocks, 
Quick-fands,  Gulfs,  and  Whirl-pools,  that 
the  moft  able  Dealers  in  Cafuiftical  Theo- 
logy find  themfelves  very  often  in  fo  much 
Perplexity,  that  they  are  uncertain  which 
Courfe  to  fteer ;  I  (hall  therefore  content 
my  felf  to  lay  down  fome  general  Princi- 
ples, by  which  I  fliall  make  appear,  what 
is  the  Nature  and  the  End  of  Marriage,  that 
I  may  thence  draw  fuch  Confequences  as 
are  neceffary  to  the  particular  Subject  Mat- 
ter of  this  Second  Part. 

Marriage  then  according  to  the  general 
Definition  which  the  Lawyers  give,  is,  A 
Ccnfent  cf  Man  and  Woman,  to  pafs  their  Lives 
together  in  a  perpetual  Union,  which  is  infepura- 
ble,  only  by  the  Death  of  either  Party.     Vki  & 

Ma- 


14°  Eunuchifm  DlffJay^d. 

Muliirh  conjuntlio  individual?)  vita  confuetudi- 
nem  continent. 

Though  this  Definition  be  made  by  the 
Learned  Sages  of  the  Law,  who  are  its 
very  Oracles ,*  yet  withiubmiffion  to  their 
Reverences,  I  muft  beg  leave  co-fay  it  is  not 
juft  ;  for  if  this  Definition  fhould  hold  good, 
the  Turtle  which  has  never  but  one  Mate, 
and  will  never  couple  with  any  other  while 
that  is  living,  may  be  faid  to  contract  Mar- 
riage, which  ought  by  no  Means  to  be  faid  of 
Brutes,  and  Creatures  deftitute  of  Reafon 
and  Underftanding.  Befides,  according  to 
this,  conftant  Concubinage  with  one  Wo- 
man would  alfo  be  a  true  Marriage,  which 
feems  contrary  to  the  Inftitution  of  the 
Union  of  Marriage.  All  infeparable  Uni- 
ons in  Society  are  not  Marriages ;  however, 
not  to  difpute  here  a  Definition,  which 
has  been  univerfaliy  received  for  fo  many 
Ages,  I  (hall  only  obferve,  that  it  contains 
in  it  two  Exprefiions,  which  are  fomewhat 
obfcure,  and  need  Explication  $  the  firft  is 
Conjunct™,  which  is  not  to  be  taken  (imply 
for  the  Confeht  of  thofe  who  are  to  con- 
trad  Marriage,  but  muft  alfo  be  taken  pro 
Cor  forum  Commixtione :  The  Second  is,  Indi- 
vidual, which  is  to  be  underftood  of  thofe 
who  contrad  Marriage,  and  are  fuppofed 
to  have  a  Defign  of  living  together  in  Uni- 
on till  the  Death  of  either  Party  ;  for  Di- 
vorce being  permitted  amongft  the  Romant, 

as 


Eunuchifm  T^if^lafd.  141 

as  may  be  feen  by  the  whole  Title  of  the 
Code  de  Repudits,  and  of  the  Digeft,  De 
Divortiis  &  Repudiis :  This  I  thought  necef- 
fary  to  premife,  that  what  (hall  be  faid  in 
this  Chapter,  may  the  better  be  underftood, 
and  all  Doubts  and  Equivocation  of  Words 
entirely  removed. 

Marriage  undoubtedly  is  the  moft  excel- 
lent of  all  Unions. 

1.  Becaufe  God  himfelf  inftituted  it  in 
Paradife,  during  the  State  of  perfed  Inno- 
cence. 

2.  Becaufe  there  is  nothing  of  fo  great  Ad-1 
vantage  and  Conveniency  to  Man  in  this 
World,  as  Marriage,  nor  which  fuits  more 
with  his  Necefficies. 

;.  Becaufe  it  is  of  abfolute  Neceffi'y  to 
the  World,  to  keep  up  Society,  and  preferve 
Chaftity  and  Modefty. 

The  Difference  of  Sexes,  and  thefe  Words 
increafeand  multiply,  which  God  himfelf  pro- 
nounced when  he  joined  them  together, 
when  he  inftituted  Marriage,  and  bleffed  it, 
evidently  demonftrate,  that  the  End  of  that 
Union  could  be  nothing  elfe  but  the  propa- 
gation of  Mankind. 

This  Union  then  could  not  be  fuppofed 
to  be  only  a  bare  Confent  of  each  Party  to 

live 


x42  Eunuchifm  rDifp!a/d. 

live  together,  as  forrie  have  imagined,  but 
pro  Corporum  Commixtione,  of  to  fpeak  a  lit- 
tle plainer,  pro  copula  carnalu  Thefe  Words 
of  God,  and  they  two  fljall  be  one  Flefh,  can 
mean  nothing  elfe.  The  Canonifts  cori- 
fider  the  Daughter  and  her  Husband,  as  one 
only  Perfon,  as  one  and  the  fame  individual 
Child,  and  the  fame  of  the  Son  and  his  Wife, 
Sic  Vir  &  Uxor,  fay  they,  non  jam  duo  fed  una 
caro  funt,  non  aliter  eft  Nurus  reputanda  yuam 
Filia,  now  they  can  by  no  means  be  faid  to 
be  one  Fiefh,  but  by  confummation  of 
Marriage,  non  aliter  Vir  &  Uxor  poffunt  una 
caro  fieri,  nifi  carnali  copula  fibi  adbareant. 
Thefe  are  the  Terms  made  ufe  of  in  the 
Canon  Law. 

In  fhort,  if  thefe  Words  muft  fignify  on- 
ly a  fimple  Confent,  in  what  Senfe  muft 
we  underftand  the  Words  of  St.  Paul?  Who 
fays,  chat  he  who  lies  with  a  lewd  Woman 
is  the  fame  Body  with  her,  for  they  two, 
fays  he,  are  made  one  Flejh.  A  Man  who 
commits  Fornication  with  a  Woman,  does 
not  thereby  engage  himfelf  to  live  with 
her  as  long  as  he  lives ;  how  then  can  he 
become  one  Flefti  with  her,  uniefs  it  be,  as 
I  faid  before,  per  Corporum  Commixtionem,  or 
per  Copulam  carnalem  ?  And  what  End  could 
this  Conjunction  have,  according  to  the  In- 
tention of  Almighty  God,  who  was  its  prime 
Inftitutor,  but  Procreation  ?  Encreafe  and 
Multiply,  fays  he,  it  was  for  this  End  I  join- 
ed 


Eunuchism  Difflafd.  143 

ed  you  together.  He  does  not  fay,  Divert 
yourfelves,  give  a  Loofe  to  your  BrutifljPaj/lms, 
do  what  your  fnfual  appetite  and  mere  Nature 
prompt  you  to,  merely  to  pleafe  and  fatisfy  your 
Inclinations ,  but  Encreafe  and  Multiply. 

Befides,  Adam  being  then  in  the  State  of 
Innocence,  God  could  not  give  him  fuch 
Liberties,  for  he  had  not  then  thofe  Con- 
cupifcenfes  of  the  Flefh,  which  his  Pofteri- 
ty  bring  into  theWorld,  impreft  in  their  very 
Nature. 

It  is  true,  fome  Interpreters  are  willing 
to  believe,  that  this  Word  Increafe,  means 
no  more  than  the  Growth  of  the  Body  ;  but 
it  is  certain,  it  has  a  farther  fignification,  for 
in  the  Original,  it  (ignifies  fruftify  or  be 
fruitful,  and  in  this  Senfe  it  is  taken  in  ho- 
ly Scripture.  The  Lord  hath  fworn  in  Truth 
unto  David,  and  he  will  not  turn  from  it,  of 
the  Fruit  of  thy  "Body  foall  I  Jet  upon  thy  Throne, 
Pfalm  1  ;2.  v.  n.  That  is,  one  of  thy  Po- 
fterity .  And  in  this  Senfe  Elizabeth  under- 
ftood  it,  when  (he  faid  to  the  Bleffed  Virgin 
Alary,  Bleffed  be  the  Fruit  of  thy  Womb. 

Prophane  Authors  have  alfo  underftood 
it  after  this  manner,  witnefs  this  Verfe  of 
Claudia?}  *. 

Nafcitur  ad  fruclum  mulier  prokm^futuram. 


*  In  Eutrop.  Lib.  1. 

This 


144         Eunuchifm  THfpIa/J. 

This  Expreffion  is  well  known  in  the  Ca- 
non Law,  *  in  which  the  Mother  is  called 
the  Root,  and  the  Child  the  Flower  or  Ap- 
ple, Mater  in  frocreatione  Filii  dicitur  Radix, 
Filius  veroflos  &  pomum.  It  is  certain,  that 
the  Word  multiply,  which  follows,  fruBify, 
or  increafd,  leaves  no  room  for  Doubt  or  Am- 
biguity, but  that  increafe  and  fruclify  muft 
neceffary  fignify  the  fame  thing. 

St.  Paul  talking  of  Widows,  would  have 
the  younger  marry,  and  bear  Children. 
Women  therefore  were  to  be  married  fop 
that  Reafon  and  Intent,  that  they  may  bear 
us  Sons  and  Daughters,  that  -we  may  be  encrea- 
fed  and  not  diminished,  as  the  Prophet  Jere- 
my expreffes  it,  Chap.  29.  v.  6. 

God  then  inftituted  Marriage  only  for 
Generation,  and  that  by  that  means  we 
might  live  in  our  Pofterity,  and  in  tome 
Sort  make  our  felves  living  after  Death,  f 
Natura  nos  docet  parentes  pios  liberorum  procre- 
andorum  animo  &  voto  uxores  ducere  ^  .  .  . 
Etenim  id  circo  Filios  Filiafve  conGipimm  atq\ 
edimus  ut  ex  prole  eorum,  earumve,  diuturnita- 
tis  nobis  Memoriam  in  z^vum  relinquiamus. 

Whence  fome  Interpreters  believe,  that 
pfus  Chrift,  when  in  St.  Luke's  Gofpel, 
ifhefaid,  that  People  (hall  not  marry,   or 


*  Cap.  tunc  Salvabitur  tf.qutft-  5«  8^/KA  Glofs.fn\ 
+  L.  2 20.  jf.  deverbor.  jignif.  Seft<  3.  infn. 
\[Chap.  20.  v.  35,  $6. 


JLanucbifin  D  if  pi  ay' d.  145 

be  given  in  Marriage  after  the  Refur 
rection,  becaufe,  fays  he,  Neither  can  they 
die  any  more,  meant  the  fame,  as  if  he  had 
faid,  that  Marriage  being  only  inftituted 
to  give  us  Succehors  after  our  Death,  it 
would  not  be  necefiary  for  Men  to  mar- 
ry after  the  Refurrection,  becaufe  they 
could  not  die  any  more,  or  want  Suo 
ceffors. 

The  Defire  of  having  IfTue  is  impreft 
by  Nature,  both  in  the  Man  and  Woman, 
but  fome  will  have  it,  that  it  is  much 
greater  in  the  latter,  and  thence  it  comes 
to  pais,  fay  they,  that  that  Contract  has 
taken  its  Name,  rather  from  the  Woman 
than  the  Man,  for  t  Matrimcmum,  fay 
they,  is  fo  call'd,  a  Matrh  nomine  it  on 
adeptoy  Jam  fed  cum  fpe  &  Omine  adipi- 
fcendi.  But  I  muft  own  I  am  not  of  their 
Opinion,  for  it  is  certain,  that  the  Man 
perpetuates  his  Name  and  Reputation, 
by  Means  of  his  Children  ♦,  and  therefore 
muft  naturally  be  fuppos'd,  much  more 
to  defire  them  than  the  Woman,  whole 
Reputation  confifts  entirely  in  doing  her 
Duty  towards  her  Husband  and  Family, 
for  the  Husband,  according  to  St.  Paul,  is 
tfc  Glory  of  the  Wife. 

H  Eefides 


\AuU  GeU.  lib.  18,  Chap.  6 


1 46  Eunmhijw  DiffUfd. 

Befides,  according  to  the  Canonifts  * 
Films  Alatri  ante  Partum  eft  onerojm,  in 
pjrtu  dolorofiiSj  poft  parhm  laborivfits.  I 
am  therefore  inciin'd  to  believe,  that  it 
is  more  probable,  that  Matrimony  took 
its  Name  from  the  Woman,  becaufe  ihe 
contributes  more  to  it  than  the  Man  ♦,  but 
however  that  be,  it  is  certain,  this  ftili 
reiults  from  it,  that  the  Defire  of  pro- 
-creating  Children,  is  the  End  of  Marriage. 

The  Philofophers  were  very  clear  as  to 
this  Point.  For,  as  (fay  they)  Man  is 
naturally  and  fubftantially .  an  Animal, 
jo  is  he  of  Confequence  a  living  Creature, 
"but  the  moft  natural  Act  of  all  living 
Things  is  to  Generate,  or  Eeget  their 
Like  §  It  is  a  PerfeBkn  (fay  they  farther) 
for  ever;  Thing  to  produce  its  Like. 
^uemvXthnociumHomo  mtitraliter  &  fubftan- 
i\a  iter  eft  Animal?  ita  eft  Vivem>Natvra- 
lijjivmm  autwnOpus  Viventiwn  eft  generare 
j  hi  Senile  5  Perfe&um  eft,  Umtmquodq?  cum 
Simile  f.hi  producere  poteft.  According 
to  thefe  Maxim  i,  how  .can  Marriage  be 
iupported  to  agree  with  the  State  and 
Condition  of  a  Eunuch  ?  And  does  It  not 
hence  evidently  appear,  that  Eunucnifin 
and  Marriage  are  two  Things  incompa- 
tible and  euentially  oppofite  ? 

The 


Cap*  .exf.  <fe  Converf  Infidel* 


Eunuch  ifm  D/fp/ayd.  147 

The  very  Heathens,  who  had  no  other 
Guide  than  the  obfcure  Light  of  human 
Reaibn,  would  never  permit  any  one 
fhoukl  contract  Marriage,  with  any  other 
End  than  Procreation,  as  may  be  ieen  by 
the  following  Example. 

"  Septith,  •  Mother  of  the  Trachale^ 
""  out  of  Spite  to  her  Sons,  tho'  ihe  was 
"  then  advanced  to  an  Age  paft  Child* 
"  bearing,  married  PMwms,  who  was 
x'  likewile  very  old,  and  by  her  Will, 
°'  deprive!  them  of  fucceeding  to  her 
w  Eftate,  upon  which  they  complain'd  to 
"  Aitxnftus,  who  declar'd  the  Marriage* 
"  null,  and  fet  aflde  the  Will,  made  her 
"  Children  her  Heirs,  and  depriv'd  the 
a  old  Man  of  the  Advantages  his  Wife 
"  de/Tgn'd  him,  becaufe  (fays  he)  they 
"  had  contracted  Marriage  without  any 
*  Hopes  of  Ifliie. 

Had  Tuftice  herfelf  fate  on  the  Throne, 
and  took  Cognizance  of  this  Caufe,  could 
flie  have  pronounc'd  a  more  grave  and 
equitable  Sentence?  The  very  Beafts 
themfelves,  who  never  finnU,  but  reman 
within  the  Bounds  of  their  Nature,  never 
fufFer  the  Male  to  approach  them  bit  cn> 
Recount  of  Generation,  .. 


H*  CHAR 


348  TLunuchifm  Difpla/d. 

X  H  A  P.    II. 

Eunuchs  being  entirely  incapable  of  an- 
fwering  the  End  of  Marriage ,  ought 
by  no  Means  to  contract  it. 

EUnuchs,  who  contract  Marriage,  are 
Cheats,    and   as  fuch  ought  to  be 
punifh'd. 

u  For  in  the  firft  Place,  it  is  certain, 
they  are  guilty  of  a  notorious  Act  of  Falf- 
hood,  for  they  put  on  the  Appearance  of 
Men,  when  they  are  not  fo  in  Reality. 
Falfhood,  according  to  the  Learned  in 
the  Laws,  *  eft  ABus  dolofus  veritatis  ?nw 
tanda  gratia,  ad  altervm  decivie?idumfaftus 
quern  lex  pro  falfo  habet,  &  lege  Cornelia? 
de  faljis  coercet.  It  is  not  neceffary  that 
Eunuchs  to  be  guilty  of  this  Crime, 
lhould  fay  pofitively,  that  they  were  ca- 
pable to  fatisfy  the  Duties  of  Marriage, 
it  is  fufficient  that  they  knew  what  thofe 
Duties  are,  and  that  they  engage  in  fuch 
Contracts,  and  make  a  Semblance  to  the 
World  as  if  they  could  really  perform 
what  is  required  in  that  State  ^  for  t  Fah 

fum 


*  Novell  73  in  Trincip*     §  X.  Ekganter.  24. 
rf  grcireprobes  jf.  de  pgnor  aft. 


EuHticbifm  DiffUyrd.  149* 

fnm  committitur  71071  ditto  fed fatfo,  as  may 
be  feen  in  all  the  Cafes  reported  in  the 
Law,  Qnid  fit  falfum  quarfair,  2 1  jf  ad 
Legem  ConieUam  de  Faljis. 

2.  In  the  fecond  Place,  they  promife 
that  which  they  cannot  perform.  There  h 
a  Difference  in  tlie  Law  between  Efpoufals 
and  M.it  ri  mony.Sp  071  f alia  &  Matrimonii^  ^ 
Spovfaia  furit  vientw  &  rcpromifo  Nup- 
turumfuturarwn.  Thefe  are  the  Terms  of 
the  Law,  ff.  1.  de  Spoufalibus. 

This  Word  Spnnfa-h  comes  from  the 
Word  Spo7tdere,  which  Signifies  to  promife. 
The  Canon  Law  is  very  different  from 
the  Civil,  -in  relation  to  the  affiancing  or 
efpoufmg  young  Perfons  or  Children. 
The  former  t  makes  this  exprefs  Decifion, 
Sponf cilia  ambonim  Infa7ithim,  pel  alterius 
tantttm  per  fupervenientiam  Ma) oris  JEtatis 
non  va'idantvr,  neopublicam  hoveftatem  in- 
ducunt.  The  other,  on  the  contrary  *  fays 
abfolutely,  that  Sponfalibus  contrahendis 
j¥tas  Covtrahertium  d  finita  ncn  e/?,  but  it 
adds  thefe  V  ords,  ut  in  Matrimonii^  that 
is  to  fay,  bt  Matrimomo  71071  con/ideratur 
prhicipaiter  Mtss  fed  Potentia  generattdh 
The  Age  of  thofe  who  are  to  contrail, 
ought  to  be  certain,  becaufe  they  muft  be 
capable  of  Confummation,     If  it  fhould 

H    3  io 


Sixt.DecreUib.^tit.  2.    *  14  jf-  de  Sponfalibus. 


250  Eunuchijm  Difpl&fd. 

fo  happen,  that  one  is  not  capable,  it  is 
then  no  Marriage,  for  ubi  datur  pennixtio 
habilis  eum  inhabitum  vitiatur  AEtusflnando 
reqmr'iiur  Concurfus  habilitates  in  Utro% 
This  is  a  Maxim  which  is  evidently  de«« 
monftrated  by  the  Canonifts,  who  have 
made  Commentaries  on  the  Law,  Utile 
71011  debet  per  Inutile  vitiari. 

And  it  is  upon  this  Maxim  that  the 
fecond  Chapter  de  Frig'dis  is  founded, 
which  has  thefe  exprefs  Words,  fait  Puer 
qui  von  poteft  redder  e  debit  urn,  ron  efi  aptits 
Ccrjitgio,  Jic  qui  impotertes  fimtjninime  apti 
ad  ccvtrahenda  matrimonia  reputa7ititrr  An 
Infant  then  is  not  fit  to  marry,  becaufe 
he  cannot  perform  the  Duties  of  Mar- 
riage. 

It  is  very  pleafant  to  read  the  Difpetv 
fations  given  by  the  Arch-Bifhop  of  Tours 
in  the  Marriage  of  Lewis  the  Dauphin, 
Son  of  Charles  the  Seventh,  and  Margaret 
of  Scotland,  becaufe  he  was  but  fourteen 
Year  of  Age,  and  {he  but  twelve,  as  if 
a  Difpenfation  of  that  Kind  was  in  the 
Power  of  Man,  which  Nature  could  only 
grant. 

Jnjliviav  has  fix'd  Puberty  to  fourteen 
Yeas  in  tojs  and  twelve  in  Girls,  but 
he  extents  out  of  the  general  Rule,  thofe 
qn  r  I  h  i  Mi  1 1  i  %4  fupplet  At  at  em.  But  Nature' 
is  fubjedt  to  no  Laws,  neither  Civil  nor 
Cancn,    Ihe   fometimes  makes  her  own 

Rules 


Eunucbifm  DifflfifL  I  5 1 

Rules,  fometimes  {he  is  niggardly,  fome- 
times  lavifh  of  her  Favours.  The  Holy- 
Scripture  tells  us  of  a  Solomon  and  or' an 
Acktz.,  the  one  begot  Roboam  at  eleven- 
Years  of  Age,  and  the  other  EzcUm  at 
ten. 

St.  Jerovu  Pope  Gregory  the  Great,  Sb:- 
fi&ffr,  MoniieurBwcfoo.',  andfeveral  others 
have  related  fevcral  In  (lances  of  the  like 
Nature.  Thev  tell  us,  they  knew  of  a 
Boy  at  ten  Years  of  Age,  who  had  a 
C!  ild  by  his  Nurie,  and  feveral  other 
Examples  of  thefe  early  Fruits.  But 
neither  the  Authority  nor  Artifice  of  Men 
any  ways  contribute  to  thefe  rare  Producti- 
ons. 

But  Euauchshaving  no  more  that, which 
might  render  them  capable  of  Marriage, 
do  well  to  have  Recourfe  to  the  Au- hority 
of  Men  -?  but  they  can  never  put  them  into 
a  Condition  capable  of  Confurnmati*!** 
and  they  never  will  thenre  be  able  to  ob- 
tain the  Power  to  execute  what  they  have 
engaged  and  promifed. 

They  therefore  moft  certainly  are  id 
the  Wrong  to  promife  folemnly  what  they 
know  they  can  never  perform  themlelves, 
whatever  Help  and  Affiftance  they  may 
otherwife  have. 

H.4.  The 


x$2  Eunuch ifm  Difpl&fd. 

The  Cannonifts  fpeaking  of  David\ 
Marriage  with  the  Sbunamite  *  put  the 
Quefiion,  whether  David  did  well  to 
efpoufe  her,  Bathfieba,  Abigail,  and  his 
ether  Wives  and  Concubines  being  yet 
living,  and  being  himfelf  not  in  a  Con- 
dition to  confummate.  And  they  excufe 
him,  becaufe  he  did  not  take  her  through 
a  Motive  of  Concupifcence,  or  of  his  own 
I  Inclination,  but  by  the  Advice,  or  rather 
I  Direction  of  his  Phyficians,  and  to  fatisry 
the  great  Men  of  this  Kingdom  •,  and  they 
tell  us,  that  by  this  Means  the  Life  of 
that  King  was  prolonged  \  Adomjah  being 
conquer M,  and  the  Reign  of  Solomon  being 
eftabliilied,  we  ought  to  judge  favou^ 
rably. 

Laftly,  Marriage  is  a  Kind  of  Bargain 
and  Sale,  whereby  the  Husband  accquires 
the  Power  over  his  Wife's  Body,  and  {he 
in  like  Manner  of  her  Husband's. 

At  Rome,  heretofore,  Marriage  was  by 
Purchafe,  per  Em$ticnemy  it  is  then  an 
honeft  Contract,'  in  which,  fay  the  learn- 
ed in  the  Laws,  *  there  never  ought  to  be 
prefum'd  a  Fraud,  when  either  of  the 
Parties  malicioufiy  keeps  any  Thing 
fecret  from  the  other.     Now,  as  in  a  Con- 

traft 


*  i  Ch.  i  Booh  ofKhigs*    +  L.  ea  qua  cammed 
damli  wufaff.*vd.  CoMrabdi  empt. 


Eunachifrn  Difplafd.  15  j; 

tra&  of  buying  and  felling,  nothing  ought 
to  be  conceal'd  or  doubtful,  but  the  Buyer 
be  inform'd  of  the  Faults  of  the  Com- 
modity he  is  going  to  buy,  or  of  the  fecret: 
Diftemper  of  the  Beaft  he  has  purchafed, 
So  likewife  in  this  Contract  or  Commerce 
of  Marriage,  all  the  Fraud  muft  be  impu- 
ted to  the  Eunuch,  who  conceals  his  Im- 
potency. 

Fragofm  examines  this  Queftion,  in  his 
excellent  Treatife,  entituled,  Regimen  Rei- 
public  &  Cbrijliait&j  Impedimenta  Matrimo- 
iwy,  an  Jint  i  evelanda  quando  funt  omnbio 
far  eta,  and  he  makes  this  Decifion,  that 
whofoever  (fays  he)  *  does  not  reveal  all 
Impediments  which  are  ietrimtntaL  I'nz 
grievouQy,  (mvrtally  he  calls  it. J  The 
Marriage  of  thefe  Sort  of  People  is*  f) 
odious,  that  it  is  always  declared  to  be 
null  and  void,  as  foon  as  it  comes  to  be 
known. 

The  Marriages  amongft  the  ancient 
Romans,  per  Coemptionem,  was  celebrated 
after  this  Manner  :  After  fome  few  Ce- 
remonies, the  Parties  ask'd  one  another 
the  following  Queftion s-}  the  Man  ask'd- 
the  Woman  if  fhe  would  be  the  Mother 
or  a  Family?  She  then  is  to  anlwer  I  will. 
Then  the  Woman,  in  her  Turn,  ask'd  the 
H  5  Man 


Tart.  \,llb.  5.  d/fput,  12.  [  10,  mm.  351 


1 54         Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

Man,  if  he  would  be  the  Father  of  a  Fa- 
mily, who  anfwers  likewife,  I  will  And 
this  was  as  good  a  Marriage  as  any  in  the 
World. 

The  fever al  Solemnities  made  ufe  oi 
in  the  Roman  Marriages,  may  be  feen  at 
large,  in  the  fixth  Book  of  St.  Augnfims 
City  of  God,  in  Rofcius,  and  other  Km* 
thors,  who  have  written  of  the  Roman 
Antiquities, 


CHAP.    III. 

The  Marriage  of Eunuchs  is  con  flier  ed 
as  null,  and  as  if  it  had  never  been. 

IT  is  a  Maxim  hi  Law  that,  falfum 
quod  efij  nihil  eft,  an  Eunuch  which  is 
united  to  Woman  by  Marriage,  deludes 
and  cheats  her,  becauie  on  his  Part  he  is 
not  able  to  contribute  what  he  ought,  in 
Relation  to  the  Sub  fiance  of  Matrimony  -y 
and  we  may  truly  fay,  fuch  an  Union  is 
only  a  vain  Phantom,  a  falfe,  fictitious 
Marriage,  and  in  Reality,  no  Marriage  at 
all.  And  therefore,  when  a  Woman,  who 
has  been  thus  furpriz'd  by  an  Eunuch 
comes  to  be  lawfiilly  feparated  from  him, 
they  do  not  diflblve  the  Marriage,  but  lay 

it 


Eunuchifm  Bifp&tf'd.  i  55. 

it  is  Null,  that  is,  it  is  no  Marriage  at  all,- 
And  it  is  upon  t  is  Principle  that  the 
Laws  relating  to  t  ,efe  Sort  of  Unions  are 
founded,  *  which  fhew,  that  in  iiich  Cafes 
there  is  neither  Husband,  nor  Wife,  nor 
Portion,  nor  Dowry.  The  Law  intitied, 
in  Caujis,  contains  an  exprefs  Becifion  in 
this  Cafe,  Si  Maritus  |fays  that. Law) 
Uxore  ab  initio  Matrimoyiii  vfq$  ad  duos 
annos  continuos  computavdos  coire  vmrimey 
propter  ytaturalem  imbeciUitatem  valeat^ 
potefi  MuYie?\  vel  ejus  Tar  elites  finepericulo 
Dotis  amittends,  repudium  viarito  iniitere. 
The  Law  Si  ferva  Servo  f  explains  it  yet 
more  clearly,  Si  fpadoni  Mulier  mpjerit 
diflinguer.dum  arbitror  caftratm  fucrit 
vecne,  nt  in  Caftrato  dicas  dotcm  r,m  effey 
in  eo  qui  caftratus  vcn  eftm  quia  eft  Matrix. 0- 
?iium,  &  Dos  &  Doiis  attio  eft.  In  the 
fecond  Cafe,  the  Husband  can  bring  his 
Action  for  his  Wife's  Portion,  and  the 
Reafon  there  given  is  this,  That  it  is  a 
Marriage,  and  by  Confequence  in  the  firffc 
Cafe  there  is  no  Marriage,  fince  there  is 
no  Action  allow'd  to  be  brought  •,  but  this 
Matter  requires  a  little  more  our  Atten- 
tion, 


It 


*  Vih.  <.  tit.  17.  /.  10.      \  Llh.  23.    ffc.3.  de 


156  Eanuchifm  DiffUfi. 

It  is  generally  imagin  d,  that  becaufe  a 
Woman  is  ty'd  by  Contract  to  a  Man,  and 
the  Ceremonies  of  the  Church  have  made 
that  Bond  Solemn,  that  therefore  it  is  a 
true  Marriage,  but  that  is  a  very  great 
Midalce :  This  vulgar  Error  is  built  upon 
that  Maxim  of  the  Law  (which  I  (hall 
explain  in  its  proper  Place)  Confenfus,  non 
Concnbhm  Matrimonhtm  fetch.  But  it  is 
roi  enough  that  a  Woman  is  Contracted 
and  Elpoufed  in  the  Face  of  the  Church, 
led  Home  to  the  Houfe  of  her  Husband, 
and  put  into  his  Arms,  for  all  thefe  Cir- 
cum fiances  are  only  the  Signs  of  a  Mar- 
liage,  but  do  not  make  one  $  the  Man  and 
Woman  both  ought  to  be  marrigeable, 
that  is,  capable  of  Confummation. 

It  was  therefore  with  good  Reafon,  that 
Jnflhnan  in  his  Ihftitutes  has  decreed, 
that  if  fiich  a  Woman  lofts  her  Husband 
before  {he  is  Viripotens,  fhe  was  nev:r 
lawfully  a  Wife..  *  Nee  Vir  (fays  he)  mo 
lixorjiec  Nupti&7  nee  Matrimonhim^ec  Dos 
hiieWigiiur. 

Laheo  gives  yet  a  clearer  Ex-plication, 
quarto  PupiU&y  fiyi fea,  qmniactg^gx  mpfe* 
rit  ft  ea  minor  quam  Vir'potem  mtpjent 
0:011  ante  ei7  L'gatum  debebitur  quam  Vm- 

pot  em 

1        ■        -mm— —    " m 


J  Tit.  de  Nuptiis  §  1 2, 


Eunuchism  DifpUfd.  157 

fotem  effe  c&perk,    quia  von  pot  eft   videri 
ympta,  qiiA  virum  pati  nonpotefi, 

*  Hiftory  reports  a  Fact  worthy  cur 
Obfervation,  Francis,  the  Firft  of  that 
Name,  King  of  France,  willing  to  bring 
the  Duke  of  Cleves  off  from  the  Interefi: 
of  the  Emperor,  Charles  the  Firth,  and  en- 
gage him  in  his  own,  oblig'd  Margaret- of 
France,  his  Sifter,  and  Albert  King  of 
;  Navarre,  his  Brother  in  Law,  to  give  him 
in  Marriage  their  Daughter  3^iw£,  who  was 
then  only  Nine  Years  of  Age  5  the  Mar- 
riage was  concluded  and,  and  celebrated 
in  the  City  of  Cbateleraud,  the  Bride  put 
to  Bed  5  however  it  wasfaid  afterwards  by 
the  Pope,  that  this  was  no  Marriage,  and 
that  young  Princefs  was  married  anew 
to  Antony  of  Bourbon, 

It  was,  no  Doubt,  on  this  Principle,that 
the  Court  permitted  t  a  37-oung  Girl  who 
had  been  married  to  the  elder  Brother,  to 
marry  afterwards  to  the  younger,  becaufe 
Ihe  became  then  to  be  marrigeable.  But 
this  would  have  been  approving  of  Inceft, 
had  they  believ'd  the  firft  a  true  Marri- 
age 


$  X.  30  jf.  quart  do  dies  leg.  vel.  fideic.  cedat, 
*Tride  Vrucbueri  manuale  icoo  Quxftlon.  iUnjirium 
Thzolog.  Cent  or.   8.    q.uafl  43  •     \  Trefor  oa  laSik- 
Votbeque  du  Droit  Francois  par  M.  Lauret}  Boucbd 
Tom,  2.  Vag*  683. 


158  Eunuchifm  D  iff  I  ay*  d. 

age,  it  is  therefore  evident,  they  did  not 
look  upon  it  as  fuch. 

§  The  Councils  have  exprefl  y  forbidden 
Pritfts  to  marry  thofe,who  are  notorioufly 
uncapable  to  exercife  the  Functions  of 
Marriage.  The  Canonifts  are  much  more 
Deciiive  in  this  Matter  than  other  Law- 
jrers,  for  they  go  fo  far  as  to  fay,  thatr 
Covtra&os  ante  Fubertatem  etiam  cum  Niju, 
camalis  Copula  non  facit  Matrhnonium. 

If  we  would  know  what  Pubertas  means, 
we  may  be  fully  fatisfy'd  in  the  third 
Chapter  of  the  fame  Title,  which  tells  us 
that,  Puberes  a  pube  funt  vocati,  id  eft,  a 
.  pudentia  Corporis  Ttuncupati,  quia  h&c  loca 
\  primo  lamtghiem  ducunt.  Quidem  tamen  ex 
mam. pubertatem  exiftimant,  id  eft,  eum  ejfe 
puberem  qui  tredecim  annos  implevit,  quam- 
vis  tardijjime  pub ej cat  \  Certum  eft  autem 
earn  puberem  ejfe,  qu&  ex  babitu  Corporis 
pubertatem  oftendit,  &  generare  jamjam  po- 
teft,  &  puerpern  funt  qua  in  annis  pueri~ 
libus  par  hint. 

So  therefore,  according  to  this  Definiti- 
on, Eunuchs  can  never  be  Vuberes,  and 
being  otherwife  uncapable  of  Marriage, 
of  Confequence  thoie  they  contract  are 
null  of  Courfe. 


§  CapltuU  16.  Decretal  Gre$or.  Llh.  4.  Tit.  2. 


Eunuchifm  DifpUfd.  i  $9 

I  fhall  end  this  Chapter  by  obferving, 
that,  non  eft  inter  eos  Matrimor.nim  qttos 
von  copulat  Commixtio  Sexus.  As  it  is  laid 
in  Gratian.  *  Non  eft  dubium,  fays  he, 
Warn  Mulierem  71071  pertinere  ad  Alatrimo* 
viiim,  cmn  qua  Commixtio  Sexus  71071  docetur 
fuijfe.  §  Qui  Matr'itnuftio  conjunBi  fuut  & 
mibcre  non  pojfimt,  illi  nonfunt  Conjuges. 
In  fhort,  we  fee  what  ,is  a  Marriage  ac- 
cording to  the  Cafuifts,  In  0711711  Matri- 
7iio7iio,  fay  they,  t  Conjvn&io  inteUigitur 
Jpiritualis,  quam  c  071  jinn  at,  &  perjxk  Con- 
jmiftorum  Convnixtio  corporalis. 

The  Marriages  then  of  Eunuchs  never 
were  truly  Marriages,  becaufe  there  never 
was  a  true  Conjunction,  and  in  iuch 
Cafes  the  proper  Judges  do  not  pronounce 
a  Diffolution,  but  only  fay  in  plain 
Terms,  that  there  is  no  Marriage  at  all, 
and  that  the  Parties  complaining  may 
have  the  Liberty  to  Contract  with  whom 
they^  pleafe,  *  Time  proprie  non  fit  Di- 
vortium,  fed  jit  Declaratio,  ut  alii  fciant 
illam  Societatem  non  ejfe  Conjngium,  & 
conceditur  Perfona  qus.  habet  Natura  vices 
integras,  ut  et?a7n  vivente  altero,  impotente 
pojjit  co7ttrahere. 

The 


*  Deer tt,  2.  pars  com.  37.  quefl,  2,  cap.  ij, 
§  ibid.  cap.  30.  \  ibid.  cap.  37.  *  Collat.  4.  N<3- 
veil,  22;  tit.  de  caufis  [olutiQnis  cum  pxna* 


i6o         TLunuchifm  Difylxfd,. 

The  Church  of  Rome,  which  looks  upon 
Matrimony  as  a  Sacrament,never  diflblves- 
it,  quoad  Vinculum,  but  feperatcs  the 
Party  complaining  only,  quoad  Tborum  \ 
but  where  they  permit  the  Party  com- 
plaining to  marry  again,  'tis  becaufe  they 
look  upon  the  former  Marriage  to  have 
been  ipfo  fafio  null,  and  as  if  it  had  ne^ 
ver  been.  :a 

It  is  therefore  to  mock  and  abufe  the 
moft  grave  and  ferious  Ceremonies  of 
Religion,  to  countenance  a  falfe  and  chi- 
merical Ad,  and  authorife  an  Impofture,. 
that  unavoidably  muft  be  attended  with 
fuch  Inconveniences,  which  it  is  good  to 
prevent.  We  may  truly  fay  of  thefe  Peo- 
ple, that  their  Cafe  is  exactly  parallel 
with  that  mention 'd  in  the  Novel  t  of 
the  Emperor  Jufimran,  which  was  made 
to  punilh  either,  of  the  Parties  who  mould 
be  found  to  have  given  Caufe  for  diffol- 
ving  fuch  Conjuction. 

So' 'on  had  long  before,  made  a  Law  a^ 
gainft  thofe,  who  could  not  render  their 
Wives  what  was  their  Due  ♦,  and  ordain'd 
that  in  fuch  Cafe,  the  Women  might 
bring  an  ABion  upon  the  Cafc^  for  Dar 
mages  againft  their  Impotent,  or  -Non-per- 
formi^S  Husbands. 

CHAP. 

f  CoUat.  4.  Novel*  22.  Tit.  de  Caufis  Solutm't 
cum  $<znz* 


Eunuchifm  DifpUfd.  i6x 

CHAP.    IV. 

The  Inconveniencies  generally  attending 
Eunuchs  Marriages, 

THE  Poet  Claudian  *t  {peaking  of  an 
Eunuch,  calls  him  a  wrinkled  old 
Woman  •,  and  Terence  has  much  the  fame* 
Expreilion,  §  Ewinchum,  fays  he,  ilhtmve 
Ob  jeer  o  ?  Inhoneftum  Homir.em  quern  mer- 
catus  eft,  here,  fenem  MuXierem.  But  * 
Martial  pufhes  the  Satyr  much  farther, 
he  is  not  only  content  to  fay,  fpeaking  of 
Nwnay  who  had  feen  an  Effeminate  Eu- 
nuch. 

Thelin  vlderet  in  Toga  Spadonem, 
Dammtam  Numa  dixit  ejfe  M&cbatn$ 

Which  is  one  of  the  mofl:  biting  Expref- 
fions  in  the  World,  but  fays  farther, 

D&s  etiam diBa eft.  Nondum  tibi  Roma videtur 
Hoc  fatht  Expettas?imiqiiid  &  ut  pariat? 

All 


•f  /»  Eutroi).  Lih.    t."     §  Terent.  Eunuch.  Aft 
2\  Sccn.%.     *  Martial  Ep.  52.  lib.   10.- 


1 62  Uunmh'tjm  DiftUyrd. 

All  the  Difference  is,  that  Martial 
fpeaks  of  two  Men  who  made  themfelves 
pafs  for  Women,  and  thofe  I  difcourfe  of 
are  Men  who  in  Reality  are  as  Women, 
and  to  whom  very  well  may  be  applied 
that  which  is  faid  in  the  Law,  cum  vir 
vubit,  Cod.  ad  Legem  Corneliam.  They 
are  the  Words  of  the  Emperor  Conftantius- 
and  Ccvftavs,  Cum  vir,  fay  they,  mibit  ut 
fmnhia  vice*  parztitra  quid  cupiatvr,  vM 
Sexm  per didit  locum,  abi  Jcelvs  eftid,  quod 
man  proficit  fcire,  vibi  Vemu  mutatur  hi  al- 
terum  fonnamjibi  amor  qn&rituriiec  videtur9 
for  fuch  a  Conjunction  cannot  produce  the 
Effect  the  Women  hope  for,  and  far  from 
the  End  and  Intention  of  Marriage,  for 
according  to  our  Countryman  Owev, 

*  Fcsmlna  Fortuna  fmilis  formofa  vide- 

tur 
Non  amat  Ignavosilla^  vec  ifta  Viros*. 

Or  rather  as  the  fame  Poet,  \[ 

Sape  qnlefcit  Age rjtov  fe?np >er  arandm,atUxor 
Eft  Age r,  ajfidno  vult  tamen  ilia- coll. 

But  if  this  Idea  be   a  little  too  fevere 
upon  Eunuchs,  it  muft  be  "remembred,, 

that 


*  Epigram.  55.    §  Idem  Eprg.  17$. 


Eumahifm  DiftUfd.  1 6  J 

that  there  are  others  not  more  adyanta-- 
gious,  and  the  Confequences  of  which  are 
as  little  favourable  to  them  and  their 
Wives. 

Juvenal  §  calls  a  Eunuch  a  half  Man,. 
Semivir  .  but  the  Holy  Scripture  goes  yet 
farther,  the  Prophet  Ifaiah  calls  him  (as 
has  been  before  obfeiv'd)  a  wither'd  pr 
dry  Tree. 

Tnincus  hersjacul,fpecies  &  inutile  figitum 
Jfrec  fatis  exa&um    ejl  Corpus  an  Umbra 
form.  * 

This  is  a  trueDefeription  of  an  Eunuch  •. 
but  I  {hall  add  two  Strokes  more,  which 
will  quite  finilh  this  Picture,  one  X  fhall 
take  from  the  Civil  Law,  and  the  othe* 
from  the  Holy  Scripture. 

A  Eunuch  is  a  Perfon  always  fickly  and 
languishing  t  Morbofus,  and  by  Confe- 
quence  uncapable  to  perform  the  Fun- 
ction of  an  a&ive  Life  ♦,/«£  aut^m  itafpado 
eft,  fays  Paulus  the  Civilian,  lit  tarn  ne- 
eejf aria  pars  corporis  ei  penitus  abjit,  Mor- 
bofus  eft  •,  he  is  an  impotent,  fickly  Per- 
fon^ who  fees  himfelf  in  the  Occaiion  of 
A&ion  and  cannot.    Like  what  the  Poets 

feign 


§  Satyr  6.  v.  ^13.     *  Ovid  Am*  Jib.  3.  Ekg 
7*    *  Lib.  2i,  tit.  i.de  jZdiliti^-Editto,  Lib.  7 


164  Eunuchifm  DifptayrA» 

feign  of  Tantalus,  he  fees  himfelf  placed 
in  the  Midft  of  thofe  Goods  and  Pleafures 
he  can  by  no  Means  enjoy,  and  we  may 
fay  of  him  what  Horace  fays  of  his-  Mifeiv. 


*  viz; 


Tantalus  a  labris  Jitiens  fugientia  captat 
Flumina,  quid  rides  I  Mutato  nomine  deTs 
Fabnla  narratur.     Congeftis  undifc  facets 
hidormis  ivhians,  &  tanquamparcere  facrh 
Cogeris,  aut  pitfis  tanquam  gaudere  Tabdlis... 

Poor  wretched  Tantalus,  as  Stories  tell, 
(Dooirfd  to  the  worft,.  the  curfed'ft  Plague 

in  Hell,) 
Stands  up  Ghin  deep,  in  an  o*feflowing 

Bowlj 
But  cannot  drink  oneDropto  favehisSouL 
What  doft  thcu  laugh?  and  think  that 

thou  art  free. 
Fool  change  the  Name,  the  Story's  told  of 

thee. 
Thou  watched  o'er  thy  Heaps,  yet  midft 

thy  Store 
Art  almoft  ftarv'd  for  Want,  and  ftill  art 

P°or-  r 

You  fear  to  tcuch,  as  if  you  roVd  a  Saint, 

And  ufe  no  more  than h  if  'twere  Gold  in 

Paint. 

The, 


*  Horat.  Sir mm*  Lib*  i.  Satyr-  u 


Eunuchifm  Difplay'd.         165 

The  Difference  confifts  only  in  this, 
that  the  Mifer  can,  but  will  not  enjoy  the 
Pleafure  of  his  Goods,  but  the  Eunuch  on 
the  contrary  would  but  cannot,  and  there* 
fore  the  Comparifon  of  Tantalus  is  much 
more  juft  in  refpect  of  the  Eunuch  than 
the  Mifer,  and  it  may  more  properly  be 
faid  of  him  than  of  the  covetous  Man. 

Iniormh  ivhiavs,  &  tavquam  par  cere  facrU 
Cogens,  out  piSis  tayiquamgaudereTabellis. 

So  far  then  is  a  Woman  that  lyes  by 
the  Side  of  an  Eunuch,  from  giving  him 
Enjoyment,  that  on  the  contrary,  (he 
gives  him  the  utmoft  Chagrin  and  Af- 
fliction, becaufe  of  his  wretched  Incapa- 
city- 

This  Truth  was  well  known  to  the 
Wife  MAN,  and  is  the  laft  and  finifhing 
Stroke  of  a  Eunuch^s  Picture:  The  Au- 
thor of  Ecclejiafticus  (whether  the  Son  of 
Siracb,  or  Solomoii)  compares  a  Man  that 
is  persecuted  of  the  Lord,  or  that  bears  the 
Pain,  or  Weight  of  his  own  Iniquity,  to 
a  Mouth  Jfntt  up,  to  a  Grave,  to  a  Sevfelefs 
Idol,  to  a  Eunuch  •,  for  it  feems  they  are 
all  one  in  the  Language  of  that  wile  Au- 
thor^ whofe  Words  are  thefe,  viz.  t  Delicate  & 

poured 


\  Chap.  30.  v.  18,  19,  20; 


v66  Eunucbifm  Difpltfd. 

poured  vpon  a  Mouth  {hut  up,  areas  ^^.s 
cfMeat  upon  aGrave.  What  Good  doth  'tin 
Oft  ring  unto,  an  Idol  ?  For  neither  can  it 
eat,  nor  fw'eU,  Jo  is  he  that  is  perfecuted 
of  the  Lord.  He  feeth  with  his  Eyes,  and, 
proaneth  as  an  Eunuch  that  embracetb  a 
Virgin  and  Jigheth, 

The  Companion  is  very  Juft,  for  un- 
doubtedly, luch  an  One  bears  the  Pain,  or 
Weight  of  his  own  Iniquity  j  whether  it 
be  that  he  had  no  other  View,  but  to 
Cheat  the  poor  Woman,  in  order  to  pof- 
fefs  himfelf  of  her  Fortune,  or  gain  fbme 
other  considerable  Advantage  ^  or  that 
through  a  monftrous  Brutality,  he  aban- 
don'd  himfelf  to  an  Intemperance,  he 
knew  he  could  no  ways  Support :  But  be 
that  as  it  will,  it  is  certain  the  Woman  is 
Cheated,  and  fhe  may  with  Juftice  fay, 
in  fttch  a  Cafe,  wjiat  Augujlm  faid  for- 
merly, as  he  was  fitting  between  Virgil 
and  another  Poet,  I  fit  between  Sighs 
and  Tears  t  Sedeo  Inter  Sufpiria  &  Lachry- 
mas.  And  if  fuch  Frauds  mould  be  al- 
lowed, there  would  refult  many  Inconve- 
niences, which  would  naturally  Ihew 
themfelves,  For 

i.  A  Woman  that  lyes  by  the  Side  of 
{\ich  a  Man  (if  I  may  call  him  fb)  would 
ianguiih  and  pine  away  ^  in  vain  doeslhe 
try  to  excite  him  to  render  what's  her 
Due  3  all  her  Efforts  are  vain  and  ufielefs, 

Ihe 


Huxucbifm  DifpUfd.  167 

{he  never  can  fucceed-,  So  that  having  not 
tafted  the  Joys  of  Marriage,  nor  having 
any  Appearance  She  ever  ihall,  fhe  pines 
and  airlifts  herfelf  in  Secret^  nor  is  this 
without  Example. 

Hiftory  tells  us,  that  the  Emperor 
Covjhvitius  had  to  Wife,  Eitfebia,  a  moft 
beautiful  Princefs,  and  of  whofe  Beauty 
the  whole  World  fpoke  with  Admiration. 
Covftantim  was  of  a  foft,  effeminate  Con- 
ftitution,  and  weaken'd  by  long  and  con- 
tinued Diftemners  •,  Eitfebia,  who  was  in 
the  Flower  of  her^  Age,  had  frequently 
thofe  Diftempers  which  are  incident  to  her 
Sex,  and  in  (hort,  pin'd  away,  and  ended 
her  Days,  Hectick,  Dry'd-up,  and  Difc 
figur'd,  thro'  an  inward  Chagrin  and 
Difcontent,  of  never  having  the  fweet 
and  agreeable  Converfation  and  Careffes 
of  an  Husband :  Nor  could  the  Excellence 
of  her  Beauty,  nor  her  Youth,  nor  the 
Sovereign  Honour  of  being  Emprefs,  give 
ber  the  leaft  Satisfa&ion  or  Pleafure,  or 
make  Compensation  for  fuch  a  Lois. 

Perhaps  this  might  be  Lawful  in  an 
Emperor,  at  leaft  no  One  could  dare  to 
Queftion  his  Conduct-,  but  furely  this 
ought  bv  no  Means  to  be  fufrerd  in  a 
private  Perfon,  whofe  unjuft  Intention  is 
only  to  make  a  Woman  miferable  and 
wretched,  to  fatisfy  fome  wicked  Paffion^ 
»or  can  it  any  wife  fuit  with  Juftice,  to 

favour 


1 68  Eunuchism  Difplafd. 

favour  any  One  in  fuch  an  Undertaking, 
which  muft  end  in  the  Sacrifice  cf  an  in« 
nocent  Woman,  a  Virgin  and  Martyr. 

But  this  was  actually  the  Cafe  of  Mrs. 
$-      -»f,  Daughter  to  an  Eminent  Apo- 
thecary in  London.  (Sic  parvis  componere 
magna  Jole-b-anu)   Who,  becaufe  he  cculd 
thereby  put  his  Daughter  off  with  a  fmall 
Fortune,  married  her  to  an  old  Pewterer, 
but  very  Rich*,  this  poor  Vi&im  (for  fo 
I  may  call  her5<  fince  fhe  was  married  a- 
gainlt  her  Inclination  to  an  old  Fellow) 
was  not  long  after  her  Marriage,  in  Com- 
pany with  fome  Relations,  amongft  whom 
I  was*,  after  many  Compliments,  the  Wo- 
men begun  to  Congratulate  her  on  her 
happy  State,  as  they  call  it,  wherein  fhe 
Commanded  the  World  as  having  Lockets, 
a  Necklace,  and  Earings  of  Diamonds,  to 
{hine  with  at  Church,  &c.    TV?,  (fays  the 
poor,  unhappy  Difconfolate,  fighing  like 
Faithccio  the  Eunuch,  whom  I  took  No* 

tice  of  before)  but  there  is  yet fome 

thing  wanting, 

-2.  It  may  happen,  that  fome  Women 
tnay  not  be  capable  of  fo  much  Govern* 
ment  of  themfelves,  as  to  bear  up  under 
inch  a  terrible  Proof,  and  refift  thofe 
Temptations,  fhe  may  in  fuch  Cafe  find 
herfell  expos'd  to  $  The  Spirit  indeed  may 
be  willh'g,  but  we  have  been  told,  that 
The  FleJI)    U  weak.    And  it  would  be  a 

Matter 


Eunuch l fm  DifpUfd.  t6f 

Matter  of  no  great  Surprize,  if  a  Woman* 
that  does  not  find  at  Home,  wherewithal! 
to  fatisfy  a  provok'd  Palfion,  mould  re- 
ceive ellewhere,  what  may  "be  neceilary 
to  lay  and  becalm  its  Rage  and  Fury, 

Monfieur  Ochien,  one  of  the  Members 
of  the   Royal    Society    at^  Ber-in,  fome 
Years  ago,  told  a  Friend  of  mine  in  Con- 
verfation,  that  he  happened  to  be  a  vifit- 
ing  a  Bayliff  (a  Juftice  of  Peace)  in  that 
Country,   where  there  came  a   Woman 
(who  had  been  married  to  a  Swifs)  run- 
ning in  great  Hafte  into  the  Room,  with 
a  Child  in  her  Arms,   complaining  that 
her  Husband    was  an    Eunuch,    and  no 
Man  •,  being  ask'd  if  the  Child  fhe  had  in- 
ner Arms  was  not  hers,   fhe  fail  Yes; 
Why    then  fays  the  Bayliff  do  you  lay 
vour  Husband  is  an  Eunuch  *    She  readi- 
ly reply'd  it  was  not  his  Child,  for  that 
having    obferv'd   for    many  Years  after 
they   were  married,  that   He  did  nothing 
that  came  to  any  thing,  fhe  defir'd  a  Ma  Ton's 
Journeyman,    that  was  then  at  Work  at 
their  Houfe,  to  fee  if  he  could  perform 
better,  who  thereupon  laid  hei  down  upon: 
a  Trunck  that  ftood  hard  bye,  and  get 
that  Child  at ,  one  Stroke  -,  and  that  her 
Husband  could   not  do  fo  much  for  many 
Years,  notwithstanding  all  his  Endeavours. 
The  Husband  was  immediately  cited,  and 
erder'd  to  be  fearch'd,  and  upon  Exami- 
I  nation, 


ay©  Eunuchifm  Dijplafd* 

nation,  it  was  found,  that  he  had  never 
-a  Tefticle,  he  own 'd  he  had  loft  one  in 
the  £rmy,  by  the  Shot  of  a  Musket,  and 
the  other  afterwards  by  a  Diftemper. 
This  important  Affair  being  tranf- 
mitted  to  the  neighbouring  Univerfity, 
the  Marriage  was  .annull'd,  and  the  Wo- 
man married  to  her  other  Husband  the 
Mafon, 

This  Eunuch  plainly  faw  his  Wife  had 
a  Child,  and  that  (he  muft  of  Confequence 
have  had  an  Affair  with  another  Man : 
However  he  thought  fit  to  make  no 
Words  of  it.  Tie  Truth  on't  is,  Men  of 
his  Character  are  never  Jealous,  and  I  am 
verily  periwaded,  that  if  one  mould  pro- 
;pofe  to  an  Eunuch  that  was  going  to  be 
married,  that  he  mould  amongft  other 
Articles  of  Marriage,  give  his  Wife  that 
was  to  be,  fiich  Permiiiion,  he  would  not 
make  much  Difficulty  to  grant  it,  for 
fuch  Agreements  have  a&ually  been  in 
the  World. 

I  fhall  not  here  iirftance  the  feveral 
Decifion  swe  find  in  the  Imaginary  Cuckold 
of  Moliere^  becaufe  it  is  meer  Fiction 
and  Invention  ^  but  a  ve:y  true  Example, 
which  is  this. 

The  late  Countefs  of  Moret,  w'io  liv'd 
In  the  Reign  of  Henry  the  III.  and 
Henry  the  IV.  Kings  ,of  France,  was 
married  to  her  third  Husband,  Monfieur 

.de 


Eunuchifm  D  if  play*  d*  171 

<fe  Varies,  Governor  of  the  Cbappel,  and 
was  married  to  this  Gentleman,  who  was 
Captain  of  the  Hundred  ^  Swifs,  when  the 
King  fent  him  into  Spain,  alter  the  Mar- 
riage between  that  Prince  and  the  Infanta 
was  concluded,  to  Compliment  on  the 
King's  Behalf  the  future  Queen  :  The 
Countefs  ie  Moret  was  alfo  Mother  to 
the  Count  ie  Moret,  natural  Son  to  Henry 
the  IV.  who  was  kill'd  near  Caftknau- 
dary,  in  the  Year  16  %2,<  when  the  Duke 
ie  Montmorancy  was  taken  at  Langnedock. 
This  celebrated  Lady  is  taken  Notice  of 
jn  Barclay**  Euphormiort,  under  the  Name 
of  Ca-fnia ;  it  was  faid  there,  that  fhe  was 
likewife  marry 'd  to  the  Count  ie  Cejj- 
jaufy  ,  who  was  afterwards  fent  Ambalfa- 
dor  to  Conftavtinople,  and  in  that  Author 
may  be  feen  the  Defcription,  or  (as  the 
Lawyers  call  it)  a  Precedent  rbr  Articles 
of  Marriage,  with  a  Claufe  for  a  Marr 
who  is  willing  to  be  rnade  a  Cuckold,  and 
who  thereby  Promifes,  Covenants,  and 
Obliges  himfelf  to  grant  fuch  PermiiTion, 
which  Claufe  it  feems,  was  very  peace- 
ably Executed,  without  any  Let,  Trouble, 
Moleftation,  or  Hindrance  whatever,  of 
him  the  faid,  See. 

Perhaps  the  Lady  found  herfelf  but  ill 
ferv'd  in  her  former  Marriages,  which 
made  her  take  this  Sage  Precaution. 


Fut 


1 72  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

But  this  Precaution  would  be  muck 
snore  Juft  and  Reafonable  for  Eunuch* 
Wives  than  others,  for  they  wou'd  be 
more  tractable  upon  this  Article  \  for  they 
knowing  themfelves  uncapable  to  acquit 
themfelves  of  the  Marriage  Duties,  they 
wou'd  confent  to  Humour  their  Wives  in 
this  Refpedt,  to  avoid  Reproaches  and 
Complaints :  Nay,  they  would  help  them, 
if  Occafion  was,  in  a  Cafe  of  fuch  extra- 
ordinary Emergency-,  and  it  has  been 
Imown  (that  when  they  found  their  Wives 
inclin'd  to  Libertinifm  and  Debauchery) 
they  have  favoured  that  Inclination,  and 
made  an  Advantage  and  Profit  of  their 
Proftitution.  Witneis Dydi??ms>u\)oii  whom 
Martial  t  made  that  Biting  and  Satyri- 
cal  Epigram,  an  Example  that  proves 
what  I  have  faid,  for  he  Proftituted  his 
Wife  himfelf,  in  Hopes  to  get  Rich  by 
fuch  infamous  Commerce. 

5.  It  would  occafion  a  great  many  Wo- 
men, for  Fear  of  falling  into  one  of  thefe 
two  unhappy  Extremities,  not  to  engage 
in  Matrimony,  till  they  had  a  Proof  of 
%vh&t  they  muft  expect  •,  or  put  in  Practice 
fche  Advice  and  Council,  Ovid  gives  every 
Lover,  that  is,  * .  Unie  legat   quod  amet 


A  ®-/id}  ds  Arts  Ammdi  Zib.  i- 


Eunuchifm  Difplafd.  TJJ. 

nhi  retia  ponaty  for  according,  to  the  fame' 
Poet, 

Sch  btne  Venator^  Cervis  vbi  Rstia  ponat% 

But  as  Women  have  no  lecret  Foreknow- 
ledge  of  the  Validity  or  Invalidity  of  a- 
Man,fo  would  they  be  obliged  to  have  Re- 
courfe  to  fome  fage  Perfon  to  give  them 
Satisfaction  in  this  Affair,  before  they 
would  engage  in  the  fail:  Bands  of  Wed- 
lock-, for  it  is  not  the  Faihion  now  a  Days 
for  Men  to  fliew  themfelves  naked  to 
their  Miftrefles  before  Marriage,  as  Plato » 
decreed  in  his  Laws.  * 

Now  thofe  who  believe  Plato  meant 
this  only,  that  they  might  fee  the  Beauty 
and  fine  Proportion  of  the  Body,  are 
miftaken  •,  it  was  to  be  fatisfied  by  the 
Eve,  by  a  thorough  Infpe&ion,  that  a* 
Man  was  in  a  Condition  not  to  deceive  a 
Woman  •,  and  perhaps  this,  at  that  Time 
was  neceilar  r,  for  all  the  World  was  not 
then,  nor  now  is.  fo  honeft  as  the  Father 
of  the  Emperor  Galbx,  who  as  Suetonius  t 
reports,  was  very  low  of  Stature,  and 
withall  crooked  5  that  neverthelefs  Lifia 
OceUma^  a  very  beautiful  and  rich  young 
I  3  Lady 


*"  PlMdi  Zegibus,  Lib,  10.-   \  Suit*  in  GaJ&. 
cap..  3. 


174  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

Lady,  fell  in  Love  with  him,  on  Account 
of  his  great  Quality  5  upon  which,  it 
feems,  he  ftript  himfelf  naked,  andfhew'd 
her  the  Imperfection  of  his  Body,  left 
thro5  her  Ignorance  fhe  might  be  impofed 
upon. 

I  carmot  fay,  fuch  Infpe&ion  would 
alwa]-s  be  fu-fficient,  for  there  are  very 
few  unmarried  Perfons  know  what  renders 
a  Man  capable  of  Matrimony  ,  it  is  only 
Ufe  and  Experience  muft  inftrud  them. 

t  Monfieur  de  Thou,  in  his  Hiftory*  tells 
us,  that  Charles  de  Qiiellenec,  Baron  de 
Font,  in  Brit  any  9  had  married  Cather'ne 
de  Partheras,  Daughter  and  Heirefs  to 
John  de  Sonbixe  ;but  that  fome  Time  after 
his  Wife's  Mother  brought  an  -Aftion  a- 
gainft  him,  to  fet  afide  the  Marriage, 
under  Pretence  of  his  being  impotent  •, 
that  the  Suit  was  depending  at  the  Time 
of  the  Maffacre  of  Paris,  in  which  he  was 
kill  d  ^  that  his  Body  having  been  cart 
out  among  others  before  the  Louvre,  and 
expofed  to  the  View  of  the  King  ,and 
Queen,  and  all  the  Court,  a  great  Num- 
ber of  Ladies,  who  had-  no  Manner  of 
Horror  in  beholding  fuch  a  cruel  Spe&acle, 
and  who  looked,  without  Shame,  very 
curiaufly  upon  thofe  naked  Bodies,    cart. 

their 


Iboran.Hift'jr.lib.  52. 


TLunuchifm  DifpUyrd.  tjf 

their  Eyes  very  particularly  on  the  Baron 
de  Pont,  and  very  carefully  examined 
whether  they  could  difcover  the  Caufe  02? 
Marks  of  that  Impotence,  of  which  he  had 
been  accufed.  But  I  doubt  whether,  with 
all  their  Application  in  examining  thofe 
Objecls,  they  were  a  Jot  the  wifer,  upon 
that  Subjea.. 

The  Roman  Ladies  heretofore  were  not 
contented  with  bare  Looks,  they  made 
their  Judgment  of  the  Ability  of  a  Man 
by  a  more  certain  Teftimony  •,  his 
Strength  and  Addrefs  in  their  Publiclc 
Gaines.  This  could  not  fail  to  render  a 
Man  accomplifh'd  in  the  Eyes' oi  the  Ro^r 
man  Ladies. 

Thefe  Precautions  one  would  think  not 
altogether  ufelefs,    considering  that  Mar- 
riage is  a  State  wherein  one  is  engaged  for' 
Life  ;   for  we  do  not  live  in  thofe  Days; 
when  People    could    make  Contra 61  s  of 
Marriage  ad  Tempus,   for  a  Time,  aswasr 
that,  which  #Monfieur  de  Varlllas  +  fays  he 
faw  in  the  King  of  France's  Library,  and 
was  made  between  two  Perfons  of  Quality* 
of  the  County  of  Armagnac,    for  feven 
Years  only,  with  a  Provifo,  neverthelefs, 
to  prolong  that  Term,if  the  Parties  lhould 
be  fo  minded. 

I  4  4.  It 


f  Vtde3  VaUfiana.  p.  371 


ij6  Euxuchijm  Difplafd.. 

4.  It  would  make  fome  Women,  who 
have  too  much  Virtue,  to  enter  upon  their 
Marriage  State  ab  Micitis,  with  a  Grime* 
and  who  cannot  live  all  their  Life  in  the 
State  of  Inaction,  with  a  Phantom  of  a 
Hu(band>  be  obliged  to  feek  a  Remedy  b;y 
Pivorce.  An  honeft  Woman  can  find  no 
Confolation,  but  with  a  Huiband,  as 
Agrippira.  told  Tiberius,-  when  fhe  ask'd 
him  to  be  married. 

In  ihort,  if  a  Woman  be  not  honeft,  fhe- 
will  find  Ways  to  fatisfy  Nature,  out  of 
the  State  of  Marriage  :  We  very  feldom 
meet  Wives  of  the  fame  Humour  with 
thofe  of  Domitius  TitHa\  whofe  Hifrory 
Plivy  has  given  us,  in  one  of  hk  Epiftlest 
and  which  is  related  with  curious  Reflecti- 
ons by  Mr.  Baf.e^  in  his  Hiftorical  and 
Critical    Dictionary,      in    the    Article 

What  is  reported  in  the  Menagiana,  is 
alfo  the  common  Taffce  of  the  fair  Sex : 
k  is  there  faid,  that  in  a  great  Company 
both  of  Men  and  Women,  where  they" 
were  talking  about  what  ought  to  be  re- 
quired to  the  perfect  Accomplishment  of 
Man  or  Woman*  One  faid,  a  Man  ought 
to  ad  like  a  Man,  and  fmell  like  a  Man, 
and  as  to  Women,  fays  he,  I  don't  love 
thofe.  that  are  Mafailiveh  and  I,  (replies 
immediately*  a  Lady  that  liften'dto  his 

Difcourfe 


Eunucbifm  Difplkj  'a.  1 7 7 

Difcourfe)  am  of  your  Opinion,  for  I  hate 
an  Effeminate  Man. 

We   do  not  live  now  in  the  Days  of 
John  the  Fifth,  Duke  of  Brittany,  who 
laid,  that  a   Wife   was   wife  enough,  if 
fhe  knew  the  Difference  between  her  Hus- 
band's Shirt  and  Breeches.    It  has  indeed 
been   obferv'd    by    fome,   that    the   lefs 
knowing  they  are,  the  lefs  are  they  fub- 
jed  to  be  drawn  afide  5  but  it  is  certain 
at   the  fame    time,    that  when  Nature 
fpeaks,  and  Reafon  does  not  reffrain  them, . 
they  will   be  obey'd.     Moniieur  Varilla.^  ; 
lays  it  down  for,  a  F?.3$-  that  the  more 
witty  Women  are,    they    are   the  more- 
eafy  to  be  wrought  upon. ..  Tarquato  Tajfo 
has  made  a  Difccurfe  on  Purpofe  to  pr  >ve 
it,  and  Voiture  complains,   that:  he  has  - 
experience  among  ft  the  Shepherdeffes,  or 
Gountry  Girls,  that  fome  are  too  dull  to  ; 
be  won  over  by  the  Arts  of  the- mod  able 
Lover,    and  thofe  that   have  moil   Wif3. 
are  foaneft  brought  to  hear  Reaibn,  but 
that  both  are  very    difficult  to  be~  per— 
fuaded  on  that  Topick. . 

I  am  ajhmjh"d\  When  I  read  the  Ex- 
tract .which  Monfleur  Bernard  \  has  made 
us  from  the    Collection  of  the  Thaties  of 
I    5  Peace. 


£Ll  ICY 


*?S  Eunuchifm  DiJ}/ayTd. 

Pace  Sec.  Where  that  Author  gives  the 
Lpithet  ofUithappy,  to  Margaret,  Dutchefs 
ot  Carwthea,  to  whom  Lewis  of  Bavaria% 
had  granted  Letters  of  Divorce  from 
John,  Son  to  the  King  of  Bohemia,  on 
Account  of  his  Impotence,  his  Words  are 
thefe,   viz.    ''That    Piece   (the    Letters)' 

-  lays   he,   is    confiderable —  on 

u  Account  of  the  Manner  in  which  that 

;  Unhappy     Princefs    explain'd     herfelf, 

what  Methods    fhe   made  u  e  o^  and 

■a  what    great  Pains,   fhe  fa  id,     fte    had 

x  taken,  to   make  her  Husband  render 

•  her  the  Duties  of  Marriage.  He  then 
reports  the  Terms  in  which  that  Affair 
is  delivered,  but  he  only  puts  them  down, 
but  docs  not  tranflate  them. 

But  fince  I  have  faid,  I  am  a-P.omfi'd: 
at  that  Author's  Conduct  in  this  Matter, 
I1  think  it  necefFary  to  give  the  Reafons 
why    I  am    fo.     For  flfit,  this-  Epithet, 
Unhappy    could    not  be    given    to    that 
Dutchefs,  becaufe  Ihe  had  obtained  thefe- 
Letters  of  Divorce*  on  the  contrary,  for 
that  very  Reafon,  flie  ought  to  have  been- 
efteem'd  Happy,  to  be  feparated  from  an 
Impotent  Husband  •  not  only Juftice  which 
was  done  Ik  r  in  that  Refpect,  butalfothe- 
Deliverance  from  fo  heavy  a   Yoke,  de- 
ferv'd  ihe  flatasld  be  rather  term1  d  Happy 
than  Unhappy.    Had    Monfieur    Bernard 
poke©  of  that  Lady  in  Relation  to  the. 

Condition 


Ettnachifm  Difplafd.  179, 

Condition  fhe  was  in,  when  in  Subje&ioa 
to  her  Husband,  he  would  have  had  Rea- 
fon  then  to  call  her  Unhappy 1    becaufe  Hie 
was  fo  in  Effed:  ^  but  he  fpeaks  in  Ke- 
lp ett  of  her  Liberty,   and  in  that  Cafe  'tis 
true  (he  had  been  Unhappy,  but  was  not 
then  fo..    Mr.  Bernard  is  a  Perfon  too  Ju- 
dicious to  have  made  fuch  Miftakes  •   it  is 
then  becaufe  ihe  was  fo  bold  as  to  deiire 
thefe  Letters  of  Divorce,  and  complain 
of  the   Impotence  of  her  Husband i*  and- 
tell  the  Reafons;  which  juftify'd  her  De- 
mands, and  the  JMeans  bv  which  (he  was 
throughly  convrnc'd  of  his  Inability  and. 
by  which  ill e  perfuaded  the  Judges; 

Monfieur  Bernard  was.  too  good  a  Divine 
and  Politician  *  and  was  toowelLacquaint- 
ed,  both  with  Sacred  and  Profane  Hiftory, 
not  to  know  that  neither  Religion,  nor 
Confcience,  nor  Honour,  nor.  Modefty 
oblige  a- Woman,  who  has  not  natural: 
Courage  enough,  to  fufFer'  Martyrdom, 
and  die  a  lingring  Death,  who  has  not 
Strergth  to  mortify  herfelf,  by  a  long  and 
perpetual  Continence,,  to  live  with  a 
Husband  that  is  impotent,  and  uncapa- 
ble  ro  render  her  the  Duties  of  a  Husband. 

It  he  fancied  Relig  on  and  Confcience 
ob'ig^d  a  Woman  in  inch  a  Cab  to  keep  a 
profound  Silence,  he  fell  mto  the  Herefre 
of  the  Abetians,  whofe.  Error  is.  refuted 


by 


i8o:         Euvuchifin  Difprafd. 

by  St.  Augitftn,  in  the  87th  Chapter,  of 
his  Book  of  Herefy, 

If  he  belie  vd,  that  Honour  and  Mo- 
defty  obliged  her  to  have  that  extrava- 
gant Patience,  he  has  given  into  the  Re- 
veries and  Viiions  of  thofe  Fanaticks,  who 
Fancy,  one  had  better  fuffer  Death,  than 
di (cover  to  a  Phyfician,  or  Surgeon  a  fecret 
Part  if  it  Ihould  happen  to  be  DiftemperoV 
and  who  may  put  into  the  Catalogue  of 
their  Martyrs,  Mary,  Daughter  of  Charles 
the  Hardy,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  who  was 
married  to  the  Emperor  Maximilian,  the  ■ 
:rM  Son  of  Frederick  the  Third. 

This  Princefs  had  a  high  metled  Horfe 
prefented  to  her,  which  threw  her  down,, 
and  fo^  rudely,  that  (he  broke  her  Thigh, 
©f  which  Fall  (he  dy'd,  having  not  been . 
able  to  prevail  fo  much  upon  her  Mode- 
fly,  as  to  expofe  that  Part  to  the  View 
of  the  Phyficians.  and  Surgeons,  who  'tis. 
highly  probable  might  have  cur'd  her. 

I  (hall  put  an  End  to  this  Chapter,  by 
faying,  that  if  the  Dutchefs  cf  Carinthect- 
was  to  blame,  the  whole  Body  of  the 
Civil  Law  ought  to  be  condemned,  which 
allows  Women  to  exhibit  ProceiTes  againil 
their  Husband si  if  Eunuchs  or  Impotent, 
when  according  to  the  fcrupulous  Divini- 
ty of  Monfieur  Bernard,  it  ought  to  re-- 
prefs  the  Incontinence  of  thofe  Unhappy 

Women* 


Eunuchifm  Difplafd.  181 

Women,  and  look  on  them  as  wanting 
Modetty,  becaufe  they  dare  complain. 


CHAP.     V. 

Xhe  Civil  Law  forbids  the  Marriage  of 
Eunuchs* 

AS  the  Marriage  of  an  Eunuch  cannot 
fubfift,  it  was  an  Ac~t  of  the  highefi 
Prudence  in  the  Legiflators,  not  to  luffer. 
it  to  be  contracted.  Neither  Publick 
Honour  nor  Juftice  will  permit  thofe 
Things  to  be  done,  which  they  cannot  let-, 
fubfift.  Dirimuvt  Matrhnomum  contrac- 
turn,  hnpedhmt  Mdtrimammn  covtralen* 
dttm.  *  This  is  a  Maxim  which  the  Ca-  - 
nonifts,  who  have  written  upon  the  Chap- 
ter de  Sp  onfall  bus  &  Matrimoniis,  have 
folidly  eftabliihed,  and  is  agreeable  to 
the  Civil  Law,,  t  which  forbids  thofe  Per- 
fans  to  be  affianced,,  between  whom. there 
are  lawful  Impediments,  to  contract 
Marriage.  Quamv'is  (fays  the  Law)  ver- 
bis   vratzoms  cautumft,   ne  Uxorem  Titter 

Pup  ill  am 


f  *  Sext.Dtcret.  Mb.  4.  tit.  u     \  Z^tG^ff*  tih 
23.  tit*  2.  diritu  Niqt.  §5, 


i8i2  Eunuchifm  D/fp/ayrd. 

Pup'illamfuam  ducat;  tamen  IntelUgendum  eft' 
ve  defp.onderi  qnidem  poffe  ^  Nam  am  qua 
Nuptid  contrabi  7ton  pojfunt,  h&c  plerumq^ 
7te  qnidem  defponderi  poteft.  Nam  qu&  duel 
pot  eft  jure  defpondetur. 

The  Argument  is  well  nigji  the  fame, 
a  Nuptiis  previijjis  ad  Sponfaiapr&miffa  ab 
iifdem  pohtbUis  ad  eademfponfalia  inter di- 
ffa  ^  &  Matrhnonio  validu  ad  Matrimoniunv 
contrabendum  &  abe&kmJnvalidoadidem* 
inter dh en dum. 

For,  fmcerhe  Contract  of  Marriage  and 
the  Solemnities  which  follow,  only  teftify 
a-Promife  which  has  been  made  between 
two  Perfons,  to  render  each  other  the 
Duties  ot  Marriage,  it  is  therefore  evident,, 
that  thofe  who  cannot  render  thofe  Duties, 
ought  not  to  many,  and  the  fame  Reg- 
ions which  would  dilfolve  a.  Marriage  that 
had  been  contracted,  ought  eiFe&ually  to- 
hinder  its  being  contracted. 

The  Emperor  Leor  who  decided  this- 
Cafe,  went  much  farther,  *  fcr  he  not 
only  forbad  Eunuchs  to  marry,  but  alio 
pronounced  and  ordain'd  a  Penalty  againft 
thofe  that  ihould  irmxy  them  ^  which . 
may  be  feen  in  the  Ninety  Eighth  Con- 
ftitution,  entituled,  de  p&va  Emwcborum  jl 
Uxores  ducant.    The  Motive  that  induced' 

him 


*  §  Si  advtrfus  Jnftjt.  deWafts/s*. 


Eunuch ifm  DifpUfd.  rgj 

Kim  to  make  this  Decreets  very  noble,it  is* 
(fays  the  Conftitution)  becaufe  liich  Marri- 
age having  nothing  of  Reality  fai  it,cannot 
therefore  be  accompanied  with  the  Holy 
Ceremonies,  which  make  an  efTential  Part 
of  Marriage,  and  ought  to  be  read  entire, 
I  would  therefore  rniert  it  without  omit- 
ing  the  lean:  Tittle,  were  it  not  too  long 
for  the  propofed  Brevity  of  this  Work. 
But  here  follows  the  principal  Part,  by 
which  may  be  fesen  ks  principal  Aim- and 
Intention,  that  is,  Whoever  Ihould  go  to 
the  Marriage  of  Eunuchs,  ihould  incur  the 
Penalty  of  a  Ravifher,  or  Adulterer,-  and 
the  Priefr  who  (Wild  dare  to  be  guilty 
of  fuch  Prophanation,  as  to  celebrate  fuch 
Marriage,  was  to  be  degraded.  Propterea 
fancimm {fkji rthe  Conftitution)  wbji  qn's 
Emmchornm  ad-  Matrimomwn  precedere 
covipaytnr,  &  ipfe  Stup/i  pen&  obnoxius  jit, 
&  qui  Saierdos  ifti:ts?nodi  Con'junB'iomm 
profanato  fac ificio  perfirere  anfus  fiierit 
facer  dot  a  i digmtaU  denude!  itr. 

*  Prophane  Hiftorv  tells  us,  that  Au- 
guftus,  who  regulated  the  Roman  bhows 
or  Spectacles,  which  before  were  in  great 
Confhfion,  took  particular  Care  to  aiiign 
every  Body  his  proper  Place,  and  amongft 
others,    there  was  a  Regulation  for  the 

Seats- 


Suetw*  in  Augufl%.  ca$*  44* 


1 84  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

Seats  of  married  Men,    and  thoie  of  lew 
Condition     likewiie    had    theirs.       But. 
Martial  *  tells  us,    that  Eunuchs .  dared 
not  fit  upon  the  Benches*  of  married  Per- 
fons,    nor  io  much  as  be  feen  amongft 
them  at  the  Theatre.     Let  us  fee  how  he. 
entertains  Dydim'us,  who  with  a  haughty- 
Voice,    it  feems,   would  talk  of  the  Edidts 
of  Domitian  concerning  the  Theatre,  and 
the  Hopes  he  had  that  they  would  be  ob~- 
ferv'd  •,  his^Words  are, 

Sp  alone  cum  f.s  evicatorfinxo 
Bt  Ccncvbmo  mollior  Celeveo 
<j^ tie m  feBus  11 1 ttlat  matris  Mu tbeaGa litis 
Tbeatra  loqueris  &  Grains  &  EdiBa. 
Trabeafq^  &  Has  fibula] q^  Ceytfufq^ 
Jit  p  tunic  at  a  pauper  es  rami  monftras 
Sedere  in Equititmliceat 'an  T-ibi  Scamnis  ? 
Videbo  Dydime :  non  licet  Marit  or  urn. 

This  Dydimus,  as  I  before  obferv'd, 
had  a  Wife  ♦,  however ...  we  fee  he  was 
not  considered  as  a  married  Man,  be- 
caufe  he  was  an  Eunuch..  It  is  true  this 
was  long  befre  the  Conftitution  of  the 
Emperor  Leo,,  for  iince  that  Time,  we 
fcarce  find  any  Example  that  an  Eunuch 
was  permitted  to  marr v,  except  him  of 
the  Court  of  Saxony,   of  whom  I  Ihatfe 

make 


Eunuchifm  Difplafd.  185 

make  Mention  in  the  next  Chapter.  =  All 
Ecclefiaftical  Societies  or  Communions, 
do  not  only  content  themfelves  to  blame, 
theie  Marriages,  but  expreily  forbid  them, 
as  we  (hall  fee  in  the  three  enfuing  Chap- 
ters, with  which  I  fhall  conclude  this 
Second  Part. 


C  H  A  P.    VI. 

The  Roman  Catholic k  Church  does  vol 
Juffer  the  Marriage  of  Eunuchs. 

THE  Roman  Catholicks,  who  confider 
Marriage  as  a  Sacrament,  have 
taken  Care  not  to  have  one  of  their  Sab- 
ered Myfteries  profan'd.  I  fhall  inftance 
Tome  few  authentick  Examples,  which 
will  prove  what  I  fa)7-. 

Bernard'  Ant  ovine,  a  celebrated  Advo- 
cate (or  Attorney)  in  the  Parliament  oi 
Boitrdeaitx,  in  the  fecond  Part  of  his  Corn- 
par  ifon,  between  the  French  Laws  with 
the  Roman,  *  reports  a  Cafe,  which  was 
heard  in  his  Time  before  the  Parliament 
of  Paris,  upon  the  very  Subject. 

Ho 


fag.  513, 


1 86  TLunuchifm  Difplay'd. 

He  flrfl:  indeed,  makes  fome  Reflexions 
upon    the    Paragraph  Spadomtm,  of   the 
"Law  Pompomns,    which    the  6th  tf.  de 
jEdilitio  EdiBo,  and  he  thinks  it  ftrange 
(and    with    Reafcn    Good)    that  Ulpiav^ 
who  was  Author  of  that  Law,  mould 
decide,  that  a  Man,  who  mould  have  one 
of  his   Fingers,  or   Toes  cut  off  ihould 
ie  look'd  upon  to  he  Sickly,,  or  (as  the  Law 
Term   is)  Morhofus,  and  that  ail  Eunuch, 
who  has  loft  fo  neceflary  a  Part  fhould. 
not.    He  (ays,   this  is    flu-prizing,    and 
that  he  cannot  fee.  the  Reafon,  that  when 
the  Caufe  of   Generation,    which   gives 
even  the  Name  of  Man  to  him,  who  is 
therewith  endued,    is  cut  off,  a  Man  no 
longer  deferves  that  Name,  and  that  his 
Opinion  is,  That  he  who  lofes  one  Part 
out  of  Twenty,  has  left  Hurt  done  him, 
than  loflng  One  out  of  Two.    And  then 
adds,  that   the  Parliament  of  Paris,  had 
by  (an  Arret,  or)  Decree  of  the  Fifth  of 
January,  1607,  given  Sentence  in  Favour 
of  C  attdhte  Godefroy,  whofe  Marriage  was 
not   juffly    Contracted,     and    that    fhe 
fhould  not  proceed  to  Solemnize  a  Mar- 
riage fhe  had   Contracted  with   a  Man 
who,    (the  Surgeons   and   Phyfic'ans  by 
their  Report  had  affur'd  the  Court)  had' 
but  one  Tefticle,  tho5  at  the  fame  time 
they    added,    they  were  of  Opinion  he 
might  Engender. 

The 


Eunuchifm  DifpUfd.  187 

The  famous  Stephen  Pafquier,  being 
formerly  confulted  on  the  feme  Subject, 
makes  Anfwer  in  this  Epigram. 

Eft  VJrum  tota  Con/ux  te  pentegat  Urbe 
'  Naturaq-,  alio  Tejle  carere   dolet. 
Officiatve   Toro  Sociali  res  ea,  certe^  : 

Nefcio,  at  bocScio  quod  Te  negat  etfeVirum. 
Cojitra  probatium  jucundo  tramite  dicis 

G audi a  Conjvgij  mitie  per  aft  a  Tibi. 
Quid  garrisZBiuos  cum  fait  em  jura  requirunt 

Uno  te  ne  Virum  Tefte  probare  potes  ? 

He  might  have  added  the  99th  of 
Martial's  Epigrams,  in  his  feventh  Book, 
which  ends  with  this  expreffive  Yerfe. 

Vis  dicam  vervm,  Po7itice  mdius  Hmo  es. 

Furetiens  Dictionary,  as  alto  that  of 
Trevonx,  under  the  Word  Einrucb  fay?. 
that  by  an  Arret,  or  Decree  of  the  Great 
Chamber  of  the  Eighth  r'f  January  166?, 
it  was  adjudged  that  an  Eunuch  could 
not  marry,  even  tho5  all  Parties  conferr- 
ed. The  Authors  of  thofe  two  excellent 
Works  extracted  that  Arret,  or  Decree 
out  of  the  Journal  of  Audiences  t  and  is 
the  fame  which  was  reported  by  Mon- 

ileur 


f  Lib.  6.  C/&.  2. 


*88  Eunuchism  DiffU/d* 

fieur  Chud e  Furetlere,  who  oblig'd  the 
Publick  with  his  Tranflation  of  the  Ro- 
man, or  Civil  Laws  into  French,  and 
making  a  Companion  between  them  and 
the  Royal  Edidts,  theCuftoms  of  France 
and  the  Decifions  ef  their  Sovereign  Courts 
t»f  Judicature,  and  he  fays  exprefly,  that 
a  Eunuch  cannot  oblige  a  Prieft  to  marry" 
him,  tho'  the  "Woman  knowing  all  Ci^ 
cumftances  fliould  ferioufly  Confent.. 

The  Tenth  Chapter  of  the  Fourth  Book 
of  the  Arrets  of  Avne  Robert,  which  only 
treats  of  the  Diflblution  of  Marriages,  on- 
Account  of  Frigidity  and  Impotence,, 
(hews  that  it  is  a  conftant  Law,  that 
Eunuchs  cannot  marry. 

Pope  Sixtns  jfW nt%$  caus^  a  .Bull  to  be 
lent  into  Spain,  wherein  he  declard  null 
the  Marriages  of  Eunuchs. 

I  (hall  conclude  this  Chapter  with  an* 
Hiftorical  Fact,  which  is  very  decifive 
on  this  SubjecT:,  and  which  is  reported  by 
the  learned  Monfieur  Stick,  Son  to  the 
Illuftrious  and  famous  Mr.  Stick,  ProfefYor 
of  Law  in  Italy,  the  very  Papinian  of  our 
Age.  He  fays,  in  his  Difpute  for  the 
Dcclror5  s  Degree,  in  which  he  treats  of  the 
Nullify  of  Marriage,  that  being  fome 
time  before  in  Italy,    he  knew  that  one  of 

the: 


§  28.  ft  20. 


Eunucbifm  DifpLfd.  189 

the  principal  Muficians  of  the  Duke  of 
Mantua,  nam'd  Corto m,  an  Eunuc  1 ,  had 
a  Mind  to  marry  a  very  beautihil  Singer, 
belonging  to  the  fame  Prince,  whofe 
Name  was  Barbarnccia,  but  were  oblig'd 
to  ask  Leave  of  the  Pope,  who  absolutely 
refused  it,  with  pofitive  Orders  never  to 
Addrefs  to  that  Court  for  the  future  on 
that  Account. 


CHAP     VII, 

The  Lutherans t  and  thofe  of  the  Confef- 
fion  of  Augsburg,  do  .not  fujfer  the 
Marriages  of  Eunuchs. 

TH  E  Divines  and  Lawyers  of  this 
Religion  are  very  fcrupulous  on  this 
Head,  mid  their  Motives  are  very  judi- 
cious and  agreeable  to  Religion  and 
Heafon. 

Gerhard,  one  of  the  greater!:  of  their 
Divines,  and  who  has  reduced  almoft  all 
Luther^s  Works  into  common  Places,  fays 
exprefly  under  the  Title  de  Conjuglo  * 
that  a  Woman  ought  not  to  be  permit- 
ted 


*  S235._f.35S, 


1 90  Eunucbifm  Difylay^JL 

ted  to  marry  an  Eunuch.  The  Motive 
that  induc'd  him  "to  make  this  Decifion 
was,  that  Marriage  having  for  its  prin- 
cipal End,  Generation,  thofe  People  who 
are  not  capable  of  attaining  that  End, 
ought  by  no  Means  to  be  lufrer'd  to  en- 
gage in  that  State,  and  fuch  (fays  he)  are 
Eunuchs  and  Spadones.  That  tho'  fome 
of  thefe  having  one  Tefticle,  may  be  ca- 
pable of  knowing  a  Woman,  yet  for  all 
that,  they  ought  not  to  marry,  becaufe, 
fcefides  that  they  are  not  capable  or  getting 
Children,  they  are  not  capable  to  fa- 
tisfy  the  Defires  of  a  Woman,  nor  extin- 
guifh  that  Heat  which  Nature  has  enkind- 
led in  their  Conftitution  and  Tempera- 
ment. 

The  fecond  Motive  which  fway'd  this 
great  Man  was,  that  a  Woman  not  find- 
ing in  the  Perfon  of  her  Husband,  that 
Satisfaction  ihe  defiYd,  would  be  eafily 
drawn  away  to  Sin. 

The  third  Motive  was,  that  a  Woman 
is  cheated  by  a  Phantom  of  Marr  age,  as 
is  that  of  an  Eunuch  y  and  whether  (he  was 
ignorant  of  the  Condition  of  fuch  a  Man 
before  Marriage,  or  really  knew  it,  and 
had  then  a  better  Opinion  or  her  Strength 
than  fhe  ought,  yet  in  both  thefe  Cafes 
ihe  is  cheated.  Now  the  Laws  ought 
to  prevent  thefe  Cafes,  and  not  only  ad- 
vife  fuch  ralh  Women,   but  alfo  hinder 

them 


Eunuchism  DiffUtfd.  19  f 

them    from  expoiing   themfelves  to  an 
evident  Danger. 

The  Scrupulofity  of  thefe  Divines  go 
yet  further,  for  they  do  not  permit  an 
Hermaphrodite  to  marry,  at  leaft  when 
one  Sex  dees  not  prevail  fo  vifibly  imd 
confiderably  over  another,  as  to  put 
them  out  of  all  Apprehenfion  of  the  Con- 
fluences: And  if  this  Hermaphrodite 
makes  any  Difficulty  jto  be  exam  in  VI  by 
Surgeons  and  Phvficians,  or  Matrons, 
it  gives  great  Sufpicion,  and  fuch  Per- 
fon  ihall  not  have  Permiifion  to  marry. 

It  is  a  general  and  conftant  Maxim 
with  them,  that  all  Impotence,  of  what 
Kind  foever,  and  from  what  Caufe  fo- 
jever  proceeding,  makes  null  and  void,  a 
Marriage  that  is  contracted, -and  is  anln> 
pediment  (when  it  is  known  before)  hin- 
uring  its  being  contracted.  There  is 
neverthelefs  an  Exception  to  this  general 
Rule,  which  is,  if  this  Impotence  arrives 
after  the  Contract  by  fome  Accident, 
then  it  will  not  diflblye  it.  This  is 
founded  both  on  the  Civil,  and  Canon 
Laws.  *  Nihil  enzm  tarn  htmatmm  e(fe 
videtur  quarn  fortitis  Cajibus  Mulieris  Ma- 
ritum,  &  cuntra   Uxor  em  vin7  partidpem 

efe. 


*  !>.  ft  doUm  22  §.  fi  Maritus  7>  f  sohU  Ma- 
trimQn. 


192  Eumtchifm  Difpltfd. 

tjfe.  The  Canon  qtwd  antem  27.  queft  2. 
is  pofitive,  Inipojfibilitas  coenndi  (fays 
the  Canon)  Ji  pcfl  Carnalem  Copnlam  in- 
venta  fuerit  in  aliqno,  71071  fclvit  Conju* 
giitm  t  //  vero  cntte  carnaiem  Copnlam  depre- 
benfa  fuerit,  liberum  facit  Mnlieri  alum 
Virum  accipere.  This  is  Luther  s  Opini- 
on, in  hisTreatife,  De  Vita  Covjugali  \( 

The  Confiftorial  Law  of  that  Commu- 
nion, agrees  exactly  with  their  Divines* 
Carptovim,  who  is  its  Oracle,  reports,  the 
Decifions  made  by  this  Confiftorial  Law 
The  fecond  Number  of  the  16  th  Defini- 
tion of  the  firft  Title,  has  theft  Expref- 
flons  Non  yermittendim  Mnlieri  nt  Eu* 
jiucbo  xnbat.  I  muft  own,  I  have  read 
with  fome  Aftonimment,  in  the  Extract 
which  the  learned  Monfieur  de  Beanval 
has  given  us,  of  a  Book  of  Mr.  Brnkerus^ 
intituled,  The  DecifiOis  of  the  Matrimo- 
nial Law.  *  That  the  Cafe  having  been 
preferred  to  the  Court  of  the  King  of 
Poland ,  as  Elector  of  Saxony,  of  an  Ita- 
lian Eunuch,  his  Chamberlain,  who  had 
marryed  a  young  Woman,  who  had  been 
made  acquainted  with  his  Condition,  and 
liad  obtained  her  Father's  Confent,  fome 

Divines 


•f-  Cum  quod,  autsm    ||  Tom.  2.  Irenxus  German, 
fo.  i<6.   6. 
'*KiftQ?re  desQuvrages  dcsScavansiFchi'fi6'j>.%9<> 


Eunuchifm  DiffUfi.  \$% 

Divines  undertook  to  difturb  this  Mar- 
riage, as  being  null  and  void,  while  others 
again  maintained  it  was  good  and  valid. 
But  that  that  Prince,  having  Ceen  the  O 
pinions  -and  Reafons  of  both  Sides,  eon- 
firin'd  the  Marriage^  but  decreed,  it 
fhould  not  be  drawn  into  Precedent  for 
the  future. 

One  may  fay,  in  refped  of  this  Di  ver- 
ity of  Sentiments  amongft  the  Divines 
of  the  Electorate  of  Saxony,  what  Mcn- 
fieur  Beanval  fays  elfewhere,  abcut  the 
Councils  that  were  held  on  Acccunt  of 
the  Sect  of  the  Valefians.  t  Several  Councils- 
(fays  he)  were  affembleA  thereupon,  and  en- 
ereafed  the  Diforder  by  the  Contradiction  of 
their  Decrees.  So  true  is  it6  (continues 
he)  to  the  Shame  of  human  Reafon,  that 
there  can  be  no  Devotion  fo  ridiculous  and 
mad,  but  will  find  fome  People  to  patronise 
end  defend  it.  And  indeed  it  is  certain, 
by  the  Cafe  I  have  juft  now  inftanced, 
that  the  lefs  reafonable  and  lefs  probable 
Opinions,  have  found  thofe  who  will  Tootir" 
2nd  Nail  maintain  them. 

But  this  Cafe  is  a  very  particular  One, 

and   does    not  at   all  break  in  upon  the. 

publick,  and  generally  receiv'd  Dedfions, 

and  much  lefs,  becaufe  it  is  authorized 

K  by 


f  Ibid.  Decern.  1691.  A&*  3.  p.  175. 


$94  Euftuchifm  Difplafd. 

by  a  Prince,  who  did  at  the  fame  Time 

declare,  that  it  mould  not  be  drawn  into 
Precedent^  tho'  I  muft  confefseven  that 
is  Dangerous,  for  it  has  been  too  often 
known,  that  Decifions  which  have  been 
;made  with  a  Claufe  inferted,  that  they 
ihould    not  be  drawn    into   Precedents, 
-have  been  fo  far  themfelves  made  Prece- 
dents, as  People  have  thence  nrefuined  to 
make  other  Decifions  with  like  Claufes 
inferted,   a  Thing  by    all  Means  to  be 
avoided*^  for  Laws  are  to  be  made  for 
the  general  Good,  not  for  a  particular 
*Good. 

But,  to  return  to  the  Saxcm  Cafe,  had 
the  Elector  approv'd  and  authoriz'd  the 
Fa£t  purely  and  fimply,  without  any 
Qualification  or  Reftri&ion,  k  would  not 
therefore  be  the  more  valid,  and  that 
Permiffion  would  have  given  it  not  a 
Jot  the  more  Force  -,  for  by  the  Difpofiti- 
<tm  of  the  Law,  Marriages  which  are 
abfolutely  forbidden  by  the  Law,  are  not 
at  all  the  lefs  Unlawful,  or  Unjuft  in 
themfelves,  tho'  the  Prince  permits  them 
by  Refcript  to  be  contracted-,  becaufe 
thefe  Marriages  ^  being  contrary  to  the 
Laws,  the  Refcript  which  was  obtain'd  by 
Permiffion,  is  look'd  upon  in  the  Eye  of 
Sic  Law  to  be  Surreptitious,  and  to  have 
&een  obtain'd  from  the  Prince  by  Sur- 
ttigej  thefe  .are  Jthe  very  Terms  of  &he 

Law 


Eunucbifm  DifplayJd.  195 

Law  *  Precandi  qunque  impofterum  fuper 
tali  Coyijugio  (imo  potius  Contagio)  cuncli* 
Ikentiam  denegamus  ut  Unufquifq-,  cognof- 
cat)  Impetrationem  quoq;  rti  cujus  eft, 
denegata  petitio,  mc  ft  per  Surreptionem 
poft  banc  diem  obthmerlt,  fbimet  profu* 
turum. 

But  it  is  much  to  be  wifrfd,  that 
Monfieur  Beauval,  who  has  reported  this 
Cafe,  and  who  Reafons  upon  every  Sub- 
ject he  undartakes  to  treat  of,  with  fb 
much  Juftice  and  Solidity,  would  have 
given  us  his  own  Opinion  upon  this 
famous  Queftion  of  Eunuch s  Marriages.- 
Butthis  what  he  feldom  does^he  carefully 
avoids  giving  his  own  Sentiments  on  any 
Matter,  which  the  World  imputes  to  his 
Modefty.  That  this  is  only  what  he  de* 
ferves,  I  could  prove  by  feveral  Inftances, 
but  there  is  one  I  cannot  omit,  and  that 
is,  after  having  given  us  an  Extract  of 
the  Treatife  of  Nature  and  Grace,  put 
out  by  Mr.  de  Jurieu,  he  clofes  it,  in  thefe 
humble  Terms,  as  this  Work,  fays  he, 
is  fuU  of^  very  metaphyseal  Reflexions,  the 
World  will  pardon  him  if  he  has  fomewhat 
exceeded  his  Bounds*  He  fpeaks  here  of 
the  Anfwer  of  a  new  Convert  to  the  Let- 
K  2  ter 


*  Lib.  5.  Tit,  S.  Cod,  fi  Nupti*  ex  refcripto  pe-s 
tmtur  /.  2, 


1 96  Eumtchifm  Difflafd. 

ter  of  a  French  Proteftant,  which  may 
ferve  as  an  Addition  to  the  Book  of  Dovu 
Dennis,  of  St.  Martha,  intituled,  An  Aw 
fwer  to  the  Complaints  of  the  Proteftant  s  >j 
where  after  having  reafon'd  like  a  very- 
able    Politician,    he  concludes    in  thefe 
mod  eft  Expreilions,  But  let  us  return  to 
the   Bounds  of  our  own  Territories,  which 
we  have  fo  often  refo:v°d  not  to  tranfgrejs^ 
nor  fleer   our  Ccurfe  in  the  Sea  of  Poli- 
ticks, which  other's  have  Horn  with  Jo  much 
Succefs.    He   excufes  himfelf  very  often 
on  feveral  Pretexts,  as  may  be  feen  in 
thofe  feveral  Places  I  reter  to  in  the  Mar- 
gin, §  and  tho'  every  One  knows    that 
he  is' very  capable  to  handle,  with  ut- 
moft   Exa&nets,  every  Subject  which  he 
has  thought  fit  to  rejecl  with  Humility, 
this  therefore,  as  Ifaid  before,  muft   be 
entirely  owing  to  bis  Modefty. 

Eut  in  this  Cafe,  he  could  find  no  Ex- 
cufe,  fbr  his  Queftion  was  entirely  with- 
in his  Sphere,  or  the  Bounds-of  his  Ter- 
ritories (as  he  exprefles  it)  unlefs  he 
might  think  the  Subjed  being  copious, 
would  engage  him  to  exceed  the  Brevity 

of 


^  Hifl.  des  Ouvrages  des  Scavans.  Nov.  16S7* 
May  1688,  cafually  July  i6U9  Sept.  i653,  03. 
v688,  J&i.  1689,  $&.  -686,  March  1689,  Feb. 
1^92,  Aug.  1692,  Afr.il  1693. 


Eunuch l fm  Difplay'd.  107 

of  an  Extrad,  and  (well  into  a  compleat 
Treatife  ;  or  perhaps  he  knew  this  Mat- 
ter had  been  frequently  handled  before, 
and  that  it  was  not  neceftary  to  prefent 
it  to  the  Pahlick  on  this  Occafion,jui 
which  he  only  proposed  to  make  an  hx- 
tract  of  a  Book  which  cafually  fell  into 
his  Hands,  and  not  thoroughly  to  dif~ 
cufs  this  famous  Subject  ^  and  in  Effect 
he  does  fay,.  *  that  the  <girfticn,  if  it 
be  pe  m'hted  Eunuchs  to  cdntraS  Marriage-, 
has  been  very  often  under  Agitation. 
m  And  indeed,  he  had  good  Reafon  to  fay 
fo$  for  it  is  very  true,  that  Me! chi or In chojfer 
has  made  a  Treatife  de  Eunucbifmo,  which 
was  Printed  at  Colcgn  in  Octavo,  in  the 
Year  1653.  We  have  befides  the  Differ- 
tation,  de  Eurni  his,  of  Gafper  Leipcherus^ 
Printed  at  Leipfick  in  Quarto,  in  the 
Year  1665:.  "We  have  feen  a  Sermon  of 
Samuel  S7nith,  upon  toe  Converiion  of  the 
Queen  of  Ethiopia's  Eunuch,  in  the  8th 
Chapter  of  the  Acis  of  the  Apoftle^, 
printed  in  Octavo  at  London,  in  the. 
Year  1632.  There  is  likewife  a  Treatife 
of  Franc,  de  Amoya  Baetici,  intituled,, 
Euruchvs,  upon  the  Law  Eunuchtts,  v.  c„ 
qui  t  eft  amenta  facer e  poffunt,  and  which 
may  be  feen  in  his  Observations  printed 
■Jh  K  3  af 


If td.  Feb.  1716,  att  7.  ft  8  9. 


198  Eunuchifm  Difplafd. 

i*t  Geneva  in  Folio,  1656.  a  Treatife  of 
Marcellimis  Fravcolhnis,  de  Matriwonto 
fpadcvts^  utrcq^  Teftiailo  carentis.  Printed 
at  Venice  in  Quarto,  1605.  There  is 
aifo  another  Treatife  ie  Eumichis,  by 
Tbeophilm  Raynauld,  whom  Mr.  Bayle 
often  makes  ufe  of  on  Occafion.  The 
hundred  and  twelfth  Letter  of  Monfieur 
de  la  Mothe  h  Vayer\  which  is  in  the 
eleventh  Tome  of  his  Works,  treats  of 
Eunuchs  in  General.  And  laftly,  we 
have  the  Diflertation  of  Saldemts  de  En*- 
wirhh,  which  is  the  fifteenth  of  the  third 
Book  of  his  Otia  Thologica  ^  and  a^  Col- 
leclion  of  Confultations  and  Decisions 
upon  that  Subjedt,  which  I  fhall  have 
Occafion  to  mention  hereafter  in  this 
Treatife. 

But  for  my  JufKfication  in  undertaking* 
this  Work,  after  fo  many  great  Men,  (be- 
fides  what  I  have  alledged  in  the  Preface) 
I  fhall  only  fay,  that  molt  Part  of  thefe 
Authors  Works  are  only  to  be  found  in 
Catalogues  and  Libraries-,  and  befides, 
that  they  only  treat  of  Eunuchs  in  gene- 
ral, and  do  not  defcend  to  Particulars. 
The  Queftion  herein  confider'd,  among 
manv  "others,  is  very  feldom  treated  of, 
and  then  too,  very1  briefly  and  curforiljjr 
We  may  indeed  fee  fomewhat  like  it,  in 
the  Treatifes  of  Civilians,  Divines,  and 
Phyficians-,  but  very  often  we  find  Things 

there 


Eunuchifm  Difplay'd.  1 99 

here  related  oat  of  Prejudice  and  Partia- 
lity •,  but  befidesthat,  every  Thing  there 
is  treated  very  fuccinctly,  it  is  evident 
that  it  is  impoflible  to  make  a  certain- 
and  universal  Svftem  of  Law  or  Divinity 
upon  the  Marriage  of  Eunuchs. 


CHAP.    VIII. 

tfone  of  the  Reformed  Churches  atfow  th& 
Marriage  of  Eunuchs. 

IT  is  no  difficult  Matter  to  fhew  that 
the  Reformation  does  not  allow  the 
Marriages  of  Eunuchs.  I  fhall  begin 
with  the  Church  of  France  $  and  it  is  cer- 
tain there  is  no  other  Chriftian  Com- 
munion in  the  World,  which  has  fo  for- 
mally declared  its  felf  upon  this  Subject  5 
for  befides  the  Do&rine  this  .Chirr  91  pro- 
fefTes,  there  is  an  exprefs  Canon  in  ^er 
Difcipline  againft  it  5  that  Difcipline 
which  every  one  looks  upon  to  be  the  Re- 
fiilt,  or  rather  the  verv  Quinteirevjce  of 
her  National  Synods.  This  Article  is  $fr 
fourteenth  of  the  thirteenth  Chapter  and 
treats  of  the  Marriage  ^  of  Eunuchs,  the- 
Words  are  as  follows,  v\%+ 

K  4.  Nov 


zoo  Eunuch ijm  DiffUy^d. 

Now  as  tie  principal  Occaji on  of  Marri- 
age is  IJfue,  and  the  avoiding  ofTornication-, 
the  Marriage  of  one  who  is  known  to  he  an 
Eunuch,  ought  hy  no  Means  to  he  received 
or  folemnixed  in  the  Reformed  Church. 

The  famous  Monfieur  Larroque,  who 
has  fhewn  the  Conformity  and  Agreement 
of  this.  Difcipline,  with  that  of  tlie  primi- 
tive Chriftians,  proves,  that  this  was 
likewife  their  Sentiment,  as  to  this  Affair. 
I  cannot  help  owning,  that  this  Difcipline 
was  only  made  in  France,  but  fince  the 
Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  and 
that  the  Proteftants  were  obliged  to  leave 
Trance,  and  moft  of  them  retired  into 
Brandenburg  *,  his  Pruffian  Majefty  has  ap- 
proved k  in  his  Dcminions,  inafmuch  as 
-at  relates  to  the  French,  who  have  there 
cftablifhed  themfelves,  on  Account  of  their 
Religion  •,  and  has  commanded  it  to  be  ob- 
ferv'd  and  put  in  execution,  in  thofe  Mat- 
ters which  do  not  interfere  with  the  Epis- 
copal Rights.  tSo  that  at  prefent  it  is 
become  a  Law  in  Brandenburg  to  thofe 
new  Subjects,  as  facred  as  formerly  in 
France ;  and  as  it  is  even  with  the  ancient 
Subjects  of  that  Prince,  and  all  the  Prote- 
ftants of  Germany  ^   as  may  appear  more 

plainly 


\  Vld.  Tbe  late  King  of  Pruffia'J  Declaration  on 
tJjls  SubjeB)  7  Decern*  1689. 


Eumchifm  Difplafd..  201 

plainly  by  a  Book  printed  at  Italy,  in  the 
Year  1785.  and  colledtedby  Jerom  Bel- 
pbhws,  intituled,  Eunwhi  Conjiighim^  die 
Kepannen  Hey  rath.  Hoc  ejt,  fcripta  &  ju- 
dicia  "traria  de  Conjugio  inter  Eumicbum  & 
Virgbiem  Juvencellamy  Anno  1666.  ccv- 
tratfo,  a  quilmjdem  fupremis  Theologormn 
Collegiis  petit ay  ab  Hieronimo  Dclpbhw,- 
C.  P.  HaU  apitd  Melcbiorem  Belfcblagen7. 
1685. 

Asalfoby  the  Judgment  and  Decifion 
given  upon  the  Cafe  I  quoted  in  the  fourths 
Chapter  of  this  fecond  Part. 

The  Republick  of  Geneva  have  receiv'd 
the  fame  Laws  *,   and  feveral  Cafes  which 
have  reprefented  themfelves  to  that  Body r 
have  con firufd  this  Truth.    Paul  Cyprxns 
fays,  in  his  excellent  Treatife  deConmtbio- 
umjure,   c  That  this  wife  Republick  has 
a  Law  that  forbids  Males  to  marry  be- 
fore eighteen  Years  of  Age,  and  the  Fe- 
males before  fourteen,  and  that  it  is  not 
lufndent  to  conflder  or  count  the  Yearsj, 
but  that  Regard  ought  to  be  had  to  the 
Vigour  of  the  Body,   and  its  Tempara-- 
ment. 

It  is  true  there  are  Relations  from  the 
Qevant,  that  give  us  an  Account,  that  the 
]$AV7ansy.  certain  Pagans  of  the  Country,, 
have  fo  great  an  Eiteem  for  Matrimony,, 
that,  almoft"  every  body  marries  at   the 
Age  of  itxcn  years,    and  thefe  Accounts -. 
K  $  add: 


< 


202  Eumthifm  Bifpltfd. 

add,  that  if  any  one  dies  before  he  is  -mar- 
ried, the  Cuftom  is,    to  hire  a  Girl  to  lye 
down  with  the  dead  Body,   that  it  might 
be  laid  he  was  married  before  his  Body 
was  committed  to  the  Flames  to  be  burnt,, 
according  to  the  Cuftom  of  the  Country . 
But  Monfieur  h  Payer  makes  feveral  Re- 
flections on  this  Cuftom,   fhewing  it  not 
to  be  fo  very  vain,as  fome  have  imagined* 
fince  if  they  marry  at  feven  Years  old, 
'tis  becaufe  they  are  as  capable  at  thofe 
Years,  in  that  Country,    as  they  are  in 
other  Places  at  a  more  advanced  Age. 
The  different  Situation  of  the  Place  (fays 
he)  makes  our  Constitution   quite  the  Re- 
verfe  in  every  Thing  \  and  Solhms  tells  us, 
of  fome  Women  (lor  fo  it  feems  they  muft 
be  called)  that  have  been  big  with  Child 
at  five  Years  old.     Odoriats  confirms  this 
in  his  Itherarium  or  Journal ;  and  k  has 
been  fome  time  fince  known,  in  the  King- 
dom of  the  Great  Mogul,    that  a  Girl, 
only  of  two  Years  of  Age,    that  had  a 
Belly  fwoln  as  big   as  any  Woman,   and 
that  almoft  a [ Year  afterwards,    had  hes 
proper  Purgations,    and  was  brought  to. 
Bed  of  a  fine  Boy. 

The  fame  Ecclefiaftical  Law  is  likewife 
eftablifh'd  in  England,  as  appear*  by  the 
Seventh  Chapter  of  the  Title  De  Matrix 

vwnh 


Eunuch i fin  Difplkyrd.  20  J 

wofiio  §  in  the  Reformation  of  the  Eccle- 
fiaftical  Laws,  made  firft  by  the  Autho- 
rity of  King  Henry  the  VIII.  and  finifti'd 
and  publim/d  afterwards  by  Edward  the 
VI.  This  Chapter  treats  De  his  qu&  Ma- 
trimonium   hnpediunt.    And  thefe  are  the 
Terms,  viz.   Quorum  natw  a  perefini  aliquot 
eldde  fie  extenuata  eft,  ut  prorfus  Veneris 
participes  ejfe  non  pojfit,  &  conjvgem  lateat 
quanquam    confenfus    mutmtx    extiterit,  & 
cmni  reliqua  Ceremonia  matrinwniuuv  fuerit 
progreffum  tamen  verum  in  hujtif??wdi    Con- 
jmiftione   Matrimomum  fnbeffe  non  poteft, 
deftituitur  enim  altera  per fona  bevftcio  fuf- 
cipienda     Prom,    &    etiam   ufii   Conjugij 
caret. 

The  Divines,  and  Law}rers-  of  Holland*, 
as  well  as  elfewhere,  diftinguiQi  the 
Canfes  that  hinder,  or  are  Impediments 
to  Marriage,  and  range  them  under  two- 
different  Heads,  alia  (fay  they)  impedi- 
menta *  a  lege,  Ilia  funt  jEtas  immature 
mentis  bnpotentia.  Corporis  ad  Cohabitation 
vem  Incapacitas  -,  I  ft  a  funt  a  vwrbo  incura- 
bili,  nt  ex.  gr.  Lepra,  a Cirpa,  a-Diverjitate 
Reli^ionis,  a  propinquitate  Sanguinis*.  I 
mull  own  however,  that  fortius,  who  is 

one 


§.  Printed  in  London,  infttart'O}  Amto*  1640* 
p  40.  41. 

*  Vottii  Tollt.  EccJef.pars  prima,  tib.  3.  Tjrafc 
%  fc  Matrimonii  Sift*  z+™%*  u  ftte/h  3^ 


2Q4         TLunuchifm  DiffUfd., 
©ne  of  the  greateft,  that  ever  was  in  the^. 
united  Provinces,  for,  this  man y  an  Age, 
feems  to  hefitate  upon  the  Marriage  of 
Eunuchs  ♦,   in  reality  he  determines  no* 
thing  at  all  upon  that.  Subject,  but  refers, 
to.  the  Lawyers  and  Judges,  to  whom  he 
fays,  the  Difcuflion  of  fuch  like  Subjects 
rather  belong,  than  to  Divines.    We  mufb 
there  ^  have  Recourfe  to  them  -,    and  as 
the  Civil,  and  Canon  Law   are  obferv'd 
in    thofe^  Provinces,     at    leaft    in  thofe 
Cafes,  which  are  not  determined  by  their 
own  peculiar   Laws  and  Cuftoms^  it  is 
eafy  to  conclude,  that  the  Marriage  of 
Eunuchs  js  not  thereby  any  wife  allow'd 
or  fuffer'd  •,  in  that  thefe  are  the  Impe- 
diments which  hinder  Marriage,  accord- 
ing to  the  Civil  Law. 

Lepra  fupervenievs,  furor,  orior  Sanguis  & 

abfens. 
L&faqh  Virginltas,  membri  Damnum,  mi* 

nor    Atas. 
H&refis  ac  Lapfus,  fideiq^  remiffio,  prorfus 
Sponfos  diffociant  cif  votafutura  retrattant.. 


The  End  cf  the  Second  Part. 


Eunuchifm  DifgUfd.  20.5. 


PART    III. 

Wherein  are  anfwer'd  and  refuted1 
all  the  Objections  that  can  be 
brought  agamft  the  Second  Part 
of  this  Work,, 


CHAP.    L 

Fir  ft   Objection. 

ri"lH  A  T  the  Prohibition  of  Marriage 
1      ought  vot  be  imderftood  to  be  fo  gene- 
ral, as  to  extend   to    all  Sorts  of  Eunuchs, 
fnce   there  are  fome  capable  to  fatisfy  the 
Deft  res  of  a  Woman*. 

Anfwer  to  the  ObjtTion, 

To  examine  this    Objection,    and:  to- 
anfwer  it  in  Order  as.-  it  ought,  we  muflr 
firfl  fee  of  what  Nature  thefe  Deh'res  are 
that  an  Eunuch  is  capable  of  fatislymg, 
if  they  are  lawful,   and  to  be  allow  Jd  ♦, 

and 


2  ©6         TLanuchifm  Difplayrd. 

and  in  the  fecond  Place*  wha*  Eunuchs 
are  capable  of  fatisfying  fuch  Defires. 

t  Arnobius  fays  indeed,  that  Eunuchs 
are  very  amorous  :  Et  majoris  petulantiz. 
feri  atq\  omvihua  poflpojitis  pudoris  & 
PerecnndtA  fr&nis  m  objc&nam  prorumpere 
vilitatem. 

*  Terence  fays  much  the  fame  Thing  in. 
other  Terms.  Ph.  infajris,  qui  if  hue  facere 
Eunuchus  potuit.  P.  Ego  ilium  nefcio  '  qui 
fucrit,  hoc  quod  fecit  resipfa  indicat.  ■ 
P.  at  Pol  Ego  amatores  Mulierum  ejfe  audi- 
erarn  eos  maximos fed '.nihil poteffa. 

But  not  to  run  back  fo  far  into  Anti« 
qmity  •,  Father  Raynauld  in  his  Book  de 
Eimuchis  tells  us,  that  he  has  read  a  World 
of  Examples  of  this  impure  Familiarity 
between  Women  and  Eunuchs,  and  he 
laughs  at  the  Confidence  People  generally 
repole  in  them,  in  trufling  them  with  the 
Care  of  their  Wives  and  Daughters, 

Andrew  de  Verdi er  fays  much  the  fame 
Thing  in  his  various  Readings,  and  relates 
the  Sentence  of  Apollonius  Tyan&vs  againft 
an  Eunuch  of  the  King  of  Babylon\\vho 
was  found  abed  with  one  of  that  King's 
MiftrefFes. 

However  it  is  certain  that  an  Eunuch 
can  only  fatisfy  the  Defires  of  the  Flelh, 

Senfuality, 


f  Lih  5ji      *  Eunuch*  Aft  4.  Sw&  I- 


Eunuch  ifm  DifpUfd.  207 

Senfuality,  Impurity,  and  Debauchery  • 
and  as  they  are  not  capable  of  Procrea- 
tion, they  are  more  proper  for  fuch  cri- 
minal Commerce  than  perfect  Men,  and 
more  efteetn  d  for  that  Reafon  by  lewd 
Women,  becaufe  they  can  give  them  all 
the  Satisfaction  without  running  any  Risk 
or  Danger. 

+  Sunt    qtws  Eumtchi   zvibelles,    ae  mollw 

femyer, 
Ofcitla  deieBent  &  Defperatio  Barba, 
Et  quod  abortzvo  non  eft  opus. 

There  are,  who  in  fofr  Eunuchs  place  their 

Blifs, 
And  fhun  the  Scrubbing  of  a  Bearded  Kifs^ 
To  'fcape  Abortion  Dryden. 

Witnefs  that  Woman  in  Pet  renins  \ 
who  when  a  Man  fpoke  to  her  thefe  Words$ 
Non  intelligo  vie  vimm  ejfe  funerata  eft 
ilia  corporis  pars  qua  quondam  Acbiies 
eram  •,  Reply  ay  Nunc  etiam  languini.  tuo 
gratias  ago  in  umbra  voluptatis  diutius 
dagi. 

This 


t  Juvsiml*  $atjr> 6*v^66+  *  Ca^.%9% 


2oS  Eunuchifm  Difplafd^ 

This  Woman  was  of  the  fame  Chara£fer- 
of  Gellia,  againft  whom  Martial  made, 
his  Epigram,  dedicated  to  Pannicus. 


*  Cur  tanttim  Emiuchoa  habeat  tua  Gellea,. 

quark  ? 
Pannice,  vult  f  Gellia  noxparere. 


This  is  the  a  me  Gellia,  of  whom  Mar- 
tial in  another  Place  has  alfo  drawn  fo 
Frightful  a  Picture,  and  of  her  Tears  •,  and' 
fpeaks  of  her  after  this  Manner. 

t  Ami jf urn   %on  flet,  cum  fola  eft  Gellia, 

Pat  re  in 
Stquis  adeftj  jujf^  profdiunt  Lachryma. 

The  Son  of  Sirach  fays,  that  he  who 
violates  Juftice  by  an  unjuft  Judgment,  is 
an  Eunuch  that  would  deriower  a  Vir- 
gin jl.  Ever,y  Body  knows  that  in  fome 
Countries  heretoiore  young  Princeiies 
were  committed  to  the  Care  of  Eunuchs. 
The  wife  Man  compares  Juftice  to  one  of 
thefe  Virgins  ♦,  and  the  Judges  to  thofe 
who  ought  to  guard  her  with  a  Fidelity 
full  of  a  profound  Refpecl:.  Some  Eunuchs 

are^ 


*  Lib.  6.  Epigram  6l*'h\  Lib,  i.  Bfzft,  ix. 


Eunachifm .  DityLifd.  2  Cq 

are  therefore  capable  of  fatis'ying  tKe De- 
flies  cf  a  Woman  5  but  all  thoie  Defires 
are  not  lawful,  and  cannot  be  perrhitted 
even  in  the  State  of  Matrimony,  where 
if  any  where  they  would  be  juftifiable. 
The  very  Heathens  themfelves,  who  had 
only  trie  dim  Light  of  Nature  to  guide 
them,  could  exclaim  againft  them,  tho'  ia 
Wedlock. 

*  Obfc&m  procul  bine  difcediteftammdC; 

Hence  ever  be  exil'd  ye  Fires  obfeene. 

Such  married  Perfons  have  this  Sen- 
tencepaft  on  them,  viz.  Origu  quidem  amo- 
rh  honeftaerat  fed  magnitudo  deformis  \  ni- 
hil autem  inter  eft  ex  qua  honefta  caufa  quia 
infaniat,  vnde  &  Ziflus  Vi'Jagoricus  in 
Seittentw,  adulter  eft,  inquit*  infuam  Uxo- 
rem  amatcr  ardcntior  ;  in  aliena  quippe  Ux~ 
ore  omnis  Amor  Turpi s  eft \  in  fit  a  ttimim. 
Sapiens  jud'uio  debet  aware  covjugem  non 
ajfectu^  non  regnet  in  eo  voluntatis  impetus 
vecpr&ceps  feratvr  ad  coitumjiihil  eft  fcedius 
quam  Uxorem  anwe  quafi  adulter am. 

St.Jerom  is  yet  more  clear  and    ex- 
preflive  in  their  Condemnation*    Liber o* 

rum 


*  Qvid.Mctam*  LiLg* 


-2 1  o  ILunuchifm  T>ifpiay*d. 

rum  ergo  (fays  he)  in  matrimonii)  coMeJfct 
font  Opera,  Vohtptates  autem  qu&  de  Mere- 
tricum  amplexibvs  capiuntur  in  Uxore font 
damn  at  a. 

The  Cafirifts  are  likewife  very  precife 
in  this  Matter,  and  declare  all  Marriages 
contracted  on  fuch  Motives  highly  blame- 
able..  Such  irregular  Marriages,  fay  they, 
were  the  Caufe  that  Cod  deftrovVl  the 
World  by  the  FfcodL  *  The  Sons  "of  God 
faw  the  Daughters  of  Men,  that  they  were 
fair,  and  they  took  them  Wives,  of  all  which 
they  allow  ;  or,  according  to  their  fenfual 
Appetite  *,  and  thefe  Marriages  were  the 
Caufe  of  the  Deftru&ion  of.  the  whole 
Earth. 

The  lawful  Defires  of  a  "Woman  are  to 
have  Children. 

Dido,  when  flie  few,  fhe  was  going  to 
fee  abandoned  by  */£neas9  fpeaks  to  him  in. 
thcfe  Terms. 

+  Saltern  ft  qua  tmhideTe  fofcepta  fuijfet 
Ante  fugam  foholes,  Ji  quis  mihi  parvnlus 

Aula, 
Luderet  J&weas,  qui  te  tantum  ore  referret, 
Non   equidem    omnino    capta    aut  deferta 

viderer^ 

Thus 


*  Ccnef.  6.u,  2,     +  Eneid.  lib.  4. 


Eunuchifm  DiffUfd.  2 1  i 

Thus  tranflated  by  Mr.  Drylen. 

Had  you  defer'd  at  leaft  your  hafty  Flight, 
And  left-    behind  fome  Pledge   of    our 

Delight, 
Some  Babe  to  blefs  the  Mother's  mournful 

Sight. 
Some  young  Mneas  to  fupply  your  Place, 
Whofe  Features  might  exprefs  his  Father's 

Face, 
I  would  not  then  complain  to  be  berefty 
Of  all  my  Husband,  or  be  wholly  left. 

And  we  find  in  the  Holy  Scripture  the 
ehaft  Rachel  could  fay  to  her  Husband,. 
Give  me  Children.  Genef.  Chap*  30. 
v.  1. 

I  would  be  a  Mother,  I  would  have 
Children,  it  was  for  that  Reafon  I  took  a 
Husband  •,  this  is  the  Language  of  a  pru- 
dent and  honeft  Wife,  and  who  far  from 
deferving  Reprehenfion  (according  to  the 
falfe  Modeftv  of  fome  certain  People) 
for  complaining  that  her  Husband  is  not 
capable  of  fatisfying  her  juft  Defires,  and 
that  therefore  would  be  divorc'd  from 
him,  rather  on  the  contrary,  deferves 
Praife  and'  Commendation,  becaufe  me 
cannot  perfuade  her  felf  to  acl  all  her 
Life  long  the  Partof  a  lewd  Woman. ^ 

Procreation 


2*2  Eanuchijm  ViftLfA-. 

Procreation  then  is.  the  lawful  End  of 
Marriage.  It  is  true,  that  End  is  not 
always  obtain xl \  there  are  fuch  things 
as  barren  Wom^n,  as  well  as  impotent, 
or  (if  I  may  ufe  the  Expreffion)  barren 
Men  •,  who  feem  to  want  Nothing  necef- 
fary  for  that  Work,  any  more  than  their 
Husbands,  neither  being  able  to  reproach 
each  other,  it  is  from  God  only  that  thefe 
ought  to  defire  Children,  they  are  in  Ja* 
cob's  Cafe,  who  faid  to  his  Wife,  who 
ask'd  him  to  give  her  Children,  am  I  in 
God's  Stead  ?  Genef.  Chap.  3.  v,  2. 

But  however  it  be,  it  is"  certain,  People 

who  are  going  to  marry,  ought  to  follow 

the  Advice  the  Angel  Raphael  gave  to 

Tobias  t  which  fome  holy  Perfons  have 

thus  Paraphrafed  '  Hear  me  (fays  he)  and 

I  will  tell  you  thofe,  whom  the  Devil 

hath  Power  over,  when  Perfons  engage. 

in  Marriage,  without  having  the  Fear 

of  God  in  their  Heart,  and  only  think 

on   fatisfying  their  brutilh    Appetite, 

like  the  Horfe  and  Mule,  which  have 

no    Underftanding,    the    Devil     hath 

Power <  over  them.     But  for  ycur  Part, 

the  third  Night  you   fhall  receive  the 

Eleffing  of  God,  that  you  two  may  have 

Healthy     Children.     After    the   third 

Night 


lob.  Chap.  6. 


Eunuchifm  Difylafd.  21  f 

c  Night  you  (hall  take  this  Virgin  in  the 
1  Fear  ot'  the  Lord,    and   with  lJefire  of 

*  Ifiue,  more  than  by -a  Movement  of  Paf* 
c  fion,   that  you  may  partake  ot  the  Be- 

*  nedidtion  or-God. 

But  all  Eunuchs  are  not  capable  of 
fatisiying  the  impure  and  laiciviousDefaes 
ot  a  Woman.  The  Civilians  thus  diftin- 
guilhed  Eunuchs,  §Xavi%m  intertft,  (fay 
they)  inter  b&c  vhia  qua  Grtci,  K>tKGnQ*cti>y 
Vitiofitatein  diamt,  ivierq-,  iraf©*  id  eft 
perturbatiovem  at  vow  id  eft  Mo r bum  •,  ant 
apparUv  id  eft  agrctiojtem,  tantum  htter 
talia  Vi'ia  &'eu?n  Morbumex  quo  quis-mi- 
ms  apt  us  vfnijit  differ  t.  For  lome  are  de- 
fective in  the  Quantity  of  the  Humidum 
radicale,  fome  in  the  Quality-,  and  others 
again  in  both  Quantity  and  Quality,  and 
in  lhort,  ji  qwsjta  ftp  ado  eft  vt  tarn  vecejfa- 
ria  pars  Corporis  ei  penitus  abjit,  morbofus 
eft,  fays  the  Law.  * 

But  of  what  Sort  foever  they  be,  Eu- 
nuchs ought  by  no  Means  to  be  iiifferVl  to 
marry,  beeaufethoy  (a:  m  ft)  can  only 
fatisfy  t  elafcivious,  impure,  and  unlaw- 
ful Deiires  ofa  Woman,  I 

CHAP. 


"   *  Z.  7.  f.  de  JEdilitio  Edfko  &  RzdbiUtlQ}K&. 
quantz  tntngris. 


214         JLunuckifm  DifpUfd, 

C  H  A  P.    II. 

Second  Objection. 

That  Marriage  is  a  Civil  Contraft,  and 
ther  fore  lawful  for  every  Body  to  engage 
4n  it,  and  confequently  Emuchs. 

Anfwer  to  this  Objeftion. 

There  are*Teveral  Caufes  that  hinder  a 
Perfon  s  contracting  Marriage,  which  by 
Lawyers  arecompris'd  in  theie  threeV  eries. 

Votum,  Vis^Error,  Cogtiatio,  Crimen,  honeflas 
Religio,  Rap.tus,  Ordo,  Ligamen,  &  *Aitas 
Aniens,  Affinity  Ji  Ciafideftinus  &  Impos. 

But  we  fliaH  enter  into  a  more  particu- 
lar Examination  of  this  Matter,  and 
which  will  not  be  unworthy  our  Atten* 
lion. 

It  is  a  Principle  in  Law,  that  EdiBwn 
Matrimonii  eft  Prohibitorinm.  That  is, 
every  one  may  marry  who  is  not  pro- 
hibited, Matrimonhm  cuilibet  contrahere 
licet,  cui  non  prohibetnr.  It  is  not  there- 
fore fa  generally  permitted,  but  there  are 
fome  Perfons,  that  in  fome  Cafes  maybe 
prohibited, 

The 


Eunuchifm  DifpUy'd.         215 

The  Caufes  which  hinder  Marriage, 
are  very  many,  and  of  a  different  Na- 
ture •,  feme  are  drawn  from  the  Civil  Law 
only,  and  fbme  only  from  the  Canon, 
and  others  a  gain  from  both. 

Thofe  which  are  from  both,  are  the 
Age  of  Puberty  not  yet  attain'd,  Near- 
nefs  or"  Relation,  Alliance,  Difference  of 
Religion,  Impotence,  either  of  the  Man, 
or  Woman*  and  the  publick  Honour. 

Thofe  which  peculiar  to  the  Civil  Law, 
are  the  Condition  of  the  Party,  if  a  Slave 
and  is  believ'd  to  be  free  •,  Rape,  (or  Vio- 
lence) the  Power,  or  Authority  that  a 
Man  has  over  a  AVoman,  Propter  pericu* 
him  Imprefioins  fve  Coaftiovis ;  The  In- 
equality of  the  Fortune  of  the  Parties, 
was  heretofore  confider'd  as  an  Impedi- 
ment, but  that  has  been  fince  alter 'd  by 
the  Kew  Civil  Law,  that  is,  by  theCon- 
ftitution  of  latter  Emperors  t  Jure  no* 
viffimo  inter  zus  Perfiwas  Nuptis,  non  pro- 
bzbentur. 

Thofe  laftly,  which  are  peculiar  to  the 
Canon  Law,  are  of  two  Sorts  ^  the  one 
make  Marriage  unlawful  and  null,  fuch 
as  are,  Holy  Orders,  Solemn  Vows,  or 
the  Poffeflion  of  «  Religious,  or  Mona- 
ftick  Life  ^  the  other  only  render  it  un- 
lawful 


+  J&ttl  7$'  Cap.  3,  Novel.  117.  C<?.  & 


2 \6  Eurmehifm  Difphfd* 

lawful,  as  a  former  Contract  with  ano- 
ther Per  ion,  fimpte  Vows,  being  forbid- 
den by  a  Superior,  the  Times  lorbidden 
by  the  -Church,  Spiritual  Affinity,  as 
when  a  Man  contracts  with  a  fingle  Wo- 
man, whom  he  is  inft-ruding  in  the 
Principies  of  Religion-,  Herefie,  publick 
Penance  and  Crime,  by  which  Term  Crime, 
the  Canon  Law  underftands.  i.  Inceft, 
2.  When  a  Man  has  occafion'd  the  Death 
of  one  Woman  to  marry  another,  3.  Kil- 
ling of  a  Prieft,  or  Minifter,  or  one  in 
Holy  Orders.  4.  Marriage  before  contract- 
in  g  with  a  ReligiousWoman  erNunn.  But 
moft  ofthefe  being  proper  to  the  Churches 
o  Rome  and  Greece,  do  not  fall  imme- 
diately under  our  Confideration  in  thefe 
Parts. 

However,  this  fufficiently  demonftrates 
that  it  is  no£  Lawful  for  every  Body  to 
contrad  Marriage,  but  amongft  all  thefe,. 
hnpoterxe  is  confider'd  as  one  of  the  Prin- 
cipal, both  by  the  Civil  and  Canon  Law, 
as  I  have  fufficiently  made  appear  in  the 
fecond  Part  of  this  Work. 

But  this  Maxim,  or  Principle,  is  not 
peculiar  to  Contracts  of  Marriage  5  it  alio 
reaches  all  manner  of  Contracts  whatfo- 
ever,  for  as,  Edi&nm  Matrimonii  ejl  pro- 
hibitorium,  io  E&i&um  Contra&um,  is  alio 
Prohibit or'ium,  that  is,  every  one  may  con- 
trad,  who  is  not  prohibited. 

Bat 


Eanucbifm  DifpUfL  ZiJ 

But  fome  Perfons  are  forbid  to  con", 
tract,  or  make  any  Bargain  what  foe  ver, 
that  is,  fuch  Contracts,  or  Bargains  ihall 
not  be  valued,  or  ftand  good  in  Law.  U 
Some  are  uncapable  by  Nature,  as  Fools, 
People  that  are  Mad,  Prodigal  Perfon.% 
(who  heretofore  were  planted  in  the  Rank 
of  Madmen)  Drunkards,  while  they  are 
fh,  Infants,  or  fuch  as  are  under  Age, 
Deaf  and  Dumb^  People.  2.  Some  are 
adjudg'd  legally  incapable,  as  the  Heirs 
apparent  of  Families.  The  Father  to 
contract  with  his  Son,  while  he  is  undec 
his  Power,  a,  Wife,  a  Slave,  a  Governor: 
of  a  Province  t  Propter  periculum  Metus 
&  bnpreffionis.  3.  Some  are  incapacita- 
ted ah  homine  (fays  the  Law)  that  is,  by 
the  Nature  of  certain  Compacts  made 
between  Man  and  Man,  for  Example, 
John  Pox,  fells  to  Richard  Stee\  a  Horfe; 
on  Condition  that  he  {half  not  fee  it 
again,  or  that  he  ihall  not  fell  it,  but  to 
fuch  or  fuch  a  Perfon  :  It  is  not  therefore 
Lawful,  according  to  this  Compact,  for 
Richard  Steele,  to  fell  the  Horfe  to  any 
other  Perfon  whatsoever-,  for  in  this 
Cafe,  John  Fox  impofes  a  Law  uporj 
Richard  Steele  (or  according  to  our  Englilb 
Laws,  the  Tender  upon  the  Vendee)  Ret 
L  enim 


f  i.  in  rt  Mmdtto  cod.  Man  fail 


2 1 8  'Eunuchifm  DtfpU/d. 

tnimfud  qiiifqnis Moderator,  &  arbiter  Rel 
fu&  legem  qiiifqnis  dicere  peteft.  4.  People 
cannot  contract,  by  Reafon  of  theCuftoms 
of  Places  ;  but  of  this  we  need  not  in- 
fiance  any  Cafes,  the  whole  Cuftomary 
Laws  of  England  is  one  great  and  per- 
manent Example. 

And  it  is  the  fame  Thing  with  Men  as 
Things,  the  Parity  is  exactly  the  fame  ^ 
'befides  there  is  yet  fomewhat  more  worth 
our  Consideration,  and  that  is,  that  an 
Impoffibility  of  Performance  entirely 
makes  void  the  Contract.  How  then  {hall, 
the  Contract  of  Marriage,  made  by  an 
Eunuch  ftand  Good,  who  is  in  an  entire 
Impofiibility  to  do  what  he  has  pro- 
inis'd,  that  is,  to  perform  the^  Functions 
*)f  Marriage,  the  End  of  which,  I  have 
more  than  once  fufficiently  {hewn  is 
Procreation, 


CHA  P; 


Eunuchifm  -DifpUfd*  2 1 9 

CHAP.    Ill, 

third  Objecllofi. 

A  N  Eunvch  who  is  capable  to  ptrfrm  ai 
jf\  the  Duties  of  Marriage^  except 
fhofe  which  concern  Generation^  may  not- 
■mthftandhtg  covtratl,  face  it  is  a  Maxim* 
that  it  is  the  Content  of  Parties,  not 
Bedding  makes  a  Marriage.  Confeftfm 
?wn  Concubitus  facit  Matrimonium* 

Avfwer  to  this  Objection. 

IT  is  an  old  Proverb,  that  every  Mali 
ought  to  known  his  own  Trade  ^  for 
it  is  a  Shame  to  know  every  Thing 
but  what  we  ought  to  know.  It  is 
therefore  very  Ridiculous  for  airy  One 
to  pretend  to  be  a  good  Husband,  and  to 
do  all  the  Duties  of  Marriage,  when  he 
is  not  capable  of  performing  the  princi- 
pal Functions  of  all.  It  is  not  with 
fuch  a  One,  as  with  that  Buffoon,  whom 
Cardinal  Perron  t  takes  Notice  ot,  when 
he  was  at  Mantuay  the  Duke  pointing  to 
a  Buffoon,  told  him,  there  was  Magio 
Buffone,  &  non  ha  Spirito  h  the  Cardinal 
L  2  reply^d, 


f  ?,rr,n':m*  p,  44 


^20  JLunucbifm  Difpltfd* 

reply'd,  quefio  Bvffone  ha  pert  ant o  dello 
Spirit  o^  The  Duke  ask'd  him  Why  ?  Perch* 
(Fays  he)vivie  d\ino  me  filer  o  che  von  Sa  fare. 
But  the  Trade  of.  a  Husband  is  quite  an- 
other Thing  •,  he  does  not  live  by  it  at 
511,  if  he  does  not  know  how  to  work 
at  it  5  for  in  that  Occupation  there  muft 
be  no  trifling  5  Work  muft  not  be  flight- 
ed up,  but  made  True  and  Subftantial. 

+  Nil  ill  perludumfmulabitur,  Omnia  fient 
Ad  Ver.um. 

And  if  this  be  not  efFedually  done,  a 
Woman  fuffers  very  much,  and  Nights 
will  grow  long  and  tedious. 

*  0 !  nox  quam  longa  es  qua  facts  una  fexem't 

Witnefs  the  Anguifh  and  cold  Sweats 
cf  poor  Egley  whom  Martial  \\  {peaks  of, 
that  lay  languilhing  between  two  com- 
fortable Bedfellows-,  an  old  Man,  and  an 
Eunuch. 

Cumfene  commmiem  vexafSpadoDydimusEglen 

Et  jacet  in  medio  Jicca  pueEa  toro 
yiribus  hie  operi  non  eJK  hie  utilis  minis 

Ergo 


'4  Juv.  Satyr  6*  v.  324,    *  Sp,  7.  Uk.  4»  II  &• 

At,  J£.  82, 


Eunucbifm  Difplafd.  223 

Ergo  fine  ejfetlu  prurit  itterq-,  prior 
Shpplex  ilia  rogat  pm  fe  miferifq^  diiobtts 
Huncjuveytem  facias  bunc  Cyiherea  Virwru 

It  is  not  therefore  in  the  Practice  that 
we  find  the  Truth  of  this  Maxim,  *  Cor> 
fevfus  tion  Concubitus  facit  Matriivjonium  % 
let  us  fee  what  we  can  do  in  the  Theory. 

Tiie  Civilians  make  a  great  Difference 
between  that  Confent  w'uch  is  given  at 
the  Time  of  contracting  Marriage,  or  Ef- 
poufal,   and  that  which  is  given  at  tha 
Time  of  folemnizms*  thofe  Efpoufals,  or 
a&ualMarriage.Tbe  firft  is  onl^aPromife 
to  folemnize,    and  the  latter  is  a  Promife 
to  confummate.  (1  Allude (i (fay  they)iV«£- v 
tias  contrahere,aliufadNuptias  contrahendas 
fife  obligare.  The  former  of  thefe  Confents 
is  a  Pact  or  Agreement  of  future  Wedlock^ 
the  latter   is  a   Fad  ofprefent  Mirriage*. 
One  is  a  Promife  tatake  a  Wife^  the  other 
is  the  Execution  of  that  Promife,  a  Wife 
is  aftually-  taken.      A  Promife  (fay  they) 
frfl  made  by  Words,  is  ratified  by  the  Fafts 
and  Things    themf elves.       Promt  ffio   prius 
fafta  Verbis,  rebus  ipfis,   &  faftis  ralifica* 
tur.    And  there  is  as  much  Difference  be- 
ll' 3  tween 


*  L.  30.  f  di  diver/.  Jfcj.  Jw.    \  Lrfi$enam 
g,  dc  verborum  Obligations* 


222  Eumchijm  Diftlafd. 

tween  thefe  two  Confents,  as  there  is  be- 
tween a  Promife  and  the  Execution  of 
that  Prcmife.  In  one  a  Man  does  not 
confent  that  he  will  immediately  confum- 
mate  Marriage,  he  only  promifes  that  he 
will  do  it  in  Time.  But  in  the  other  a 
Man  is  willing  to  be  married  that  very 
Inftant.  Eo  ipfo  memento  maritm  ferl 
-unit  &  eo  ammo  &  dejlinatione  covfeniit 
lit  ft  Matrimoniwn.  He  promifes  then  to 
confummate  <  'tis  to  the  firft  of  thefe  two 
Cafes,  this  Maxim  muft  beapplied. 

In  ihort  the  true  Meaning  of  this  Max- 
im is  ihi%  and  muft  be  thus  applied  •,  that 
1%  it  fignifies,   that  fimple  Cohabitation 
is  not  the  Effence  of  Marriage  •,  a  Carnal 
Knowledge  is  not  fufficient  to  conclude  it 
a  Marriage,   the  mutual  Confent  of  Par- 
ries is  absolutely  necefTary  :   This  Confent 
is  not  a  mutual  Confent  of  two  Perfons  to 
inow  each  other  ^  but  fay  the  Lawyers, 
Confenfus  cohptbitavdi  &  individuam  vHfk 
Covfuetudhiem  retime fidi  facit    Conjvghm. 
It  is  not  the  bare  Confent  alone,   or  the 
Cohabitation  alone,    that  can  make  it  a 
Marriage,    but  both  together.     Befides, 
the  Covfent  mention'd  in  the  Maxim,  is 
only  a  Confent  which  belongs  (in  the  Law 
Terms)  ad  Nitptlanim  probatiovem  fed  von 
ad  fubjlantiaw.    The  Intent  of  that  Max- 
im is  not  to  declare  in  what  Matrimony 
ejfentially  confifts,   but  to  fix  the  Time  of 

its 


Eunachifm  Dsfplajrd.  22 J 

its  Beginning,  and  from  what  Inftant  to 
account  it  contracted  •,  for  lying  with  one 
another  is  no  more  a  Proof  of  Marriage 
than  lying  afiinder  ^  or  living  feparate, 
a  Proof  of  its  Nullity  or  DhTolution..  Non 
ex  Covcubiiu?tupti&  probavtur  icuti  &  retro 
Secubitn  Matrimomnm  71  on  diffociatur  feu 
Jeparatiovie  Thorl  aut Cobabitationis.  Such 
like  Unions  and  Separations  conclude 
Nothing,      ,     i  > 

There  are  indeed  fome  Conjectures  of 
more  Certainty,  by  which  the  Lawyers 
judge  of  the  Confummation  of  Marriage, 
fuch  as  are  the  Ceremonies  generally  uied 
at  fuch  Times,  the  Opinion  of  the  Neigh- 
bourhood, the  formal  bringing  .the  Wo- 
man home  to  her  Hufband's  Houfe,  Mar- 
riage Settlements,  and  fuch  like.  Ex 
Comparations  Perfovarwn,  ex  vit£  Gtnjitn&i~ 
one,  exVic'norum  Opinione,  ex  dedufyi  rg 
in  doinum  Mariti,  exaqw  &  ignis  acrept:o- 
re,  ex  do'alibus  irfirnme7itis  fe*  Tabu  Is 
nuptiaUbus,  f°u  tefiatione.  A,nd  thefe  a- 
mongft  the  Turks  make  the  only  Diffe- 
rence between  a  Wife  and  a  Concubine. . 

But  all  this  is  not  the  EfTence  ot  Mar- 
riage *  thefe  Ceremonies  are  orty  Con- 
jectures, or  Proofs,  by  which  one  may 
judge  that  a  Marriage  has  been  contract- 
ed between  the  Parties.  If  Marriage  only 
confifkd  in  the  bare  Confent,  we  may  fay 
with  the  Woman  in  Ovi£  1 

L  4  Si 


2*4         Etwuchifm  Difplafd. 

Si  was  antiquis  placmjfet  matribm  idem 
Gens  bomimm  vitio  deperitura  fuit 

^jnqne  iterum  jacerct  generis    primordfa 
noftri 
hi  vacua  lapides  orbe  para?tdus  erat* 


CHAP    IV. 

Fourtb  Obje&ion. 

'YNCafe  a  Man  cannot  be  witb  a  Wife 
X  like  a  Husband,  yet  he  way  like  a  Bra* 
iher,  live  with  her  as  a  Sifter. 

Anfwer  to  this  Objection. 

THis  ObjedHon  is  founded  upon  the 
Chapter,  Laudabilem  eft  infra,  which 
contains  thefe  Words,  if  they  both  con- 
fent  to  live  together,  the  Husband  if  he 
cannot  have  her  as  a  Wife,^  may  at  leaft 
as  a  Sifter,  quod  Ji  mnbo  confentiant  final 
effe,  Uti  etiam  &  Ji  non  tit  Uxor  em  fait  em 
babeat  ut  Sorarem.  The  Glofs  upon  this 
Word  Ambo,  fays  expreflyy  they  muft 
both  content,  becaufe  it  being  no  Mar- 
riage, they  are  not  oblig'd  to  each  other, 
quia  cum  ttuUttm  Jit  Matrimonium  %<m 
tenetur  alter  alttru. 

But 


Eunuch ifm  DifpUfd.         225., 

But  the  two  following  Reflexions  wilt 
entirely  deftVoy  the  Objection  that  is 
founded  upon  thefe  Words. 

i.  The  firft  is,  that  thefe^  Words  have 
Relation  to'  the  Leave  which  is  gfverr 
to  a  Woman  to  difTblve  her  Marriage, 
after  having  for  fome  certain  time,  been 
well  afliir'd  of  her  Husband^  Impotence, 
fhe  mxf  then  in  Tuch  Care,  make  void 
her  Marriage,  unlefs  both  confent  to  live 
together  like  Brother  and  Sifter  ^  by 
which  it  is  plain,  thefe  Words  relate  to 
»  Marriage  that  has  been  contracted,  not 
to  a  Marriage,  that  is  to  be  contracted^ 
and  relate  to  a  Man  that  has  been  found 
for  fome  confiderable  time  to  be  impo- 
tent, not  to  a  Eunuch,  who  is  notori-- 
ouily  15,  and  who  bv  no  -Aid  of  Art  or 
Nature,  can  ever  be  made  capable  of 
Generation. 

2.  The  fecond  Reflexion  confifts  in 
this,  that  both  Parties  mull  confent  to 
reft  upon  that  footing' of  Brother  and 
Sifter  ^  which  fhews  there  is  no  Union 
between  them,  and  that  the  firft  Confent 
given  t»  each  other,  having  not  pro- 
duc'd  the  Effe£t  for  which  it  was  given, 
it  is  naturally,  and  ipfo  fatfo  revok'd. 
That  there  muft'be  a  new  one  given  upon 
a  certain  Knowledge  of  the.  Part y  but 
then  fcais  is  no  Marriage,  but  a  Union, 
(if  J,  may  &  c-11  it)  of  fupport,  which 
L  5  can 


226         Eunuch fm  Diffhfd. 

can  only  be  Burthenfome  to  the  Woman  % 
for  in  that,  the  foft  Name  or  Sifter  can- 
not make  any  Recompence  for  the  Lofs 
01  the  Advantages  attending  a  Wife. 
When  once  People  are  married,  they 
love  me  another  more  and  more,  as 
being  Man  and  Wife.  All  Women  are 
©f  the  fame  Mind  with  Biblh  in  Ovid  |( 
they  can't  abide  to  be  call3d  Sifter,  by  a 
Man  who  fills  the  Place  of  a  Husband. 

yam  Dominum  appellat,  jam  nomiwa  Satigui- 

i:is  odit. 
3iblida7jayn  mavnlt^  qttamfevocet  illeSo- 

rorejn. 

In  fhort,  this  Objection  falls  of  it  felf, 
fince  it  only  relates  to  Marriages  con- 
traded  with  Men,  known  by  Experience 
to  be  impotent  5  ard  the  Queftion  here 
is,  whether  an  Eunuch  known  as  fuch* 
can  contrad  Marriage.. 


CHAP. 


£  Mitamjrgbi  lib.  9.  v.  465*. 


Eunuchifm  DlffUfL  22 \J 

C  H  A  P.     V. 

Fifth  Objection. 

IF  Eunuchs  ought  to  be  forbidden  to  mar^ 
ry7  becanfe  they  are  incapable  of  Gene- 
ration, the  Jame^  Re  of  on  would  hold  as  to- 
old  Perfons,  whofe  Age  has  put  them  into 
the  like  Incapacity  of  performing  the  FunSz- 
ons  of  Marriage-  and  fine  e  they  are  not  for- 
bidden,  no  more  ought  Eunuchs. 

Anfwer  to  this  Objection. 

THIS  Cbje&ion  is  founded  upon  a 
falfe  Principle,  viz.  That  no  one- 
has  Right  to  marry,  but  thofe  who  are 
capable  of  Generation,  or  if  the  Woman 
be  barren,  that  then  the  Marriage  ought 
to  be  difiblved.  This  Principle,  and  the 
Confequence  drawn  frorn  it,  are  fa  abfurd, 
that  the  bare  Propofal  of  it  is  a  fufficient 
Refutation. 

If  this  Objection  be  not  founded  upon: 
this  Principle,  it  is  yet  lefs  fupportable, 
For  a  \!an,unlefs  he  turn  mere  Child,  or  is 
afflicted  with  fome  capital  Diftemper,  may 
fee  capable  of  getting  Children.  There 
are  a  thoufand  Examples  in  the  World,  of 
old  Men  who  have  got  Children  at  fcur- 

fcorea 


esS  Eumchifm  DiffUfA 

fcore,  or  fourfcore  and  ten  Years  of  Age£ 
which  is  generally  the  longefl:  Date  of 
Man's  Lire.  So  that  one  may  fay,  that 
a  Man  of  a  good  Conftitution,  may  get 
Children  as  long  as  he  lives.  However, 
if  he  be  fo  decrepit  that  he  cannot  do  any 
one  Function  of  Marriage/  or  becomes  as 
an  Eunuch,  I  ownthen^  that  iffuch  aPer- 
fon  intends  to  marry,  he  would  a£t  againft 
the  End  and  Institution  of  Marriage  ;  and 
the  Civil  Magistrate  or  the  Fxclcfiaftical, 
would  do  well  to  hinder  fuch  an  Under- 
taking, and  reprefent  to  him  what  A/aw, 
in  Ovids  Metamorphofis,  did  to  Ulyjfes* 

DeMliiatwum  quidTepetis  Improbe  Munus. 

Such  a  one  does  like  the  Male  of  the 
Halcyons,  or  King's,  FiCher,  who  when 
they  are  fo  old  they  cannot  move,  embra- 
ces his  Female  and  dies..  # 

But  iffuch  a  Perfon  will  marnr*.  in  my 
Opinion  it  ought  to  be  -  to  a  Woman  of 
mudi  the  fame  Age  with  himfelf^  for  the* 
Fire  of  Youth  being  extinguished  in  thenx 
both,  they  would  not  be  in  any  Appre- 
hension or  thofe  Inconveniencies  LlhalV 
obferve  in  the  following  Chapter;  and  it 
is  properly  in  this  Cafe  that  a  Husband 
receiving  much  Help  and  Affiftance  fronx 
hi$Wi£,  may  then  loojt  upon  her  asa 

£iftery 


Eunuchism  DifpU/d.  22.9 

Sifter,   dice  neither,  of  them  are  capable 
oflffiie. 

But  the  principal  Reafon  why  old  Peo- 
ple may  marry,,  and  who  are  reproach  5d 
tor  lb-doing,  on  Account,  or  their  Age,  is 
this,  that  they  could  once  generate,  and 
perhaps  have  effectually  done^  Co  in  their 
Youth,   they  have  therefore  in  them  the 
Faculty  of  Generation,   though  they  do 
not  procreate  in  Efredt  5   in  them  Age  is 
more  powerful  than  Nature,  which  made 
them  capable.     Now  we  fee  that  Nature 
has  oftentimes  its  Sallies,  or  Providence 
gives  them  Strength  to  furmount  all  Ob-, 
ltacles  of  Age.    *  I  fhall  not  here,  infert 
the  Fable  of  a    certain   gooa   old  Man 
named  Hircus7  who  begg'd  of  the  three 
Gods  that  came  to  vifithim,  to  give  him 
a  Son,   though  fhe  was  far  advanced  in. 
Age,,    which  they    accordingly  granted' 
him.     The  Learned  are  of  Opinion*  that, 
this  was  the  Story  of  Abraham  and  Sarab^ 
in  difguife :    But  I  fhall  inftance  a  Rela- 
ti  not  J)  Velafco  of  Tarentum,  as  a  Thing 
very  wonderful,    and  may  be  iten  in  his. 
Phiiomum.     This  Perfon,   fays  he,  faw  a, 
Woman,   who  had  her.  IVleuftjua  at  fixty 

Years, 


*  S.  Romuald.  Tbefaur.    Hiflor.    £?  Hiftor.   hj. 
folk.  Xom*  1.  £  9&    ||  lb%L$.  2iu 


2  jo  Eunuch  if m  Difplaj*d. 

Years  of  Age,  and  had  a  Son  at  the  Age  of 
fixtyfeven. 

Mauritius  Codeus,  in  his  Commentary 
upon  the  firfl:  Book  of  .Hipocrates,  Of  the 
Diftempers  of  Women,  tells  us  of  a  Woman 
who  had  her  Menfirua  at  feventy  Years 
of  Age,  and  conceiv'd  a  well  fhap'd 
Child,  of  which  ihe  mifcarried  with  the 
ihaking  of  a  Coach. 

The  Law  Si  Major  in  the^  Code  de 
hgithru  He/ed.  makes  mention  of  a 
Woman  that  had  a  Child  after  fifty 
Years  of  Age.  Cornelia,  of  whom  Fliny^ 
takes  Notice,  was  brought  to  Bed  of 
VolufuB  Satnrninvs  (afterwards  Conful) 
when  Ihe  was  paft  threefcore  and  two 
Years  old-,  and  the  learned  Joubert  fays 
pofitively,  that  a  Woman,  who  was  mar- 
ried to  a  Cutler  in  the  Town  of  Avignon, 
eaird,  Andrew,  who  was  then  Servant  to 
Cardinal  Joyeufe,  who  continu'd  to  bear 
Children  till  Ihe  was  fevQnty  Years 
Old. 

But  if  Nature  cannot  furmonnt  thefe 
Obftacles,  God,  who  is  the  Lord  of  Na- 
ture, very  often  does  •,  in  giving  Women 
Children,  at  an  Age  when  they  could 
entertain  no  Hopes  of  having  any. 
Sarah,  and  Hanah  the  Mother  cf  Samuel, 
are  Examples  of  this  Truth  in  the  Holy 
Scripture  5   He  maketh  the  barren  Woman 

Uf 


Eunuchifm  Difflay^d.  2jr 

to  hep  Hojtfe  (fays  the  Royal  Pfalmift, 
ani  to  he  a  joyful  Mother  of  Children,. 
and  Experience  has  fo  often  ihewn  this 
that  it  is  impoifible  to  doubt  of  it. 

There  is  then  a  great  Deal  ox  Diffe- 
rence between  the  Marriage  of  old  Men 
and  Eunuchs.  God  often  makes  ufe  of 
human  Means  to  work  Miracles.  Per- 
Ions  ad  vane  d  in  Years  may  be  made  ufe 
of  as  Inftruments  to  ihew  God's  Power, ; 
but  Eunuchs  never  can.  In  that,  Eu- 
nuchs being  neither  naturally  nor  iuper- 
naturally  capable  to  get  Children,  are  by 
Confequence,  in  no  Manner  capable,  nor 
worthy  of  being  married. 


CHAP. 


2} 2         JLunuchifm  DifjUf'it. 
CHAP.    VI. 

Sixth  Ohjeftion. 

IF  a  Woman  that  is  about  to  marry  ± 
knows  that  her  Intended  Husband  is 
an  Eunuch,  and  is  not  ignorant  of  the 
Qonfequences  \  then  in  that  Cafe  foe  may 
lawfully  marry  him,  becanfe  it  is  a  Maxim 
in  Law,  that  there  is  no  Injury  to  thole 
that-  are    willing-,  Vol.nti  non  ft   hi~ 

Anfwer  to  this  ObjeBioiu 

THis  Maxim,  Volenti  non  fit  Injuria, 
is  held  both  by  the  Civil,  and 
Canon  taw  5  as -when  a  Perfon  fells  a 
Man's  Son,  who  is  willing  to  be  fold, 
then  in  that  Cafe,  the  Father  may  have 
his  Adtion  at  Law,  de  Injuria  in  his  own 
Name,  but  the  Son  cannot  in  his  Name,i 
becaufe  h'ej  was  willing,  and  Volenti  nam 
ft  Injuria.  The  Words  of  the  Civil 
Law  are  thefe,.  viz.  *  Ufqs  adeo  autem  in- 
juria qua  fit  liberis  nofirh.    no f  rum  pu- 

dorem 


*  lu  u 


Eunuchifm  "Difplafd.  23^ 

iorem  pertivgh,  ut  etiam  fi  vo'eittemfilium 
quis  vcndiderit,  patri  fuo  quidem  nom'rne 
competit  hipiriarum  aBio,  filii  vero  nomine 
von  competit,  qua  nulla  'injuria  eft  qua  in 
volentem  fiat.  And  the  Canon  Law  fays, 
fcienti  &  eonfentienti  non  fit  Injuria,  and 
this  is  taken  trom  the  Law  de  diverfis  Re- 
gulis  JurU,  which  fays  that  no  one  {hall 
be  efteem'd  to  defraud  any  one  that  knows 
and  confents  to  it,  Nemo  videtur  fraudarc 
eos  qui  fciunt  &  confentiuut,  and  js  in 
fbme  Sort  explain'd  by  the  *  Si  intelligatur 
6.  De  JEdilitio  Edifto.  Si  intelligatur  VI- 
tium,  Morbus  qua  mancipii  ltt  p\erumq\pignis 
quibufdam  folent  demonftrare  vitia,  potefi 
did  Edittum  cejfare  ;  hoc  enim  tantum  intu* 
tndum  eft  ne  Emptor  dcipiatur. 

Now  to  conclude,  that  a  Woman  is 
cheated  and  defrauded  willingly  and  by  her 
own  Confent,  it  muft  clearly  be  made  ap- 
pear that  fhe  was  neither  induced  nor  de- 
duced, that  fhe  knew  all  the  Defedts^  pe- 
culiar to  Eunuchs,  and  the  Inconvenient 
cies  fhe  is  to  fuffer  •,  and  except  all  this-be, 
fhe  is  cheated  by  Surprife,  and  not  willing- 
ly :  Belides,  a  Woman  ought  to  be  well 
allured  of  her  Continence  and  Chaftity, 

that 


*  Ufa  adeo  5  ff.  de  Injuriis  S3>  famof.  Libellis. 
lib.  47.  tit.  10.  Sext,  Veer tt,  lib.  5.  Tit.  de  Reg* 
Jur.  Reg.  25. 


2J4  Eunuch ijm  DifthfA. 

that  fhe  be  well  acquainted  with  what  an 
Eunuch  is,  and  the  Inconyeniencies  attend- 
ing Qich  a  Marriage,  will  very  often  put 
both  thefe  two  Virtues  to  their  utmoft 
Proof-,  and  lhe  muft  be  allured  fhe  can  bear 
up  under  thofe  fevere  Conflicts,  without 
all  this,  fuppofing  that  VolevV  von  fit  'rn'ju- 
r\ay  yet  neither  the  Civil  nor  Eccleiiaftical 
Powers  ought  to  fuffer  her  to  be  expofed 
to  Temptation,  and  put  her  felfin  evident 
Danger  of  commit  ting  Sin,  as  I  (hall  make 
appear  at  the  End  of  this  Chapter,  and 
by  Confequence  ought  not  to  let  her  marry. 
And  in  this  Cafe  the  Objection  falls  to  the 
Ground. 

Tiere  are  other  Exceptions  to  this  ge- 
neral Rule,  which  the  Lawyers  take  No- 
tice of,  for  Example,  fi  quia  Pnellam^  vor 
letttem  rapnerit,Jt  qitis  volentem  fi  him  \y\Ur- 
vertat^fi  quis  VGlentem  fervnm  cormmpat^ 
and  the  like. 

The  true  Senfe  of  this  Maxim  is,  that 
a  Perfon  who  has  confented  to  the  Injury 
done  to  himfelf,  cannot  have  his  Action 
againft  the  Perfon  that  did  him  that  Inju- 
ry by  his  own  Confent.  We  fee  now 
what  Application  can  be  made  of  this 
Maxim,  in  relation  to  Eunuchs  Marriages. 
When  a  Marriage  is  declared  Null  on  Ac- 
count 


f  'Novel.  22.  Cap.firQccafiorHM  6* 


Eunuchifm  Difplafd.  2^5 

count  of  the  Impotence  of  the  Hufhand, 
he  is  not  only  obliged  to  give  back  her 
Fortune  and  pay  her  Damages  •,  but  fhe 
by  no  Means  obliged  to  return  him  the 
Rings  and  other  Prefents  he  made  to  her. 
But  if  fhe  knew  before  Marriage,  that  he 
was  impotent,  even  in  that  Cafe  fhe  may 
make  void  the  Marriage,  or  rather  have 
it  declared  null.  But  cannot  have  her 
A&ion  againft  him  for  Damages,  Volenti 
won  faftnf nit  injuria.  And  one  may  with 
Reafon  Reproach  fuch  a  one  in  the  Words 
of  Horace* 

*  Vrudem  emfli  vhlofum  *ditfa  tibi  eft  fcx 
Infeqneris  tamen  hmtc  &  lite  moraris  iTti- 
qua. 

And  this  Law  is  received  all  over  the 
World, 

But  to  anfwer  folidly  this  Objection, 
and  to  which  there  can  be  made  na 
manner  of  Reply,  I  can  make  ufe  of 
Nothing  better  than  the  Words  of  the 
learned  Cyprtus,  as  contained  in  the  41,. 
and  42,  of  the  13th  Paragraph  of  the 
9th  Chapter,  of  his  moft  excellent  Work, 
de   Jure    Connubiorum,   and   which   will 

effe&ually 


*  Lib.  2.  JEpift.  2.  v.  1 8. 


\tlfi  Eurtucbifm  Difplafd. 

efFe&ually  anfwer  this  Obje&ion,  and  at 
the  fame  time,,  put  a  handfome  Conclu- 
sion to  this  Chapter  and  this  Treatife, 
both  together. 

c  Queritur  H  mulier  fpadoni  vel  Eu- 
nucho  fidem  dederit  non  ignara  cunt 
hoc  vitio  affectum,  vel  poft  Sponfalia 
refciverit  eum  Viruin  non  efle,  8c  nihil- 
ominus  nuptias  confummare  cupiar, 
id  eiconcedendum  £  Et  ft  quidem  con- 
ftiterit  eum  ad  Commixt-ionem  conjuga- 
lem  inhabilem  efle  nuptiis  illi  interdi- 
cendum,  8c  fponfalia  diffblvenda  exi- 
ftimaverim. 

'  I.  Quod  lege  Divina  fpadones  prohi- 
benter  mariti  fieri,  Itaque  nee  illis  lnu- 
lieres  nubere  pofliint. 
*  2.    Quod  8c  Imperatorum  conftituti- 
onibus  vet  i  turn  eft. 

\  $\  QP°d  ejusmodi   C6njugium  Bene- 
di&ionis  non  fit  caoax.. 
c  4.  Quod  nulla  iftarum  caufanim  prop- 

*  ter  quasConjugiuma  Deo-inftitutumeft, 
1  hie  locum  habeat. 

c  5.  Propter  periculum  ne  Mulier  alibi 

*  amori  operum  dare  iacipiat  (ut  eftnatu- 

*  ra   hominum  prodivis  ad  libidinem).& 

*  conjugio  anus  ufum  nullum  habere 
'  poteft,  pro  Velamento  turpitudinis  uta- 
4*  tur.  Nee  ad  rem  facit  quod  Mulier 
t  fciens  volens  nugtias  illas  cupiat,  Nam 


Eunuch ifm  DifpUy'd.         237 

In  re  tanti  Moment^  Magiftratus  eft 
partibus  confulere,  qui  fuis  Commodis 
confulere  non  poflunt,  cum  perire  volens 
audiendus  non  fit.  Nam  verendum  eft,  , 
ut  dixi,  ne  mulier  ejus  pertefa  conjun- 
dionis  alium  portum  querat  quo  fefe 
recipiat,  ut  Theogindis  verbis  utar. 
Quibus  incommodis  Magiftratum  me- 
dere  oportet  ufq$  adeo  ut  etfi  de  virit 
vitio  aut  morbo  non  queratur  Uxor, 
nihilominus  hifice  nuptiis  intercedere 
debeat. 

'  Sed  quid  fi  mulier  fciens  volens  fpa- 
doni  nupferit,  &  Matrimonium  confum- 
matum  fit  •,  Refp^  Cbi  imputare  debet, 
qua?  ei  quern  fui  Virum  non  efTe  nupferit, 
Interim  tamen  Matrimonium  dyctfA©- 
yapQ-  id  eft  pro  nullo  habendum  eft, 
utquod  contra  leges  inter  eas  Perfonas 
coierit,  qui  matrimonio  jungi  non  pof- 
lunt. Qua  de  Caufa  etiamfi  earn  fa&i 
non  pen  it  eat,  nihilominus  a  Viro  difce- 
dere  debere,  8c  ii  nolit  fegregandam 
effe  exiftimaverim.  Neq^  enim  Mu- 
lier prava  8c  legibus  prohibits,  fua 
Conruventia  re&a  officere  poteft.  Et 
Conjugium  confirmatur  officio  Carnali, 
•veruin  antequam  confirmetur,  impofli" 
bilitas  Officii  folvit  vinculum  conjugii, 
i$  Queft.  1  Cap.  1.  Verba  Auguftini. 
■Quam vis  contra  fentiatPapa  Alexander 

£  ve] 


2  3  8  Eunuehifm  Difplay^d. 

*  vel  ut  alii  volunt,  Lucius  cap.  Reqtth 
c  ciefti:  3  '5  Queft.  prima  qui  vult  eas  qua* 
c  pro  Uxore  haberi  non  poflunt,  pro  So- 
"'.  roribus  habendas,  quodvix  eft,  ut  defendi 
c  poffit  idq^  propter  illas  quas  commemo- 

*  ravimus  Caulks. 

.  The  Queftion  is,  if  a  Woman  has  given 
her  Promife  to  an  Eunuch,  knowing  him 
to  have  that  Defect,  or  after  her  Marriage 
(hall  difcover  that  he  is  no  Man,  and  yet 
ffcill  (hall  deiire  a  Confummation  of  the 
Nuptials,  whether  fuch  a  Requefl  is  to  be 
allow'd  >  and  if  it  fhall  appear  that  he  is 
unable  for  Conjugal  Mixture,  the  Marri* 
age  is  to  be  diflolved  in  my  Opinion,  for 
thefe  Reafons. 

i  ft,  Becaufe  by  the  Law  of  God,  Eu- 
nuchs are  prohibited  from  becoming  Hus- 
bands, and  therefore  no  Woman  can  mar- 
ry them. 

2dly,  That  it  is  forbid  by  the  Imperial 
Gonftitutions  and  Laws. 

3dly,  That  fuch  a  Marriage  is  not  ca^ 
pable  of  any  Blefling. 

4thly,  Becaufe  none  of  thole  Reafons, 
for  which  Matrimony  was  inftituted  by 
God,  can  take  Place  in  this  Cafe, 

5thly,  For  Fear  the  Woman  mould 
transfer  her  Love  to  another,  (as  the  Na- 
ture of  our  whole  Species  is  inclinable  to 
Luft)  and  fo  make  the  Marriage,  of 
Which  Ihe  can  have  no  Ufa    a  Veil  and 

Cover 


Eunuch'tfm   Difplay'd.  2jp 

Cover  for  her  own  vicious  Practices.  Nei- 
ther is  it  to  the  Purpofe,  to  lay  the  Wo- 
man contracted  this  Marriage  knowingly 
or  wittingly,  for  in  a  Cafe  of  fo  great 
Importance,  it  is  the  Duty  of  the  Magi- 
ftrate  to  ronfult  for  the  Parties,  who  can* 
not  coniult  their  own  Good  ;  and  they 
are  no  more  to  follow  their  own  Humour, 
than  a  Perfon  :s  who  would  deftroy  him* 
felf.  For  it  is  to  be  fear'd,  as  I  before 
faid,  the  Woman,  wearied  with  fuch  an 
Union,  may  look  cut,  in  the  Words  of 
Theogini,  for  another  Harbour.  All  w  hich 
Inconveniencies,  it  is  the  Mag;ftrates  Bu- 
fmefs  to  prevent,  fo  that  althV  the  Wo- 
man mould  not  complain  of  this  Defect, 
yet  he  ought  to  interpofe  and  prevent  the 
Nuptials. 

But  that  if  a  Woman  knowingly,  and 
willingly,  fhould  marry  an  Eunuch,  and 
the  Marriage  is  confummated,  the  Com- 
mon-wealth ought  to  bear  the  Blame,  who 
fuffer'd  a  Marriage  of  this  Kind.  In  the 
mean  time  the  Marriage  is  a  Marriage, 
and  no  Marriage,  becaufe  it  was  con- 
tracted between  fuch  Per  ions,  who  ac- 
cording to  the  Laws  are  not  allow'd  to 
marry,  upon  which  Account,  altho'  the 
Woman  does  not  repent  of  the  Action, 
yet  fhe  ought  to  depart  from  the  Man, 
and  if  fhe  will  not,  it  is  my  Opinion 
fee  fhall  be  forced  to  feparate^  becaufe 

a 


$4©  Eanuchifm  Difpla/d. 
a  perverfe  "Woman,  and  one  prohibited 
by  the  Laws,  cannot  fulfill  that  Office 
by  herfelf,  and  the  Confirmation  of  Ma- 
trimony, is  by  the  carnal  Office,  but  be- 
fore the  Confirmation  commences,  the 
Impoilibility  of  doing  that  Office  breaks 
tlie  Tye  of  Matrimony  •,  which  are  St.  • 
Auflins  Words,  the  33d  Queftion,  Chap. 
ifL  Although  Pope  Alexander,  or  as  o- 
thers  would  have  it,  Lucius  upon  the 
33d  Queftion  in  the  Chapter  Requictefti, 
would  have  thofe,  who  cannot  be  account- 
ed  as  Man  and  Wife,  to  be  accounted  as 
Sifters,  which  is  almoft  impoffibleto  be 
defended,  and  that  for  thofe  Reafons  we 
before  mention  d. 


*^ 


FINIS. 


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