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

Scene 5.

Enter the Lady Sanspareile, all in white Satin, like as a Bride, and her Father and her audience, which are all Lo∣vers; these stand gazing upon her.

SAnspareile.

This Noble assembly may chance to think it a vanity in me, never to receive any particular visit or adresse from any particular or sin∣gle person, but I do so, by reason life is lost in particular acquaintance, as small Rivers are in running through the earth. But in the publick, life swims as in a full Sea, having a fair gale of observation, and Sailes of opportune time to swim withall, marking the Card of actions, and the Needle of dispositions

drawn or turned by the Loadstone of affection, to the North-pole of Experi∣ence, to guide me safe from the Rocks of slander, and quick-sands of scandal, till I come to the Port of death, there to unload my Lifes Merchandise; and I hope my Voyage may be so prosperous, as I may be inriched with the praises of After-Ages.

Likewise, the reason why I choose to speak in publick, is, that I would not speak idely, for in publick I shall take care of what I speak, and to whom I speak, when in private visitations to single persons, my speech may be care∣lesse with negligence, in which I may throw away my time with my words; For, to speak to no purpose, is to make words useless, and words is the marks to distinguish things, and Figures to number merits with, and Notes to record the noble Acts of men.

But at this time I am to speak by my Fathers command, upon a Subject which my contemplation hath no acquaintance with, which is marriage, and I hear by my Father, that you have all treated with him, or rather intreated him to bestow me in marriage, which is to make me unhappy, not but that I believe what I hear, which is, that you are all persons of Quality, Birth, Breed∣ing, and Merit, far beyond my desert, yet with the best, if any best there be, being all worthy; yet were I a wife to any one, I might be unhappy, by rea∣son marriage is an incumbered life, although the Husband and the Wife were fitly matcht for years, Births, Fortunes, Dispositions, Humours, Capacities, Wits, Conversations, Constancies, Vertues, and affections; and first, by your leave, I will discourse of mens marriage, by reason Man being accounted the Supremer Creature, and alwayes bearing Rule, he shall be first placed. As for marriage, to men it is a great hinderance to a speculative life, it cuts off Phancies Wings, and quenches out the Poetical Fire, it breaks the Engine of invention, disturbs sweet contemplation, corrupts honest Counsels, ob∣structs all Heroick actions, obscures fame, and often times causes infamy by the wifes inconstancies, and many times by her indiscretion; for a man is dis∣honoured if his wife is but thought wanton, or but inclining to be amorous, and though she be as sober in her Nature, and as constant as any woman can be, yet the very suspition is a disgrace, and if the suspition is a disgrace, what is a visible truth? His very Neighbours makes Horns as he passeth by their doors, whilst he sadly and shamefully hangs down his head with a dejected countenance, which makes him seem a Coward and a Fool, although it be unjust that the faults of the wife should be a blemish to the Husbands honour; yet so it is, this being the greatest cause why Husbands are jealouse, which jealousie is more for their Honours sake, than for their Wives affections; thus you see how dangerous a thing it is for man to marry, who must trust his honour to the management of a Foolish Woman, and women naturally like children, inconstant, unlesse education doth rectifie their frail natures, pee∣vish humours, various appetites, and inconstant affection: Likewise mar∣riage is not only apt to corrupt the mind with jealousie, but with Covetous∣nesse; for the extreme fondnesse and natural love of Parents to their Chil∣dren, maks them strive by all their endeavours to inrich them; this makes them gripe their Tennants, pinch and half starve their servants, quarrel and dispute with their neighbours, corrupt Judges take Bribes, besides it makes men apt to rebell, and turn Traitorus, murmuring at their Taxes and impositions, it also makes them timorous and fearful in warrs, by reason their wife and chil∣dren may be ruined by their death. Also it makes them dull in their Con∣versations,

by reason they are alwayes plodding for their worldly affairs; and for the Muses, had a husband time to entertain them, yet the wife would right them, or drive them from him, with their quarreling disputes, or sencelesse prizes; besides most women are as jealouse of the Muses, as of their Maids; but to treat or discourse of married women, is to discourse of a most unhappy life, for all the time of their lives is insnared with troubles, what in breeding and bearing children, what in taking and turning away Ser∣vants, directing and ordering their Family, counting their expences, and dis∣bursing their revenues, besides the vexations with their servants, for their quarreling and combining, for their sloth and sluttery, for their spoiles and carlessnesse, for their treachery and couzenage, and if they have Children, what troubles and griefs do unsue? Troubled with their frowardnesse and un∣towardnesse, the care for their well being, the fear for their ill doing, their grief for their sicknesse, and their unsufferable sorrow for their death; Yet this is the best part, and not to be avoided: But if these troubles be joyned with an ill Husband, it heightens their torments; for if he be a Drunkard, she had better be marryed to a Beast, her nostrils is stencht with the Lees of wine, her eyes are offended with his rude behaviour, and her ears are struck with a cursed noise of cursing and Oaths; and if he be a Gamester, she lives in an unsetled condition, she knows not how soon she may want; for if she have plenty one day, she may be in a condition to beg the next. And if her Hus∣band be inconstant, and loves variety of women: O how jealousie torments her, besides the wrongs she suffers from him! what affronts she receives from his Mistresse! How is she dispised amongst her neighbours? sleighted by her servant, suspected by the world for having some defect? as either to be in∣continent, sluttish, foolish, froward, crosse, unkind, ill natured, sickly, or dis∣eased, when perchance the woman may be worthy to be marcht with a tem∣perate, wise, valiant, honest, rich and honourable man; and if women go fine, and take pleasure in themselves, and Garments, their Husbands are jea∣louse; and if they regard not themselves or Garments, their Husbands dislikes rhem; For though men will swear to their wives they like them better in their old cloaths, than other women in their glorious Apparrel; because they would not have them expensive, yet if their wives neglect themselves, regarding not their dressing, but sleights all outward Adornmentss, and change of Garments as prodigal spend-thrifts, they starve their Husbands esteem in their thrifty plainness, Consumes their affections in their peiced Petti∣coates, and buries their Husbands love in their dirty raggs; And from the Dunghill of dirty raggs, and grave of soul Linnen, is their Husbands transfor∣med to beastly Adulteries, stealing by degrees out of one Form into another, as from a doting Husband, to a fond Husband, form a fond to a discreet Hus∣band, from a discreet, to a careful Husband, from a careful, to a carelesse, from a carelesse, to a disliking, from a disliking, to a hating, and then they be∣gin to wander; As first, an eye glances, from an eye glance, to an admirer; from an admirer, to a professour, from a professour, to a dissembler; from a dissembler, to an Adulterer; then for the dresses and garments of his Mistress, First, from clean, to new; from new, to fine; from fine, to brave; from brave, to glorious; from glorious to fantastical; from fantastical to profusely vari∣ous from profusely, various to any dirty Slut. But his wife (on the other side, if his wife desires) appears handsome, and practises civil behaviour, and endeavours to be sine, takes care to be cleanly, observes to be fashionable, her

Husband straight becomes jealouse, although she doth this for his sake, and to keep his affection, yet he thinks it is for the affection and sake of some other man, which causeth private discontents, from private discontents to quarreling disputes; from quarreling disputes, to publick exclamations, from publick exclamations, to open defiance; from open defiance, to devorcement; and though I cannot say this by, or from experience, having it only from re∣lation, yet I do as faithfully believe it, as if I were experienced therein: On which faith, I made a vow never to marry, since I hear men are so hard to please, and apt to change; wherefore if I were marryed, instead of discoursing of several arguments, I should be groaning and sighing, and weep∣ing, with several pains and vexations; and instead of a silent solitary contem∣plation, a clamorous quarrelsome conversation; instead of a peaceable life, I should be alwayes in civil warrs; and instead of being happy, I should be mi∣serable; for mariage is like a ship, which always lyes on the roughest Bilows of the Sea, rouling from side to side with discontents, sailing uncertainly, with inconstancy, and various winds, But noble, civil, kind and affectionate Gentle∣men, as I have told you, I have made a vow never to marry, and surely mar∣riage is not so happy an estate, or so pleasing a condition of life, as to perswade me to break my vow, neither can flattering Rhetorick, nor inticing beauty, nor adoring, admiring, deploring, praying, weeping Suters perswade me, no, not a bleeding Suter, were I sure he would dye, did he not enjoy me; for I will never be so dishonourable, perjurious, and impious, to break the holy Laws, and pull the Virgin Altars down, built in the conscience, on which are vows offered to Gods on high: Should I blow out that with faint inconstan∣cy, that pure bright Vestal Fire of innocency, from whence the Essence of chast thoughts ascends to Heaven high; But rather than I would break my vow, I wish my ears as deaf as death, that hears no flattering sounds, nor sad complaints, nor terrifying threats, my eyes as dark as night, least light should bring some false deluding object in, for to deceive me; my heart like Ada∣mant, so hard love cannot enter, nor pity nor compassion wound; but how∣soever, I connot be wife to you all; wherefore since I cannot be every mans wife, I will dye every mans Maid. But I must tell this Noble Assembly, their meeting hath occasioned a quarrel here; for bashfulnesse, and confi∣dence hath fought a Duel in my Cheeks, and left the staines of bloud there.

After her Respects.

Ex.

All her Audience, her Lovers goeth out silently, some lifting up their eyes, others their hands, some striking their hands on their breast, and the like.

Ex.