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

ACT II.

Scene 5.

Enter Captain Whiffell, and Madam Whiffell his Wife.

CAptain Whiffell.

I have heard our Generals Lady goeth with the Gene∣ral her Husband to the Wars, wherefore I think it fit for the rest of the Commanders, if it were only for policy, to let our General see that we approve of his actions so well, as to imitate him in ours, carrying our Wives along with us, besides the Generals Lady cannot chose but take it kindly to have our Wives wait upon her, wherefore Wife it is fit you should go.

Madam Whiffell.

Alas Husband I am so tender, that I am apt to catch cold if the least puff of wind do but blow upon me; wherefore to ly in the open Fields will kill me the first Night, if not, the very journey will shatter my small bones to peeces.

Captain Whiffell.

Why, our Generals Lady is a very fine young Lady, and she ventures to go.

Madam Whiffell.

There let her venture, for you must excuse me, for I will stay at home, go you where you please.

Captain Whiffell.

Well VVife consider it.

Exeunt.

Scene 6.

Enter Captain Ruffell, and his Wife Madam Ruffell.

CAptain Ruffell.

VVife prepare your self to follow the Army, for 'tis now the fashion for VVives to march, wherefore pack up and away.

Madam Ruffell.

VVhat with a Knapsack behind me as your Trull? not I, for I will not disquiet my rest with inconveniences, nor divert my pleasures with troubles, nor be affrighted with the roring Cannons, nor indanger my life with every Potgun, nor be frozen up with Cold, nor stew'd to a gelly with heat, nor be powdered up with dust, untill I come to be as dry

as a Neats-tongue; besides, I will not venture my Complexion to the wroth of the Sun, which will tan me like a Sheeps skin.

Captain Ruffell.

Faith VVife, if you will not go, I will have a Landery-Maid to ride in my VVaggon, and ly in my Tent.

Madam Ruffell.

Prethee Husband take thy Kitching Maid along too, for she may have as much Grease about her as will serve to make Sope to wash your Linnen with, and while you ride with your Landery-Maid in your Waggon, I will ride with my Gentleman-Usher in my Coach.

Captain Ruffell.

Why Wife, it is out of love that I would have thee go.

Madam Ruffell.

And 'tis out of love that I will stay at home; besides, do you think I mean to follow your Generals Lady as a common Trooper doth a Commander, to feed upon her reversions, to wait for her favour, to watch for a smile; no, no, I will be Generalissimo my self at home, and di∣stribute my Colours to be carried in the Hats of those that will fight in my quarrel, to keep or gain the Victory of my favour and love.

Captain Ruffell.

So I may chance to be a Cuckhold before I return home.

Madam Ruffell.

You must trust to Fortune for that, and so I wish you a good Journey.

Exeunt.

Scene 7.

Enter Seigneur Valeroso and his friend Monsieur la Hardy, to take their leaves of their Wives, Madam Jantil, and Madam Passionate, Madam Jantil young and beautifull, Madam Pas∣sionate in years.

Madam Iantil.

I cannot chuse but take it unkindly that you will go with∣out me; do you mistrust my affection? as that I have not as much love for you as the Generals Lady hath for her Husband; or do you desire to leave me? because you would take a Mistriss along with you, one that per∣chance hath more Beauty than you think me to have; with whom you may securely, and freely sit in your Tent, and gaze upon; or one that hath more wit than I, whose sweet, smooth, and flattering words may charm your thoughts, and draw your Soul out of your ears to sit upon her Lips, or dan∣cing with delight upon her Tongue.

Seigneur Valeroso.

Prethee Wife be not jealous, I vow to Heaven no other Beauty can attract my eyes but thine, nor any sound can please my brain, but what thy charming Tongue sends in; besides, I prise not what thy Body is, but how thy Soul's adorn'd, thy virtue would make me think thee fair, although thou wert deformed, and wittier far than Mercury, hadst thou Midas's ears, but thou hast all that man can wish of women kind, and that is the reason I will leave thee safe at home; for I am loth to venture all my wealth and happiness in Fortunes unconstant Bark, suffering thy tender youth and Sex to float on the rough waves of chance, where dangers like to Northern winds blow high, and who can know but that fatal gusts may come, and overwhelm thee, and drown all my joys? wherefore for my sake keep thy self safe at home.

Madam Iantil.

I shall obey you, but yet I think it were not well I should be a long time from you, and at a great distance.

Seigneur Valeroso.

I will promise you, if I perceive the War is like to be prolonged, and that there be Garrison-Towns so safe as you may secure∣ly live in, I will send for you, placing you so where sometimes I may visit you.

Madam Iantil.

Pray do not forget me so much as to cancell your promise.

Seigneur Valeroso.

Forget the sweet? I should sooner forget life, and if I do whilst I have memory, Heaven forget me.

Madam Iantil.

I must ask you a question, which is to know why you will take an under command, being so nobly Born, and bearing a high Title of Honour your self, and being Master of a great Estate.

Seigneur Valeroso.

To let the World see my Courage is above my Birth, Wealth, or Pride, and that I prefer inward worth before outward Title, and I had rather give my life to the Enemy on honourable terms, than base∣ly to stay at home in time of general Wars, out of an ambitious discontent: for valour had rather have dangers to sight with, than Offices to com∣mand in.

Seigneur Valeroso and his Lady whispers, while the other two Monsieur la Hardy and his Lady speaks.

Madam Passionate.

Why should you go to the Wars now you are in years, and not so fit for action as those that are young, and have their strengths about them? besides, we have lived a married pair above these thir∣ty years, and never parted, and shall we now be seperated when we are old?

She weeps.

Monsieur la Hardy.

Alas Wife, what would you have me do? when I am commanded out I must obey; besides, I would not have my Country fight a Batrel whilst I live, and I not make one, for all the World, for when I cannot fight, my Body shall serve to stop a breach; wherefore leave your crying Wife, and fall to praying for our safe return, and here my noble friend is desirous you should stay with his Lady to comfort one another, and to divert Melancholy and the longing hours of our return.

Madam Passionate.

Farewell, I fear I shall never see you again, for your absence will soon kill me.

She cryes.

Exeunt.

Scene 8.

Enter two Gentlemen.

1 GEnt.

O you are welcome from the Army, what news?

2 Gent.

VVhy our Army march'd untill they came unto the fron∣tiers of the Kingdome, where they found the Army of the Enemy ready to encounter them, the Lord General seeing they must of necessity fight a Bat∣tel, thought best to call a Council of VVar, that there might be nothing of

ill conduct laid to his chardge, but that all might be ordered by a wise and experienced Council, whereupon he made an election of Counsellors, joyning together three sorts, as grave, wife, and prudent men, subtill and politick men, and valiant, skillfull, martiall men, that the cold temper of the prudent, might allay the hot temper of the valiant, and that the politick might be as ingenious to serve them together by subtill devises, and to make traps of Stragems to catch in the Enemy, and at this Council many debates there were, but at last they did conclude a Battel must be fought; but first they did decree that all the women should be sent into one of their Garrison Towns, some two dayes journey from the Army, the reasons were, that if they should be overcome by their Enemyes, the women might be taken by their Enemyes, and made Slaves, using or abusing them as they pleased; but when the women were sent away, they did not shed tears of sorrow, but sent such vollies of angry words, as wounded many mens hearts; but when they were almost at the Town that was to be their aboad, the Ge∣nerals Lady, was so extremely incensed against the Counsellers, by reason they decreed her departure with the others, as she strove to raise up the Spi∣rits of the rest of her Sex to the height of her own; but what the issue will be I know not.

1 Gent.

Have you been with the King?

2 Gent.

Yes, I was sent to give him an account of the Army.

Exeunt.

Scene 9.

Enter the Lady Victoria and a number of women of all sorts with her, she takes her stand upon a heap of green Turfs, as be∣ing in the Fields before the Garrison Town, and then speaks to those women.

LAdy Victoria.

Most Heroical Spirits of most chast and loving Wives, Mi∣strisses, Sisters, Children or Friends, I know you came not from your several Houses and homes into this Army meerly to enjoy your Husbands, Lovers, Parents and Friends in their safe and secure Garrisons, or only to share of their troublesome and tedious marches, but to venture also in their dangerous and cruell Battels, to run their Fortunes, and to force Destiny to joyn you to their Periods; but the Masculine Sex hath separated us, and cast us out of their Companyes, either out of their loving care and desire of pre∣serving our lives and liberties, lest we might be distroyed in their confusions, or taken Prisoners in their loss, or else it must be out of jealousy we should Eclipse the fame of their valours with the splendor of our constancy; and if it be Love, let us never give the preheminence, for then we should lose that Prerogative that belongs to the Crown of our Sex; and if it be thorough Jealous mistrust of their Fame, it were poor for us to submit and quit that unto men, that men will not unto us, for Fame makes us like the Gods, to live for ever; besides, those women that have staid at home will laugh at us in our return, and their effeminate Lovers and Carpet Knights, that Cow∣ardly and Luxuriously Coin excuses to keep and stay them from the Wars,

will make Lampons of us for them to sing of our disgrace, saying, our Hus∣bands, Lovers, and Friends were so weary of us, as they were forced to take that pretence of affectionate love to be rid of our Companyes; wherefore if you will take my advise, let us return, and force those that sent us away to consent that we shall be partakers with them, and either win them by per∣swasions, or lose our selves by breaking their decrees; for it were better we should dy by their angry frowns, than by the Tongue of Infamy.

All the women call to her.

All the women.

Let us return, let us return.

Lady Victoria waves her hand to them to keep silence.

Lady Victoria.

Noble Heroickesses, I am glad to hear you speak all as with one voice and Tongue, which shows your minds are joyned together, as in one piece, without seam or rent; but let us not return unfit to do them service, so we may cause their ruin by obstruction, which will wound us more than can their anger; wherefore let us strive by our industry to render our selves usefull to their service.

All the women.

Propound the way, and set the Rules, and we will walk in the one, and keep strictly to the other.

Lady Victoria.

Then thus, we have a Body of about five or six thousand women, which came along with some thirty thousand men, but since we came, we are not only thought unusefull, but troublesome, which is the rea∣son we were sent away, for the Masculine Sex is of an opinion we are only fit to breed and bring forth Children, but otherwise a trouble in a Common-wealth, for though we encrease the Common-wealth by our breed, we en∣comber it by our weakness, as they think, as by our incapacities, as having no ingenuity for Inventions, nor subtill wit for Politicians; nor prudence for direction, nor industry for execution; nor patience for opportunity, nor judgment for Counsellers, nor secrecy for trust; nor method to keep peace, nor courage to make War, nor strength to defend our selves or Country, or to assault an Enemy; also that we have not the wisdome to govern a Com∣mon-wealth, and that we are too partial to sit in the Seat of Justice, and too pittifull to execute rigorous Authority when it is needfull, and the reason of these erronious opinions of the Masculine Sex to the Effeminate, is, that our Bodyes seem weak, being delicate and beautifull, and our minds seem fearfull, being compassionate and gentle natured, but if we were both weak and fearfull, as they imagine us to be, yet custome which is a second Na∣ture will encourage the one and strengthen the other, and had our educati∣ons been answerable to theirs, we might have proved as good Souldiers and Privy Counsellers, Rulers and Commanders, Navigators and Architectors, and as learned Sholars both in Arts and Sciences, as men are; for Time and Custome is the Father and Mother of Strength and Knowledge, they make all things easy and facil, clear and prospitious; they bring acquaintance, and make friendship of every thing; they make Courage and Fear, Strength and Weakness, Difficulty and Facility, Dangers and Securities, Labours and Recreations, Life and Death, all to take and shake as it were hands to∣gether; wherefore if we would but accustome our selves we may do such actions, as may gain us such a reputation, as men might change their opini∣ons, insomuch as to believe we are fit to be Copartners in their Govern∣ments,

and to help to rule the World, where now we are kept as Slaves for∣ced to obey; wherefore let us make our selves free, either by force, merit, or love, and in order, let us practise and endeavour, and take that which Fortune shall profer unto us, let us practise I say, and make these Fields as Schools of Martial Arts and Sciences, so shall we become learned in their disciplines of War, and if you please to make me your Tutoress, and so your Generalless, I shall take the power and command from your election and Authority, otherwise I shall most willingly, humbly, and obediently submit to those whom you shall choose.

All the women.

You shall be our Generalless, our Instructeress, Ruler and Commanderess, and we will every one in particular, swear to obey all your Commands, to submit and yield to your punishments, to strive and endea∣vour to merit your rewards.

Lady Victoria.

Then worthy Heroickesses, give me leave to set the Laws and Rules I would have you keep and observe, in a brass Tablet.

All the women.

We agree and consent to whatsoever you please.

Exeunt.

Scene 10.

Enter the Lady Jantil alone.

MAdam Iantil.

How painfull is true love absented from what is loved, 'tis strange that that which pleaseth most should be the greatest tor∣ment.

Enter Madam Passionate.

Madam Passionate.

What, all times walking by your self alone? when your Lord returns I will complain, and tell him what dull Company you are.

Madam Iantil.

I hope I shall not be from him so long, for he promised to send for me.

Madam Passionate.

Nay faith, when you go, as old as I am, I will travell with you to see my Husband too.

Madam Iantil.

You will be so much the more welcome, by how much you were unexpected.

Madam Passionate.

You look pale on the sudden, are not you well?

Madam Iantil.

Yes, onely on a sudden I had a chill of cold that seized on my Spirits.

Madam Passionate.

Beshrew me, their coldness hath nipt the blood out of your Cheeks and Lips.

Madam Iantil.

If they had been painted, they would have kept their Colour.

Exeunt.