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

Scene 13.

Enter Madamoiselle Grand Esprit, and her Audience.

GRand Esprit.

Great Mercury to thee I now address, Imploy thy favour, help me in distress; Thou God of Eloquence, so guide my tongue, Let all my words on even sense be slrung, And let my Speech be tun'd to every Ear, That every Ear each several word may hear: That every passion may in measure move, And let the figure of the Dance be Love.

Noble and Right Honourable,

I will discourse at this time of Love, not of the superfluous Branches, or wither'd leaves, or rotten fruits, but of the Root of Love, which is Self-love; It is the Root and Original Love in Nature; it is the Foundation of Nature, it is the Fountain from whence issues all the several Springs; Self-love was the cause of the Worlds Creation; for the Gods out of love to them∣selves, caused Creatures to be Created, to worship them: thus all Crea∣tures being created out of self-love, and their chief being proceeding out of self-love, is the cause that every particular Creature loves themselves in the first place, and what Love is placed on any other, or to any other, from any particular, is derived from self-love; for we love the Gods but out of self-love, as believing the Gods love us; we adore the Gods but out of self-love, because we think we proceed from them, or were produced by their commands; we pray to the Gods but out of self-love, because we hope the Gods will help us in distress; we bless the Gods but out of self-love, be∣cause we do verrily believe the Gods will exalt, and Crown us with everlast∣ing glory; and to shew that we Love the Gods, not as they are Gods, but for our own sakes, as believing they will or can do us good, is, that we are apt to murmure at the Gods, when we have not our own desires; we are apt to accuse the Gods, when any wordly thing crosses us; we are apt to curse the Gods at ill Accidents, Misfortunes, or Natural losses; we are apt to forget the Gods in the midst of pleasure; we are apt to think our selves Gods in the pride of prosperity; we strive to make our selves Gods in the hight of worldly power; and we do not only strive to make our selves equal with the Gods, but to raise our selves above the Gods, taking, or command∣ing to our selves more worship than we give unto the Gods; nay, those that are accounted the most holy and devout Servants of the Gods, belie the Gods, taking the name of the Gods to cover their own follies; as for exam∣ple, whensoever any eminent person hath had ill success, either in, or after their Foolish, Ambitious, and Vain-glorious actions, they charge the Gods Decrees and pleasure, as it was the Gods will it should be so; like as she that Vaingloriously had her two and only Sons to draw her Chariot, like two Horses, or Dogs, or Slaves, and being both found Dead the next day, she had prayed to the Gods to reward them with that which was best for them, and being both dead, she said the Gods accounted Death as the best reward, when they no doubt dyed with over heating themselves, striving beyond

their natural power and strength; yet these two Sonns that drew the vain Mo∣ther in a Chariot, drew and died out of self-love; either like as vain Sonns like their vain Mother, vaingloriously to get a fame, or believing the Gods would reward them for their Act, either with extraordinary prosperity, pow∣er, or blessedness in the Life to come; and many the like examples may be gi∣ven; for how ordinary is it in these our times, and in former times, for the politicks to perswade the people, with promises from the Gods, or to tell them it is the Gods commands they should do such and such acts, even such acts as are unnatural, wicked, and most horrid? thus Men bely the Gods to abuse their fellow Creatures. But most Noble and Right Honourable, my explanation of this discourse is, that since Self-love is the Fountain of and in Nature from whence issue out several Springs to every several Creature, wherein Mankind being her chiefest and Supreme work, is filled with the fullest Springs from that Fountain, which is the cause that Mankind is more industrious, cruel, and unsatiable, to and for his self ends, than any other Creature, he spares nothing that he hath power to destroy, if he fears any hurt, or hopes for any gain, or finds any pleasure, or can make any sport, or to imploy his idle time; he melts metalls, distills and dissolves plants, dis∣sects animals, substracts and extracts Elements, he digs up the bowels of the Earth, cuts through the Ocean of the Sea, gathers the winds into Sails, fresh waters into Mills, and imprisons the thinner Ayre; he Hunts, he Fowls, he Fishes for sport, with Gunns, Nets, and Hooks; he cruelly causeth one Creature to destroy another, the whilst he looks on with delight; he kills not only for to live, but lives for to kill, and takes pleasure in torturing the life of other Creatures, in prolonging their pains, and lengthning their Deaths; and when Man makes friendship of Love, it is for his own sake, ei∣ther in humouring his passion, or feeding his humour, or to strengthen his party, or for Trust, or Counsel, or Company, or the like causes; if he dies for his friend, it is either for fame, or that he cannot live himself happy with∣out his friend, his passion, and grief, making him restless; if Man loves his Children, Wife, or Parents, tis for his own sake; he loves his Parents, for the honour he receives by them, or for the life he received of them; if he loves his Wife, or the Wife the Husband, it is for their own sakes, as their own pleasure, as either for their Beauties, Wits, Humours, or other Graces, or for their Company, or Friendships, or because they think they love them; if they love their Children, it is for their own sakes, as to keep alive their memory, and to have their duty, and obedience, to bow and do homage to them; If Masters love their Servants, it is for their own sakes, because they are trusty, faithfull and industrious in their affairs, imploy∣ments, or for their own profit, or ease; and if Servants love their Masters, it is for their own sakes, as either for their power to protect them, or for the regard they have to them, or for the gain they get from them, or for their lives that are nourished, and maintained by them; if Amorous Lovers love, it is for their own sakes, as to please the Appetite, and to satisfy their desires; if Subjects love their Soveraigns, it is for their own sakes, as that they may have Law and Justice, Peace and Unity; If Sovereigns love their Subjects, it is for their own sakes, because they bear up his Throne with their Wealth and Industry, and fight to maintain, or get him power. My Appli∣cation, most Noble and Right Honourable, is, that since we do all, and in e∣very act for our own sakes, we should indeavour, and study, for that which is best for our selves, and the ground of our indeavour is to learn, and know

our selves, every particular person must learn and know himself, not by comparative, as observing others, for every man is not alike; but by self study, reading our own Natures and Dispositions, marking our own Passions, mours, and Appetites, with the Pen of Thought, and Ink of Examination; and let the Truth be the Tutor to instruct you in the School of Reason, in which you may Commence Master of Art, and go out Doctor of Judgment, to practise Temperance; for Temperance keeps in its full strength, prolongs Beauty, quickens Wit, ripens Youth, refreshes Age, restores Decayes, keeps Health, maintains Life, and hinders Times ruines; but Temperance is not only a Doctor of Physick; a Physician to the Body, but a Doctor of Divinity, a Divine for the Soul; It preaches and teaches good Life, it instructs with the Doctrine of Tranquillity, and guides to the Heaven of Happiness; also Temperance is the Doctor of Musick, it tunes the Senses, composes the Thoughts, it notes the Passions, it measures the Appetites, and playes a Har∣monious Mind. Thus Most Noble and Right Honourable, I have proved that Self-love is the Fountain of Nature, and the Original Springs of her Creatures, and that Temperance is the strongest Foundation of Self-love, although few build thereupon, but upon Intemperance, which is a hugh Bulk of Excess, the substance of Riot, worm eaten with Surfers, rotten with Pain, and sinks down to death with Sickness and Grief, not being able to bear and uphold Life; wherefore build your Lives upon Temperance, which is a strong and sure Foundation, which will never fail; but will uphold your Lives as long as Time and Nature permits them, and your Souls will dwell peaceably, and happily therein.

Exeunt.