Post by Admin on Oct 9, 2016 11:30:52 GMT
CHAP. LXXI.
Of Court-Ladies.
NEither are the Court-Ladies without their Vices. 'Tis very true, that we behold a great number of Women for Elegancy of Body and exactness of Beauty to be admir'd, splendidly drest, and apparel'd in Purple and Silks, set out with Jewels; but it is not easie for all men to see what wicked Monsters are con∣ceal'd under those fair shapes: Wherefore Lucian most fitly compares 'um to Aegyptian Temples; for there you shall behold a Structure most beautiful without, both for the Materials and curiousness of Work, but if you once look for the God within, you shall find there nothing but either an Ape, a Dog, a Goat, or a Cat. Even so it is with those Court-Ladies and Vir∣gins, who being bred up from their tender years in Dancing, Masquing, soft-idleness, and all manner of Luxury and Voluptuousness, and having suck'd the worst of Education out of those Books of Court∣love, and fine Histories of Lust, Adulteries, Fornicati∣ons, and Pandarisms, as also Comedies, Novels, and wanton Songs, are thereby season'd with all sorts of evil Manners, becoming Light, Insolent, Arrogant, Peevish, Impudent, Obscene, Contentious, Contradicto∣ry, Obstinate, Revengeful, Crafty, Petulant, Loquaci∣ous,
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Lascivious, and Shamelesly and Obscenely wanton. They have tongues to which silence is a Punishment, their Lips not to be wearied with tittle-tattle, gene∣rally the most idle, most impertinent, and troublesome to the hearers. For what can we think they should be able to talk for so many hours together, but Folly? for Example, how to shade the Hair, how to comb it, how to dye it, how to wash their Faces, how to pleit their Peticoats; what Gate to observe in walking, rising, or lying; what Apparel becomes such or such best, who and who are to take or give place, how far to bow in saluting, to whom the honour of the Lip is due, to whom not; who are allowed to ride a Horse-back, who in a Coach, and who in a Litter: Who ought to wear Jewels, Pendants, Necklaces, Bracelets, and who not; with a Thousand other trifling enquiries into the Laws of Semiramis. Neither are there wanting many of the older sort, who will tell ye how many Sweet-hearts they had, who sent her Gifts, who were most Courtly in their Addresses. This Woman talks of him that she Loves, that Woman can hardly for∣bear from speaking evil of him that the hates; and whatsoever they say, they think they are admired by the Company: sometimes they stuff their Discourse with unseasonable Scoffs and Impudent Lyes: neither do they want most desperate Malice, and quarrelling one among another; backbiting and flattery there is nothing more frequent: their Eyes, their Looks, their Glances are full of Allurements; their Nods, their Gestures, their Becknings full of Wantonness; they are full of Subtilty, and have studied words to deceive their Servants, and get gifts of value from 'um. Let 'um have any Ring, Jewel or Bracelet about them, these Females will never lin till they have flatter'd it into their own Possession; for which, they return Kisses, Embraces, and Amorous Discourses, which are their
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publick Ware, and the nutriment of Court-love. It were a shame to discover what Crimes are committed in secret Bed-chambers, as if Marriage had been Con∣secrated only in Derision of Nature; and that the put∣ting on their Cloathes, were sufficient to cover all their Enormities. Such Virgins how faithful think ye will they prove afterwards to their Husbands! Oh what a grief are they to all good Women! continually hit∣ting them in the Teeth with their Nobility, their Por∣tion, their Beauty, their Forraigne Matches; teazing their Husbands Ears with continual Clamours and Contumelies. They despise a frugal Table at home, and yet twit their Husbands with their Court-Ex∣pences; and being us'd to Pomp and Extravagancies, they wast their Husbands Wealth, ruine their Fami∣lies, compel their Husbands to undertake wicked De∣signes for gains sake; to which end, they are forc'd to omit no Fraud, Treachery, Dissimulation, and Hy∣pocrisie whatsoever, to compass their Ends. I will not speak of their Forrain Amours, their private Adulteries, their conceal'd Lyings-in, and Bastard Issue; which affection turning once into hatred, they then prepare for Poyson or some other Mischief. But the most fa∣miliar practises of Evil Women, (as St. Jerome Writes against Jovinianus) are Frauds, Treacheries, Witch∣crafts, Enchantments, and Magick Tricks. So Livia kill'd her Husband, whom she hated to Death. Lu∣cilia also kill'd hers; the first mixing Henbane with her Jealousie, the other drinking to him a Cup of Poyson instead of a Love-Potion. So that it is sa∣fer, (as Ecclesiasticus saith) to live with the Lyon and the Dragon, than with a bad Woman. He that would Marry, let him have a care of taking such a Courtier to Wife. It my Tongue hath been too free in Discourse, yet I have said what it was impossible for me not to have said: But I will put my hand upon my mouth,
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and speak no more of 'um; and therefore let us de∣part the Court, and fall to the consideration of those more useful parts of Oeconomy, Merchandizing, Agri∣culture, and Warfare.
Of Court-Ladies.
NEither are the Court-Ladies without their Vices. 'Tis very true, that we behold a great number of Women for Elegancy of Body and exactness of Beauty to be admir'd, splendidly drest, and apparel'd in Purple and Silks, set out with Jewels; but it is not easie for all men to see what wicked Monsters are con∣ceal'd under those fair shapes: Wherefore Lucian most fitly compares 'um to Aegyptian Temples; for there you shall behold a Structure most beautiful without, both for the Materials and curiousness of Work, but if you once look for the God within, you shall find there nothing but either an Ape, a Dog, a Goat, or a Cat. Even so it is with those Court-Ladies and Vir∣gins, who being bred up from their tender years in Dancing, Masquing, soft-idleness, and all manner of Luxury and Voluptuousness, and having suck'd the worst of Education out of those Books of Court∣love, and fine Histories of Lust, Adulteries, Fornicati∣ons, and Pandarisms, as also Comedies, Novels, and wanton Songs, are thereby season'd with all sorts of evil Manners, becoming Light, Insolent, Arrogant, Peevish, Impudent, Obscene, Contentious, Contradicto∣ry, Obstinate, Revengeful, Crafty, Petulant, Loquaci∣ous,
Page 235
Lascivious, and Shamelesly and Obscenely wanton. They have tongues to which silence is a Punishment, their Lips not to be wearied with tittle-tattle, gene∣rally the most idle, most impertinent, and troublesome to the hearers. For what can we think they should be able to talk for so many hours together, but Folly? for Example, how to shade the Hair, how to comb it, how to dye it, how to wash their Faces, how to pleit their Peticoats; what Gate to observe in walking, rising, or lying; what Apparel becomes such or such best, who and who are to take or give place, how far to bow in saluting, to whom the honour of the Lip is due, to whom not; who are allowed to ride a Horse-back, who in a Coach, and who in a Litter: Who ought to wear Jewels, Pendants, Necklaces, Bracelets, and who not; with a Thousand other trifling enquiries into the Laws of Semiramis. Neither are there wanting many of the older sort, who will tell ye how many Sweet-hearts they had, who sent her Gifts, who were most Courtly in their Addresses. This Woman talks of him that she Loves, that Woman can hardly for∣bear from speaking evil of him that the hates; and whatsoever they say, they think they are admired by the Company: sometimes they stuff their Discourse with unseasonable Scoffs and Impudent Lyes: neither do they want most desperate Malice, and quarrelling one among another; backbiting and flattery there is nothing more frequent: their Eyes, their Looks, their Glances are full of Allurements; their Nods, their Gestures, their Becknings full of Wantonness; they are full of Subtilty, and have studied words to deceive their Servants, and get gifts of value from 'um. Let 'um have any Ring, Jewel or Bracelet about them, these Females will never lin till they have flatter'd it into their own Possession; for which, they return Kisses, Embraces, and Amorous Discourses, which are their
Page 236
publick Ware, and the nutriment of Court-love. It were a shame to discover what Crimes are committed in secret Bed-chambers, as if Marriage had been Con∣secrated only in Derision of Nature; and that the put∣ting on their Cloathes, were sufficient to cover all their Enormities. Such Virgins how faithful think ye will they prove afterwards to their Husbands! Oh what a grief are they to all good Women! continually hit∣ting them in the Teeth with their Nobility, their Por∣tion, their Beauty, their Forraigne Matches; teazing their Husbands Ears with continual Clamours and Contumelies. They despise a frugal Table at home, and yet twit their Husbands with their Court-Ex∣pences; and being us'd to Pomp and Extravagancies, they wast their Husbands Wealth, ruine their Fami∣lies, compel their Husbands to undertake wicked De∣signes for gains sake; to which end, they are forc'd to omit no Fraud, Treachery, Dissimulation, and Hy∣pocrisie whatsoever, to compass their Ends. I will not speak of their Forrain Amours, their private Adulteries, their conceal'd Lyings-in, and Bastard Issue; which affection turning once into hatred, they then prepare for Poyson or some other Mischief. But the most fa∣miliar practises of Evil Women, (as St. Jerome Writes against Jovinianus) are Frauds, Treacheries, Witch∣crafts, Enchantments, and Magick Tricks. So Livia kill'd her Husband, whom she hated to Death. Lu∣cilia also kill'd hers; the first mixing Henbane with her Jealousie, the other drinking to him a Cup of Poyson instead of a Love-Potion. So that it is sa∣fer, (as Ecclesiasticus saith) to live with the Lyon and the Dragon, than with a bad Woman. He that would Marry, let him have a care of taking such a Courtier to Wife. It my Tongue hath been too free in Discourse, yet I have said what it was impossible for me not to have said: But I will put my hand upon my mouth,
Page 237
and speak no more of 'um; and therefore let us de∣part the Court, and fall to the consideration of those more useful parts of Oeconomy, Merchandizing, Agri∣culture, and Warfare.