1. Seymar, William. (William Seymar is a pseudonymous anagram for William Ramsey.) Cf. Halkett and Laing

Conjugium conjurgium: or, some serious considerations on marriage. Wherein (by way of caution and advice to a friend) its nature, ends, events, concomitant accidents, &c. are examined. By William Seymar Esquire.

London: printed for John Amery at the Peacock over against St. Dunstan’s Church in Fleet-Street 1675.                         $2,800    

Duodecimo: 15 X 9 cm. A-G¹²H⁸  Second Edition (the 1674 edition is a title page cancel)  Bound in Modern full calf. 

This book gives an interesting insight into the actual practice of marital relationships.  The book begins by advocating an ideal, and emphasizes the need for the wife to submit herself totally to her husband, however, the main argument of his book seems to be to discourage men from entering the state of matrimony. For they be often deceived in this point, because if anything dislike them in their own husband, whom they have, they call to remembrance only such points as pleased them in their first husband.”  William Ramsey was much blunter about the dangers of a widow taunting her second husband with the exaggerated virtues of the first: he warned any man that must marry a widow to “choose one whose first husband was hanged.”

Wing R-229; Macdonald’s Bibliography of Dryden # 172B; Arber’s Term cat.; I 208;  ESTC (RLIN),; R015779

§§