This book is a firsthand account of what life in Rome was like during the Renaissance period. The descriptions of the people and their culture are vivid and the stories told are entertaining and insightful. It is a unique and valuable resource for anyone interested in this historical period.
The origin of padlocks of chastity in that peculiar knot, called the Herculean knot, which used to fasten the woolen sash of the Grecian maiden, and which the husband alone was to untie on his wedding night. Solidify this knot, apply it to iron bars, and you have almost the padlock. The girdle of virginity, worn by the Grecian maidens, used to be put on at the nubile age and taken off after marriage; quite on the contrary, the girdle of chastity was presented by the husband to the wife in the morning of his wedding night, as a most suitable means of maintaining union and good understanding between them, by dispelling all his jealous fears. The woman’s body is like the larder of man’s pleasures, in a selfish point of view; what can be more natural than to padlock the larder, for fear some intruder should come and fall upon the best morsels and eat up the dainties?