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

Scene 8.

Enter Idle and Ease.

EAse.

Yonder's Mother Matron so metamorphos'd, as at first I did not know her.

Idle.

How metamorphos'd is she?

Ease.

Most strangely attir'd for her Age, and as strangely behav'd.

Idle.

How, for Iupiters sake?

Ease.

Why she hath a green Sattin gown on, but it is of an ill-chosen green, for it is of the colour of goos-dung, and an Orange-yellow Feather on her head.

Idle.

I hope she is not jealous.

Ease.

Then is she beset with many several colour'd Ribbons, as Hair-co∣lour, Watchet, Blush-colour, and White.

Idle.

What, to express her Despair, Constancy, Modesty, and Inno∣cence?

Ease.

I think she may despair, but for her constancy, I doubt it, and for modesty, I dare swear she never had any; but if she had, it was so long since, as she hath quite forgot it; as for her innocence, I will leave it to the Exami∣nation or Accusation of her own Conscience.

Idle.

But how is her behaviour?

Ease.

Why she simpers, and draws the deep lines in her face into closes, and her wrinckles are the quick-set hedges; then she turns her Eyes aside in coy glances, and her Body is in a perpetual motion, turning and winding, and wreathing about, from object to object, and her Gate is jetting, and sometimes towards a dancing pace; besides, she is toying and playing with every thing, like a Girl of fifteen, and now and then she will sing quavering, as a Note or two betwixt a word or two, after the French and Courtly Mode.

Idle.

Surely she is mad.

Enter Wanton.

Wanton.

Who's mad?

Idle.

Mother Matron.

Wanton.

No otherwise than all Amorous Lovers use to be.

Idle.

Why is she an Amorous Lover?

Wanton.

Yes, a most desperate one.

Ease.

Who is she so amourously affected with?

Wanton.

With Monsieur Frisk.

Idle.

Why he is not above one and twenty years of Age.

Wanton.

That's the reason she's in love with him: for it is his youth, and his dancing, she amourously affects him for, for she swears that the very first time she saw him dance, Cupid did wound her, and shot his golden Arrows from the heels of Monsieur Frisk.

Ease.

Why she is threescore and ten, at least.

VVanton.

That's all one: for Cupid wounds Age as well as youth.

Ease.

But I had thought that an old womans heart had been so hard Love could not have enter'd.

VVanton.

Old Mother Matron proves it otherwise: for her Heart is as tender as the youngest Heart of us all.

Idle.

While I am young I will be a Lover, because I will not be a Fool when I am old.

Ease.

That's the way to be a Fool whilst you are young, and a Lover when you are old.

VVanton.

No, that is to be a Curtezan whilst she is young, and a Bawd when she is old.

Idle.

Nay faith, when I can no longer traffique for my self, I will never trade for any other.

VVanton.

Covetousness will tempt your reverent Age.

Exeunt.