CCXI. SOCIABLE LETTERS WRITTEN BY THE Thrice Noble Illustrious and Excellent PRINCESS THE LADY MARCHIONESS OF NEWCASTLE LONDON Printed by WILLIAM WILSON Anno Dom. M. DC LXIV TO THE LADY MARCHIONESS OF NEWCASTLE On her Book of EPISTLES VVHen all Epistlers you have read and seek Who writ in Latin English French or Greek Such Woful things as they are only fit To stop Mustard-pots to this Ladie 's Wit Nay were they all Alive I Swear I think They'd Burn their Books and Throw away their Ink Make Pick-Tooths of their Pens and for their Paper Only to light Tobacco and each Taper Y'have Spoil'd Commerce Intelligencers Trade None now dares write a Letter so Afraid To be thought Fools and is the Carriers Curse To find his Empty Budget and Lank Purse Nay the Post-house's Ruin'd and will Complain From their Vast Gettings now they have no Gain All now by Word of Mouth and what is spoken Or Gilded Nutmegs or each Tavern-token Nick'd Sticks for Merchants Why would you Undo Your self at once thus and the whole World too After my Hearty Commendations This The Style of States-men still Applauded is Your Flames of Wit this Age may think a Sin A Proclamation then may call it in VV. NEVVCASTLE TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE LORD MARQUESS OF NEWCASTLE MY LORD IT may be said to me as one said to a Lady VVork Lady VVork let writing Books alone For surely VViser Women ne'r writ one But your Lordship never bid me to Work nor leave Writing except when you would perswade me to spare so much time from my Study as to take the Air for my Health the truth is My Lord I cannot Work I mean such Works as Ladies use to pass their Time withall and if I could the Materials of such Works would cost more than the Work would be worth besides all the Time and Pains bestow'd upon it You may ask me what Works I mean I answer Needle-works Spinning-works Preserving-works as also Baking and Cooking-works as making Cakes Pyes Puddings and the like all which I am Ignorant of and as I am Ignorant in these Imployments so I am Ignorant in Gaming Dancing and Revelling But yet I must ask you leave to say that I am not a Dunce in all Imployments for I Understand the Keeping of Sheep and Ordering of a Grange indifferently well although I do not Busie my self much with it by reason my Scribling takes away the most part of my Time Perchance some may say that if my Understanding be most of Sheep and a Grange it is a Beastly Understanding My answer is I wish Men were as Harmless as most Beasts are then surely the World would be more Quiet and Happy than it is for then there would not be such Pride Vanity Ambition Covetousness Faction Treachery and Treason as is now Indeed one might very well say in his Prayers to God O Lord God I beseech thee of thy Infinite Mercy make Man so and order his Mind Thoughts Passions and Appetites like Beasts that they may be Temperate Sociable Laborious Patient Prudent Provident Brotherly-loving and Neighbourly-kind all which Beasts are but most Men not But leaving most Men to Beasts I return to your Lordship who is one of the Best of men whom God hath fill'd with Heroick Fortitude Noble Generosity Poetical Wit Moral Honesty Natural Love Neighbourly-kindness Great Patience Loyal Duty and Celestial Piety and I pray God as Zealously and Earnestly to Bless you with Perfect Health and Long Life as becomes Your Lordships Honest Wife and Humble Servant M. Newcastle TO ALL PROFESSORS OF Learning and Art Most Famously Learned I Wish I could Write so Wisely Wittily Eloquently and Methodically as might be VVorthy of your Perusal but if any of your Noble Profession should Humble themselves so Low as to Read my VVorks or part of them I pray Consider my Sex and Breeding and they will fully Excuse those Faults which must Unavoidably be found in my VVorks But although I have no Learning yet give me leave to Admire it and to wish I were one of your Society for certainly were I Emperess of the VVorld I would Advance those that have most Learning and VVit by which I believe the Earth would rather be an Heaven since both Men and Government would be as Celestial for I am Confident that VVisdom and for the most part Virtue is Inherent in those that are Masters of Learning and Indued with VVit And to this sort of Persons I do Offer my VVorks although to be Condemned on the Altar of their Censure and rest Satisfied with the Honour that they thought them Worthy to be Iudged Thus whether my VVorks Live or Dye I am Devoted to be Your Servant M. N. THE PREFACE Noble Readers I Hope you will not make the Mistake of a Word a Crime in my Wit as some former Readers have done for in my Poems they found Fault that the Number was not Just nor every Line Matched with a Perfect Rime But I can answer for that Book that there be but some such Errors in it and those as it were by Chance besides in some Languages as Latin and Greek which are accounted the Chief they regard not Rimes in their Poems but only an Exact number of Feet and Measures however Rimes and Numbers are only as the Garments and not as the Body of VVit but I have been more Exact in my other Book call'd Natural Descriptions wherein most Verses are Just both for Number and Rimes As for my VVork The VVorld's Olio they may say some VVords are not Exactly Placed which I confess to be very likely and not only in that but in all the rest of my VVorks there may be such Errors for I was not Bred in an University or a Free-School to Learn the Art of VVords neither do I take it for a Disparagement of my VVorks to have the Forms Terms VVords Numbers or Rymes found Fault with so they do not find Fault with the Variety of the Subjects or the Sense and Reason VVit and Fancy for I leave the Formal or VVorditive part to Fools and the Material or Sensitive part to VVise men Concerning my Philosophical Opinions some did say they were too Obscure and not Plain Enough for their Understanding I must confess I writ that Book at first at the same time when I wrote my Poems but to my Reason it was as Plain as I could write it and if some Readers could not Understand it I am not Nature to give them VVit and Understanding yet have I since not only Over-viewed and Reformed that Book but made a great Addition to it so that I believe I have now so clearly Declared my Sense and Meaning therein that those which Understand it not must not only be Irrational but Insensible Creatures As for my Book of Playes some find Fault they are not made up Exactly nor the Scenes placed Justly as also I have not in some Playes caused all the Actors to be of an Acquaintance but
the Linnen or Sweet-meats we ever had of him neither did we know they were his until a Fortnight after Now if she should have been Judged by the Letter without any Examination she might have been Condemned for a Criminal whereas her own Confession and other Witnesses set her Free but Jealousie and Suspicion for the most part are False Accusers and Cruel Judges By this we see how Unquiet and Restless some Married Persons are being alwayes Tortured with their own Thoughts and their Minds are Rack'd on the Wheels of Suspicion But my Husband sent for the Divine that formerly came from her and told him of her Letter and of my Maids Confession and that she had no Cause to be Jealous of her for she was very Virtuous neither had she any Acquaintance with her Husband So the Divine went between and between not to bring Unlawful Lovers together for he was a very Worthy and VVise man but to Pacifie a Disquiet Mind and to make Love and Unity between an Husband and his VVife And so leaving them to Agree I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXXV MADAM I Cannot Blame you if you were in a Passion as in your Letter you Express you were for there is nothing so apt to Inkindle an Anger in my Mind or to Inflame my Spirits than to receive a Contumely from my Superiours or a Rude Boldness from my Inferiours unless Cold Discretion and Fluent Prudence could Quench those Flaming Spirits into an Unactive and Dead Patience VVhen I say Superiours I mean Superiours for Outward Title and not for Inward VVorth But you must Consider Madam that Bold Rudeness or Negligent Contumely proceeds from Ignorance or Envy as either Ignorant of Civil Manners being a Kin to the Brutes or Envious having no VVorth or Merit in themselves and if you call your Reason to Counsel and your Judgment to Decide the Cause those would let them pass as Inconsiderable and not to be Regarded for Reason and Judgment will never regard the Braying of an Ass the Barking of a Dog the Buzzing of a Flie an Idle Drone the Speech of a Fool the Follies of a Knave nor the Envy of the Base But Madam your Worth and Merit is so Transcendent as the Tongue of Malice nor the Eye of Envy can never Reach to no more than the Blind can See the Light of the Sun or the Dumb Teach the Truth of Knowledg and I am Happy in Knowing that I am Madam Your Humble and Devoted Servant CXXVI MADAM IN your last Letter you were Pleased to tell me that the Works of W. T. were so much Admired as many were Desirous to See the Author and Hear him Speak but after they had Seen and Heard him they did not Admire his Works so much as they did before so as it seems they did Esteem the VVorks the Less for the Author and not the Author the More for his Works which in my Opinion is Unjust and a sign they either have not Read the Scripture or not Believed what there is Written viz. That a Man is Known by his Works and we Admire the Creator Through and By his Works but the Foolish part of the World which is the Most part thinks that a Man's Learning or Wit or Ingenuity is Printed in his Face and Expects he should Speak beyond the Invention of Words and such high Raptures as they could not Understand Indeed so Foolish are Most especially Women as when they see a Famous Learned Man or Witty Poet or the like they will streight say Lord Is this the Learned Man that is so Famous that Writ such and such Books how Simply he Looks or Is this the Famous Poet that Writ such Poems Scenes and Songs how Sneakingly he Appears says another I heard no VVit from him but he Spoke as other men Ordinailry do But all such Famous Men if they would not have their VVorks the Less Esteemed for their Presence and Ordinary Conversation and would be Admired by the Most which are the Ignorant must put on a Constrain'd Garb and Speak some Gibbrigge that sounds not like a Perfect Language or some wayes they must Speak that they Understand not and then they shall be Admired both for their Conversation and Contemplation which are their VVorks or they must Incloister themselves from the View of the VVorld for the World of Mankind is apt to Despise that which they Know or have Seen and only Admire that which they Understand not But I have Spoken of this Subject in an Epistle before my Book of Playes wherefore I shall not Trouble you with any more Discourse thereon but rest Madam Your very Faithful Friend and Servant CXXVII MADAM I May not Discommend the Old Historical or Heroick Poets for if I should I should be Condemned for a Fool as not having neither Judgment nor Understanding yet I may say my Reason believes they VVrit Unreasonably not only of their Feigned Gods but of their Feigned Fights and of their Feigned Fortunes or Successes The truth is they are for the most part Romances containing more Lies than Truth more Impossibilities than Probabilities for though Feigning is the Ground of Poetry yet methinks such kind of Poetry should not have such kind of Feignings for to Reason it can neither be Pleasant nor Profitable for Reason takes Delight in Probabilities not in Impossibilities for though the Ground or Subject of an Heroical Story or Poem may be Feigning yet the several Actions should be Natural not beyond the Power of Men nor Unusual to their Practice neither can it be Profitable for what cannot be Practised cannot be Imitated the VVay of VVriting may be Imitated but not the Actions for what One man can Disorder or Rout an Army with his Single Strength or Courage nay what One man can Disorder or Rout a Brigade nay a Company of an Hundred The truth is a Hundred to One is too great Odds to Encounter and too Many for One man to Overcome neither can I believe a Hundred men should be so Afraid of One man were he as Big and as Strong as Goliah so as to Run away unless they did apprehend he had Followers but yet when I remember the Story of Sampson I Dare not say it Cannot be but I Dare say it cannot be without a Miracle wherefore most of the Heroick Poets make their chief Heroes to have the Assistance of particular Gods and Goddesses so as to Impower them above the Effects of Nature but of all the Heroick Poems I have read I like Sir W. Ds. as being Most and Nearest to the Natures Humours Actions Practice Designs Effects Faculties and Natural Powers and Abilities of Men or Human Life containing no Impossibilities or Improbabilities Indeed such an Heroick Poem it is that there cannot be found any Fault therein unless he seem'd to have too much Care or Pains taken in the Expression of his Descriptions for the Language is like so Curious and Finely Ingraven a Seal as one cannot
have heard Reported and therefore in this I cannot say S. A. writes False nor True for it is a Mistake for when the King went into Scotland to be Crown'd in the Way he was pleased to take a Dinner at one of my Lords Houses namely Welbeck which cost between four and five thousand Pounds and the next Summer following as I heard my Lord say the King sent him word that he and the Queen would make a Progress into the Northern Parts and Liking his former Entertainment he Desired my Lord should do the like which he Obey'd for whenas the King came with his Queen thither my Lord to shew his Love Duty and Loyalty made them an Entertainment as one Dinner and a Banquet that cost fifteen thousand Pounds Sterling at his House at Bolesover which is five Miles from the former House call'd Welbeck which Entertainment it seems S. A. Mistook setting down the first for the last or for both but this is not the only Mistake in his History for there are many and not only Gross Mistakes but very False Relations which I can Prove as for Example concerning the Wars in the Northern Parts I know every Particular from the Chief Actor which was my Lord and he is a most True Speaker as being both a Noble Person and a Just and Honest man which all that know him must if Conscience speaks witness for him But Madam you desire me to ask my Lord concerning his Army viz. the Number and by what Power he rais'd so many men as also of the several Successes and how many several Armies were against him I desire you will pardon me if I do not send you a Relation by reason I intend to Write the History of my Lord's Life if I live and he pleases to Inform me as he hath promised he will in which History I intend to Write all the Several Passages and Particular Actions of the Wars in those Parts where my Lord was the Chief for the King as being General to Command all the Kingdom of that side and I will Write it Truly Honestly and Uprightly without any Aggravation or Feigned Illustration for my Lord and I believe that the Chief Principle of Religion Honour and Honesty is Speaking Truth and Doing Justly in all our Actions and I take Heaven to witness that I have Observed in him and Found in my self not so much as an Inclination to do otherwise but alwayes a Delight and Pleasure in Truth and Right But Madam to return to speak of General Histories they are for the most part mere Fables and it is almost impossible they should be otherwise unless every Particular Author do Write his own Story nay those may be False through Vain-glory and Self-partiality unless they be such Noble and Worthy Persons as make Justice Honour and Honesty the Ground and Foundation of their Relations upon which they build their Story And Madam by reason you desire some particular Passages and Affairs concerning my Lord's Actions I shall be the more earnest with him to set some time apart to Declare them to me in the mean time I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXV MADAM AS for our Husbands going into their Native Country in a Glorious Condition as you were pleased to say in your last Letter you were in hope they should do give me leave to tell you I hope well of our going into our Native Country but I doubt of the Glory for our Noble Husbands Losses will Eclipse that Splendor for we shall only find Ruins meet with Opposers and have Debts Attend upon us 't is true I believe we shall be in some better Condition in our Return than in our Banishment but not very much unless we be Restored to our Lands and our Losses Repair'd and our Debts Pay'd all which I doubt for it is probable that those Persons that were the First Honest Actors will be the Last Honest Sufferers Had our Masculine Friends been as Prudent as Honest they would have done like to the Old Saying To be at the Beginning of a Feast and at the Later end of a War but our Friends being at the Beginning of the War will have none of the Feast But setting aside our Losses Crosses and Misfortunes our National Agreement will make you and me Happy although they Restore not our Husbands to their Riches for then we shall Enjoy each others Company where we shall more Freely Converse by Words than we now do by Letters In the mean time I shall Please my self with the Hopes of that Happiness and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXVI MADAM I Am sorry to hear that the Lady H. R. should have any Aspersion cast upon the Honour of her Chastity truly I do believe she doth not deserve it but so full of Detraction the World is that neither Maids VVives nor VVidows can Escape their Slandering Tongues whether Old Ill favour'd Poor or Diseased much less those that are Young Beautiful Rich and Healthful nay not Incloistered Women which have Vowed Virginity are free from Slanders only I believe Sucking Females are not subject to be Mistrusted and it is not only Men that Slander Women but one Woman Slanders another indeed VVomen are the Chief Dishonourers of their own Sex not so much by their Crimes as by the Reproaches of each other some through Envy and some through Jealousie but 't is alwayes a certain Rule that those that are Guilty will never fail to Accuse the Innocent thinking it Hides their Faults or at least Lessens them in having it thought that all other VVomen are as Bad as they themselves some may say then it is to no purpose to live a Strict Life since a Cloister cannot secure them from Slandering Tongues I answer that Slanders must not Deterr Virtuous VVomen from a Reserved Behaviour and Course of Life but these must Endeavour by their Actions and Sober Life to prove Slanders to be Slanders and say all VVomen were Slandered and none did Escape yet Heaven forbid that Virtuous VVomen should be thought Guilty no their Virtuous Life will Quit them and Beget thoughts of Respect and Esteem in every Mind even in their Enemies for though Ill-natur'd Minds have Ill-spoken Tongues yet they cannot Believe what they speak if they have no Ground nor Probability for their Belief Wherefore Women should behave themselves so as to get a Good Belief if they cannot get a Good Report but if VVomen behave themselves so as to cause a Suspicion they are Justly Served if they be Censured both in VVords and Thoughts And as Virtuous VVomen Suffer in Report through the Envy and Jealousie and the like of their own Sex so through the Base Vain-glory of some Men who think it an Honour to be thought Servants to Fair Ladies especially if they be Eminent Persons Professing in all Companies how much they are in Love with them and going to every Place or Company they are in where every Particular will Address himself
this Countrey hath made no breach of Friendship betwixt us for though there hath been a Civil War in the Kingdom and a general War amongst the Men yet there hath been none amongst the Women they have not fought pitch'd battels and if they had there hath been no particular quarrel betwixt her and me for her Ladiship is the same in my affection as if the Kingdom had been in a calm Peace in which Friendship I shall alwayes remain hers as also Your Ladiships most Humble and Devoted S. XVII MADAM THe pure Lady or Lady Puritan is so godly as to follow all those Ministers she thinks are call'd and chosen by the Holy Spirit to preach the Word of God whereas those Ministers preach more their own words than God's for they interpret the Scripture to their own Sense or rather to their Factious Humours and Designs and after their Sermons their female Flocks gossip Scripture visiting each other to confer Notes and make repetitions of the Sermons as also to explain and expound them for first the Minister expounds the Scripture and then the Women-hearers expound the Sermon so that there are expoundings upon expoundings and preaching upon preaching insomuch as they make such a medly or hash of the Scripture as certainly the right and Truth is so hidden and obscur'd that none can find it and surely the Holy Spirit whom they talk so much of knows not what they mean or preach being so much and such Non-sense in their Sermons as God himself cannot turn to Sense but howsoever it works on some to a good effect and causes as much Devotion amongst many as if they preach'd Learnedly Eloquently and interpreted Rightly and to the true sense meaning for many sorrowful penitent tears are shed but whether they be bottled up in Heaven I know not certainly Mary Magdalen could not Weep faster for the time or fetch deeper Sighs or stronger Groans for her Sins than they do which shews that they have been grievous Sinners but whether their Sins were of the same kind as hers were I cannot tell and I think they would not confess for Confession they account Popish But truly and verily the Lady Puritan who hath been to visit me this afternoon hath so tired me with her preaching Discourse as I think I shall not recover my weary Spirits and deafned Ears this two dayes unless a quiet sleep cure me nay she hath so fill'd my head with words as I doubt it will hinder my silent Repose howsoever I 'le try and so taking my leave as going to bed I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. and S. XVIII MADAM I Observe there is an emulation between the Lord V. A. and the Lord G. V. for Worth and Merit striving which shall excell each other in Virtue Noble Qualities Practicable Arts Learn'd Sciences Witty Poetry and the like as for Justice Temperance Valour Fortitude Generosity Gratitude Fidelity and Loyalty as also for Courtesie Civility and Obligements for wise Forecasts prudent Managements industrious Ingenuities noble Commands and honest and conformable Obedience likewise for graceful Behaviours and handsom Demeanours also for Fencing Riding Vaulting Wrestling and the like for proper and fit Sciences for Noble Persons to be learn'd and known as Fortification Navigation Astronomy Cosmography Architecture Musick and History and for Wit as Scenes Songs Poems and the like and this Emulation makes them Admire Love Respect and Praise each other and watch all opportunities to Oblige each other thinking and esteeming it a Happiness so to do for the effects of Emulation are quite different from the effects of Envy for Envy is full of Dispraise and Detraction either covertly or openly and watches all opportunities to do Mischief and to obscure the Beauty of Virtue and the grace and becoming demeanours of Virtuosoes whereas Emulation rejoyces when Virtue is visibly Seen and justly Praised and Virtuosoes highly Commended indeed Emulation dwells with the Worthiest Persons Envy with the Basest But Madam 't is a wonder in an age so basely Bad there should be two persons so nobly Good when most men spend their time so idely Vain that they should spend their time so ingeniously Prudent when Vice is advanced and Virtue disgraced that they should should Shun that advancement and imbrace Virtue when Treason is Rewarded and Loyalty Punished that they should loyally Suffer and not basely Betray when Flattery is heard and Truth rejected that they should choose to be Silent or Speak what they think They covet not Office Authority and Wealth nor do they ambitiously strive to Command but when they are employed they do not grow proud with their Authority and Place nor richer by taking Bribes nor do they partially Favour their Friends nor are they Unjust to their Foes they use no Malice nor Favour but are Upright and Just and in their Commands in War or Governments in Peace although they are carefully Strict they are not Imperious nor Cruel but in short they endeavour to serve their King Loyally their Country Faithfully and every particular Man Generously if it lie in their power But leaving these two Nobles to their Glorious Emulatings I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. S. XIX MADAM AS the Emulation between the Lord V. A. and the Lord G. V. was Commendable and worthy of great Praise so the Envy between the Lord P. R. and the Lord M. A. is Discommendable and worthy to be Condemn'd for they strive not to imitate equally or surpass each other for Worth and Merit for Courtesie and Civility for Valour and Generosity for Learning and Poetry but strive to imitate equally or surpass each other in Expences and Bravery for Shew and Vain glory for Offices and Honour for Vice and Vanity as which shall make more luxurious Feasts delicious Banquets masking Scenes dancing Balls gay Shews as brave Cloaths gilded Coaches laced Liveries many Pages Lackies hackny Horses and handsom Mistresses also they strive for Court Preferments each would have All Offices and Honours although perchance neither could well discharge any One Place or Office Wisely if Honestly nor be worthy the Least Title they are ambitious of also they strive to be out-Flattered which Flatterers they maintain at great charge and to compass their each out-stripping or out-reaching Designs they will crouch Basely flatter Grosly bribe Liberally wait Diligently watch Carefully and attend Patiently But I foresee their Fate which is they will die despised Beggars for if they get their Designs they will be Losers for the Bribes they give for them and their Presents and Entertainments are more than their Designs are worth and more than they shall gain by them if gotten but if their Designs fail them they will be double losers besides the expence of their gay Vanities so what with out-braving out-bribing and out-spending each other they will both be soon out of their Estates for if they spend upon their Stocks or Credits or both they will have nothing left to spend and when they
said somewhat that his Wife had great reason to take Unkindly knowing her Virtue had deserv'd more loving Expressions from him especially in an open Assembly which Unkindness forced Tears through her Eyes but they were becoming Tears for they did not cause the Feature in her Face to be Distorted for she appear'd in her Countenance Sweet and Amiable as if there had been no Discontent in her Mind neither did she shew any Discontent in her Words or Behaviour for she neither Complain'd nor Rail'd at her Husband nor Quarrel'd with him nor rose from the Table in a Passion to the Disturbance of the Company as most Women would have done and often do when they are Displeased or Anger'd but she wip'd the Tears from her Eyes and Addrest her self as she did before to Entertain her Friends Civilly and Courteously and when they had all Dined and the Cloth taken away she ask'd pardon of her Friends for her Tears saying her Tears had made their meeting appear rather as a funeral Condoling than a merry Feasting But truly said she I could not help it for they would not be restrain'd do what I could for some words my Husband spoke caused a Storm of Grief in my mind which rais'd up Billows of Tears that overflow'd my Eyes yet said she the Dearest and Loving'st Friends will both Take and Give Cause of Exception sometimes for not any Man or Woman is so Perfect as not to Err and thus her Discretion did not suffer her Passion to Disturb her Guests and her good Nature did Excuse her Husband's Folly and her Love did Forgive his Disrespect to her But the Lady C. C. did not behave her self so for her Husband Sir G. C. and she had invited many of their Friends to a Feasting Dinner and she as the Mistress to order all affairs belonging to a Wife took upon her to order the Feast and being a Mode-Lady would have a Mode-Feast but the Cook knowing his Master loved rost Beef sent in a Chine of rost Beef to the Table and when her Guests were all Set and beginning to Eat she spied the Chine of Beef whereat she was very angry to have as she thought her Feast disgraced with an old English fashion and not only an Old but a Countrey fashion to have Beef serv'd to their Table wherefore she to shew her self a Courtier rather than a Country-Lady commanded one of the waiters to take the Beef from the Table Sir G. C. her Husband desired not to have it taken away for said he I love Beef better than any other Meat but she to express she had a Ladies Nice Stomack or rather a Nice Ladie 's Stomack said the Beef was fulsom to her Eyes and made her Stomack sick to see it her Husband bad her to look upon some of the other meat and to give him leave to eat of what he lik'd but she would not agree to that for said she the very Smell was Offensive to her and therefore she would have it taken away he said it should not be taken away untill he had eaten as much as he would but in fine their words Multiplied and gathered together in an outragious Tumult raised their voices into an Uproar and then from Words they went to Blows flinging whatsoever came next to hand at one anothers head their Guests being in danger to be Hurt rose from the Table and Sir G. C. and his Lady rose also and went to Cuffs but their Friends did soon part them and the Lady went Crying into her Chamber and was Sick because she had not her Will at least Feign'd her self Sick As for their Guests they were rather invited to Fast than to Feast as it fell out for all the fine Quelquechose was spoil'd and overthrown in the hurly burly but the Beef was so Substantial and Solid as it strongly kept its place on which the Guests might have Fed but Fright Noise and Disorder had taken away their Appetite to Eating Thus Madam I have related these Feasts and Entertainings to let you know the different Humours and Behaviours of these two Ladies the one having cause to be Angry did Patiently and Discreetly pass over her Injury appearing Celestial the other out of a vain Humour fell into a raging Passion the truth is she shew'd her self a Fool and behav'd her self as Mad. But leaving the Angelick Lady to be a Pattern to her Sex I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. S. XXXIII MADAM I Do not wonder that the Lord C. R. should delight in Effeminate Pastimes as Dancing Fidling Visiting Junketting Attiring and the like because he is an Effeminate Man fitter to Dance with a Lady than to Fight with an Enemy nor do I wonder that the Lord N. W. practises Riding Fencing Vaulting Shooting Hunting Fortifying Navigating and the like because he is an Heroick Man fitter to Conquer a Nation than to Dance a Galliard or Courant nor I do not wonder that the Lord A. M. Drinks Whores Games and the like because he is a Debauch'd Man apter to Quarrel than to Fight neither do I wonder that the Lord L. V. Studies Reads Writes Travels Inquires and Searches for Right and Truth because he is a Wise Man nor I do not wonder at the Lord F. O. that loves Amorous Courtships because he is an Idle Man nor I do not wonder at the Lord C. H. that Prayes to God Sends to the Sick and Relieves the Poor because he is a Good Man nor do I wonder at the Lord W. I. who Extorts Exacts and Deceives because he is a Wicked Man neither do I wonder at the Lord C. C. who Visits the Meritorious Applauds the Worthy Assists the Industrious and the like because he is a Generous Person nor I do not wonder at the Lord G. R. that he Speaks false with his Tongue Dissembles in his Countenance Betrayes in his Actions because he is a Base Man Thus Madam we may divide Mankind into eight parts or rather into four for those four as the Effeminate Idle Wicked and Base are but the Slime and Dung of Mankind and onely the Heroick Wise Good and Generous are the Soul and Body of Mankind the first are neither good for Citizens Magistrates nor Commanders but rather fit to be set in the fore-fronts of Battels to be Destroyed or to fill up Breaches being but Rubbish but then you will say this were the way to Destroy most Men in the World the truth is if it were not for such Men and Ravenous Beasts the World would be rather a Heaven than a World But leaving them and Beasts I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant XXXIV MADAM YOu were pleased to Express to me in your last Letter that you have been in the Country to see the Lady M. L. who seems Melancholy since she was married which is a sign she is not pleas'd with the Condition of her Life I believe one of the causes of her Melancholy is that she is in the Country wherein is
can hardly believe God can be Pleased with so many Words for what shall we need to Speak so many Words to God who knows our Thoughts Minds and Souls better than we our selves Christ did not teach us Long Prayers but a Short One nay if it were lawful for Men to Similize God to his Creatures which I think it is not God might be Tired with Long and Tedious Petitions or often Repetitions but Madam Good Deeds are Better than Good Words in so much as One Good Deed is better than a Thousand Good Words As for Example One Act of Upright Justice or Pure Charity is better than a Book full of Prayers a Temperate Life is better many times than a Praying Life for we may be Intemperate even in our Prayers as to be Superstitious or Idolatrous Indeed every Good Deed is a Prayer for we do Good for Gods sake as being pleasing to him for a Chast Honest Just Charitable Temperate Life is a Devout Life and Worldly labour is Devout as to be Honestly Industrious to Get and Prudent to Thrive that one may have where with all to Give for there is no Poor Begger but had rather a Penny than a Blessing for they will tell you that they shall Starve with Dieu vous assiste but be Relieved with a Denar Wherefore the Lady P. Y. with her much Fasting and long Praying will Starve her Self and Waste her Life out before the Natural Time which will be a Kind of Self-murder and we hold Self-murder the Greatest Sinn although it should be done in a Pious Form or Manner but to Help a Friend in Distress is Better and more Acceptable than to Pray for a Friend in Distress to Relieve a Beggar in Want is better than to Pray for him to Attend the Sick is better than to Pray for the Sick But you will say both do Well I say it is Well Said and Well when it is Done but the One must not Hinder the Other wherefore we ought not to Leave the World to Pray but to Live in the World to Act as to Act to Good Uses and 't is not enough to Give for the Poor but to see that the Poor be not Cousen'd of their Gifts wherefore they ought to Distribute their Gifts Themselves and to be Industrious to Know and to Find out those that do Truly and not Feignedly Want neither must their Gifts make the Poor Idle but set the Idle Poor awork and as for those that cannot VVork or Help themselves as the Old Sick Decrepit and Children they must be Maintain'd by those that have Means and Strength and Health to Attend them But perchance if the Lady P. Y. heard me she would say I were one of those that did Speak more Good VVords than Act Good Deeds or that I neither Spent my Time in Praying nor Pious Acting Indeed I cannot as the Proud Pharisee Brag and Boast of my Good Deeds but with the Poor Publican I must say Lord have Mercy on me a miserable Sinner yet I must say thus much Truth of my Self that I never had Much to Give for before the VVarrs of this Country I was too Young to be Rich or to have Means in my Own Power of Disposing and since the VVarrs all my Friends being so Ruined and my Husband Banished from his Native Countrey and Dispossest of his Inherited Estate I have been in a Condition rather to Receive than to Give Yet I have not done much of either for truly I am as Glad not to Receive as Sorry not to Give for Obligation is as great a Burden to me as not be Able to Oblige is an Unhappiness not that I account it so great an Unhappiness to be in such a Condition as to be fit to Receive but to Receive in such a Condition as not to be Able to return the Obligation for the Truth is I had rather Suffer for Want than Take to be Relieved But I thank God I have not had many of those Burdens of Obligations some few I have had but those were from my near Relative Friends not from Strangers which is a Double nay a Treble Blessing but my Condition is fitter for Prayer as having not sufficient Means to do Good Works my Husband being Rob'd of all his Estate than the Lady P. Ys. who hath Saved all she can lay Claim to Wherefore leaving her to her Prayers of Thanksgiving and I to Prayers of Petitioning I rest Madam Your very faithful Friend and Servant LX. MADAM I Am sorry to hear there is such a Difference betwixt the Lady F. O. and her Husband as they are upon Parting I wish their Humours and Dispositions were more Agreeable and their Froward Passions less Violent I cannot Condemn Either nor Excuse Both for if they Anger each Other they have Both cause to be Angry and are Both to be Blamed for so Doing and so Both together they ought to be Condemned but Each apart to be Excused But Marriage is a very Unhappy Life when Sympathy Joyns not the Married Couple for otherwise it were better to be Barr'd up within the Gates of a Monastery than to be Bound in the Bonds of Matrimony but whenas Sympathy Joyns Souls and Bodies in Marriage then those Bonds are like Diamond-Chains to Adorn not to Inslave them and Heroick Honour and Chastity are the two Thrones whereon a Married Couple is Placed Heroick Honour is the Throne of the Husband and Chastity the Throne of the Wife on which Love Crowns their Lives with Peace and Inrobes or Inclothes them with Happiness which Happiness you Enjoy which is also the Joy Madam Of Your faithful Friend and Servant LXI MADAM I Am sorry to hear you have lost so Good a Servant as E. L. was for she was Faithful Trusty Loving Humble Obedient Industrious Thrifty and Quiet Harmlesly Merry and Free yet full of Respect and Duty which Few Servants are in this Age for most are Idle Cousening Wastful Crafty Bold Rude Murmuring Factious and Trecherous and what not that is Evil But truly Madam the Fault ought to be laid on the Masters and Mistresses who either give their Servants ill Examples by their Evil or Idle Life or through a Creduluos Trust which is a Temptation to a Poor Servant and it is a part of our Prayer Lead us not into Temptation or through a Neglect of Governing for there is an old true Saying The Masters Eye makes the Horse Fat or through a Timorous Fear of Commanding for many Masters are Afraid to Command a Peremptory Servant being more in Aw of the Servant than the Servant of the Master or through much Clemency giving their Servants their Wills so much as they neglect their Duties or through their Prodigality when to Inrich their Servants they make themselves Poor so as the Servant becomes Greater than the Master which makes them so Proud that they Slight their Commands and Neglect their Services Forgetting who Advanced them and are apt to Rebel against them just like
I find that they Praise Themselves and Dispraise all Others which expresses a great Self-dotage and a very Ill Nature besides they seem more Covetous than Generous to desire All the Praise and to give their Neighbour not Any In truth VVriters should never speak of themselves but in Praefatory Epistles or in a History of their own Lives wherein they may freely declare their own Acts and Opinions But Madam I wish that all Writers would use their Pens as your Noble Lord and Husband orders his Discourse in Speech to speak the Best of all men and to Bury their Faults in Silence which would make Virtue an Emulation and Faults such a Novelty as men would be Asham'd to Commit them whereas declaring Former Faults causes Precedent Faults no Strangers nay it causeth Precedent Faults to be more Confident and Active But Madam you are so Innocent and Harmless as you are not acquainted with the Faults of others for which I am Madam Your most humble Servant and faithful Friend LXXIV MADAM YEsterday a Consort of Learning and Wit came to Visit me but they became at last to be a Discord This Consort was Natural Philosophers Theological Scholars and Poets and their Discourse was their Musick the Philosophers were the Bass the Theologers the Tenor and the Poets the Treble all which made an Harmony wherein was Variety and Delight but the Poets that love Change of Place Company and Pastime went away and left the Philosophers and Theologers who began a Serious Discourse which was Dull and somewhat Tedious for it was concerning the Soul as also the Immortality of the Soul some of the Theologers said the Souls of Men were part of the Spirit of God others the Souls of men were the Breath of God others they were a Light proceeding from God and all these Concluded that the Souls were an Immaterial or Incorporeal Form but the Natural Philosophers said that Mens Souls or any such Soul was an Essence which was the Purest Matter or Quintessence In and Of Nature but the Theologers would not allow that Opinion and said the Natural Philosophers were Atheists whereupon the Natural Philosophers said that the Theologers were Ignorant and full of Fallacy and Sophistry for said they How can No Matter have a Form or a Being and if Souls are the Spirit of God they cannot possibly be Evil and if they be the Breath of God they cannot be Corruptible if so then the Souls of Men cannot be subject to Sin and if not subject to Sin in Justice they were not subject to Punishment and if the Souls of all Men were produced from God as the Beams of Light from the Sun although the Beams might be Obscured with Dark Clouds or Gross Vapours yet they did not Lose any of their Purity or Propriety nay though the Sun Beams were Capable to Lose their Purity or Propriety yet the Beams proceeding from God could not for whatsoever Proceeds Immediately from God can neither be Alterable nor Impure at last the Theologers and Philosophers became so Violent and Loud as I did fear they would have Fought if they had had any other Wounding Weapons than their Tongues but Heaven be praised they had no Killing Swords and so they did no harm to each other but after the Violence of their Dispute was past I ventur'd to speak saying Noble Gentlemen you have Discoursed more Learnedly than Knowingly and more Vainly than Wisely for Solomon sayes that not any thing is throughly Known and that all is Vanity under the Sun as well that which hath been as what is and shall be and yet his Wisdom proceeded from Gods particular Gift wherefore leave the Foolish Custom of Disputing and bring in a Devout Custom of Praying leaving your Souls to Gods disposing without troubling them with Idle Arguments and hearing me talk Simply they laught at my Innocency and in their Mirth became Good Friends and Sociable Companions and after some time they took their leave and left me to relate their Discourse in a Letter to your Ladiship So leaving your Ladiship to your own Contemplations I remain Madam Your faithful Friend and humble Servant LXXV MADAM IT is seldom known that a Perfect and Famous Poet or Philosopher was ever very Cruel David and Solomon were the most Bloody but they were Kings and it seems Reason of State was too forcible for Good Nature and there is no Rule but hath some Exception But had I Children I would endeavor with all the Rational Arguments Witty Discourses I were Capable of to perswade them to delight in Poetry and Philosophy that they might be Civil Generous and Just which would be a Greater and more Lasting Honour to them than Wealth or Titles besides the Pleasure of Thoughts and Tranquillity of Mind would be a Heaven upon Earth all which Silent Contemplation brings them unto for Contemplation brings Consideration Consideration brings Judgment Judgment brings Reason Reason brings Truth Truth brings Peace also Consideration brings Conception Conception brings Fancy Fancy brings Wit and Wit brings Delight But you will say Nature hath not made all Mankind Capable of Good Instruction 't is true but give me leave to say that I believe there are more Faults in Educators than in Nature but Madam I have no Children therefore no Tutoress and if I had Children 't is likely I should have done as most Parents do which is to Breed them up in Vanity and not in Virtue but Madam you have Children which I am confident will be Sweetly Disposed like your Self for you Breed them Gently rather with Reason than with Rods wherein you do Wisely and Kindly and I wish all Parents and Tutors may take an Example from you who are a Lady of such Perfection as I account my Self Honoured to be Madam Your Humble and Devoted Servant LXXVI MADAM SInce I last writ to you I have been to hear Mrs. P. N. Preach for now she is as I did believe she would be viz. a Preaching Sister There were a great many Holy Sisters and Holy Brethren met together where many took their turns to Preach for as they are for Liberty of Conscience so they are for Liberty of Preaching but there were more Sermons than Learning and more Words than Reason Mrs. P. N. began but her Sermon I do not well remember and after she had Sighed and VVinded out her Devotion a Holy Brother stood up and Preached thus as I shall briefly relate to you DEarly beloved Brethren and Sisters We are gathered together in the Lord with Purity of Spirit to Preach his Word amongst us We are the Chosen and Elect Children of the Lord who have Glorified Spirits and Sanctified Souls we have the Spirit of God in us which Inspires us to Pray and to Preach as also to Call upon his Name and to Remember him of his Promise to Vnite and Gather us together into his New Ierusalem separating us from Reprobates that we may not be Defiled with their Presence for you Dear
wherefore said I the best is to leave this Discourse and Discourse of some other Subject that is more Sociable as being more Conceivable Then they Laugh'd and said they would Discourse of VVomen I said I did believe they would find that VVomen were as Difficult to be Known and Understood as the Universe but yet I thought they would find them more Sociable at which Expression they made themselves very merry but being my near Relative Friends I took their Mirth in good part as I hope you will do this Long Letter Knowing the Length of my Letter is to Express my Obedience to your Commands in which I shall prove my self Madam Your Faithful Servant CXII MADAM YOu writ in your last Letter that I had given our Sex Courage and Confidence to Write and to Divulge what they Writ in Print but give me leave humbly to tell you that it is no Commendation to give them Courage and Confidence if I cannot give them Wit But Madam I observe our Sex is more apt to Read than to VVrite and most commonly when any of our Sex doth VVrite they Write some Devotions or Romances or Receits of Medicines for Cookery or Confectioners or Complemental Letters or a Copy or two of Verses all which seems rather as Briefs than Volumes which Express our Brief VVit in our Short Works and to Express my self according to the Wit of our Sex I will end this Letter onely give me leave to subscribe my self as truly I am Madam Your Ladiships faithful Servant CXIII MADAM IN your last Letter you were pleased to tell me you were invited to a Meeting where many Ladies and Gentlemen were and amongst their several Discourses the Lady M. L. spoke of me saying I liv'd a Dull Unprofitable Unhappy Life Imploying my time onely in Building Castles in the Air. Indeed if I were of her Ladiships Humour I should be Unhappy but as I am I would not change the Course of my Life with her Ladiship might I have the years of Methusalem to boot and as for the Minds Architecture as Castles in the Air or Airy Castles which are Poetical Conceptions and Solitary Contemplations which produce Poems Songs Playes Masks Elegies Epigrams Anagrams and the like they will be more lasting than Castles of Wood Brick or Stone and their Architecture if well Designed and Built will be more Famous and their Fame spread farther than those of Stone viz. to the View and Prospect of divers Nations if Translated into divers Languages whereas Castles of Timber Brick or Stone cannot be Removed nor Translated if Built upon the Ground neither is the Minds Architecture and Castles subject to Ruin as Castles of Stone which are subject to Time Accidents and the Rage of VVars by which they are Destroyed or Moulder to Dust and are Buried in Oblivion whenas Poetical Castles are set in Fames Palace neither doth the Building of Poetical Castles Impoverish and Ruin the Builder's Families as Corporeal Castles of Timber Brick or Stone for the most part do VVasting their VVorldly VVealth so much as they leave nothing for their Posterity but leave them to Poverty which Poverty forces them many times to Act Dishonourably so that what Fame they get by building Brave and Sumptuous Castles Houses Tombes and the like they lose by their Childrens Base Sharking Cheating Robbing and VVicked Actions and so instead of Fame get Infamy at best those Builders are accounted but Vain and Prodigal whenas the Architecture of the Mind which she names Castles in the Air give a Reputation not only to the Building but to the Builder's Temporal Posterity neither doth the Builder need any other Monument or Tomb than his Own Airy Works which if Curiously Composed and Adorned with Fancies Similitudes Metaphors and the like and Carefully Written and Printed are more Glorious Stately and Durable than Tombes or Monuments of Marble Costly Gilt and Carved nay more Lasting than the Tomb of Mausolus for Homer's Works Live and are Publick to the View whereas that Famous Monument is Consumed and onely Mentioned there was such a thing and yet is was one of the Corporeal Wonders of the World the like of the great Colossus and what is become of the Egyptian Pyramids By this we see that Poetical Castles are both Profitable and Lasting and will be Remembred when the Lady M. L. is Forgotten but as much as she Slights Poetical Castles she would be well Pleased to have an Epigram made in her Commendation and she will Crowd hard Sit so Long in a Masking Room upon a Scaffold as to be Incommoded in her Seat and Benumb'd with Sitting to see a Mask and she will be at the Charge to give Mony to See a Play and will sit two or three hours as a Spectator and Weep or Laugh as the Poet pleases to have her also she will be as Amorous as any Lover the Poet can make Indeed the Poet doth make her an Amorous Lover his Wit moves her Mind to Love and Courtships or Loving Courtships but though she Delights in the Poets Works yet she Dislikes the Poets Life and wants a Poets Wit to build Poetical Castles and so leaving her to her Little Wit and Many Words to her Gossiping-Life and her Light Heels I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXIV MADAM IN your last you Express'd that the Lord G. P. was totally Govern'd by one of his Chief men which shews the Man is the Master and the Master the Servant But there are different Governings for Subjects are Govern'd by Laws Children by Natural Love and Fear Servants by Profit and Slaves by Force but Few are Govern'd by Reason and as Few by Honour also Many are Govern'd by Flattery and Partiality and More by Luxury for the Sensual Appetites of the Body have a more Forcible Power for the most part than Reason and Temperance hath in the Soul and the Noble Passions or Virtues of the Soul are made Slaves to the Base Appetites of the Body sometimes by Force but oftener by an Insinuating Perswasion and Pleasing Temptation like as the Lord G. P. is Ruled by his Flattering and Insinuating Servant whereas the Appetites should be but as Servants to be Govern'd not Masters to Rule and although they ought to be Attended in their Sicknesses Cherish'd and Nourish'd in their Weakness Imployed in their Healthful Strength yet they must be Corrected in their Extravagancies and Punished for their Disorders But a Man of Honour a Gentleman ought to be Free from them as to have his Mind Free from the Slavery of the Bodily Senses or Sensual Appetites as also from Outward Accidents Fortunes or Objects which is to have his Judgment Understanding Opinion Justice Prudence Fortitude Temperance and the like Free from Partiality and Inticing Perswasions and to let Reason Honour and Honesty be Judges to Decide and Determine all Causes concerning the Actions of Life for though Outward Causes or Things must be made Judges or Governours of Reason Honour and
Time was more Spiteful Mischievous to her Face than it Usually is to others as Time was Spiteful to her so was also Fortune for she is yet Unmarried and begins now to be Melancholy some say for want of a Husband for indeed most Maids account it a great Misfortune to live Long Unmarried it seems they Know not or will not Believe the Cares and Troubles that Accompany a Married Life but perchance her Melancholy may proceed from the Decay of her Beauty seeing her self Neglected and not Regarded for now when she goes to Church not any body takes a Particular Notice of her by which we may observe that Flourishing Beauties are like as Flourishing Favorites Admired Flattered and Followed for the time they are in Favour or like Conquering Generals being Famous whilst they gain Victories but if Fortune Frowns they are Neglected if not Despised the like for Beauty when Faded and Fortune for the most part is an Enemy to Beauty for she doth not so often Advance the Owners as those that are but Indifferent But leaving Beauty to Youth and the Lady to her Parents Care to get her a Rich and Good Husband I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. and S. CLXXXI MADAM THe Lady B. D. was th' other day to Visit me and whilst she was with me in came the Lady A. B. whose Hair is as White as Snow not White by Birth but by Time yet her Face appears Young which is a Wonder but some Persons Hairs will turn White before their Years grow Old but whether she be Old or in her Autumn or Young I will not Question yet she made a Graceful Show and to my Fancy seem'd very Handsom and her Gray Head Became her Well for she had Curled her Gray Hair as Curiously as the Youngest Woman could have done and certainly the Lady B. D. thought she appear'd too Handsome for I never saw any Woman appear more Envious or Spiteful in my Life both in Countenance Behaviour or Words than the Lady B. D. did against the Lady A. B. and the Lady A. B. perceiving the Lady B. D. not to be in a Good Humour endeavoured to Gain her Favour with all the Obliging Civilities she could but all would not do by which we may perceive that nothing can Cure or Abate that Peevish and Self-loving Humour as to desire to be Absolute above the rest of our Sex but a Self-denial caused by a Heavenly Grace Infused into the Soul by a Divine Power to which Divine Power I leave all our Sex and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXXXII MADAM I Heard that the Lord D. D. declares he will Challenge the Lord E. E. to Fight a Duel by which he declares his Present Fear rather than his Future Intention otherwise his Neighbours would have heard of his Fighting Actions before they had heard of his Boasting VVords but I suppose Drink Produced those VVords and not his VVill the truth is Strong Drink or rather the Vapor of it is not only apt to Produce Vain Speeches but Foolish and sometimes Desperate Actions for much Drink many times will cause Cowards to Fight and then Fury Possesses the Room of Fear But leaving the Lord D. D. to his Intended Duel I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXXXIII MADAM I Do not VVonder that those which are Indued and Adorned with the Bounteous Gifts of Nature should Seek and Endeavour to Divulge them the truth is it were not Fit nor VVell that those Gifts as Courage Judgment VVit and Beauty should be Buried in Obscurity but there are many that believe through Partial Self-love for all Mankind have that Love they are Indued and Adorned with such Gifts when all their Neighbours and Friends see they are not so much Favoured but rather Disfavoured with Defects for each man sees each others Defects though not their own But I have Observed that there is a Disagreeing between Nature and Fortune for those that Nature Smiles on for the most part Fortune Frowns on as if Fortune did Envy Nature 's Bounties for though Destiny and Fate hinders Fortunes Malice sometimes yet they more often Assist her or rather Fortune doth Assist them for Fortune is the Servant to Fate by which we may perceive that Nature hath Powerful Opposers or Over-ruling Potents But leaving Fate Destiny and Fortune to their Decrees Power and Fate I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. and S. CLXXXIV MADAM YOu Express'd in your last Letter that Sir W. N. was to Visit you and that you fell into a Discourse of the Humours and Natures of Mankind the truth is the Nature of Mankind is like an Endless Labyrinth past finding out also you Express'd you fell into a Discourse of Governments and I can tell you what I have heard of my Husband viz. that the greatest part of the VVorld of Mankind is Govern'd by Lies and Fables which is that all the VVorld is Govern'd by Religion and there is no Truth certainly but in Christian Religion why then all the Heathen Jews and Turks are Govern'd by Lies and Fables and those are much more than three Parts of the VVorld which shews that most of Mankind are Fools and yet all Men think themselves VVise for although all Mankind are so Ambitious and Covetous as not to be Satisfied yet all men are Satisfied with their VVisdom and VVit thinking they have enough for every man thinks he hath more VVit and is VViser than his Neighbour and is Conceited with himself for it and yet every man sees his Neighbours Follies for Follies are easie to be Seen but Wit and Wisdom lies Obscure whereas if every man had Wit and were Wise there would be no Fools but Mankind is not only Foolish but False I mean most Men in truth there is no Trust in them concerning which I have heard my Husband say that the Wisest thing for this VVorld is to Believe as Little as a man can and for the next VVorld to Believe as Much as a Man can indeed Facility and Credulity in this World are great Enemies to a man's self for they often Betray him into Misfortune and Unhappiness at least into great Errors and Follies for which he is never Pitied but Scorned But I will write you my Husbands Discourse concerning the Natures of Men in his own words said he The Disposition of Mankind for the most part is such as you shall seldom see them Smile or Laugh but at the Follies or Misfortunes of other Men which shews they have so much Love for Themselves as they have no room left for Others nay you shall hardly Converse with any speaking of other men but they will find some Fault or other with them for finding Fault shews they could Mend it and by that means they think they cry themselves up still for the Wiser nay you shall meet with Few Discoursing of others but they will lay Load on them even sometimes to Railing though they never Offended them which shews most Extreme
to seem Foolisher than they are But where there is one Feigned Fool in the World there are a thousand Feigned Wise men and where there is one Professed Mountebank or Jugler there are thousands that are so but will not be Known or Thought to be so Upon this Profess'd Mountebank's Stage there were two Handsom Women Actors both Sisters the one of them was the Mountebank's th' other the Fool 's Wife and as the Saying is that Fools have Fortune his Wife was far the Handsomer and better Actor and Danced better than th' other indeed she was the Best Female Actor that ever I saw and for Acting a Man's Part she did it so Naturally as if she had been of that Sex and yet she was of a Neat Slender Shape but being in her Dublet and Breeches and a Sword hanging by her side one would have believed she never had worn a Petticoat and had been more used to Handle a Sword than a Distaff and when she Danced in a Masculine Habit she would Caper Higher and Oftener than any of the Men although they were great Masters in the Art of Dancing and when she Danced after the Fashion of her own Sex she Danced Justly Evenly Smoothly and Gracefully wherefore in this VVoman and the Fool her Husband I took such Delight to see them Act upon the Stage as I caused a Room to be hired in the next House to the Stage and went every day to See them not to Hear what they said for I did not Understand their Language their Actions did much delight my Sight for I believe they were better than their Wit which as I suppose were but some Stale Bald Jests and Broken Pieces or Senseless Speeches taken out of some Romances or such like Foolish Books But after they had been in this City some Short time for so it seem'd to me to my great Grief the Magistrate Commanded them out of the Town for fear of the Plague which was then in the City although some said the Physicians through Envy to the Mountebank Bribed them out the truth is they had Reason for the Mountebank was then so much in Request as most of the People made him their Doctor and Iaen Potage for so the Fool was named was their Apothecary But they being gone I was troubled for the Loss of that Pastime which I took in Seeing them Act wherefore to please me my Fancy set up a Stage in my Brain and then brought out some Incorporeal Drugs for Incorporeal Diseases to be Bought by Incorporeal People and the Incorporeal Thoughts were the several Actors and my VVit play'd the Jack Fool which Pleased me so much as to make me Laugh Loud at the Actions in my Mind whereas otherwise I seldom Laugh Heartily as the Phrase is but after my Thoughts had Acted Danced and Played the Fool some several times of Contemplating my Philosophical and Physical Opinions which are as the Doctors of and in the Mind went to the Judgment Reason Discretion Consideration and the like as to the Magistrates and told them it was very Unprofitable to let such Idle Company be in the Mind which Robbed the multitude of Thoughts of Time and Treasure whereupon the Magistrates of the Mind Commanded the Fancy-Stage to be taken down the Thought-Actors to go out and would not Suffer them to Cheat or Fool any Longer And so leaving my Mind Free of such Strangers I rest Madam Your faithful Fr. and S. CXCVI. MADAM HEre is no News but that the Lord N.N. lives Nobly Plentifully and Pleasantly which is to live Happily although there is not any man that knows of any great means he hath to Live on which makes it a Wonder he can Live so VVell having so Little whereupon the Lord C. R. asked him how it came that he Lived and Maintained his Family so Honourably being a Ruined man in his Estate and Fortunes He answer'd he had Fortunatus's Purse said the Lord C. R. if you have Fortunatus's Purse you may make VVar and Conquer Kings and Kingdoms for it is the Nature of that Purse never to be Empty but whatsoever is Taken out is Replenished again the Lord N. N. said it was true but said he the Nature of that Purse is whensoever any Mony is offered to be taken out to make VVar the Golden Pistols turn to Leaden Bullets and Bullets without Guns Powder Arms and Men can be of no Use then said he you may Relieve all the Poor and Distressed Persons which are many in this Age Yes said the Lord N. N. more than can be Relieved for that Purse said he hath another Nature for if any offer to take out Mony to Give or Lend it away above the Owners Use it becomes Invisible for though the Owner knows he hath it yet he cannot find it and the Purse is a Sensible Purse for it knows as well as the Owner to what use his Stores shall be Employed Why said the Lord C. R. you Maintain your Servants and Near Friends yes said the Lord N. N. but Servants are for my Use and Children Brothers and Sisters are Part of my self like as a Piece of Cloth that is divided into many Parts yet is still the same Cloth for the Dividing Alters not the Nature or Quality But the truth is Madam Fortunatus's Purse is Prudence and Good Management which keeps out Poverty from a Family and makes a man Thrive as making a Great Shew with a Little Substance and such a Purse all Wise men are Masters of But leaving the Lord N. N. and his Purse I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CXCVII MADAM YOu were pleased in your last Letter to Desire me to write to you my Contemplations which should I Express you would Understand they were very Vain for Solomon sayes All is Vain under the Sun which if so our most Pious and Devoutest Contemplations are Vain but my last Contemplation had the full measure of Vanity where I did imagine my self Empress of the whole World which World was to be Governed by my Fancy Opinion and Approvement and first I would have my Counsel-Ministers of State and Magistrates Philosophers both Natural and Moral and my Court-Officers and Attendants Poets of all sorts so should I Govern Wisely and Live Pleasantly by which I Imagined the World of Men would be so United in Peace Concord and Tranquillity as it would be Harmonious But leaving these Vain Imaginations I am really Madam Your very faithful Servant CXCVIII. MADAM IN your last Letter you Express'd to me that Mr. F. R. was to Visit you and his Discourse was bent all against Women saying that most of their Actions were spent in Dressing and their Thoughts in Devising and Inventing of Fashions and that they were Composed of Nothing but Vanity and made up with Art so that by their Dressing they might be thought rather to be Artificial than Natural Creatures but you Answer'd him Well when you told him he was more Artificial with Formality than
Pudding and in my Opinion it is too much Hast that Spoils it for Good Ingredients VVell ordered cannot be Amiss But Madam having had no Practice I cannot have much Skill in these Meats and 't is Probable my Cook can give better Reasons than I can yet howsoever to Obey your Commands I have given you my Opinion and rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXI MADAM YOu desire my Opinion whether there be a Vacuum or not I have written of it in my Former Books as in my Poems Olio and Philosophical Opinions and cannot write More nor Better of it than I have done there unless I had more Learning or Judgment or VVit or Conceptions or Understanding but yet to Satisfie you I 'le send you the same Opinion or but little different which is that if there were no Vacuum but that all the Universe were full only the Gross Bodies Moved in the Thin Bodies as is held by many they do then the Places of each Solid or Bulky Body must be fitted just to their Measures and their Places must be Supplied so as when they Move the Liquid or Rare Bodies must Contract and Dilate according to the Motion of those Bulky Bodies to fill up their former Places or following Places and to Contract to make Room and Place for those Solid and Grosser Bodies otherwise there would be a Vacuum or a Stoppage of all Natural Motions But I cannot conceive how the Thin or Rare Matter can Contract or Dilate if there be no Vacuum for to my Reason there must be a Space to Dilate and Contract into so as the Rare Parts must be Porous to Contract and there must be Empty Places or Space to Dilate and if they say the Space or Place is the Place or Space where the Solid Bodies were in which they fill up as soon as they Moved out yet the Space or Place must be Empty before the Rare Bodies Enter for two Bodies cannot be in one Place at one Time and if the Great or Solid Bodies leave no Places or Spaces but alwayes Move in Full Matter I cannot Imagine how they should Move if all Places be Full although they should move in Rare or Thin Matter for as I said the Thin Matter must be Porous to Contract and Dilate to make VVay or Fill up for if there were not Pores or Spongy or Hollow Spaces and Places that which is Liquid and Rare would be as Firm as Brass or Glass nay more for those no doubt are Porous for if there were no Vacuum every part would be Press'd and Joyn'd into a Firm Body or Substance nay surely there would be great Confusion amongst all the Works of Nature But why may not Dilatation and Contraction cause Vacuum to be sometimes more and sometimes less But one would think there were no Vacuum in Nature because Nature is Forced or seems to be so as to make VVay for Life by Death as if she had no Room or Space for Life but what was caused by Death But leaving these Empty and Filling Opinions I rest Madam Your faithful Friend and Servant CLXII MADAM REmember when we were very young Maids one day we were Discoursing about Lovers and we did injoyn each other to Confess who Profess'd to Love us and whom we Loved and I Confess'd I only was in Love with three Dead men which were Dead long before my time the one was Caesar for his Valour the second Ovid for his Wit and the third was our Countryman Shakespear for his Comical and Tragical Humour but soon after we both Married two VVorthy men and I will leave you to your own Husband for you best know what he is As for my Husband I know him to have the Valour of Caesar the Fancy and VVit of Ovid and the Tragical especially Comical Art of Shakespear in truth he is as far beyond Shakespear for Comical Humour as Shakespear beyond an Ordinary Poet in that way also he is the Best Heroick Poet in this Age nay in my Judgment in any for I have seen him make Twenty Songs upon one Theme or Subject as Musick and not one Song like another and for Comedies he Hits or Meets or Imitates the Humours of Men so Justly as he seems to go even with Nature Indeed he is such a Person that I Glory more to be his Wife than Livia to be Augustus's Wife or had I been Titus's Wife who was call'd the Delight of Mankind although I never heard he had any for in my Opinion he is as Wise a man as Augustus and of as Sweet a Nature as Titus all which is my Happiness in any Condition of Worldly Fortune in which Happiness I know you Rejoyce and this Rejoyce proves us Inseparable Friends CLXIII MADAM YOu were pleased to desire me to let my Steward receive five hundred Pounds for you here in this Town but you must have a little Patience for they will pay no Mony although it be Due until these Christmass Holy-dayes be past I know not whether they are so Strict as to Receive none methinks they should be apt to Take for they are all busie in Entertainments Eating Drinking and Feasting but I observe some things which I wonder at viz. that Mony should pass or move so Slowly in Matters or Affairs of Right and Due as Debts Rewards and Gratitudes or concerning Honour as Generosity or for Heaven's sake as Charity whenas in Causes of Injustice and Wrong as in Bribes or Wars or for Vice and Vanity as for Unlawful Love Gaming Drinking Gluttonous Feasting Vain shews and Superfluous Bravery it runs about with that Swift Speed that there is no Catching hold of as to Stay it but it seems to be the Minds of Men that hold it from going forth to Good and Noble Uses and the Appetites of Men that make it run to Base Wicked Vain and Foolish Imployments so that we may perceive that the Appetites have more Power to do Evil than the Mind hath Will to do Good But Madam my Will hath a Mind to Serve you although I have not Means nor Power to do it yet in what I can your Ladiship shall alwayes find me Your most faithful Friend and Servant CLXIV MADAM IN your last Letter you writ that your Imployment was to read the History of King Charles the First written by S. A. give me leave to tell you Madam you lose your time in reading that History for it is only a number of Weekly Gazets Compiled into a History wherein are more Falshoods than Truth for he being Mean and Poor had not Wealth nor Power to Inform himself Truly of every Particular Action much less of their Designs but you tell me he mentions an Entertainment my Lord made the King where he sayes it cost 5000 l. or thereabout Condemning another Writer of the same Subject for saying it cost more let me tell you Madam that neither of them was my Lords Steward nor Treasurer to know the Expences but only what they