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

CXCIV.

MADAM,

MY Aguish Indisposition hinders me from taking that Pleasure I Used to do this Carneval Time, which is Shrovetide, for this is the most Pleasant and Merry time in all the Year, in this City, for Feasting, Sporting, and Maskarading; as for Feasting, Fasting is the Cause, for by reason Lent is a Spare time for Diet, the People in this, and so in many other Places, do as it were, Fore-store their Stomacks, like those that do Fore-store their Provisions Fore-seeing a Dearth, insomuch as they Eat

not according to their Appetites, but according to the Time, by reason Lent is only for Fish, or other such Cold and Spare meat, and therefore they Prudently will Surfet of Flesh this Shrove-tide, that they may not Covet Flesh, as to have a Longing desire thereto; also there Sporting is after the same kind and like for the same End, by reason they are to Pray as well as to Fast, like as those that will, or think it Lawful to Com∣mit what Sins they can, or please, before a Con∣fession, Penance and Pardon; But truly, these are Harmless Sports, consisting only in several Attires, or Accoustrements, as to wear Vi∣zards, &c. and some of the Women do Accou∣stre themselves in Mens Habits, and the Young∣er sort of Men in Womens Habits, where the Women seem to be well Pleased, and take a Pride to be Accoustred like Men, but the Men seem to be more out of Countenance to be Ac∣coustred like Women, as counting it a Disgrace to their Manhood, although they do not seem so, being dress'd in the most Ill-favour'd dress that can be Devised, to Imitate Devils, but whether they Imitate them Rightly for out∣ward Form, I know not, for I believe they ne∣ver were in Hell to Learn, or Know how Devils are Formed, or Bodied, or Accoustred, I believe they may Sooner, and more Aptly Imitate their Wickedness than their Figures; but these Sports I went abroad to See, being Perswaded to go forth, by reason it was very Fair Weather, and Sun-shiny Dayes, although to my Sense of

Feeling, I had Frost and Snow within me, or was as if I had been Shaken with a Cold North-wind, having a Cold Fit of an Ague upon me, which Cold and Stormy Indispo∣sition of the Body, did Dull, and Darken the Mirth of Pleasure, as Dark Clouds do the Light of the Sun, for Health and Sickness are like Fair and Foul Dayes. But the sorts or kinds of Sports are done for this Year, and all the Men, Women, and Children, were Marked the next day, which was Ash-wed∣nesday, with a Black Mourning Cross on their Forheads, I know not whether it be to Cross out their Former Sins, or a Barricado to Keep out Following Sins, although I fear it is not in the power of a Cross to keep back Sin, I know not what it can do to keep back Punishment, but they all seem to be very Devout in Frequenting the Churches. Yet this is but the Beginning of Lent, but towards the later End, I suppose they will be as if they were half, or three parts Tired, not so much with Fasting as Praying, for though they eat not Flesh meat, yet they eat oftener other Good meats, as Fish, Spoon-meat, Sweet-meats, and the like, also they have the liberty to Drink more VVine; indeed most Christians all the Lent time, as also on many Fasting dayes in the Year, live for the manner of Diet somewhat like the Pythagoreans or Gentils; But I, being not well in Health, have the liberty to Eat what

will or can; and so leaving the Generality to their Lent-diet, I rest,

Madam,

Your faithful Friend and Servant.