TO HER, VVHOSE TRVE LOVE TO VERTVE HATH HIGHLY ENNOBLED HERSELFE, RENOVVNED HER SEXE, Honoured her House: The Right Honourable, the Lady ARBELLA WENTVVORTH; The accomplishment of her Divinest wishes.

SOme moneths are past, since I made bold to recom∣mend to my Right Honorable LORD your Husband, an ENGLISH GENTLEMAN; whom hee was pleased, forth of his Noble disposi∣on, to receive into his Protection. Into whose most Honourable service hee was no sooner en∣tertained, Page  [unnumbered] and upon due observance of his inte∣gritie approved; then upon approvement of his more piercive judgement, he became gene∣rally received. Out of these respects, my most Honourable Lady, I became so encouraged, as I have presumed to preferre unto your service an ENGLISH GENTLEWOMAN, one of the same Countrey and Family, a deser∣ving sister of so generous a brother: Or (if you will) a pleasing Spouse to so gracious a Lover. Whom, if your Honour shall be but pleased to entertaine, (and your noble Candor is such, as she can expect nothing lesse) you shall finde excellently graced with sundry singular quali∣ties, beautified with many choice endowments▪ and so richly adorned with divers exquisite ornaments, as her attendance shall be no dero∣gation to your Honour, nor no touch to your unblemish'd Selfe, to retaine her in your favour. Sure I am, the sweetnesse of her temper, sorts and sutes well with the quality or disposition of your Honour: For shee Loves without any painted pretences to bee really vertuous, with∣out popular applause to be affably gracious, without any glorious glosse to bee sincerely zealous. Her Education hath so enabled her, as shee can converse with you of all places, de∣liver her judgement conceivingly of most per∣sons, and discourse most delightfully of all fashions. Shee hath beene so well Schooled in the Discipline of this Age, as shee onely de∣sires Page  [unnumbered] to retaine in memory that forme which is least affected but most comely; to consort with such as may improve her Knowledge and practise of goodnesse by their company; to entertaine those for reall and individuate friends, who make actions of pietie expressivest characters of theyr amity. Diligent you shall ever finde her in her imployments, serious in her ad∣vice, temporate in her Discourse, discreet in her answers. Shee bestowes farre more time in eying the glasse of her life to rectifie her errors, if there bee any, then the glasse of her face in wiping of such outward staines as might ble∣mish her beautie. Neyther in preserving that, is shee altogether so remisse, as not to retaine that seemely grace in her feature, as may put her in remembrance of the unexpressive beauty and bounty of her Maker. Neate she goes usu∣ally in her attire, which she puts on with more care then cost. And to these shee addes such a well-seeming grace, as she bestowes more beau∣ty on them, then shee receives from them. Phantasticke habits or forraine fashions are so farre from taking her, as with a sleight but sweet contempt they are disvalued by her. She wonders how a wise state should employ so much time in inventing varietie of disguises to disfigure theyr Shape. This makes her desire rather to bee out of request with time, then with a civill and well-composed mind; whose honour it is to bee prized more by her owne Page  [unnumbered] internall worth, then any outward weare. Constant shee is in her behaviour; wherein she affects little, but observes much. With a bash∣full admiration she smiles at these civilized si•∣pring Dames, whose onely glory it is to affect a kind of reserved state; which, as they hold, consists principally in a minc'd speech, set looke, or ginger pace. Shee loves alwayes to bee her selfe, nor to entertaine ought which may estrange her from her selfe. So as, there is nothing in the whole posture of her Behaviour, but with a native gracefull propriety doth infi∣nitely become her. Take upon her to instruct others, shee will not, such is her Humilitie; al∣beit, every moving posture which comes from her, may be a line of direction unto others to follow her. Complement shee affects not, as the world takes it. The word in his owne native and unborrowed signification is good, and in that sence she admits it; but to be restrained to an inforced formality, shee cannot relish it. Whence it is, that she preferres the incompara∣ble Liberty of her mind, before the mutable formality of a Deluded age. Shee desires to be Compleat in the exercise of goodnesse; to im∣prove her Honour not by titles but a lovely and lively proficience, graced with a continuate practise in all vertues. She cannot indure this later introduc'd kind of Complement, which consists in Cringies, Congies, or supple salutes. A cheerefull modesty is her best Complement, Page  [unnumbered] which shee ever weares about her as her chie∣fest ornament. Decency, shee affects in her Cloathes, affability in her Discourse; shee hath made a covenant with her eyes never to wan∣der, nor intentively to bestow themselves on any other object than the glory of her Maker. A proper personage is no such attractive mo∣tive to her eye, to make her loose her selfe. Whatsoever shee undertakes beseemes her, be∣cause shee affects naught but what naturally be∣comes her. Her beauty is her owne; and whatsoever else may better accomplish her. Her pathes are evenly vertuous; her desires truely religious; Piety is her practise; which shee expresseth so fully in every action; as the whole course of her well-disposed life is not so much as justly conscious of the least aspersion. So highly shee values her Estimation, as she will not engage it to suspition. Promises cannot tempt her, nor hope of advancement taint her. She wonders one should preferre a conceit of being great before a desire of appearing good. Protesting Lovers she holds for no better then deceiving Lures. Bee their vowes of seruice never so incessant, their assaults never so vio∣lent; her resolves have vow'd her constant. Hope of Profit cannot surprize her, nor thought of Pleasure vainely delude her. Esti∣mation she holds her highest grace; with which untainted shee purposeth to goe to her Grave. Shee knowes how to fancie; and in her shee Page  [unnumbered] retaines what shee fancies most: A chast soule; this is that she loves, and with which she cheere∣fully lives. Shee was neuer yet acquainted with a passionate ah me; nor a carelesse folding of her armes, as if the thought of a prevailing Lover had wrought in her thoughts some violent Di∣stemper. So seriously doth she taske her selfe to imployment, as she never reserues so much time as to treate of so light a Subject. Yet shee unfainedly vowes, that if it be ever her fortune to make her choyce, her constant affection must never admit any Change. To be Generous in e∣very action, hath beene ever the height of her ambition. Howsoever she might boast of Des∣cent, her desire is to raise it by Desert. Shee holds, no family can bee truely Generous, un∣lesse it be nobly vertuous. Her life must ex∣presse the line from whence shee came. Shee scornes to entertaine one thought below her selfe. Or to detract from the glory of that house from whence she came. As the blood that streames through her veines was nobly Derived, so must it not by any action or affection drawne from the rule of her direction, become corrupted. For Honour, she admits it, but sel∣dome or never admires it; the Staires by which she meanes to clime to it, must be faire & firme, or she will never mount them. She rather ad∣mires the Ages folly; while shee observes how many hazard their high-priz'd liberty, for a vading glimpse of popular glory. Her desires Page  [unnumbered] are higher seated, where they are onely to bee sated. A secure State consists not in styles but vertues, which are Honours surest stayes. There∣fore her highest Honour reflects on her Creator, wherein she is so farre from fearing, as shee is ever wishing more Corrivals. THIS is the GENTLEWOMAN whom I have presumed heere to present vnto your Ladiships seruice;* whose sweete converse will at retired houres afford you choicest solace. Neyther, should you ranke her amongst the lowest of your me∣ney, will it displease her, such is her Humility: for she hath learned as well to obey as command. Nor will she spare for any paines, so her dili∣gence may please. Onely (Madam) be pleased to shine upon her with the gracious raies of your favour,* to shrowd her bashfull endeavours un∣der the wings of your Honour; and entertaine her blushing approach with your benigne Cen∣sure.* So shall you finde a constant desire of re∣quitall in her; and engage Him, whose intimate Zeale to your Honour recommended her,