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

THE RELIGIOUS.

ACT I.

Scene 1.

Enter two Maid-Servants, Kate and Joan.

KAte.

My Masters Nephew, and my Ladyes Daughter, are the kindest lovers, for so young ones, as that ever I knew.

Ioan.

I believe you never knew such young ones; for she is not above ten years of age, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thirteen or fourteen.

Kate.

He addresseth himself in that Country manner, and pleads his Love-sure with such affectionate respect, and she gives Audience with such modest attention, as one would think they were older by a douzen years a-piece than they are.

Ioan.

They have been bred together, and they have not been acquainted with the Vanityes and Vices of the World, which makes love the more pure.

Kate.

My Lady desires my Master that he would give consent his Nephew may marry her Daughter.

Ioan.

She hath reason, for he is the only Son of his Father, my Masters Brother the Lord Dorato, who is very rich, and is in great favour with the Arch-Prince of the Country.

Kate.

Why so is my Ladyes Daughter the only Child of her Parents, and she is Heir to her Fathers Estate.

Ioan.

Yes, but her Father left so many Debts when he dyed, as the Estate will not be so great as it is thought to be.

Kate.

But by that time she is of Age, the Debts may be paid.

Ioan.

But my Lady hath a great Jointure out of it, that will be a hin∣drance to the payment ôf Debts.

Kate.

Well, I believe whether they have their friends consent or not, they will marry, they love so very much each other.

Ioan.

Perchance so, and then repent when they come to elder years, that they marryed so young.

Kate.

Faith that they may do if they were double their Age; for few marry that repent not:

Ioan.

Well come away, and leave them to repentance.

Kate.

Nay stay, they are not married yet.

Exeunt.

Scene 2.

Enter Sir Thomas Gravity, and his Lady.

LAdy.

Pray Husband give your Nephew leave to marry my Daughter.

Sir Thomas Gravity.

Time enough Wife, they are young, and may stay this seven years, and indeed they are so young as it is not fit they should marry; besides, I have not absolute power to dispose of my Nephew: for though my Brother left him to my care and breeding when he went Am∣bassadour to the Emperour, because his Wife was dead, and none so fit to leave him with as I; yet to marry him without his Fathers Knowledge, or Consent, will not be taken well, nay perchance he may be very angry.

Lady.

Come, come, he will not displease you with his anger, for fear he may lose that you have power to give from him, which is your Estate, which you may leave to him, or his Son, having no Children of your own; where∣fore pray Husband grant my request.

Sir Thomas Gravity.

Well wife, I will consider it.

Lady.

Nay if you consider, you will find so many excuses, as you will deny my request with excuse.

Sir Thomas Gravity.

Faith if I do consent to this marriage, it will be to be rid of my Nephews and your importunity.

Lady.

You may be sure we will never let you be quiet.

Sir Thomas Gravity.

I believe you.

Exeunt.

Scene 3.

Enter MIstriss Odd-Humour, and her Maid Nan.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

Nan, give me my work, and my little armed Chair.

The Maid goeth out, and strait enters with a little low wicker armed Chair; she sits in it, but is for∣ced to crowd her self into it, the Chair being too little for her seat.

Nan.

Lord Mistriss, you take great pains to crowd into that Chair, I wonder you can take delight to sit so uneasily.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

O, custome is a second Nature; for I using to sit in this Chair from my Childhood, I have a Natural Love to it, as to an old acquaintance; and being accustomed to sit in it, it feels ea∣sier

She works, the whilst she sits and speaks.

than any other seat, for use and custome makes all things easy, when that we are unaccustomed to, is difficult and trou∣blesome; but I take so much delight to sit and work, or Sing old Ballads in this Chair, as I would not part from it for any thing.

Nan.

Yes, you would part with your little old Chair for a proper young Husband, who would set you on his knees.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

By my faith but I would not, for I should find more trouble and less case on a young Husbands knees, than on my old Chairs Seat.

Nan.

But if you should sit in this Chair when you were marryed, your Husband must kneel down if he would kiss you.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

Why then this Chair will learn a Husband hum∣ble submission and obedience, which Husbands never knew; but Nan, prethee fetch me some of my old Ballads to sing, for I am weary of working.

One calls Nan in another room.

Nan.

Mistriss, your Mother calls you.

She strives to get out of the little Chair, hitching first on one side, and then on the other side, wringing her self by degrees out, the whilst speaks.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

I had as lieve be whipt as stir.

Nan.

You have reason, you labour so much, and ring your self so hard, as whipping would be less pain; for your Chair is now sitter for your Head, than your Britch.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

Not unless to break my head; for a Chair is not a fit rest for the head, for then the heels would be upwards, and so I might be thought a Light-heeld wench; for light things fly, or ly upwards.

Nan.

Why the head, that is the uppermost part of the body, is not light.

Mistriss Odd-Humour.

Yes, when 'tis mad or drunk.

Exeunt.

Scene 4.

Enter the Lord Dorato Ambassador, and a Man with Letters.

LOrd Dorato.

How doth my Brother and my Son?

Man.

Very well my Lord.

The Lord reads a Letter.

Lord Dorato.

How is this? my Son marryed to my Brothers Wives Daughter, without my Knowledge or Consent? to a Girl whose Estate hath more Debts than Lands? and who knows how she will prove when she is a woman; and my Son to marry a wife, before he hath wit to govern a wife; to put a clog to his heels to hinder his Travell for Knowledge; sure my Brother is mad, dotingly mad, to be perswaded by a foolish woman his wife; for I know it was her insinuating perswasions that made him agree to the marriage; O I could curse the time I sent my Son to him! and my self for trusting him to educate and govern him, who hath bred him to be as foolish as himself. O foolish Son, and more foolish Brother, by how much being older! but I will break the marriage-knot asunder, or disinherit my Son, or marry and get another that may prove more wise and happy to me; Do you know of my Sons marriage?

Man.

Yes Sir, for tis much talk'd of, and of the extraordinary love betwixt the young couple.

Lord Dorato.

A couple of young Puppyes, and their Unckle an old Als; O the very thought doth almost make me mad; especially when I remem∣ber the hopes I had to advance my Son by marriage; but you shall go back to carry Letters that shall declare my anger, and my command, for my Sons repair unto me, since I cannot return home as yet; ile dispatch you strait.

Exeunt.

Scene 5.

Enter the two Maids, Joan and Kate.

KAte.

It is a very pleasing sight to see the new marryed Children I may say, for so are they; yet they behave themselves so gravely, and so formally, as if they were an Ancoret couple; for there is no appearance of Childish∣ness in their behaviour.

Ioan.

But I wonder my Master and Lady will suffer them to bed together.

Kate.

My Master did perswade his Nephew to ly by himself, but he would not be perswaded.

Ioan.

Truly he is a very fine youth, and she a very pretty young Lady; I dare say she will, make a very handsome woman.

Kate.

I believe she will and a virtuous woman, and he a handsome and gallant man.

Exeunt.

Scene 6.

Enter Sir Thomas Gravity, and his Lady.

SIr Thomas Gravity.

So Wife, by your perswasions to this marriage, I have lost the love of my only Brother.

Lady.

And I am like to lose my only Child, through the grief of the de∣parture of her Husband; for she looks so pale, and is so weak with crying, and fasting; for she feeds only on grief, and her tears quenches her droughth: I think she will dy.

Sir Thomas Gravity.

It is your own fault; for you would never be quiet, nor let be at rest untill they were married.

Lady.

Would I and my Child had never seen your Nephew.

Sir Thomas Gravity.

All the hopes we have is, that my Brother will be pa∣cified with time.

Exeunt.

Scene 7.

Enter the two Maids, Joan and Kate.

KAte.

I never saw so much affectionate grief, as at the parting of the young married couple.

Ioan.

O, passionate tears flow naturally from Childrens Eyes.

Kate.

When they were to part, they did kiss, weep, and imbrace so close, as their tears mixt together.

Ioan.

They will weep as much for joy when they meet again, as they do now for grief at parting.

Kate.

But absence and time doth waste Love.

Ioan.

Absence doth rather put out the flame of Love, than waste the Lamp; but their Love was lighted so soon, that if it be not put out, it will last a long time.

Kate.

Nay faith, the sooner it is lighted the sooner it will burn out; but to make Love last long, is sometimes to put it out, and then to re-inkindle it; for a continual fire doth waste the fuell, and a Candle will soon burn out, although it be lighted but at one end; but absence is an extinguishet, which saves it, and return is relighting it.

Ioan.

Are Lovers like Candles?

Kate.

Yes faith; for as there are Candles of all sorts and sizes, so there are Lovers of all degrees; some are like Torch-light that flame high and bright, but soon waste out, others like watch Candles that give but a dim dull light, but will last a long time, and some that give but a little light, and are strait burnt out.

Ioan.

But what is á snast in a Candle, which is like a blazing Star with a stream or tail, that mels a Candle, and makes it run out.

Kate.

Faith a snast is like a Mistriss, as a Courtizan, or servant, that makes waste of Matrimonial Love, it makes Matrimonial Love fall into a snuf; but prudent discretion, and chast kisses, are as snuffers to clip of those snasts be∣fore they get power, or are in a blaze, or like a Bodkin that picks or puls them out with the point of a sharp tongue.

Ioan.

By your similizing, you make love Greace.

Kate.

You say right, for there is nothing so apt to flame and melt, as Greace and Love, it is there natural properties to waste in flame.

Ioan.

Well, but let us not waste our time in idle talk, but go about our imployments.

Kate.

Why, talking is the greatest, or most imployment women use; but indeed love is idle.

Exeunt.