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

Scene. 7.

Enter the Lord Courtship, and his Friend Master Adviser.

ADviser.

I wonder your Lordship should be so troubled at your Fathers commands, which was to marry the Lady Ward, unlesse she had been ill-favoured and old.

Lord Courtship.

O that's the misery! that she is so young, For I had rather my Father had commanded me to marry one that had been very old, than one that is so young; for if she had been very old, there might have been some hopes of her death; but this young Filly will grow upon me, not from me; besides, those that are young give me no delight, their Company is dull.

Adviser.

VVhy, she is not so very young, she is fifteen years of Age.

Lord Court.

Give me a Lady to imbrace about the years of twenty, rather than fifteen; then is her Beauty like a full-blown Rose in Iune, her VVit like fruit is ripe and sweet, and pleasant to the ear; when those of fifteen are like to green sharp Fruit, not ripened by the Sun of Time. Yet that's not all that troubles me; but I cannot endure to be bound in VVedlocks shackles, for I love variety, and hate to be ty'd to one.

Adviser.

VVhy, you may have the more variety by marrying.

Lord Court.

No faith, 'tis a Bar; for if I should but kisse my wives Maid•• which a thousand to one but I shall, my wife, if she doth not beat her Maid, making a hideous noise, with scoldings, yet she will pour, and cry, and feign her self sick, or else she would Cuckold me, and then I am paid for all.

Adviser.

Faith my Lord, it is a hundred to one but a man when he is mar∣yed

shall be Cuckolded, were he as wife as Solomon, as valiant as David, as fortunate as Caesar, as witty as Homer, or as handsome as Absalom; for Wo∣men are of the same Nature as men, for not one man amongst a thousand makes a good Husband, nor one woman amongst a thousand makes an honest Wife.

Lord Court.

No saith, you might well have put another Cypher and made it ten thousand.

Adviser.

Well my Lord, since you must marry, pray let me counsel you: This Lady Ward being very young, you may have her bred to your own Humour.

Lord Court.

How is that?

Adviser.

VVhy, accustome her to your wayes before you marry her; let her see your several Courtships to several Mistresses, and keep wenches in your house; and when she is bred up to the acquaintance of your customes, it will be as natural to her.

Lord Court.

VVhat, to be a whore?

Adviser.

No, to know your humours, and to be contented there∣at.

Lord Court.

VVell, I will take your advice, although it is dange∣rous: And as the old saying is, the Medicine may prove worse than the disease.

Adviser.

VVhy, the worst come to the worst, it is but parting.

Lord Court.

You say true; but yet a divorce will not clearly take off the disgrace of a Cuckold.

Ex.