hath been singular having not been bred as other Children accustomarilie are who hath liberty to fling away their youthfull time in idle sports or useless learnings and those that they are taught by are young and unexperienced Tutours but I must tell this worthy and experienced assembly that I was not bred with powdered Curles but silver hairs Age I bowed to and obeyed with duty Age I viewed with respects and listened to with attention Age directed my senses manured my brain pulled up or out the rootes of ignorance and weedes of errours sowed knowledg and planted understanding for my educatour which was my dear Father hath been industrious carefull prudent bountifull and studious for my improvement for which my treble duty doth attend his life and my prayers supplicates for to prolong it which heaven knows I desire beyond my own As for the Gods which gives all good let those that dare be unthankfull I dare not such as Atheists that believes in none but pardon me for intruding one your patiences with a tedious and self discourse although I could not well avoid it but now with your leave most Noble Auditours I shall first treat of Nature although Nature is an endless Theam to treat of for though that the principles of Nature or Natures principles may be easily numbred yet the varietyes which change doth make on those principles are infinite for well may Nature if man by Art can make infinite varietyes by change of few principles as for example in musick from 8. Notes by change infinite Tunes are or can be made from the figure of 1. to 9. what Multiplication From 24. letters how far can the mind dictate it self in numerous words and different languages Thus Nature the tutress to man and onely man have taught him to imitate her for though she is the Mother to all other Creatures yet man is her beloved Child for she like as a fond parent leads and directs man to discoveryes and as it were points and markes out their wayes and as a diligent Tutress explains and expounds her selfe by her works and her several works like as several books hath several prints and are bound in several vollums and are kept safe in several Libraryes of several Ages by aged time but sometimes Nature behaves her selfe like a Huntress and makes Mankind as her Hounds to hunt out the hidden effects of unknown causes leading Mankind by three several strings as by the string of observation the string of conception and the string of experience and as hounds snuffs and snuffels on the Paths they tread so mans thoughts like as hounds noses are busily imployed And as hounds springs out upon a following sent and with open mouth makes a loud cry so men when they make any new discoveryes divulges it with their voyces or noyses of the tongue and pen yet man at this hath no reason to take exceptions because he gaineth knowledg thereby and Nature may use her own as she pleases but sometimes Nature is as a Paintress and the mind of man is as the Copy of Nature drawn by her selfe for the mind of man is as infinite as Natures selfe having no dimension nor extension and the thoughts are the infinite Creatures therein and the brain is the ground to paint on and the motions of life are the pensills to work or draw with And in these Copyes Nature views her selfe yet all animal Creatures especially Mankind seems of a middle mixture as not so gross as the Earth nor so pure as the Heavens which is the cause man is difficult to some things and easy to others as it is easyer for the eyes to look down on the earth than to stare up to the Heavens and for the feet to step down on steps than to step up on stayres or for the whole body to slyde down a hill than to clamber up a hill so it is easier for life to slyde down to vice than to mount up to virtue for what is purest is still placed highest that is the reason that the Coelestiall bodyes are placed over us as the Terrestriall body under us and we being mixt are placed in the midst Upon this Text give me leave to treat of the two Globes the Coelestiall and the Terrestriall in the Coelestiall there are Seven Worlds where the Sun is the Center World which being a flame streams forth in lynes of light upon the other Six Worlds and as those Six Worlds or the Seventh World moves so have they light or darkness but the Sun which is the flaming World or the World of flame is fed as a Lamp with an oyly substance from the other Six Worlds which oyly substance the Sun sucks to him from thence by attracting Motions these Six Worlds I will similize to Six Udders paps or breasts from which the Sun like as a young greedy appetite sucks and draws out each in their turns and as I said by attraction this oyly moisture which oyly moisture is as the milk the Worldly Udders or Uddery Worlds doth as all Udders doth which as soon as they are drawn dry fills again and if they be not sufficiently drawn their moisture grows thick and gross like as crudled milk which corrupts and becomes Ulcerous from whence runs venemous matter which falling down breeds amongst animals many diseases as the rot murring and the like amongst beasts And amongst men the Smale pox measels and all sorts of feavers even to the plague according as the corruptions are or runs the diseases are more dangerous or less violenter or weaker lasts longer or ends sooner and if these Udders be drawn faster than they can be naturally filed they become chopt and dry empty and shrunk which causeth dearth and famine And though we cannot see a dearth in the face of the Moon and the rest of the Planets as on the face of the Earth nor see famine in the face of the Moon as in the face of a Man yet for all we know there may be dearths plagues and warres in those Planets as in particular Kingdoms although the Planets have no such Intelligences from each other as particular Kingdoms hath yet questionless they have Traffick and Commerce though mankind cannot visibly perceive which way or by what means Also the Planets by their circular motions may draw up vapours from the Sea and earth like as the Wheels of water Mils As for the Terrestriall globe it turns upon a Pole as a Pig upon a Spit and the Sun is the fire that rosts it but when the Sun is scorching hot the earth like overroasted meat it burnt and black and when that over cold moist vapors quenches out the heat of these firy beams then is the earth as raw but when as equall heat at equall distance by equall Motions agrees Simpathetically then is the Terrestriall globe well drest and full of gravy which causes nurishing health but to draw to a conclusion of my Philosophicall lecture I will similize the Coelestiall and
light from the Sun or the World from its Center or the fix'd Stars from their assigned places than draw away love from him Sensible Why how if he will not have you Amor I can only say I shall be unhappy Sensible I hope you will be wiser than to make your self miserable for one you cannot have to be your Husband Exeunt Scene 27. Enter many of Monsieur Malateste's Servants writing against their Master and Ladies comming home Enter Monsieur Malateste and his Lady SErvants Heaven give your Worship joy and our noble Lady Madam Mal. What is this your best House Monsieur Mal. Yes and is it not a good one Sweet Madam Mal. Fie upon it I hate such an old-fashiond House wherefore pray pull it down and build another more fashionable as that there may be a Bell-view and Pergalus round the outside of the Horse also Arched Gates Pillars and Pilasters and carved Frontispeeces with Antick Imagery also I would have all the lower rooms vaulted and the upper rooms flat-roof'd painted and gilded and the Planchers checker'd and inlaid with silver the Stair-case to be large and winding the steps broad and low as shallow then to take in two or three Fields about your House to make large Gardens wherein you may plant Groves of Mirtle as also to make Walks of green Turf and those to be hanging and shelving as if they hung by Geometry also Fountains and Water-works and those Water-works to imitate those Birds in Winter that only sing in Summer Monsieur Mal. But this will cost a great summ of money Wise Madam Mal. That 's true Husband but to what use is money unless to spend Monsieur Mal. But it ought to be spent prudently Madam Mal. Prudently say you why Prudence and Temperance are the Executioners of Pleasure and Murtherers of Delight wherefore I hate them as also this covetous humour of yours Exeunt Monsieur Malateste and his Wife 1 Servant I marry Sir here is a Lady indeed for she talks of pulling down this House before she hath throughly seen it and of building up another 2 Servant If you will have my opinion the old servants must go down as well as the old house 3 Servant I believe so for she look'd very scornfully upon us nor spoke not one word either good or bad to us 4 Servant Well come let us go about our imployments and please as long as we can and when we can please no longer we must seek other Services Exeunt Scene 28. Enter Monsieur Frere and Madam Soeur MAdam Soeur Do not pursue such horrid Acts as to Whore your Sister Cuckold your Brother-in-Law dishonour your Father and brand your life and memory with black infamy Good Brother consider what a world of misery you strive to bring upon your self and me Frere Dear Sister pity me and let a Brothers pleading move your heart and bury not my youth in Death before the natural time Soeur 'T is better you should die and in the grave be laid than live to damn your soul Frere To kill my self will be as bad a crime Soeur O no for Death any way is more honourable than such a life as you would live Exeunt Scene 29. Enter the two Gentlemen 1 Gent. FRiend prethee tell me why you do not marry 2 Gent. Because I can find no woman so exact as I would have a Wife to be for first I would not have a very tall woman for the appears as if her soul and body were mis-match'd as to have a pigmy soul and a gyantly body 1 Gent. Perchance her soul is answerable to her body 2 Gent. O no for it is a question whether women have souls or no but for certain if they have they are of a dwarfish kind Neither would I have a wife with a masculine strength for it seems praeposterous to the softness and tenderness of their Sex neither would I have lean wife for she will appear always to me like the picture of Death had she but a sythe and hour-glass in her hand for though we are taught to have always Death in our Mind to remember our End yet I would not have Death always before my Eyes to be afraid of my End But to have a very lean wife were to have Death in my Arms as much as in my Eyes and my Bed would be as my Grave 1 Gent. Your Bed would be a warm Grave 2 Gent. Why man though Death is cold the Grave is hot for the Earth hath heat though Death hath none 1 Gent. What say you to a fat woman 2 Gent. I say a fat woman is a bed-fellow only for the Winter and not for the Summer and I would have such a woman for my Wife as might be a nightly companion all the year 1 Gent. I hope you would not make your Wife such a constant bed-fellow as to lie always together in one bed 2 Gent. Why not 1 Gent. Because a mans stomack or belly may ake which will make wind work and the rumbling wind may decrease love and so your wife may dislike you and dislike in time may make a Cuckold 2 Gent. By your favour it increases Matrimonial Love 't is true it may decrease Amorous Love and the more Amorous Love increases the more danger a man is in for Amorous Love even to Husbands is dangerous for that kind of Love takes delight to progress about when Matrimonial Love is constant and considers Nature as it is Besides a good Wife will not dislike that in her Husband which she is subject to her self but howsoever I will never marry unless I can get such a Wife as is attended by Virtue directed by Truth instructed by Age on honest grounds and honourable principles which Wife will neither dislike me nor I her but the more we are together the better we shall love and live as a maried pair ought to live and not as dissembling Lovers as most maried couples do 1 Gentlem. What think you of choosing a Wife amongst the Sociable Virgins 2 Gent. No no I will choose none of them for they are too full of discourse for I would have a Wife rather to have a listning Ear than a talking Tongue for by the Ear she may receive wise instructions and so learn to practise that which is noble and good also to know my desires as to obey my will when by speaking muck she may express her self a fool for great Talkers are not the wisest Practisers Besides her restless Tongue will disturb my Contemplations the Tranquillity of my Mind and the peace quiet and rest of my Life Exeunt Scene 30. Enter Madam Malateste and another Maid and Nan the former Ladies Maid MAdam Mal. Are you she that takes upon you to govern and to be Mistris in this House Nan Why I do but that I did in the other Ladies time Madam Mal. Let me tell you you shall not do so in my time nay you shall have no doings wherefore get you out of the
Affectionata O no but I should be the ingrate of ingratitude should I leave my Noble Lord who from a low despised poor mean degree advanced me to Respect and Dignity Whose favours I will keep close in my heart And from his person I will never part For though I dye my soul will still attend And wait upon him as his faithfull friend He offers to go away in a melancholly posture and humour so as not considering the Gentlemen Whereupon one of them follows him and catches hold of his Cloak 2. Gentleman Noble Sir will not you send the Duke an answer Affectionata Have not I answered Then pray present my thanks in the most humblest manner to the great Duke and tell him he may force the presence of my person but if he doth it will be but as a dead carcase without a living soul for tell him when I am from my Lord I withering vade as flowers from Sun sight His presence is to me as Heavens light Affectionata Exit 1 Gentleman 'T is strange that such an honour cannot perswade a boy 2. Gentleman That proves him a boy for if he had been at mans estate he would not have refused it but have been ambitious of it and proud to receive it 1. Gentl. Indeed youth is foolish and knows not how to chose 2. Gentl. When he comes to be a man he will repent the folly of his youth Exeunt Scene 18. Enter the Lady Bashfull and Lady VVagtail not knowing Sir Serious could speak LAdy Wagtail Pray Madam let me perswade you not to cast your self away to marry a dumb man for by my troth all those that are dumb are meer fools for who can be witty or wise that cannot speak or will not speak which is as bad Lady Bashfull Why Madam wisdom nor wit doth noth not live not lye in words for prudence fortitude and temperance expresses wisdom and capacity ingenuity and fancie expresseth wit and not words Lady Wagtail But let me advise you to chose Sir Humphry Bold he is worth a thousand of Sir Serious Dumb besides he is a more learned man by half and speaks several Languages Lady Bashfull Perchance so and yet not so wise for Parrots will learn Languages and yet not know how to be wise nor what wisdom is which is to have a found judgement a clear understanding and a prudent forecast Lady Wagtail Faith all the World will condemn you to have no forecast if you marry Sir Serious Dumb Lady Bashfull Let them speak their worst I care not as not fearing their censures Lady Wagtail You were fearfull and bashfull Lady Bashfull 'T is true but now am grown so confident with honest love I care not if all the World did know of it nay I wish it were published to all ears The Lady Bashfull offers to go away Lady Wagtail Nay you must not go until you have granted my suit in the behalf of Sir Humphry Bold Lady Bashfull Pray let me go for I hate him more than Heaven hates Hell Lady Wagtail Nay then I will leave you Exeunt Scene 19. Enter Affectionata who weeps Enter the Lord Singularity LOrd Singularity Why weepest thou Affectionata Affectionata Alas my Lord I am in such a passion as I shall dye unless it flows forth thorough mine eyes and runs from off my tongue For like as vapours from the Earth doth rise And gather into clouds beneath the skies Contracts to water swelling like moist veins When over-fill'd falls down in showering rains So thoughts which from a grieved mind are sent Ariseth in a vaporous discontent Contracts to melancholly which heavy lies Untill it melts and runs forth through the eyes Unless the Sun of comfort dry doth drink Those watery tears that lyes at the eyes brink Or that the rayes of joy which streams bright out With active heat disperseth them about Lord Singularity Faith Affectionata I am no good Poet but thy passion moves so sweetly in numbers and stops so just with rhymes as I cannot but answer thee Like as the Sun beauty streams rayes about A smiling countenance like day breaks out And though a frown obscures sweet beauties sight Yet beauties beams makes cloudy frowns more bright But melancholly beauty doth appear As pleasing shades or Summers evenings clear So doth thine Affectionata but prethee do not wast thy breath into sighs nor distill thy life into tears Affectionata I wish I might here breath my last and close my eyes for ever Lord Singularity I perceive Affectionata you take it unkindly I did perswade you to take the Dukes offer But if you think I did it out of any other design than a true affection to you By Heaven you do me wrong by false interpretation Affectionata If you my Lord did love but half so well as I you would rather chose to dye than part with me Lord Singularity I love thee beyond my own interest or delight for what is best for thee I account as the greatest blessing should it bring me any other wayes a curse Affectionata Then let me still live with you for that is best for me Lord Singularity Here I do vow to Heaven to do my indeavour with my life to keep thee with me or to be alwayes where thou art Affectionata O! what a weight you have taken from my soul wherein my thoughts like wet-winged-birds sate heavy my senses like as blinking Lamps which vaporous damps of grief had neer put out Lord Singularity Let me tell thee Affectionata I have travelled far observed much and have had divers incounters but I never met such vertue found such truth nor incountered such an affection as thine imbraces him And thus I do imbrace thee and do wish our souls may twine As our each bodyes thus together joyn Exeunt Scene 20. Enter Sir Serious Dumb and his Mistriss the Lady Bashfull SIr Serious Dumb. Dear Mistriss do not you repent your favours and wish your promise were never made doth not your affection vade Lady Bashfull No it cannot for never was any love placed upon a Nobler soul than my love is which is on yours insomuch as I do glory in my affection and grow self-conceited of its judgement Sir Serious Dumb. And will you be constant Lady Bashfull Let not your humble thoughts raise a doubt of jealousie for I am fixt as time is to eternity Sir Serious Dumb. Then I thank nature for your Creation honour for your Breeding and heaven for your Vertue and fortune that hath given you to me for I can own nothing of that worth that could deserve you Lady Bashfull I cannot condemn jealousie because it proceeds from pure love and love melts into kinds on a constant heart but flames like Oyle on a false one which sets the whole life on fire Sir Serious Dumb. But now I cannot doubt your love nor constancies since you have promised your heart to me for true Lovers are like the light and the Sun inseparable Exeunt Scene 21. Enter some Commanders 1. COmmander
none Company but Cowards and Fools and slothful conscientious Persons neither is she usefull but for indifferent imployments for what is of extraordinary worth Patience doth but disgrace it not set it forth for that which is transcendent and Supreme Patience cannot reach Wherefore give me Fury for what it cannot raise to Heaven it throwes it straight to Hell were you never there Friend No nor I hope shall never come there Father Love Why Sir I was there all the last Night and there I was tortured for chiding my Daughter two or three times whilst she lived once because she went in the Sun without her Mask another time because her Gloves were in her Pocket when they should have been on her Hands and another time because she slep'd when she should have studied and then I remember she wept O! O! those pretious tears Devil that I was to grieve her sweet Nature harmless Thoughts and Innocent Soul O how I hate my self for being so unnaturally kind O kill me and rid be of my painful life Friend He is much distracted Heaven cure him Exeunt Scene 18. Enter two Gentlemen 1. Gentleman The Miracle is deceas'd the Lady Sanspareile I hear is dead 2. Gent. Yes and it 's reported her Statue shall be set up in every College and in the most publick places in the City at the publick charge and the Queen will build a Sumptuous and Glorious Tomb on her sleeping Ashes 1. Gent. She deserves more than can be given her 2. Gent. I hear her death hath made her Father mad 1. Gent. Though her death hath not made every one mad like her Father yet it hath made every one melancholy for I never saw so general a sadness in my life 2. Gent. There is nothing moves the mind to sadnesse more than when Death devours Youth Beauty Wit and Virtue all at once Ex. Scene 19. There is a Hearse placed upon the Stage covered with black a Garland of Ciprus at the head of the Herse and a Garland of Mirtle at one side and a Basket of Flowers on the other Enter the Lady Innocence alone drest in White and her hair hound up in several coloured Ribbons when she first comes in speaks thus LAdy Innocence O Nature thou hast created bodies and minds subject to pains torments yet thou hast made death to release them for though Death hath power over Life yet Life can command Death when it will for Death dares not stay when Life would passe away Death is the Ferry-man and Life the waftage She kneels down and prayeth But here great Nature I do pray to thee Though I call Death let him not cruel be Great Jove I pray when in cold earth I lye Let it be known how innocent I die Then she rises and directs her self to her Herse Here in the midst my sadder Hearse I see Covered with black though my chief Mourners be Yet I am white as innocent as day As pure as spotlesse Lillies born in May My loose and flowing hair with Ribbons ty'd To make Death Amorous of me now his Bride Watchet for truth hair-colour for despair And white as innocent as purest Ayre Scarlet for cruelty to stop my breath Darkning of Nature black a type of death Then she takes up the Basket of Flowers and as she strews them speaks Roses and Lillies 'bout my Coffin strew Primroses Pinks Violets fresh and new And though in deaths cold arms anon I lye weeps I 'le weep a showr of tears these may not dye A Ciprus Garland here is for my head To crown me Queen of Innocence when dead A Mirtle Garland on the left side plac't To shew I was a Lover pure chast Now all my saddest Rites being thus about me And I have not one wish that is without me She placeth her self on her Herse with a Dagger or pointed knife in her hand Here on this Herse I mount the Throne of death Peace crown my soul my body rest on earth Yet before I dye Like to a Swan I will sing my Elegie She sings as she is sitting on the Herse thus Life is a trouble at the best And in it we can find no rest Ioyes still with sorrows they are Crown'd No quietnesse till in the ground Man vexes man still we do find He is the torture of his kind False man I scorn thee in my grave Death come I call thee as my slave Here ends my Lords Writing And just then stabs her self In the mean time the Lord de l'Amour comes and peeps through the Curtain or Hanging and speaks as to himself whilst she is a dying Lord de l'Amour I will observe how she passes away her time when she is alone Lady Innocence Great Iove grant that the light of Truth may not be put out with the extinguisher of Malice Lord de l'Amour How she feeds her melancholy He enters and goeth to her What are you acting a melancholy Play by your self alone Lady Innocence My part is almost done Lord de l'Amour By Heaven she hath stabb'd her self Calls Help Help Lady Innocence Call not for help life is gone so farr t is past recovery wherefore stay and hear my last words I die as judging it unworthy to out-live my honest Name and honourable Reputation As for my accusers I can easily forgive them because they are below my Hate or Anger neither are worthy my revenge But you for whom I had not only a devout but an Idolatrous Affection which offered with a zealous Piety and pure Flame the sincerity of my heart But you instead of rewarding my Love was cruel to my life and Honour for which my soul did mourn under a Veil of sadnesse and my thoughts covered with discontent sate weeping by But those mourning Thoughts I have cast off cloathing my self with Deaths pale Garments As for my pure Reputation and white Simplicity that is spotted with black Infamy by Hellish slander I have laid them at Heavens Gates just Gods to scoure them clean that all the World may know how innocent I have been But Oh! farewel my fleeting Spirits pure Angels bear away Lord de l'Amour O speak at the last Are you guilty or not Lady Innocence I am no more guilty of those crimes laid to my charge than Heaven is of sin O Gods receive me Oh! Oh! Dies Lord de l'Amour Great Patience assist me Heart hold life in Till I can find who is guilty of this sinn Ex. The Herse drawn off the Stage Scene 20. Enter Sir Thomas Father Love brought in a Chair as sick his Friend by him Mr. Comfort Friend How are you now Father Love O Friend I shall now be well Heaven hath pitty on me and will release me soon and if my Daughter be not buryed I would have her kept as long out of the Grave as she can be kept that I might bear her company Friend She cannot be kept longer because she was not unbowelled Father Love Who speaks her
naturally an eloquent Orator yet the bare truth of his worthy Virtues and Heroical actions will be sufficient to make the story both profitable delightfull and famous also I must intreat you to choose out a Poet one that doth not meerly write for gain or to express his own wit so much as to endeavour to Pencil with the pen Virtue to the life which in my Lord was so beautifull as it was beyond all draughts but the theam will inspire his Muse and when both these works are writ printed and set out as divulged to the World as a patern for examples which few will be able to imitate then I would have these books ly by me as Registers of memory for next unto the Gods my life shall be spent in Contemplation of him I know I shall not need to perswade you to do this for your affection to his memory is ready of it self but love and duty binds me to express my desires for his Fame leaving nothing which is for my part thereunto Doctor Educature Madam all the service I can do towards the memory of my dear Pupil and noble Lord and Patron shall be most devoutly observed and followed for Heaven knows if I had as many lives to dispose of as I have lived years I would have Sacrificed them all for to haue redeemed his life from Death Doctor Educature goes out Madam Jantil alone Madam Iantil. When I have interred my Husbands body and all my desires thereunto be finished I shall be at some rest and like an Executrix to my self executing my own will distributing the Rites and Ceremonies as Legacies to the dead thus the living gives the dead but O my Spirits are tired with the heavy burden of Melancholy and grow faint for want of rest yet my senses invite me thereunto yet I cannot rest in my Bed for frightfull Dreams disturb me wherefore I will ly down on this floor and try if I can get a quiet sleep on the ground for from Earth I came and to Earth I would willingly return She lays her self down upon the ground on one side of her Arm bowing leaning upon her Elbow her Forehead upon the palm of her hand bowing forwards her face towards the ground but her grief elevating her passion thus speaks Madam Iantil. Weep cold Earth through your pores weep Or in your bowels my salt tears fast keep Inurn my sighs which from my grief is sent With my hard groans build up a Monument My Tongue like as a pen shall write his name My words as letters to divulge his fame My life like to an Arch over his Ashes bend And my desires to his grave descend I warn thee Life keep me not Company I am a friend to Death thy Enemy For thou art cruell and every thing torments Wounding with pain all that the World presents But Death is generous and sets us free Breaks off our Chains and gives us liberty Heals up our wounds of trouble with sweet rest Draws our corrupted passions from our breast Layes us to sleep on Pillows of soft case Rocks us with silence nothing hears nor sees She fetches'a great sigh O that I may here sleep my last After a short slumber she wakes If it were not for Dreams sleep would be a happiness next unto Death but I find I cannot sleep a long sleep in Death I shall not dye so soon as I would Love is so strong and pure it cannot dy Lives not in sense but in the Soul doth lye Why do I mourn his love with mine doth dwell His love is pleas'd mine entertains it well But mine would be like his one imbodied Only an Essence or like a Godhead Exeunt Scene 22. Enter Doctor Comfort and Doll Pacify DOctor Comfort How doth our Lady Doll Doll Pacify To day she began to sit up but yet she is very weak and faint Doctor Comfort Heaven help her Doll Pacify You that are Heavens Almner should distribute Heavens gifts out of the purse of your mouth and give her single Godly words instead of single silver pence to buy her some Heavenly food to feed her famisht mind Doctor Comfort Thou are a full-fed wench Doll Pacify If I were no better fed than you feed me which is but once a week as on Sundayes I should be starved Doctor Comfort You must fast and pray fast and pray Exeunt ACT V. Scene 23. Enter two Gentlemen 1 GEnt. All the young Gallants in the Town are preparing themselves with fine Cloths and Feathers to go a woing to the two rich Widows the Lady Iantil and the Lady Passionate 2 Gent. Riches are the Loadstone of affection or at least professions 1 Gent. The truth is Riches draw more Suters than Youth Beauty or Virtue Exeunt Scene 24. Enter two or three Gentlemen Monsieur Comerade Monsieur Compagnion and Monsieur la Gravity Monsieur Comerade For Heavens sake let us go and address our selves to the two Rich Widows Monsieur Compagnion For my part I will address my self to none but the young Widow the Lady Iantil and to her let us go without delay Monsieur la Gravity It will be uncivil to go so soon after their Husbands Death for their Husbands are not yet laid in their Graves Monsieur Compagnion If they were we should come too late for I knew a man which was a great friend of mine who was resolved to settle himself in a married course of life and so he went a wooing to a Widow for a Widow he was resolved to marry and he went a wooing to one whose Husband was but just cold in his grave but she told him she was promised before so he wooed another whilst she followed her Husbands Corps but she told him he came too late whereat he thought with the third not to be a second in his Sute and so expressed his desires in her Husbands sickness she told him she was very sorry that she had past her word before to another for if she had not she would have ma le him her choice whereat he curst his imprudence and wooed the fourth on her wedding day who gave him a promise after her Husband was dead to marry him and withall she told him that if she had been married before it had been ten to one but he had spoke too late for said she when we are Maids we are kept from the free conversation of men by our Parents or Guardians but on our wedding day we are made free and set at liberty and like as young Heirs on the day of one and twenty we make promises like bonds for two or three lives wherefore I fear we shall miss of our hopes for these two Widows will be promised before we address our Sute Monsieur la Gravity No no for I am confident all do not so for some love to have the freedoms of their wills for every promise is a bondage to those that make a Conscience to keep their promise besides it is not only variety that pleaseth women but
of War and the warring women the General told them he made no question but that most men knew by experience that women were won by gentle perswasions and fair promises and not by rigid actions or angry frowns besides said he all noble natures strive to assist the weakest in all lawfull actions and that he was no gallant man that submits not to a woman in all things that are honourable and when he doth dissent it must be in a Courtly manner and a Complemental behaviour and expression for that women were Creatures made by nature for men to love and admire to protect and defend to cherish and maintain to seek and to sue to and especially such women which have out-done all their Sex which nature ever made before them wherefore said he 't is fit to these women above all others we should yield our selves Prisoners not only in love but in Arms wherefore let us treat fairly with them and give them their own conditions But in the mean time the Lady Victoria thought it best not to lose my opportunity with talking out the time wherefore she besieged a considerable Fort a place which was at it were the Key that unlockt the passage into the heart of the Enemies Kingdome and at this siege they were when became away but the General and his Council had sent a Messenger unto them but what his message was I cannot give you an account Exeunt Scene 6. Enter two men in Mourning 1 MAn Now my Lord is Intombed our Lady will enanchor her self by his Ashe 2 Man 'T is strange so young and beautifull a Lady should bury her self from the World and quit all the pleasures thereof to live with dead Ashes 1 Man A grieved Mind Melancholy Thoughts and an Oppressed Heart considers not the Body nor the World 2 Man But yet I think 't is an example that few of her Sex will imitate 1 Man Because few of the Female Sex can truly Grieve or be Melancholy 2 Man No it is that few of the Female Sex can truly and constantly Love Exeunt Scene 7. The Tomb being thrust on the Stage enter Madam Jantil and a Company of Mourners but the Lady Jantil was attired in a Garment of rich Cloth of gold girt loosly about her and a Mantle of Crimson Velvet lined with powdered Ermins over that her woman bearing up the Train thereof being long her Hair all unbound hung loose upon her Shoulders and Back upon her Head a rich Crown of Iewels as also Pendant Iewels in her Ears and on her Wrists costly Bracelets when she came in she goeth towards the Tomb and bows with great respect and devotion thereto thou speaks directing her speech to every several Figure These following Verses or Speeches were written by my Lord Marquiss of Newcastle Lady Iantil. Pallas and Mercury at thy Death mourned So as to marble Statues here th' are turned Mars sheaths his Sword and begs of thee a room To bury all his courage in thy Tomb Hymen amazed stands and is in doubt Thy Death his holy fier hath put out What various shape of Fortune thou didst meet Thou scorn'st her frowns and kicks he with thy feet Now sound aloud the Trumpet of good Fame And blow abroad his everlasting name After this she directs her speech to the outward figures about the Tomb The Cardinal Virtues Pillars of thy fame Weep to see now each but an empty name Only for Painters and for Carvers be When thy life sustain'd them more than they Thee Each Capital a sadder Virtue bears But for the Graces would be drowned in tears Faith strengthens Fortitude lest she should faint Hope comforts Prudence as her only Saint And Charity to Justice doth advance To Counsel her as Patience Temperance But wofull Counsellors they are each one Since grief for thy Death turn'd them all to stone Then putting off her rich Garments and Ornaments before mentioned as she was undressing she spake thus Now I depose my self and here lay down Titles not Honour with my richer Crown This Crimson Velvet Mantle I throw by There case and plenty in rich Ermins lie Off with this glittring Gown which once did bear Ambition and fond pride ly you all there Bracelets and Pendants which I now do wear Here I devest my Arms and so each Ear Cut off these dangling Tresses once a crime Urging my Glass to look away my time Thus all these Worldly vanities I wave And bury them all in my Husbands grave After this she calls for her other Garments which was a pure white light silk loose Garment girt about her with a white silk Cord and then puts on a thin black Veil over it and then takes a Book in her hand but speaks as they were a putting on those latter Garments More of my Lord Marquesses are these Lady Iantel Put on that pure and spotless garment white To shew my chaster thoughts my Souls delight Cord of Humility about my waste A Veil of obscure Mourning about me cast Here by this sadder Tomb shall be my Station And in this Book my holy Contemplation She turns her self to her Servants Farewell my Servants farewell every one As you all love me pray leave me alone They all go forth weeping When they were all gone and she alone she turns her self to the Tomb No dust shall on thy marble ever stay But with my sadder sighs I le blow 't away And the least spot that any Pillar bears I le wash it clean with grief of dropping tears Sun fly this Hemisphaer and feast my Eyes With Melancholy night and never rise Nor by reflection for all light I hate Therefore no Planet do illuminate The twinkling Stars that in cold nights are seen Clouds muster up and hide them as a Screen The Centrick fire raise vapours from the Earth Get and be Midwife for those fogs their birth Then chilling colds freeze up thy pores without That trembling Earth-quakes no where may get out And that our Mother Earth may nothing wear But Snow and Icicles to curl her hair And so Dame Nature Barren nothing bring Wishing a Chaos since despairs a Spring Since all my joys are gone what shall I do But with the whole World ruined with me too Here ends my Lord Marquesses Verses Exeunt ACT III Scene 8. Enter the Lady Victoria and many of her Amazons then enters a Messenger from the Masculine Army MEssenger May it please your Excellence our Lord General and the rest of the Commanders have sent you and your Heroicks a Letter desiring it may be read in a full Assembly Lady Victoria One of you take the Letter and read it One of the women takes the Letter and reads it to all the Company THE LETTER To the most Excellent of her Sex and her most worthy Heroickesses YOu Goddesses on Earth who have the power and dominion over men 't is you we worship and adore we pray and implore your better opinions of us than to believe we are so unjust