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

IX.

MADAM,

IN your last Letter I perceive that the Lady N. P. is an actor in some State-design, or at least would be thought so, for our Sex in this age, is ambitious to be State-Ladies, that they may be thought to be Wise Women; but let us do what we can, we shall prove our selves Fools, for Wisdom is an enemy to our Sex, or rather our Sex is an enemy to Wisdom. 'Tis true, we are full of Designs and Plots, and ready to side into Factions; but Plotting, Designing, Factions, belong nothing to Wisdom, for Wis∣dom never intermeddles therein or therewith, but renounces them; it is onely cheating Craft and Subtilty that are the managers thereof: and for deceiving Craft, Women are well practised therein, and most of them may be accounted Po∣liticians; for no question but Women may, can, and oftentimes do make wars, especially Civil wars; witness our late Civil war, wherein Wo∣men were great, although not good actors; for though Women cannot fight with warring arms themselves, yet they can easily inflame men's minds against the Governours and Govern∣ments, unto which Men are too apt even with∣out the perswasion of Women, as to make inno∣vation through envy and emulation, in hopes of advancement in Title, Fortune and Power, of

which Women are as ambitious as Men; but I wish for the honour of our Sex, that Women could as easily make peace as war, though it is easier to do evil than good, for every fool can make an uproar, and a tumultuous disorder, such as the wisest can hardly settle into order again. But Women in State-affairs can do as they do with themselves, they can, and do often make themselves sick, but when they are sick, not well again: So they can disorder a State, as they do their Bodies, but neither can give Peace to th' one, nor Health to th' other; but their rest∣less Minds, and unsatiable Appetites, do many times bring Ruin to the one, and Death to the other; for Temperance and Quietness are stran∣gers to our Sex. But leaving the Lady N. P. to her petty Designs, and weak Plots, I rest,

Madam,

Your very faithful Fr. and S.