CCXI sociable letters written by the thrice noble, illustrious, and excellent princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

XII.

MADAM,

I Hear the Lady D. C. makes Politick feasts and entertainments, feasting the Courtiers, and entertaining them with dancing and carding, to whom she doth Politickly lose her mony, and causes her husband to lend them mony out of a Policy, and 'tis likely she will Politickly ruin her husband; for I believe she is more Poli∣tick with her husband than with the Courtiers, and they more Politick with her than her hus∣band. But many wives will perswade their husbands to invite company, pretending some Designs, whenas their chief Design is, to have Company; and they will be very free and fro∣lick with their guests, making their husbands believe they are so onely to compass, or bring their Designs to pass; so as they make their husbands Pimps to Cuckold themselves, who think their wives wise women, both in their Counsels and Actions: Such, and the like inven∣tions and excuses wives have to be in company; and it is to be observed, that those wives that

love freedom and company, will be so very kind to their husbands when they bring home company, or are with such company as they like, that not onely strangers, but their husbands think them for that time the best wives in the world; whenas being all alone, to their hus∣bands, the Furies are no more turbulent, nor worse natur'd than they; But in much compa∣ny all is as their husbands please, whether to dance or play; upon which kind words and hum∣ble behaviour, their husbands are so ravish'd with joy, as then it is what their wives please; nay, they intreat their vvives to please them∣selves, and approve of all they say or do. Other vvives, to get, or be in company, vvill insinua∣tingly flatter, and persvvade their husbands, that they are the wisest, or wittiest men in the world, and that there is none that knows how to entertain company but they; that for their own parts they hate much company, as nothing so tedious and troublesome, and onely take delight to see their husbands entertain guests, and love to hear them discourse with strangers, their wit and behaviour being so far above others; and to encourage their husbands, or to flatter them the more, they will repeat their Discour∣ses when they are alone together, as how well such or such a question was resolv'd, or how wittily such or such a one was answer'd, and the like; whereupon the husband often invites company, onely for his wife to hear his supreme Wit, wise Sentences, and to see his grave En∣tertainments,

whenas his wife laughs in her mind to hear what a Fool, and to see what a for∣mal Coxcomb, and how self-conceited he is. Thus most husbands are either deluded with Politick wives, or forced to obey, or humour their Turbulent and Peevish wives, or deceived by their Insinuating and Flattering wives, to be∣tray themselves. But fearing I should divulge too much of the nature of our Sex, I stop here, and rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Fr. & S.