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

Scene 2.

Enter the Lord de l'Amour, and the Lady Innocence; the Lord de l'Amour seems to appear angry.

LAdy Innocence.

My Lord, what makes you frown on me, surely I never willingly offended you?

Lord de l'Amour.

But the report I hear of you offends me.

Lady Innocence.

I hope my behaviour is not lyable to any aspertion or evil censure; for, as you have used me civi∣ly, so I have behaved my self modestly.

Lord de l'Amour.

I perceive you are a subtil insinuating young Lady.

Lady Innocence.

Think me not subtil, for being so brod as not to slight your Love; not so uncivil, as to scorn your noble favours; but strive to merit your worthy affections; but if I have erred in my endeavours, pray pardon me, and if you please to tell me my errour, I shall rectify it.

Lord de l'Amour.

I hear you will speak more lyes, than tell truths.

Lady Innocence.

Truly I am too strict a Votary to truth to tell a lye.

Lord de l'Amour.

I should be glad you were vowed one of her Order.

Lady Innocence.

I am so, and have taken the habit of sincerity upon me.

Lord de l'Amour.

Tell me truly, do you never use to lye?

Lady Innocence.

If you have opinion that I never, or seldome, speak truth, let me say what I will, you will still believe it is a lye; but truly, I did never tell a lye as I do know of, but did alwayes speak truth.

Lord de l'Amour.

I hear to my great grief you have many faults, pray mend them.

Lady Innocence.

I am sory there are so many ill reports, or rather aspersions laid on me as to grieve you; but surely, youth cannot commit many faults; but Age, that hath had time to commit faults in; but if you can believe my faults surmounts not all accounts: I shall desire to know them.

Lord de l'Amour.

Examine yourself, and you will find them.

Lady Innocence.

I shall call a particular Councel, and make a General search, and what thoughts, words, or actions, I can find guilty, or prove Cri∣minal, I shall condemn, and sacrifice them on the Altar of Repentance, and crave mercy and forgiveness.

Lord de l'Amour.

Pray do so.

Ex.

Lady Innocence alone.

'Tis strange his humour should be so suddenly changed, from loving professions, kind expressions, and pleasing smiles, to sharp words, and angry frowns; and that he should seem to love me as much as he did, & now, to believe me so little, as it seems he doth, I hope it is only the superfluities of his affections, that runs into the in∣discretion of jealousie.

Ex.

Enter Sanspareile and her Audience. As soon as she hath taken her standing place,

A Messenger Enters.

Messenger.

The Queen of Attention is come to be one of your Audi∣ence.

The Company makes a bustle.

Enter the Queen of Attention, and her Train.

Sir Thomas Father Love kneels down, and kisses her hand.

Queen.

I am come to hear, and see your Daughter, whom same reports to be the wonder of this Age.

Father.

It had been more proper, and fit, for my Daughter to have waited at your Court-Gates, untill your Majesty had comanded her into your pre∣sence, than for your Majesty to come hither, to hear, and see her; but she being a plain bred girle, durst not be so bold.

Queen.

If your Daughters wit be answerable to her beauty, she is a won∣der indeed.

Sanspareile comes off from the place where she stands, and makes 3. Obeysan∣ces, and coming near kneels down, and kisses the Queens hand.

Lady Sanspareile.

Madam, this gracious honour, and honourable grace, is beyond the management of my young years; the evil of my weak confidence, and the compass of my little wit, and my obscure breeding, hath made me so Ignorant, that I know not in what manner I should behave, or address my¦self towards your Majesty; but if I commit faults in misbehaviour, pray im∣pute it to my ignorant youth, and not to disobedience.

Queen.

I see nothing yet in your behaviour, but that you may be not only a pattern for young, but also for grave Age, to take example from.

Sanspareile.

Madam, the generosity of your Maiesties Nature, the Mag∣nificence of your Majesties mind, and the Charity of your Majesties disposi∣tion, gives an overflowing commendation, like to the goodness of the Gods, that gives more to the Creature, than the Creature can deserve.

Queen.

Let me tell you young Lady, your speeches are as pleasing to the eare, as your beauty is delightfull to the eye.

Sanspareile.

Your Majesty is like a Deity, can turn or translate words, like poor Mortals, into a glorified sence, like as into a glorified body.

Queen.

Sir Thomas Father Love, if your Daughter speak at all times, and alwayes so eloquently, I should not wonder you let her speak in pub∣lick.

Father,

I beseech your Majesty, that you will rather judge me an over fond Father, which is natural, than a vain opiniatour, in that I give her liberty to speak in publick.

Queen.

If it were a vanity, it might be well forgiven; but pray let me hear her speak.

Sanspareile makes three obeysances as she steps back from the Queen to her standing-place, and then ascends.

Sanspareile.

Great Queen! I, nor no other, should offer, or dare to speak before, or to such Supreme persons as your Majesty, without a sore preme∣ditation; for the words and behaviours of speakers should be fitted to the de∣grees and qualities, Powers, Offices, and Authorities of the Auditory; But your Majesties commands makes that an obedient duty, that would other∣wayes be a presumption; wherefore, on the ground of duty I speak at this time before your Majesty; but the Royalty of your person, the brightnesse of your beauty, the fame of your vertues, and the glorious splendour of your Majestical Grandeur hath so amazed me, that my understanding is as it were blind, which will cause my tongue to stagger, and my words to run stumbling out of my mouth; but I hope your Justice will pardon them; For, as Divine Justice belongs to the Gods, moral Justice to Nature; so humane Justice to Monarchial Princes, which justice is weighed and measured out according to merit, or desert, be they good or bad: For which Justice Gods and Prin∣ces are both feared and loved; and Justice is the chief Pillar or upholder of Monarchical States and Common-wealths; for without Justice there can be no Government, and without Government there can be no Rule, and without Rule there can be no peace, and where peace is not, there will be warrs and, warrs causeth ruine and destruction; But for the most part, those Kingdomes that have arrived to the height of Glory, declines or falls to ruine: The reason is, that a low condition is necessitated, and weak; wherefore they seek for help to strengthen themselves, which makes or rather forces every particular person to associate, & unite either by Laws of Covenants, to which they submit and obey: But when a Kingdom is in a Glorious condition, and is full of prosperity, every particular Citizen or man thinks he can stand upon his own foundation, flinging off their suppor∣ters, which is Duty, and obedience, which makes them fall to ruine; For when men comes to that height of pride, caused by prosperity, that they all strive to be Superiours, and Commanders; they become Factious and muti∣nous against the Magistrates, Rulers, or Governours; which Factions begets warrs, either by calling in Forriegners, or by making, or siding into parties a∣mongst themselves; for it is to be observed, that States, or Monarchies do oftner fall by the pride and Factions of the Commons, or Subjects, than by the Tyranny of the Rulers or Governours; But it is the nature of the vulgar sort of man-kind, to be the most basest, fearfulest & dejected Creatures in ad∣versity, that Nature hath made, and in prosperity to be the proudest, insulting∣est and imperious and cruelest of all Creatures. But Kings and Royal Prin∣ces should do as Gods, which is to keep their Subjects in aw, with the Super∣stitious fear of Ceremonies; wherefore Princes should do no actions, no, not the meanest, without Ceremony to astonish the vulgar; for Ceremonies be∣gets

fear, fear begets Superstition, Superstition Reverence, Reverence Obedi∣ence, Obedience brings Peace, Peace brings Tranquility; But where Cere∣monie is not used, the Gods are neglected, and Princes dispised; for Ceremo∣nie is the Throne which Gods and Princes sits on, which being pulled a∣way, they fall from their Glory; for Ceremonie is the Royal Crown which makes them Majestical, it is the Scepter by which they rule, it is the Altar at which all the Subjects kneel, do bow, and they offer up there their natural free liberty.

But most glorious Princess, you and your Subjects are like the Sun, and the rest of the Planets, moving perpetually, keeping their proper Sphere, they moving in civiler loyalty about you, to receive the light of your Authority, and you move in them as the just center, spreading your glorious beams round about the Circumference of your Dominions, and in the light of your com∣mands they see their duty: And your Laws are like the fixed Starrs, which twinkling move in the night of great offences, and doth assist the innocent with sparkling light. And your Majesty governs like the Gods, your wis∣dome by your Works is known, and by your Wisdome is your Power Immense.

So doing her respects, comes off from her standing, and with three Reve∣rences comes to the Queen.

Queen.

Young Lady let me tell you, that you are fit to be a Governesse, (although you be very Young) that can speak so well of Govern∣ment.

Sanspareile.

'Tis happier for me to be a Subject to so gracious a Sovereign, than if I were govern a people my self.

Ex.