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

Scene 22.

Enter Sir William Holdfast, meeting the Lady Mute, she seeming as in a studious Thought.

HOldfast.

Lady, you are in a serious Contemplation. Pray what are you thinking of?

Mute.

I have heard that thoughts are free; but I perceive they cannot pass without questioning.

Holdfast.

I would not boldly intrude upon them, my humble desire is I might partake of the Excellency of them.

Mute.

I suppose you think my Contemplation is of Heaven, and not of the World: for there is no subject which can make Thought excellent, but what is Divine: for the World corrupts them, Nature deceives them, and Speech betrays them.

Holdfast.

If your speech never betrays more than it doth now, which only expresses your Wit, you may well pardon it; but I now finde you are not so ignorantly simple as you are thought to be through your si∣lence.

Mute.

I confess I have practis'd silence: for I am of years fitter to learn than to talk; and I had rather be thought ignorantly simple for being silent, than to express folly by too much speaking.

Holdfast.

But I wonder you will suffer you self to be laugh'd at for a Natu∣ral Fool, when your wit is able to defend you from scorns and scoffs, and is able to maintain its own Arguments.

Mute.

If I had Wit, there would be no Honour in the Arguing, no more than for a Valiant man to fight with Cowards; so wit to dispute with fools: But I had rather they should laugh at me, than I should weep for my self; yet there were none in that company that laugh'd at me, but were older than I, and the older they are, the more faults they have committed; and if they laugh at me for my little wit, I will scorn them for their many faults, and hate them for their vices.

Holdfast.

The truth is, 'tis only fools that commit many faults, and take de∣light in their own follies, and do themselves hurt with their own errors; and not those that have Wit: for they have Ingenuity and Prudence to foresee, and so escape errours, and the mischiefs that may follow: But you appear,

by not expressing your self, to your disadvantage, and your silence doth you wrong.

Mute.

I care not how I appear in my outward Aspect, so my Life be ho∣nest, my Actions just, my Behaviour modest, my Thoughts pure, and that I obey to the utmost of my power the Laws and Customs of Duty, Morality, Divinity, and Civility. But 'tis a sign of a foolish Age, when silence is thought ignorant simplicicitie, and modesty accounted a crime; when in Antient Times Youth was taught sober Attention, and it was impos'd upon Scholars to keep silence five years before they were suffer'd to speak, that they might afterwards be able to Teach, and not always live to learn as School-boys, which they would always be, if they spent their time in words, and not stu∣dy and observe: And silence is a discretion that few women practise, being more apt to talk than men; for women are fuller of words than thoughts: but words should be weighed by Judgment, in the ballance or scales of Sense, and deliver'd by the tongue through the lips by Retail, which cannot be if they throw them out so fast: for there is required Reason, Time, and Understanding, besides unstopped Ears to hear them: But though mine Ene∣mies laugh at me for a Fool, yet I have so much Honesty, Innocencie, and Modesty, to guard and defend my Reputation, as they cannot wound that with their sharp words, nor laughing faces.

Exeunt.