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

About this Item

Title
Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.
Author
Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish, Duchess of, 1624?-1674.
Publication
London :: Printed by A. Warren, for John Martyn, James Allestry, and Tho. Dicas ...,
1662.
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Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A53060.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Playes written by the thrice noble, illustrious and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A53060.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 8, 2024.

Pages

Scene 16.
Enter Madam Ambition, Faction, Portrait, Bon' Esprit, Pleasure.
BOn' Esprit.

There are but three things a gallant man requires, which is, a Horse, a Sword, and a Mistris.

Ambition.

Yet a gallant man wants Generosity; for the greatest honour for a man, is to be generous; for Generosity comprises all Virtues, good Qualities, and sweet Graces; for a generous man will never spare his life, purse, nor labour, for the sake of just Right, plain Truth, Honest Poverty, Distress, Misery, or the like; for a generous man hath a couragious, yet compassionate Heart, a constant and noble Mind, a bountiful Hand, an active and industrious Life; and he is one that joyes more to do good, than others to receive good.

Page 264

Pleasure.

There are few or none that have such noble Souls, as to prefer a∣nothers good before their own.

Portrait.

The truth is, men have more promising Tongues, than perform∣ing deeds.

Faction.

For all I can perceive, mans life is composed of nothing but de∣ceit, treachery, and rapine.

Bon' Esprit.

Indeed mans mind is like a Forest, and his thoughts, like wilde beasts, inhabit therein.

Ambition.

Mans Mind is like a Sea, where his Thoughts, like Fishes, swim therein, where some Thought are like huge Leviathans, others like great Whales, but some are like Sprats, Shrimps, and Minnues.

Enter Monsieur Sensuality.
Sensuality.

What is like a Minnues?

Ambition.

A mans Soul.

Sensuality.

It is better have a soul, although no bigger than a Minnues, than none at all, as Women have; but if they have, I dare swear it is no bigger than a pins point.

Bon' Esprit.

Very like, which point pricks down thoughts into the Brain, and Passions in the heart, and writes in the Brain witty Conceits, if the point be sharp.

Sensuality.

No, no, it serves onely to raise their brains with Vanity, to ingrave their hearts with Falshood, and to scratch out their lives with Dis∣content.

Pleasure.

We oftner scratch out mens lives than our own.

Sensuality.

Nay, you oftner scratch out our honour than our lives.

Faction.

For my part, I have an itch to be scratching.

Sensuality.

I believe you, for you have a vexatious soul.

Faction.

It hath cause to be vexatious, for the point of my soul is whetted with Aqua Fortis against your Sex.

Sensuality.

I'm sure, Lady, your tongue is whetted with Aqua Fortis.

Faction.

So is yours.

Sensuality.

If it be, let us try which point is sharpest.

Faction.

I will leave the Trial to Time and Occasion.

Exeunt.
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