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

Scene 19.

Enter the Lady Censurer, the Lady Examination, and the Lady Solitary.

EXamination.

Where have you been Lady Censurer?

Censurer.

Faith at Court, amongst a Company of Ladyes and their Gallants.

Examination.

And what was their pastime?

Censurer.

Why Singing, Dancing, Laughing, and Jesting; but I have earned an Angel amongst them.

Examination.

How prethee?

Censurer.

Although not by the sweat of my brows, yet by the expence of my Spirits.

Examination.

Prethee tell.

Censurer.

Why the Court Ladyes in a scornfull jesting, for Courtiers love to put persons out of Countenance if they can, prayed me to sing an old Song out of a new Ballad, as knowing my voice fit for no better Songs; but I told them, that if I did sing they should pay me for my pains; for there was never a blind Beggar, or poor young Wench, that sings at a door, but had somthing given them; they told me they would give me a penny, I answe∣red, that when they sung to Gentlemen or Ladyes guts, that they had a shilling at least given them, and unless they would give me twelve pence a∣piece, I would not sing; so they out of a laughing sport, borrowed a Crown of the Gentlemen to give me.

Solitary.

Oh that's the Court fashion, for the women to borrow of the men.

Censurer.

How should they live if they did not so? for in my Conscience they could not have made up twelve pence amongst a douzen of them, not in money; for their Clothes though costly and rich, yet are worn upon trust; but as I said, I was to sing them a Song for my money; so I sung them an old Song, the burden of the Song, Oh women, women, monstrous women, what do you mean for to do? but because the Song was against women, they would have had me given them their money back again, I told them no I would not, for it was lawfull gain for me to keep it, since I gained it by an honest industry, and that those that made a bargain must stick to it; then they told me, that if I would sing them a good old Song, they would give me another Crown; I told them I would have the money in hand, for fear they should dislike my Song when I had sung it, or at least to seem to dislike it, to save their money; so although they were loth, yet at last they borrowed another Crown to give me, thinking it did disgrace me, in that my voyce was fit for nothing but old Ballads, for all their Admirers, and Courtly Servants, or Ser∣vants for Courtship were with them; so then I sung them Doctor Faustus that gave his Soul away to the Devill; for I knew Conjurers and Devills pleased women best.

Examination.

They fright women.

Censurer.

By your favour, all Conjurers gain more by womens coming to them to know their Fortunes, and for to find out losses, than they do by men; for where one man goeth to a Conjurer or Fortune-teller, their goeth a

hundred women; but as I have told you, I sung the Song of Doctor Faustus.

Solitary.

For my part, I had rather hear a plain old Song, than any Italian, or French Love Songs stuff'd with Trilloes.

Censurer.

That's strange, when as in those Harmonious Songs the wisest Poets, and skillfull'st Musicians, are joyned to make up one Song, and the most excellent voices are chosen to sing them.

Solitary.

I know not, but I am sooner weary to hear a famous and Artifi∣cial Singer sing than they are themselves with singing, for I hate their Quavers, demy, and semy Quavers, their Minnums, Crochets, and the like.

Examination.

The truth is, I have observed that when an old Ballad is plainly sung, most hearers will lissen with more delight, than to Italian and French Singers, although they sing with art and skill.

Solit.

The most famous singer in these latter times I have heard in France, it was a woman, and an Italian sent for into France, where she was presented with very rich gifts for her rare singing, yet I durst a-laid my life for a wager, that there were more that could have taken more delight to hear an old Ballad sung, which Ballads are true stories put into verses and set to a Tune, than in all there Italian and French Love whining Songs, and languish∣ing tunes.

Examination.

Well, but what will you do with your gettings?

Censurer.

Faith I will go home and consider, and the next time I will tell you how I will imploy my ten shillings.

Exeunt.