Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

Scene 10.

Enter the Lady Bashfull, and Reformer her Woman.

LAdy Bashfull.

Reformer, I am little beholding to you.

Reformer.

Why Madam.

Lady Bashfull.

Why, you might have told a lye for me once in your life, for if you had not spoke the truth by saying I was the Lady, they came to see; they would never have guest I had been she, for they expected me to have been a free bold Entertainer, as they were Visitors, which is, as I do perceive, to be rudely familiar at first sight.

Reformer.

But to have told a lye, had been to commit a sin.

Lady, Bashfull.

In my conscience tto please the effeminate Sex, is to praise their beauty, wit, vertue and goa most pious and charitable act in hel∣ping the distressed; Besides, you had not only helped a present distress, but released a whole life out of misery; for as long as I live my thoughts will torment me: O! They wound my very soul already, they will hinder my pious devotions; For when I pray, I shall think more of my bashfull beha∣viour, and the disgrace I have received thereby, than of Heaven; Besides, they will starve me, not suffering the meat to go down my throat, or else to choke me, causing it to go awry, or else they will cause a Feaver; for in my conscience I shall blush even in my sleep, if I can sleep; For certainly I shall dream of my disgrace, which will be as bad as a waking memory: O! that I had Opium, I would take it, that I might forget all things; For as long as I have memory, I shall remember my simple behaviour, and as for my Page, he shall go, I am resolved to turn him away.

Reformer.

Why madam?

Lady Bashfull.

Because he let them come in.

Reformer.

He could not help it, for they followed him at the heels, they

they never stayed for an answer from you, or to know whether you were within or no, and there were a great many of them.

Lady Bashfull.

I think there was a Legion of them.

Reformer.

You speak as if they were a Legion of Angels.

Lady Bashfull.

Nay, they proved a Legion of Divels to me.

Reformer.

There was one that seemed to be a fine Gentleman, but he spake not a word.

Lady Bashfull.

They may be all what you will make them, or describe them, for I could make no distinction whether they were men or women, or beasts nor heard no articulated sound, only a humming noise.

Reformer.

They spake loud enough to have pierced your ears, if strength of noise could have done it, but the Gentleman that did not speak, looked so earnestly at you, as if he would have looked you thorough.

Lady Bashfull,

O that his eyes had that piercing faculty, for then perchance he might have seen; I am not so simple as my behaviour made me appear.

Ex.