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

Scene 34.

Enter Sir Thomas Letgo, with other Gentlemen.

This Scene of Sir Thomas Letgo, the Lord Marquiss writ.

LEtgo.

O unfortunate villain! that I should be such a Coxcomb, such a Fool, to lose five thousand pounds at Dice! Those bones spotted with the small Pox, the great Pox take them for me, and the Plague to boot: for they have plagued me, and yet I have not a token left about me.

1 Gent.

You may borrow more.

Letgo.

Borrow, you Puppy, you, my land's intail'd, a perpetuity, I have nothing but for life, like a Serving-mans Annuity, or an old Ladies Joynture, no body will lend me any thing; and now I must eat grass and hay: for we are all mortal they say, and they choke me with that. Pox of my Grand∣fathers and Fathers provident Wisedomes, with their learned Counsels in the Law; but I hope all their souls fry in Hell for't, that's my com∣fort.

2 Gent.

'Tis a hard case, that a young Gentleman cannot undoe himself for those Fetters and Bonds of Parchment; truly it is cruel.

Letgo.

I, is it not Iack, to be tied thus, like a dog to a cup-board, and in chains too, that he cannot gnaw or bite them asunder?

3 Gent.

Faith Sir, 'tis a strange thing, that a man should venture to play his money, whether it should be his or another mans.

Letgo.

No Dick, you are deceiv'd, I play whether his money should be mine or his. O unfortunate Rogue that I am! and that foolish Star-gazer, the Astrologer, never to see it in my Nativity neither when he cast it! Those Knaves and Fools, to talk of things that they have no guess at what they are, as if the seven Planets, or the twelve Houses, had to do with a cast of Dice, a sine nimble Cheater is worth a thousand of them. Rogue that I am! And now comes in such a consideration into my brain upon my Re∣pentance.

1 Gent.

As how pray?

Letgo.

As how? why if I had this current running money, nay rather, it hath wings, and flies beyond the Fiction of Pegasus: why, if I had it, how I would bestow it for the good of the Common-wealth, as thus: What rich Apparel, with Imbroyderies of gold, and silver, and silk? what Feathers and Mistrisses? what gilt Paris Coaches, Pages, and Lacquies, sa••s number, in rich liveries? what Coachmen, Pos••ilions, with six Flanders Horses, to strike with amazement the whole street as I pass? what running Horses, Hounds, Hawks, Cocks, Greyhounds? what delicious Banquets, Spanish Perfumes, most odoriferous, soft Musick, that should lull the soul asleep, sumptuous Furnitures, so as I would surfet the Senses, and make the seven Deadly Sins live like Princes?

And set up Sin and Vanity to the hight, Since those are still the Gentlemens delight.

But O my money is gone, which cuts off all my hopes of exercising all those virtuous ways! well, let me cogitate, and boy, give me a melancholy Pipe to cloud all hopes of joys with sadder thoughts.

He gives him his Pipe.

1 Gent.

Truly 'tis pity he hath lost his money: for you hear how Religi∣ously he would have spent it.

2 Gent.

Most like a Gentleman, I must needs say that for him.

3 Gent.

Most piously indeed; but prethee let us walk for a while, lest we should disturb his Thoughts: no more Discourse, but let us tie our Tongues.

1 Gent.

Content, till his be loose.

They sit mute a time, while he sits musing.

2 Gent.

What Contemplation now?

Letgo.

Pious and charitable ones. But this damn'd money, this runnagado, this vagabond money!

1 Gent.

But if you had a statute to whip her home to her own Parish, it would do well.

Letgo.

I Iack, but there is no such law, the more the pity; but this abo∣minable money disorders all the World. What work makes it betwixt Pa∣rents and Children, Husbands and Wives, Brothers and Sisters, Masters and Servants, Landlords and Tenants, Citizens and their Prentices, Mistrisses and their Maids, and between Kings and their subject? Corrupts all the World, breaks Friendship, betrays Friends, raises Rebellions, commits Treason, and corrupts Virgins: It is the Pander and Bawd to all business; the States-man is fed by this damn'd Lady Pecunia, the Lawyer serves her, the Merchants her slave, the Shop-keeper her vassal, and the Countryman her Tenant, Lords and Ladies her pensioners, and greatest Monarchs pay tribute to her; the Logician argues for her, the Orator pleads for her, and many Ecclesiasticals preach for her, the Vicar General and his Conclave are rul'd by her, and the poor Poet, she draws his copperas from his ink, and makes him flatter her. This horrid Lady Sorceress, so to bewitch the World! Is there no law a∣gainst this Enchantress, that thus doth still abuse the World, and all that's in it? The very Souldiers sword is charmed by her, and all his guns are si∣lent at her presence. This she-devil!

3 Gentlem.

But I would you had your she-devil again for all that: But what Pious and Charitable Consideration had you, if you had your money again?

Letgo.

Marry Sir, First I would build an Hospital for decay'd Ladies that were maim'd in Venus's wars, losing a nose, or so, never yet any care taken of them, the more is the pity.

2 Gent.

Very good: and what next?

Letgo.

Next I would buy such a piece of ground, and build a Bedlam, and then put in all such Divines as preach themselvs out of their power and riches; and I would put all such Lawyers in, as pleaded themselves out of pra∣ctice; and all such Citizens as petition'd themselves out of trade.

3 Gentlem.

These are good and pious Acts: But would not you provide a place or means for such as were undone by playing at Dice and Cards, and the like.

Letgo.

No, they should have only Fools Coats to be known by, and I would be the Master of them.

Exeunt.

Here ends my Lord Marquiss of Newcastles Writing