The Concealed Fansyes: A Play by Lady Jane Cavendish and Lady Elizabeth Brackley.

THE CONCEALED FANSYES

A Prologe to the Stage

Ladyes I beseech you blush not to see
That I speake a Prologe being a Shee
For it becomes as well if votes cry Ey
Why then should I, a Petticote cry fye,
Gentlemen if so you allow; is witt
Why then not speake, I pray your patience sitt
And now to tell you trueth of our new Play
It doth become a womans witt the very way
And I did tell the poet plainely trueth
It lookes like. 18. or.22. youth
Or els it could not bee, as 'tis but well
I'le say noe more untill yo^e hands Playes tell

The second Prologe spoke by a Woman./

Though a second Prologe spoke to our Play
I will speake trueth, 'tis woman all y^e way
For you'll not see a Plott in any Act
Nor any ridged, high, ignoble fact
Fearing you'll sensure mee now full of Tongue
It's not fitt, that I should speake too longe./

A perticuler Prologe to your Lo:^pp./

My Lord

If that your jugement doth approve of mee,
I pray you smile, that all may truely see,
you like, and doe approve, of what wee say,
And then each one will freely give their pay,
If then your quicker witt doth crowne our Play.
Your health shalbee our word today./

The Concealed Fansyes

Act the first

Sceane the first

Co: [Courtley]	Prethee deare Companion tell mee in what humour is thy Mistris./
Pr: [Presumption]	Fayth my misfortune is shee knowes hir sceane self too well.
Co:	What meane you by that?
Pr:	That is shee will not lessen hir selfe at all by valewinge mee.
Co:	What doth she scorne you?
Pr:	Noe nor shee doth not admire mee
Co:	And that's your greife.
Pr:	Ey, for I would have hir Possett w^th a little Cupid if I could./
Co:	O, then you're not for matrimony, if you pretend Cupid.
Pr:	yes but I am, for I hope Cupid will bee the Gentleman Usher to Hymen.
Co:	Fy^e that's not becomeing to have a Boy to Usher in the Gods.
Pr:	Well then allowe him to bee a Page, soe shee were in love I care not, Now I have confest soe largely to you ; freely relate your Mistris to mee, and lett mee knowe hir humour./
Co:	By God myne's soe Courtly coy, I knowe not what to make of hir, for when she smiles I knowe not whether 'tis a scorne or a grace./
Pr:	Doth shee speake much./
Co:	Noe but shee is soe full of hir neglecting silence, as I am almost in dispare.
Pr:	But I see you have some reliques of hope left you.
Co:	Wer't not for that I should bee absolutely nothinge
Pr:	Tell mee her name.
Co:	Tell you hir name, will you bee secret then?
Pr:	Or may I never bee happy if I speake of yo^es till you shall reveale myne
Co:	But my curiosity is to knowe yo^es first
Pr:	What must I bee S^t George, first both in hir humour, and hir name; I will not bee made soe much your foole.
Co:	Well Ile speake hir name in a soft^e whisper. Lucenay.
Pr:	Sister to myne, I fayth
Co:	If soe shee valews Cupid noe more then if hee were hir footeboy, and hir language is the Torter to a Lovers Soule.
Pr:	ffayth by yo^e discription, I perceive they are Sisters, for my Mistris, valewes courtshipp, and a rich sute, noe more then signes to catch Dotterells w^th all.
Co:	Certainely they educate one another for my Mistris is in the same humour.
Pr:	Come let's goe to them and see how they will act their Sceanes.
Co:	Agreed, I'le see yo^e mistris, and you shall see myne, in their pousture of Coynes.
Pr:	Content; but lett mee knowe before you goe, For wife what Mistris you would wooe./
Co:	My Mistris truely I would have A pritty Munckey, yet seeme grave Hir face I'de have it plumpe to kisse And that is as my heart doth wishe Hir Stature I would have each see A wife or Mistris shee may well then bee In private knowe noe matrymony lawe In publique, all should thinke I did her awe Hir petulance I'de onely have w^th mee With others stately for to bee I would not have hir thinke of wife Nor mee as Husband to make strife But iustly have hir fraught with witt Soe by mee, pritty man, may sitt./
Pr:	you have declar'd yo^e Mistris life of day But I'de have myne, mee more, for to obey./

Act the first

Sceane the Second

The Lady Tranq: and hir woman

La: [Lady Tranquility]	Toy, come hither, I will tell you though I am upp yet my designe is for all I am well to keepe my Bedd, therefore resolve Toy, to dresse mee neately
To: [Toy]	I will Madam, so well as my education will give me leave.
La:	Toy, tomorrow I intend to goe to my witts.
To:	who are they?
La:	Monsieur Calsendos Daughters, therefore my keepeing of my bedd is to plumpe upp my face Toy.
To:	But truely Madam in my opinion those Ladies lookes as if they would not mind much, thei're too younge.
La:	O, Toy, but they can give such carrecters, as to make a Lady appeare, or not appeare, besides I am in love w^th their Father, so I would have them like mee.
To:	But yo^e La:^pp will not let them knowe soe much.
La:	Thou'rt an Asse Toy, for of my fayth, I will, they shall not bee ignorant of my love, for then I hope Monsieur Calsindow will know, and in respect to him I will see the two Ladie Cozens, and will carry one of the Stellos or both, for then I knowe I shalbee welcome, for they are their servants, and 'tis welcome, for they are their servants, and 'tis thought will marry them, but what say'st thou to that Quiff and Pyner that hath the Gilly flower, and my best Smockband, will they not agree well togeather. / Speake, what art thou in a studdy of my marryage to their father./
To:	I was thinkeing of y^e Lasces, and truely yo^e La:^pp hath match'd them very well; If yo^e La:^pp please I will fetch them.
La:	Noe stay what a Clock ist?
To:	'Tis almost. 10. Madam.
La:	That's well, for I have time to talke and dress. 5. howres w^th out interruption, Now what say you Toy to y^e best dress for y^e face? Doe you not not thinke Pomatum will doe well, and rubb it over w^th Scarlett after, and then use m^r Trantams stil'd water, and there are rarer Cordyalls in that water to plump upp the face Toy.
To:	Truely Madam, but I conjecture w^th myselfe, the Scarlett will take too much of y^e Pomatum of, and will not sufferr, that stil'd Cordyall water to give a gloss.
La:	What thou woulest have mee use an oyl'd Maske? A pox on't, I saw a Lady the other day that leaned hir face to the Glasse of a window, and hir face tooke dust, Soe I knewe, 'twas that left soe much grease, soe 'tis nastie./
To:	Madam you have left out yo^e white Satten Wastecote
La:	O impertinent dull braine, dost thou thinke I would have forgot that, come Toy away I'm resolv'd to take my bedd.

Act the first

Sceane the third

Gravity and the Kitchen Boy

Gr: [Gravity]	Jack, what a Clock? Is not the bill for dynner gone to my Lady? Speake, have you lost yo^e tongue? Speake I say.
Ja: [Jack, kitchen boy]	Yes S^e the bill was carryed to the Ladies.
Gr:	Knowe how they like dynner, now ther's noe Tart
Ja:	M^ris Sage told mee they were not upp
Gr:	ffy, ffy, as I am an honest man those witts will ne're bee Housewifes, and nothing angers mee but they'le nether chide nor comend
Ja:	Yes under favour S^e, I remember they chid yo^e for not makeing a Quinch Tart sweete enough
Gr:	Before God, that's true, come good memory tell mee when they praised mee, speake or I'le make you remember.
Ja:	wy good S^e, wy good S^e, when a lady was here.
Gr:	when a Lady was here, speake or my stick shalbee about yo^e Eares
Ja:	Wye if you could remember the Ladyes name I could then tell you how they prays'd you.
Gr:	The Ladies name
Ja:	Indeede the Ladies name is a hard one.
Gr:	I'le have it out, or I'le pluck you for dynner, and send you up as a black bird.
Ja:	Wye it beginns w^th Tray.
Gr:	Trayvand
Ja:	Noe Tran:
Gr:	Tran Speake
Ja:	Tran, Tran, Tranquility.
Gr:	And what by that Lady
Ja:	Wye, you made a great dynner, such an one as my Lady liked.
Gr:	But what sayd shee?
Ja:	Wye shee sent you a 20^s. peece, and hir woman spoke as well as shee could, to let you knowe my Lady was pleas'd, and I thought. 20^s. was great Comendations
Gr:	The next time I stand in expectation for yo^e noe piece of flattery, I'le bee sent upp as a ffriday dynner. ffor God knowes I can pretend to nothinge but a leane Pike, and were that of a Poetts dressinge the Ladies would like mee./

Act the first

Sceane the fourth

The. 2. Sisters Luceny and Tattiney

Lu: [Luceny]	Sister pray tell mee in what humour thou wert w^th thy servant yesterday, prethee tell mee how you acted yo^e Sceane
Ta: [Tattiney]	I beg your excuse, a younger Sister cannot have the confidence to teach an elder.
Lu:	Well then I'le beginn first. I drest myselfe in a sleight way of carelesnesse w^ch becomes as well, if not better then a set dress, and when hee made his approaches of love, by speaking in a formall way, I answear'd him I could not love soe dull a braine as hee had, alwayes to repeate hee loved mee. I had rather have him say hee hated mee, For that would bee some variety.
Ta:	But what sayd you, when hee express'd himselfe by oathes and Execrations.
Lu:	I told him I wondred hee had the confidence, seeing I kept my Chamber to trouble mee w^th his ympertinent language, w^ch ever produceth my vexation. ffor I will tell you Sister, It is ympossible to answeare him to what hee speake, but hee will catch some handle to blowe upp his ambitious wishes, therefore I put him of with a sharpe reply, as I have told you before, and then sayd my face could bee noe wayes invitable for his affection therefore I did not desire to bee his courting stock to practize with against Hee comes to his Mistris, and therefore told him if hee would not make an honourable retreate out of y^e howse, I would proclayme him a Malignant, or cause M^r Steward to make him make his retreate w^th more confusion, soe bid him thinke of some visitt, for here I was resolv'd hee should not stay.
Ta:	Pray' Sister, is hee a good fortune?
Lu:	Yes and a very good title.
Ta:	Then I perceive yo^e discretion likes him
Lu:	Ey, and his discretion may very well like mee, ffor my ffather intends to give mee a great Portion, therefore I shall not knowe whether 'tis his wisdome or affection, that makes choyce of mee
Ta:	And will you contynew this way of discretion w^th him when you're marryed.
Lu:	Wye doe you thinke I take thee shall alter mee,
Ta:	I heare their comeing I'le them defeate
Lu:	Leaveing mee onely to their cunning cheate.
Co: [Courtley]	Madam your Admirer attends you.
Lu:	And thinkes to bee accepted for your new sute.
Co:	Still in your insulting way.
Lu:	'Tis tyrany indeed, to tell you trueth you are soe concious to your selfe, as you thinke you are, the onely object of perfection.
Co:	Noe Madam I am the object of misfortune, not haveing the least hope of your La:^pps good opinion.
Lu:	I should thinke myselfe, deboyst, should I lend you a thought, for as I heare you are the onely libertine, in the Towne, and I wonder you can bee soe greate an Imposture in your pretended love, as to contract that face of freedome to soe serious a peece of formality.
Co:	Noe Madam, it is yo^e sweeter face of innocence that converts the rudest Pesant even into Modesty.
Lu:	Ey. but when y^e Species retornes backe; my face mee thinks should bee converted into deboysenes, now will not yo^e next posture bee to stand, w^th foulded Armes, but that posture now growes much out of fashion, that's altered to a serious looke of admiration, as if yo^e face was soe terrible, as to tourne men to Statues.
Co:	I wish damnation Madam rather then thus to bee tormented, by your unkinder love.
Lu:	Away, away, w^th your Hippocriticall language, for I am not yet soe vaine as to believe your dissembling Romances.
Co:	Well I'm gone, and am resolved to bee noe more.
Lu:	What you'll give out yo^e dead to try what vanity of love I may bee possest withall, goe take what resolution you please./
Co:	Hoe I'le love myselfe better then to dye for one that hates mee. but I could bee a willinge Marter to her that loves mee.
Lu:	Ha, Ha, Ha, I thinke soe, you would bee a willinge Marter to her that loves you, and doe you thinke that is a high expression of love, this showes how much you hated hir, that would quitt hir soe soone, besides leaveing hir this Legacie to dye of a Consumption for your sake.
Co:	Madam, am not I worth that Ribbin you hate worst and that will I contemplate upon with adoration.
Lu:	I thought you had learnt better manners then to offerr to plunder mee of my favours.
Co:	Give mee leave then passionately to begg a salute, and I will never see you more unlesse I may bee answered w^th more mildnes, for now every word you speake is a rack unto my soule, therefore give mee once more leave to begg the favour of yo^e Lipps.
Lu:	When did you heare my lipps were soe rude, as to come w^th in distance of yo^e sex, and to confirme you there is noethinge I hate more then a Country Gentleman, who must ever salute comeing and goeinge, or els hee will whisper to his next Neighbor. I am proud, and I sweare, I would rather cut my lipps of then sufferr you a salute.
Co:	What a misfortune's this to mee, To court a wench that doth soe truely see.

Act the Second

Sceane the first

Fr: [Colonel Free]	Presumption, I knowe thou dost presume of thy owne witt, and fansye, therefore prethee tell mee thy loved humour of Mistris.
Pr: [Presumption]	you thinke to catichise mee at your pleasure; if you take mee to bee your boy, where's your reward of Plum?
Fr:	Come prethee bee good natur'd, and let thy voyce relate Thy Mistris of thy sweete lov'd fansyes fate.

The Songe

Pr:	My Mistris I would have love's Booke Yet innocent should bee hir looke In company shee should thus bee A stately pritty thinge to see Then should shee bee, that when I kiss Thoughts makes mee sweare, I still doe miss And then to mee a Toy, and witty Makeing mee madd for hir selfe pritty.
Fr:	I see sweete Tattyny in your Songe
Pr:	O that lov'd name's, a Cordyall to my Tongue.

Enter Corpolant and Courtley

Cor: [Corpolant]	O Courtly my pouch of Gold, w^th my way of craft, shall gane your Mistris from you.
Co: [Courtley]	Doe you thinke your Bancke of sordednes, can make hir misunderstand hir selfe.
Cor:	Why S^e what can shee wishe, but shee shall have, if title please hir I'le lay out. 20000^l: for what honour or name shee likes best, and I knowe hir discretion is not taken with a rich sute or a faire face, that appeares like one of your pollished Pictures.
Co:	Noe S^e, nor shee is not taken with yo^e peece of deformity of ffat whose face appeares as your worst Rustick, Have you ever spoke to hir in the way of marriage?
Cor:	Noe but I intend first to speake to hir Cozen to make the way and then to hir ffather.
Co:	You're mistaken because shee carved you once a legg of a Capon, and gave you sawce to boote, your puft upp bladder thinkes to marry hir, by reason shee gave you the civility of the House, as being hir father friend, w^ch modest curtesye blowes your braine upp as Gunn powder into folly, but pray you S^o doe mee the favour, after you have spoke to hir in the way of a Sutor, lett mee knowe yo^e opinion
Cor:	I will S^r, and doubt not of success
Co:	Of beinge counted an impertinent Ass
Pr:	Come Corpolant if you bee in love, I'le put you into a Consumption, what doe you take my friend to bee.
Cor:	A fine peece of vanity in a rich sute
Pr:	Ho: Corpolant, Corpolant, you're deceived he hath a good Estate besides a rich Sute, and that Mistris Luceny knowes.
Cor:	I beleeve you not youth, I beleeve you not.
Pr:	In concernes you to have noe fayth in that
Cor:	Here's hir Cozen come now wee have good Company. Let's drinke M^ris Lucenys health If shee would but love shee should have all my wealth
Fr:	I have other busines then to drinke
Cor:	What have you to doe?
Fr:	To give order for the Army.
Cor:	Nay then I will comaund your stay Orders belongs to mee, soe mee you shall obey Bringe Sack and Clarret that wee may Make this my M^ris Hollyday.
Co:	And I to see my mistris health belched out in severall Tunns I'le stay to give hir an account, and soe revenge myselfe of him, for I hate hee should thinke of hir.
Fr:	What thinke you of the takeinge of Ballamo
Cor:	'Tis a very stronge place.
Fr:	The best is to watch them tame
Cor:	Ey, but I would correspond first
Pr:	And recognos till you bee soe drunke as you cannot give orders
Co:	Now hee's drinkeing I'le put myselfe in the habitt of one of my M^ris servants, and see if I can cozen him of his pouch of Gold
Pr:	It wilbee worth your change of habitt
Fr:	Come now let's have a tunne,
Pr:	Our senses sweetly to perfume.
Cor:	I love a canny brave Scotch Jigg. And afterwards a wench by mee to ligg.

Enter Courtley in the Habbit of one his M^ris Servants

Cor:	O call that fellow back, where are you going? How doth your Mistris?
Co:	Very well
Cor:	Set him a Chaire, you're very welcome, set him a seat or I'le comitt some of you.
Co:	I hope I shall not drinke soe much, but I may stand.
Cor:	In troth first I tooke you for a Sage Pray' what's your business here
Co:	ffayth S^e my m^ris hath sent mee to borrow money for a Jewell shee hath a mind to buy.
Cor:	How much wants shee?
Co:	Shee sent mee to borrow.1000^l.
Cor:	Here take this Bagg.
Co:	By God I have cozened him Well S^e. I'le let my M^ris knowe yo^e kindnes
Pr:	What an old doteing foole is this to part w^th his money
Co:	But hee's drunke, for were hee in his right sense hee would knowe my M^ris would rather starve then receive the monye hee had looked upon. When hee's sober I'le let him see his drunken act
Cor:	Come let's goe.
Fr:	you meane carryed.
Co:	Now will I to my Mistris and let hir see
Pr:	What you have made Corpolent to bee.

Enter Presumption and Tattyney

Pr:	Are you in better humour today will you give mee leave to speake
Ta:	Your Tongues at liberty
Pr:	Fayth soe 'tis but did not knowe whether you would suffer your Lover of admiration to express himselfe your perpetuall servant.
Ta:	O, S^e now I understand you, you spoke this yesterday to your Mistris, and thinkes to conferr the same upon mee, and I to beleive soe foolish a Romancy.
Pr:	Are you still pleased to neglect your Honourer.
Ta:	How you mistake your selfe, did I ever keepe you soe much Company, as you to take the freedome, as to title myselfe your servant, or my Honourer I beseeche yo^e sweetenes to account of mee, as of your sad Creature and Vassall. How now your still is nothing, but full of ympudence.
Pr:	What will you bee alwayes my Tyrant, Now doe you thinke the pulling downe your Hatt and lookeinge sadd, shall make me beleeve yo^e speech for trueth but you are deceived, therefore bee gone to your Mistris and let hir knowe, to make mirth that you have been w^th mee. and how rarely you have acted your parte, and what a fine foole you will make hir if you can, to bee confident of your affection./
Pr:	By the Gods you would make mee madd, And when I was you would not pitty mee.
Ta:	There's noe danger of your distraction, since you can have that Hegiaculation.
Pr:	I desire you wilbee pleas'd to give mee the happynes to sallute your hand, and then I will bee gone.
Ta:	How I vow I hate you begone rude Creature
Pr:	I sweare this coy wench makes mee not the same But shee takes the right way to make mee tame

Enter Luceny and Courtly

Co:	Looke you here's Corpolants Pouch of gold, for when hee was in his drunken fitt, I named but your name and hee gave it mee.
Lu:	Ha now peece of confidence, Ile make you knowe you shall not make mirth with mee, and soe to find out my humour, and I am soe farr from beinge merrie, as I am very angry, as to thinke you should understand my witt, noe higher then to laugh at your cheate, besides hee was not himselfe soe you have noe reason to bragg.
Co:	Never of your favours, but I thought you had hated M^r Corpolant
Lu:	You meane contemne him, for I never thought him soe valewable as to hate.
Co:	It seemes mee you doe
Lu:	Sure your vanity thought my extreame hate to him would have made mee exprest love to you./
Co:	Was there ever such a Tyrant Shee As to make noethinge of brave gallant mee

Enter Tatyny

Ta:	Sister have you heard of Corpolants folly
Lu:	Ey, and his indiscretion, besides his over great bounty to Courtly.
Ta:	Noe more then Courtly
Lu:	What hath hee made you for him, or that twatlinge Lady, that thinkes you governe mee
Ta:	Ey and Presumption too thinkes you doe governe mee, doe you not mind how his Sister courts you, Ey, but I knowe who governes us both.
Lu:	Who prethee lett mee heare.
Ta:	Monsieur Calsindow.
Lu:	Ho! my ffather indeede. And that Gentleman shall bee my Alpha and Omega of Governem^t:
Ta:	What shall not M^r Courtly bee your Governo^e when you're marryed.
Lu:	How often Sister have your read the Bible over and have forgotten man and wife should drawe equally in a yoke.
Ta:	I warrant you Sister I knowe that Text as well, as you.
Lu:	How impertinently then dost thou speake?
Ta:	I wishe w^th all my heart Corpolant would come.
Lu:	When ever hee comes, I will not speake to him.
Ta:	What will you lay of that?
Lu:	My distruction or my Happines.
Ta:	What's that?
Lu:	My distruction is that when I marry Courtly I shall bee condemn'd to looke upon my Nose, whenever I walke and when I sitt at meate confin'd by his grave winke to looke upon the Salt, and if it bee but the paireing of his Nales to admire him.
Ta:	Your Happynes then.
Lu:	My happines when I am in the condition of his Wife, is still to ymagin him Courtley and I M^ris Luceny and now you shall have noe more of mee
Ta:	O my wish Corpolant is here
Cor:	Ladies you looke faire today
Ta:	Speake to your Ambition S^e
Lu:	Alas hee understands not, you must name my name, or els his dull braine understands not
Ta:	Speake to my Sister S^e.
Cor:	How doe you faire Lady, not a word pray you, make your servant happy, for if you say nothinge, I shall then understand you thinke Ey, and soe you will make mee very happy by yo^e neglectinge silence./

The Songe

Lu:	I prethee Foole not speake noe more For I cannot thee like Thy folly hath beene great enough For mee to laughing sleight Thy face a blacke brus'd hony Combe Thy selfe an Uggly Sott Besides you are a Clogg of dum Soe I'le not bee your Lott. There's none without it bee a Hagg Will ever bee your wife And for Companions you are such As they will not bee rife Then all your recreation is A full good Cup of Sack And that your drunkenes doth sipp Which makes you beastly fatt Yo're onely fit for Witches like For lookes of horrour you Then shee to oynt, and make a flight In this to sweare shee's true For sordid acts is your owne life And this each one doth see Thus Devill you doe make a strife Then Witch take you for mee./
Ta:	Sister I sweare I infinitely comend your witt. I confesse you have wone yo^e wager, but who must pay it to you?
Lu:	Myselfe
Ta:	I sweare I longe to see't.
Lu:	Nay prethee doe not speake wthout a pritty oath.
Ta:	Wye as I hope to contynew Tattyny I longe to see thee marryed, but I'm soe feared you will prove a foole.
Lu:	Doe you not doubt Luceny, but minde Tattyny for my observacon is that Presumption doth through his Cloke as if hee intended to governe you
Ta:	Ey but as I hope to contynew my owne, I will make him lay his Cloke of, if his carrage bee to sleight mee. For doe you thinke Sister, the words sayeing in the Church shall make mee minde him more, then I doe now he is my Servant for I intend to bee his Mistris.
Lu:	You're right, for I intend to bee the same w^th Courtly
Ta:	But sure you do not resolve to lett him knowe soe much
Lu:	O I understand you, that is to say, the wife, but the Mistris to make his love contynew the longer Ey but Tatteny shall showe obedient when my lady Knoweall visitts her.
Ta:	And soe I beleeve will you bee, when Mistris Courtley your mother in Lawe sees you./
Lu:	yes fayth will I, but though I looke obedient and civill to hir, I will let hir discretion understand in silence, that I knowe myselfe, and that I deserve thankes for comeing into hir familie, therefore I will not lessen my conversation for hir peece of sobriety.
Ta:	Ey Sister, but I doe not like that word, some Ladyes here in towne are much acquainted w^th the language of friendshipp and conversation, as they will thinke.
Lu:	What, for as I hope for happynes I will contynew my innocent freedome with Courtely, and hee shall have a true peece of vertue of Luceny, and you neede not bee more iealous Sister of Lucenyes language, then you are of your selfe, of makeing who I please beleive I am an obedient foole.
Ta:	Doe you not wonder that Courtly and Praesumption, are heald witts, for meethinks there is noe such marracles in their language.
Lu:	Wye that's because wee have beene brought upp in the creation of good languages which will make us ever our selves.
Ta:	And I protest, Praesumption shall never see mee out of order when I am marryed, but in a morninge, and at night in my severall Satten Petticotes and Wastcotes, and alwayes in my careles Garbe.
Lu:	Come let us goe for I doe feare If att the doore they may us heare.

Act the Third

Enter M^r Friendly, M^r Proper, and M^r Devinity.

Pr: [ M^r Proper]	Come, what a Seige?
Fr: [ M^r Friendly]	By God I thinke soe, but where's the releife I'm sure our partie is now as flatt as a flunder.
Pr:	And this Garrison flatter then any
Fr:	Pox ont, I know that, where's our Officers
Pr:	Wye the old man it att y^e workes
Fr:	Have wee not more?
Pr:	Yes, his Clerke, who you knowe's an Ancient
Fr:	What wilt thou doe?
Pr:	ffight as well as a Gentleman Usher shall? And what wilt thou doe w^th thy Bulke?
Fr:	Stand in the halfe moone, and sweare you all into heart and now, and then fight. By God, I thinke the Ladyes have a mind to see how I shall looke w^th out an Eye./
Pr:	If I should want a legg I were cassheir'd from Gentleman Usher.
Fr:	Then you must have a Pention, and if it bee a good one It will buy Sack and Clarrett enough in tyme to make you as bigg as I.
Pr:	But our ladyes doe not use to keepe their Gentlemen Ushers, soe my desire must bee to begg as a lame Souldier of y^e Kings and the Kings lame Souldier./
Fr:	Come Devinity, what sayest thou?
De: [ M^r Devinity]	Fayth I've beene measureing, and the workes are not made high enough for y^e Enemyes if shott will enter into every Chamber of y^e Howse.
Pr:	Why will you not tell our Enginer Gouvernour soe
De:	I have, but hee is soe confounded.
Fr:	Why? doth hee doubt his workes?
De:	Noe hee cannot understand well Englishe Nor I his language, but I thinke M^r Discretion will have noe Seige, haveinge noe possibility of releife.
Pr:	Come M^r Propper let us goe drinke And afterwards to bed and Winke.

Enter Luceny and Tattyny Mallencholly

Lu: [Luceny]	Sadnes I chide you, thou art slowe and dull 'Tis greife w^th passion, makes a heart as full Of gallant actions, and love gives the Challenge Soe Life's not weigh'd, in this worlds harder Ballance Then goe on wisely on a resolute grownd And make noe question, but goe on y^e Round And doe not make delayes, nor goe about But shortly put unquiet life quite out
Ta: [Tattyny]	Greife I wonder you should angry bee w^th mee. Thou dids't not see mee till after I was thee But patience I have consider'd w^th my selfe, and can Tell you Sadnes is the best, w^ch I'le bee and am Your's is a maddnes, for quiett will you see But I'le greive to the bone, Anothemy will bee.

Enter an Angell

[Angell]

Stay bee not angry sufferr w^th your friends
In like fortune yo^e selfe to them lend
For I doe hope the happy gaine wilbee
And that ere longe you ioyfully shall see
Soe I'm assur'd you shall not make these ends
For happie shall you bee in your blest friends.

Enter Courtley and Presumption

Co: [Courtley]	What are you upon marriage?
Pre: [Presumption]	Ey, and I am dayly contemplateinge, how to make M^ris Luceny fitt to entertayne my mother, and friends in the Country
Co:	That wilbee a hard designe.
Pre:	Fayth but I'le tell you the way I thinke of, as soone as I am marryed I will let hir knowe I am hir Husband
Co:	How doe you meane? Shee knowes that.
Pre:	Ey, but I meane to folleyfie hir all I can, and lett hir knowe that Garbe, that doth best become hir, is most ill favour'd. Soe shee shall nether looke, walke, or speake, but I wilbee hir perpetuall vexation, then send hir into the Country, where I will stay with hir a moneth, then tell hir my occations drawes mee to Towne and so leave hir to contemplate mee in my absence, and to obey my Familye.
Co:	O Praesumption, thoul't bee a Devellyshe Husband prethee more of this, that I may learne by thee to knowe the word Husband
Pre:	Wye then who ever my wife fansyes I will not esteeme of though a femall, for men Servants shee shall nether darr to speake to them, nor soe much as to ymploy them were it but to knowe who it was that came last into y^e howse
Co:	You'll bee over Iealous:;
Pre:	'Tis but carefull, besides shee shall not stay w^th hir owne friends or famyly after shee is marryed not three dayes; then once a yeare I'le bringe hir downe a Gowne in fashion, w^ch w^th contynewinge longe in the Country shee shall not knowe how to put on, then all my discourse shalbee to prayse the Ladies in London, and if shee doe but behave hirselfe Ugglie, then I'le tell hir that was like a good wife, and an honourable Stock to beare Children on w^th all I would have hir take the weeke Bookes w^ch is the onely way to make hir Uncapable of discourse or entertayne ment, and if shee doe not give respects to my mother, and Sisters I will tell hir shee hath not deserved to enter into my hon^ble old howse, and I knowe, contynually seeinge old longe Beards make leggs to mee, will teach hir the fashion to obey.
Co:	Well companion thou deserv'st the title of a Husband but if you'll have my opinion, Mistris Tattyny lookes as if shee were proepared for ye ridgednes of a Husband.
Pre:	Why doe you thinke soe
Co:	By reason shee lookes, as if shee did not care for y^e word, part, and rather then contynue hir owne unquietnes shee would live w^th hir friends, you knowe hir ffather is an understanding Gentleman, his decurse uses not to bee dull, catachyseinge, and they very much w^th him.
Pre:	A Poxe on you for your opinion, it hath done mee much hurt, pry'thee how pretend you?
Co:	Fayth I pretend to possess my sweete Luceny of my sincere affection, and if I can to make hir passionately love mee, and soe to gaine hir ffathers friendship, and then by love to gaine hir observancye, w^ch I will retorne w^th greate respect, and all hir friends shall comaund mee.
Pre:	And shee too?
Co:	Noe shee shall love mee soe well, as shee shall thinke me worthy of my freedome, and soe wee will contynue the conversation and friendshipp of Lovers wthout knoweing the words, of man and wife.
Pre:	This I understand to bee one of your Courtships to hir.
Co:	Noe fayth, shalbee my contynuall practice
Pre:	Sure then you have great designes upon hir Father
Co:	Noe fayth I understand Gallentry better then to have any designe, but to serve him your way w^th your wife is to educate hir iust soe, as to hate hir w^th in 2. or.3. yeares, or els you are soe proud as you would have your selfe the onely valewable peece of perfection, beleive it, believe it your Mistris and myne though they have great portions, are not to be tuterd like a rich Cittizens Daughter, or a great heire, they are of other breedings.
Pre:	Well, I'le see in what Garbe, I can bringe hir too and tell you a certainty for your opinion
Co:	And when you find I say true what will you say
Pre:	Wye I'le say I am wiser then you for I have endeavour'd the best I can to make my wife a foole, and you never had soe high a designe.
Co:	Fayth I hold that noe designe to make my wife a foole
Pre:	We shortly shalbee marryed then each shall see Which of us a true kind Husband:
Co:	That's mee.

Enter a Boy, as a Page to Courtely

Co:	O my Boy of hope art thou come? What news? is all well? What sad I prethee relate, I care not for a frowne Soe shee bee well, or if shee threw my Lre downe
Bo: [Boy, as a Page to Courtely]	S^e your prophecy is true, I have brought yo^e Lre back
Pre:	Come give it mee, and tell me prythee Boy Thy progress, Hast thou not mett a Bug beare, thou still lookes soe sad.
Bo:	I have another Lre w^ch I'de have you read, not my Maister
Pre:	Companion shall I read thy loved fansye of Lre?
Co:	Ey, but I saw the Boy give you another from yo^e mistris
Pre:	I doubt I never shall enioye my Deare For shee my ridged thoughts certaine did heare Could shee bee myne I'de dedicated bee To hir and give hir leave for to bee free Can any Wench enter into my Head If ever have hir once into my bedd When marryed my Soule shall not thinke of wife For shee shalbee my Mistris, Joy of life.
Co:	A suddaine change
Pre:	A suddaine change indeede.
Co:	Pray' speake, are they marryed? read that Lre Are they dead?
Pre:	Read that Letter And I am now in deepe dispaire Never againe to see my Faire

Enter the three Cozens

Sh:	O'cozens our neighbouringe Pesants.
Ci: [Lady Cicilley]	Or our pedanticall Servants, have given us upp for a pray to the Enemy.
Sh:	Pray' how did I looke in the posture of a Delinquent
Ci:	You meane how did you behave your selfe in the posture of a Delinquent, Fayth as though you thought the Sceane would change againe, and you would bee happy though you sufferred misery for a tyme, and how did I Looke?
Sh:	As your selfe, that's great though in misfortune
Ci:	Soe did you
Sh:	How should I doe otherwayes, for I practized Cleopatria, when shee was in hir captivity, and could they have thought mee worthy to have adorned their Tryumphs, I would have perform'd his gallant Tragidye, and soe have made myselfe glorious for tyme to come. Come Prethee let's talke noe more of our Captivity, I wish I could not thinke, that I might not remember I had beene once happy.
Ci:	I am not in your opinion, for then I should remember nothinge but misery, therefore let's recreate our selves with other discourse.
Sh:	And make our selves happy by promising hopes of our absent friends.
Ci:	But Cozen what shall wee doe today. I'm loath to learne French, I'm soe dull'd with greife.
Sh:	And I am stupyfyed w^th a contynuacon of misery, but I'le tell you wee'le look for our friends Cordyalls.
Ci:	But where are the Keyes?
Sh:	I have them, pry'thee sweete Cozen bid Joane bringe them quickly, for wee hate delayes.
Ci:	Now wee shall see what rare Cordyalls hee hath for restoration of health, and makeing one younge.
Sh:	Come let's goe open the Boxe, what's this?
Ci:	'Tis quinticence of mint and magisteriam of Pearle
Sh:	Take one of these Cakes, and you Cozen thei're very good ones.
Ci:	Wee never saw these before, come wee'le put them upp.
Sh:	Noe take another hee'le never want them.
Es:	Truely if hee knewe, hee would wonder how we durst offerr to looke of them.
Sh:	I wishe hee saw us in a Prospective.
Es:	But 'tis a great way for him to looke in a Prospective
Ci:	'Tis not matter, 'tis a wishe, see Cozen, what Receats this I sweare 'tis a Lre and one of his Mistris Seales.
Sh:	You're mistaken, you iudge wrong, 'tis a Cordyall Seale
Ci:	Here are potts of [*] and Accodeshdry
Sh:	And potts of preserv'd Nutmeggs and morabollans and a whole Boxe of my Lady Kents Cordyalls
Ci:	And rather Esenns of all sorts, Cabynetts of all manner of Spiritts, Gilberts water, and curious Balmesomes, I am weary with repeateing, wee'le put them upp.
Sh:	Come Cozen this place is very cole, and wee have seene all his Cordyalls, I'le take this halfe pott of morabollans and soe quit them.
Ci:	Noe take a whole one.
Sh:	Noe I'le have noe more then this halfe pott, for you have more neede of Cordyalls then I, soe this day shalbee yours, and tomorrow myne
Ci:	How yours?
Sh:	Wye I'le invite you,
Ci:	To what?
Sh:	To what? Wye I'le picke his Cabinett Locks, and there you shall see his Magazine of love. I darr sweare you shall see locks of all manner of Colloured haires, and favoureing Ribbins, in as many colours as the Rainebow.
Ci:	How know you that?
Sh:	'Tis my stronge ymagination, and if this fansye of myne should prove true, wee shall have rarer recreation to looke on them.
Ci:	Well on w^th your designe tomorrow
Sh:	ffayth soe I will if noe impertinent Lady hinder mee.
Ci:	Ey, but I doubt a designe of soe much pleaseing consequence wilbee defeated./

	* A word omitted here in Bodleian MS.

Enter Colonel Free and M^r Corpolent

Fr: [Colonel Free]	I'le tell you newes M^r Corpolant. Monsieur Calsindowes Daughters my Cozens, are become Nunns upon the greife of our departure
Cor:	Upon the greife of my departure.
Fr:	What a selfe lov'd peece of fatt you are, doe you not knowe, nor remember how angrye you were, when shee scorn'd you, and doe you thinke shee is in love with you? Now you are too partiall.
Cor:	By your leave Colonell Free absence increaseth like, sometymes.
Fr:	I wonder what fansye my wife will bee possest w^th all for shee can nether bee Nunn, nor Vestow, shee hath soe many Children.
Cor:	But the sweete Lady wilbee in a Consumption for your sake.
Fr:	Did you see our sweete younge Stellowes today?
Cor:	Yes and in my knowledge of conceite they are very mallencholy, and they would not let mee knowe the reason, soe I doubt they are in love. Are not you in the same opinion.
Fr:	They have reason to bee sayd, their Mistresses are captives, and their sisters are Nunns in mallenchollie and they say, give's blessing to each poore body that comes to bee healed of mallencholly of y^e minde.
Cor:	I wonder people can bee soe simple to come to bee cured of them, that cannot cure themselves./

Enter two Prisoners. Action and Moderate.

Ac: [Action]	S^e brought as a Prisoner?
Mo: [Moderate]	Yes S^e.
Ac:	Pray what newes?
Mo:	Alas S^e I wish there were noe newes, but that my Cowe had newly calv'd, or how much creame makes a pound of Butter. I'm onely brought in by reason they have a thought I am rich.
Ac:	They would have money of mee too, a pox take them all, and the Devill goe w^th them for they are a Company of Knaves
Mo:	Ey, S^e, but pray take heede, for since you are of our partie, I must give you counsell, and desire you not to bee soe liberall of your tongue. it may do you hurt, and our partie noe good.
Ac:	'Tis true for I was put into such a roome for talkeing as I had noe bigger a window to take breath att then the biggnes of my little finger, and noe more to piss att.
Mo:	Sure your ymprisonment hath made you madd
Ac:	Fayth soe it hath to them in hatered, come let's goe drinke a health to the good success of our party and to the Rogues condemnation.
Mo:	This would bee a very good health, but not in this Garrison, and thus much knowne may hange you.
Ac:	Tut I'le venter my neck but I'le bee revenged, your'e all upon the savation of yo^e money, and I have none to losse./
Mo:	If you have not, you should goe upon the ground of keepeing your health
Ac:	Wye soe I doe, for I walke dayly in the Garden, and when I see the Rogues goe by mee in scorne, will not put of my Hatt, let's now hansomely send to our party, to come to take their Horses, and if possible to take this Howse.
Mo:	By my fayth of my body, I will not bee of this highe flowne, noe designe, goe S^e and sleepe for this can prove nothinge.

Act the Fourth

Enter the 2. Nunns Luceny and Tattiny

Lu:	Where are the Innocent Soules?
Ta:	Theire comeinge.

Enter. 2. Poore men and 2. poore weomen kneelinge

Lu:	what's your greife?
Po:m: [Poor Man]	Love
Lu:	In what kind?
Po:m:	one that I lov'd as my Soule reiected mee
Lu:	Take this and bee assured, you shall growe wiser or have your Mistris love you
Lu:	What's yours?
Po:w: [Poor Woman]	Love.
Lu:	In what kind?
Po:w:	My friends who I held more deare then my life are in a farr Country
Lu:	I have noe remedy for that. but take this, it is such as I weare it is a Bowe of hope.
The other Po:m: [The other Poor Man]	And my greife is I lov'd a woman and shee would not marrye mee.
Lu:	Take this as a scurge to whip your folly away
The other Po:w: [The other Poor Woman]	And I have almost lost my witts by Plunder.
Lu:	Take this Lawrell as a promiseing hope of Conquest
Ta:	Now I will grind upon this holy stone Your doubts mixt altogeather not alone Yo^e Greifes Yo^e ffeares Your Seighs; and your sad teares.
Lu:	May you all happy bee, but I blesse and wishe That you your friends againe may see. And pray you pray that prayer for mee./

The Songe

Courtleyes discovery and Praesumption

Co:

I sweare as you are faire
And chast as is the Ayre
Since that I sawe you first
Myselfe could never bee
But still I'm offerringe att your Shrine
And you will not allowe to see.

Which makes my Angers not to tell
What is my fortune well
But I will never cease
To offerr pay my hopefull vowes
Therefore I'le not dispaire to see a day
Wherein I may
Most happy bee
And Mortalls envyeing mee to see./

Luceny the Nunn sings.

Lu:

I wonder what's the cause about you goe
Thus to prophane my sacred Preisthead soe
As to name mee wantonly faire
Chast that I am, and it shalbee my care
Your stealeing language further shall not creepe
Into my sacred Church, where I will weepe
Prayeing that all may truely, honest keepe
For my ambitious store in votes ascends
For my love'd, deare and absent friends
That each upon their Temples truely may
Weare severall Lawrells, of each sweeter Bay
At their retorne then happy shall I bee
In that blest day, I once them more doe see.

Enter Presumption.

Pre:	And I have found thy most sacred selfe here Whose presence tornes all sex to Joy not feare. Soe I'le kneele w^th adoration to thee And never thinke the tyme too longe, to see Thy purer face of Angell beauty faire But looke and ymagin what piece you are Soe stands w^th admiration that a shee Should thus soe like, a pure iust Goddes bee./
Ta:	Bless mee what spirit possesses you To speake to mee as if I were not true But I am iust and wilbee iust to greife And now without my friends have noe releife

Enter the. 2. brother Stellowes
The eldest passionate.

St: [Elder Stellowe]	My Lady and mistris Captive, a Prisoner can Stellowe sufferr that, I'le hir releive.
Yo: [Younger Stellowe]	But how can you Brother?
St:	Name how, and thy mistris in the like Condition
Yo:	But though I'm in love, I am not out of sense
St:	By God thou art out of sense, if thou canst thinke any ympossibility, an ympossibility to gane yo^e Mistris liberty, though at the rate of your life.
Yo:	I am resolved to hazard myselfe would that releive hir but to dye, and not to release hir, and then my Corps can have noe possibility of enioying hir, and what doth that proffitt mee.
St:	Wye it doth proffitt mee if shee could see mee blowne in a thousand peeces, to show I dye hir Marter, and in that peece of service I shall account my grave my eternall happynes.
Yo:	By god Brother, I should rather account hir Bedd of love eternall happynes
St:	Thour't all for thy self.
Yo:	But meethinkes, your nether for your selfe nor hir.
St:	Well I am resolved of my designe
Yo:	What's that prethee lett mee knowe
St:	That is I will either ruen myselfe or gaine hir wilt thou goe w^th mee I am not for demurrs speake
Yo:	I'm not for merry calls, if a possibility I goe
St:	Hang that word possibility, I love then what is ympossible.
Yo:	Soe doe I, and yet meethinkes all things are ympossible But tell mee whose of your designe
St:	Love and Courage to that hight as thou appear'st to mee like a Bedridden fellow, or att best a frozen Stature of Ice, that ere longe will consume by my heate of love you had best keepe att distance.
Yo:	Well I darr love as well as thee Therefore my mistris I will dye but see.
St:	Then let us goe all danger to ymbrace So wee may see their sweeter face

Enter the Three Lady Cozens.

Sh:	Cozen I longe w^th great ympatience till the Smyth come
Ci:	It may bee hee that knocks, Come in.
Sh:	I have my wishe, harke you friend, you knowe yo^e maisters Cabinetts locks, they are very good ones doe you thinke you can open them
Sm: [Smith]	Yes of my life Madam I can
Ci:	There are some Bookes there wee would read to passe away this sad and solitary life wee're in

Enter a wayteing Woman. Sage.

Sh:	Ha now Impertinatt, what have yoa to doe here
Sa: [Sage]	M^r Steward Madam is come with the Bookes and sayth you have not seene them this fortnight.
Sh:	Goe formality and tell his Formalityship I have other busines then to stupyfie my braine w^th how many quarters of mault is bought, and in that how much I am cozened, nether care I how many scores of sheepe have beene Plundered from mee./
Sa:	I shall tell him soe Madam.
Sh:	Noe stay, It is better to please him and tell him I doe not suspect his honesty; therefore hee needes not bringe the bookes soe soone, and let him knowe this was his plott to see whether I suspected him; and to let him see I confide in him, I will not take the Bookes this moneth.

Enter another Mistris Grave.

Ci:	Ha now, another
Sh:	Now foole, what comes your peece of gravity for?
Gr: [Mistris Grave]	The Lady Tranquility is come.
Ci:	A poxe goe with you for your ill newes I'le teach you better manners then to bringe mee word of my vexation. where is shee?
Gr:	The Ladie is in the next Chamber.
Ci:	I thought this was too happy a designe to prove prosperous
Sh:	Well Cozen content your selfe, the Boxes are here, and the Smyth lives not farr of, soe I hope wee are not totally defeated.

Enter Lady Tranquility.

Sh:	Sweete Madam how longe hath your La:^pp beene here? How chance I heard not sooner?
Tr:	I have not beene here longe your La:^pps neede not bee angry
Sh:	Lord Madam, how happy am I that yo^e La:^pp can thinke mee worthy of a Visitt, will your La:^pp goe into my bed chamber
Tr:	I shall attend yo^e La:^pp.

Enter Courtly who sings this Songe.

Co:

Beinge in Shopps of sadnes now I cry
Ladyes what lacke you, pray you of mee buy

Mallencholly Hudds, or Pendant teares of Pearle
Which if condenced will washe each fyner Gerle
Or fine sweete water sighes, for to perfume
your Closset Chamber, or soe any Roome
If like a Fucus, take my Crimson Heart
'Twill finely redd your Cheekes before you parte
And when you please, it will you panting tell
How it doth pray for you, and wishe you well
And if doubts multyplyeing Glasse you'll have
I've one that adds, most rarely brave,
Besides a Prospective, wherein you'll see
My greifs of fuller mone, like Rocks to bee
What will you nothinge of mee buy
Truely sweete ladies, you are very shye
But I doe hope ere longe that fortunes Capp
Will turne about, and hugg mee in hir Lapp.
Then doe not doubt but have great store
Of Ladyes Customers to haunt my doore

Enter Presumption wh his M^ris Picture.

Prae:

Looke on this Picture where you'll see
A face of pure Devinity
Adore it with a iealous veiw
Since it appeares an Angell true
The Face is absolute true faire
As if't was made of select Ayre.
'Tis sinn if looke, and not adore
For such a one was ne're before./

Courtly falls into the like passion w^th fansyeing his M^ris Face.

Co:

My mistris Picture it doth make
A studdy to expresse each features take
And when but veiw hir sweeter smyle I say
I've seene Caelestyall happynes today
Then when but see hir quicker Eye 'tis such
That all sex sweares they cannot looke too much
Thus shee appeares my innocent delight
Soe I will call hir my true vertues light.

Enter Toy
with one of hir Ladies Chamber-maides whose name is Pert.

To: [Toy]	Come Pert I'le tell you newes, who doe you thinke makes love to mee? Come thinke and tell mee.
Pe: [Pert]	Fayth Mistris I cannot say your Lord, for you have none, for your Ladies a widow, but the Lord of Lords may.
To:	God bless my Courtshipp I'm not soe devine yet, to have the Lord of Lords make love to mee.
Pe:	you mistake mee Mistris I can explaine myselfe.
To:	Wye, prethee doe then, or I vow to God I'le make my Lady angry w^th you for not starchinge hir Band well therefore you had best please mee.
Pe:	By my troth Mistris I'le please you, for I'le bee as secret to your Counsells as you can wishe
To:	Good wench speake then who thou thinkes
Pe:	ffayth I'm loath to speake, for feare you'le thinke I'le tell my Lady.
To:	ffayth I'le thinke nothinge but what you'll have mee, and this is enough for my Ladies Gentlewoman to speake to hir Chambermaide, therefore with a Pox to you speake.
Pe:	Wye then, I thinke my Lord Calsindow loves my Lady a litle, to love you more; and now I have spoke
To:	Thou'st spoke w^th a vengance but by God if you tell my Lady in hope of a Gentlewomanship my carefull way of not dressinge myselfe fine, when his Lo:^pp comes Efayth may pull you downe to a washemaide.
Pe:	Howe's that? pray that againe, I did not heare you
To:	Wye Ile tell thee, I have noe other way soe good to disguise our loves, then to dresse my lady fine and myself Uggly.
Pe:	Ha: Ha; Ha: If I did not thinke soe I'm a very Rogue but harke you Mistris, what would you doe w^th a Lady that understands the world, and if shee were marryed would say to hir husband, prethee take my woman, fayth I'm weary of your husbandly loved conversation, what would you you doe then? Now doe you speake.
To:	ffayth such a careless thinge of knowledge, I thinke I should serve best.
Pe:	I believe you, but you would have a harde taske, whether to please my Lord or my Lady.
To:	Noe fayth but I should not, for w^ch pleased best my humour of please, I would please.
Pe:	ffayth but I knowe some Ladyes that wilbee soe much of y^e wench with their Husband, that thou would prove at best but a could Mouldy Pye, and this in playne Englishe is true.
To:	But I'le tell thee then, I would bee the wife w^th that Ladies Husband, and make him fond that way.
Pe:	A pox of thy noe witt, this Lady that I meane will have hir severall sceanes, now wife, then Mistris, then my Sweete Platanicke soule, and then write in the like severall changes of Mistris not onely to confirme love, but provoke love, then dress themselves always as a pritty sweete wife or mistris. What sayes Mistris Toy to serve one of these?
To:	Poxe on you, I knowe whereabouts you are, but I'm not like to serve either of these you meane, but I'le tell you, fayth, they used mee very kindly the last tyme they sawe mee, but God knowes their not in condidition now to see any body, God comfort them.
Pe:	ffor sake, sake, thou givest pittie but what say you to a Gentlewomanship to one of those witts.
To:	I thanke you for nothinge I'le serve none of yo^e Shee witts, they will not court mee, I'm for your Hee witts or a Lady that doth not knowe mee, let mee alone to chuse a Lady to serve if I part w^th my good Lady Tranquility, I'le have a lady of the tymes, if I can gett hir, or one that thinkes it an honour for mee to serve hir.

Enter M^r Caution and M^r Discretion.

Di: [Discretion]	Did our Ladyes chide you today? Come let's walke.
Ca: [Caution]	Noe fayth I valew noe chideing by them, but to say trueth they gave mee sharpe apprehension and stately, gave mee a litle noe respect, and when wee talked, they spoke of some designes against them, and soe put a dislike upon mee, and in good fayth, I sayd I knew of noe designe, nor had designe against them, but I would serve Moningnure Callindow the best I could, they sayd I might very well studdy and pleade that pretence, as being the onely handle I had and soe convert them to a beleefe, since wee honour him as our ffather, wee can say nothinge to you in that concerne, then they swore my wisdome should not alter their resolution, and in good fayth, I knowe not their resolutions, nether can I ymagin.
Di:	I see you call nothinge chideing, unless they had power to put out a servant or in a Servant into the estate, but in good fayth So they trouble us unexpressedly to governe them to doe themselves good. find you not that?
Ca:	I doe not find they trouble mee att all, but they trouble business, and I love not interruptions.
Di:	Once I had a designe to vex them, since they will not bee pleased. I made one of the Groomes say, one of their Coach-horses was plundered, and that I knew would passionately vex them.
Ca:	And were they angry?
Di:	Noe their quick att fansey and knewe it was a Plott of mee./

Act the Fifth

Enter the three Ladyes Cozens w^th this Songe.

Sh:	In stead of mens drinke
Ci:	Let us merrylie thinke
Is:	Now wee're at liberty
Ci:	What wee shall wish to thee.
Is:	'Gainst wee you marryed see
Ci:	Thinke not of beauty
Is:	Nor of duety
Ci:	But resolve to bee
Is:	A pritty toyeing Shee.

Enter the. 2. Stellowes.

Sh:	O' friend I have beene in Hell
St: [Elder Stellowe]	Noe sure your goodnes cannot that place tell
Sh:	O' yes this world doth ymitate the other But this a secrett let it goe noe further
St:	Well on with your discourse.
Sh:	I will And tell you how they good Soules kill They have their Tarriers Devills to betray Each honest soule, that loves the true right way.
St:	I knowe all this but tell what fires they have And when they're burn'd, how pityfull they rave.
Sh:	Fyres, that's fansey, by a hotter flame And haveinge noe Joyes sweares greife burnes them lame As for bleir'd Eyes, 'tis nether fyre, nor Smoke But cryeing, and sad greife them smothering choke. For darkenes, that their mallencholly self If happy they not want of waggish Elf.
St:	They say Hells lowe
Sh:	How can it other bee For when misfortune, then you Hell doe see
St:	when you were there would you your friends there wish
Sh:	Noe shee Devills I would not have them kiss.

Younge Stellowe speakes to the Lady Cicilley this.

Yo: [Younger Stellowe]

Madam doe you this Chatachime knowe
I like it not, I pray you let us goe.

Enter the 2 Nunns mallencholly speakeing to one another.

Lu:

When I in sadnes am and then doe thinke
I'm lul'd a sleepe in mallencholly winke
Each chamber seeleing doth create true sad
Yet temperd soe as I am quiett, glad,
Then when I walke Nunns Gallerye round
My thoughts tells mee I'm falling in a swond
And when that flowers fine I have
Then sure I'm decked for my Grave
Soe if each one will have a fine lov'd death
Enter your self in sadnes sweeter Earth
Then when my quiett soule desires to walke
The Gardens doe revive my tongue to talke
Soe in white sheete of Innocence I fray
Each one that wishes mee to see
For Ghosts doe love to have their owne delights
When others thinkes they have designes of frights
So even as they I wish noe feare to none.
But on my Friends contemplate alone./

Lu:

My greife doth make mee for to looke
As if life I had quietly forsooke
Then for my fine dilitive Tombe
Is my seeled Chamber, and darke Parlour Roome
Then when my Spiritt i' the Gallery doth walke
It will not speake, for sinn to it is talke.
At night I rise from tombe to see
My friends pure well; but sleepeing that must bee
This is my truer soule of glad.
And Ghosts contentment, now you see is sad.

The Songe.

Sunge by. 2. Gods comeing downe out of the Skye to the Nunns.
who are Courtley and Presumption.

	Harke, harke, and heare And put of feare Resolve and come away And make noe stay your Saynted prayers ever came to wee Soe wee're resolv'd your ffather you shall see./
Lu:	At your Comaunds wee make noe stay
Ta:	But you greate Gods wee will obey
Co:	These Garments wee you bringe
Pr:	To usher you to your ioy'd springe

After their Habitts are on and their Nunns Habitts of,
y^ey both speake this.

Lu:	Can I soe soone forgett an Nunn
Co:	Ey sure, and bringe loves happie sonn
Ta:	How doe I in this Habitt looke
Prae:	As loves devinity of Booke.

This Songe sunge in parts by them fowre as they are drawne upp.

Co:	Now let us cut each way away.
Pre:	And make rude winds us to obey
Lu:	To bringe us to our happy day.
Ta:	Then blessings wilbee our rich pay.

This songe sunge over soe often, till they bee drawne upp.

Enter M^r Corpolant and my Lady Tranquility.

Cor:	Come madam you shall bee my Antidote against Mistris Luceny. Witt how like you my profferr?
Tr:	What doe you meane your Bagg of Gold? very well.
Cor:	Fayth and you shall have my Bagg of Gold if you'le have me to boote.
Tr:	And what say you M^r Corpolant to bee my Garrison of profession against all the world.
Cor:	Fayth madam and I love you soe well as I darr marry you and let the world say what they will, you'st bee my onely Fort.
Tr:	Excuse mee S^e you rather appeare myne
Cor:	Come in a word if you'le mee have you shall have title Coach and all things that is brave.
Tr:	S^e you looke a greate plumpe Bagg I sweare Soe if I shake you well I neede not care.

Enter Monsignure Calsindow at the other doore Courtly and
Presumption w^th Luceny and Tattyny in their change of Habbits
and Courtley and Presumption still in the Habbit of Gods./

Co:	Looke looke and see
Pr:	Your Daughters, here they bee.
Lu:	Wee you a blessinge Aske
Co:	Then wee'le put of our maske.

They appeare
Courtley and Presumption.

Ca:	What am I surprized w^th Joy of please But pray you Daughters who are these?
Co:	Your Servant Courtley
Pr:	Yours Praesumption
Lu:	Are you God-Cheaters
Ta:	Or are wee not our selves
Co:	Madam, wee can create
Pr:	And if your ffather please, wee are yo^e fate.
Ca:	I thanke you both, for now I see. You love my Daughters, then you must love mee.

Enter an old Woman, and younge Wench w^th hir.

Ca: [Care]	Passion of God these younge fflirts vex my Soule out of my body, did not I tell thee, thy carelesnes would spoyle the lynnings against the marryage of my Lord Calsindow daughters. I tell thee againe Brides lynnings out to bee had a care of, but thou'rt afraid thy faire face should bee burnt, or thy hands too ruffe, marry gep w^th a Vengance, come out.
Pri: [Pritty]	I am sure I have burnt my fingers w^th smoothinge
Ca:	Burnt y^e fingers, and if you had burnt them of God would have blest you never a whit the worse, but Efayth, Efaith you're a fflirt, you stand when my Lords men courts you, and sayth away fye, you speake not as you thinke, and with this dallyeing discourse never minds your busines. Efayth the world's turn'd upp side down since I was younge.
Pri:	Wye forsooth, would you have mee beleeve them?
Ca:	Well, well, I knowe what I knowe, and Care will say noe more, but thy very name Pritty hath undone thee.
Pri:	Truely Mistris, but that name could never undone you.
Ca:	Thou dost provoke mee, but I will not chide you for a reason best knowne to myselfe, but Efayth I could tell.
Pri:	Pray you tell my Lord then
Ca:	you had best tell him your selfe for I am not soe familiar w^th his Lo:^pp. I will doe him faythfull and true service, for by my troth I cannot bee a fflirt, Honesty shall ever bee my worst and none shall say worse of mee
Pri:	I thinke it was alwayes the worst w^th you.
Ca:	The worst w^th mee, take heede my worst bee not better then your best. Take heede I say take heede If begg I will not aske you at my need./

Enter Luceny and hir waiteing Woman with hir Glasse.
And as Luceny opens hir Haire shee sings
This Songe.

Lu:	What is't they say must I a wife become
Wa: [Waiteing Woman]	Yes madam that's the vote as I doe heare it runn
Lu:	Wye then a wife in showe appeare Though Munckey I should deare And soe upon the marriage day I'le looke as if obey.

Enter Stellow singeinge.

St:	Now doe I heare the Ladies what wagers they will lay Sayeing surely you'll disallowe obey Truely I knowe not what you meane cry you and looke away What act you meane To bee the Sceane Lost Wagers each must pay.
Lu:	Now doe I veiw myselfe by all soe looked upon And thus men whisperinge say fayth shee's already gone For witt or mirth I plainly see That shee a wife wilbee Noe S^e say I a witt above Is Hymens Munckey love.

Enter Younge Stellow.

Yo:	Well sister for all your reply of Songe I sawe an ill signe today.
Lu:	What wast?
Yo:	ffayth a very careles Garbe in Courtely
Lu:	In what perticuler?
Yo:	In puting on his Hatt
Lu:	ffayth Brother, but as I hope to contynew my innocent freedome of Luceny. Hee shall put his hat of before hee make mee observe his actions for I was never borne to bee his danceing Maister to have fowre pounds a moneth to observe his Garbe, But did not I give him the like retorne of my Alleigiance?
Yo:	yes I was infinetly pleased to see you, but I'm affraid hee should contract your Face to severall formes of rediculousnes when you're marryed, as I darr not name marriage.
Lu:	Pray you feare your selfe, and leave mee to the world, that is a Husband.

Enter the Lord Calsindow with his daughter Tatyny
M^r Courtely M^r Praesumption M^r Corpolant,
Lady Tranquility and M^strs Toy.

Ca:	S^e take you Luceny to your wedlock wishe And you Tattyny for a marryage kisse

Enter the 2. Stellowes w^th their Mistreses.

St:	My lord I have brought my mistris through w^th my life And if you please shee shalbee now my wife
Ca:	Sonn since you loves trueth, soe truely knowe w^th all my heart you to the Church may goe
Yo:	Brothers and Sisters marryed now I see If have your leave, I now may marryed bee
Ca:	Madam if that my younger sonn you'll have you will as Heaven him surely save.
Cor:	Now I will tell you newes of mee My lady Tranquility my wife wilbee

She sings this.

Tr:	Mais de van que Je vous marriez Je vous die que Je nemiey.
Ca:	All here I marryed see Excepting you and mee Now Madam I will take Your woman for my M^ris Mate.

A Songe sunge by an Angell.

[Angell]	Fye, fye, let marryage life Plant Vertue in you, take a wife That's truely vertuous and faire Hansome and innocent as the chast Ayre Then since the Gods makes you this choyce Marry, marry to reioyce.
Ca:	This change I like Efayth' tis very fine Noe sinn comitt, and yet this wench is myne Angell you're pay'd in that you will relate Unto the Gods, that vertue is my fate Then Toy you may bee gone for I'le bee true My conscyence bids mee not to looke of you

The Fifth Act ended the Musick playes.

Enter Luceny and Tattyny.

Ta:	As you love mee Sister, now you are marryed, tell mee how you agree, did you never fall out?
Lu:	As I hope to contynewe my owne thou'rt growne a foole, did not wee resolve to fall out w^th our Husbands?
Ta:	yes but I thought hee had alter'd you, but pray Sister did he never chide you?
Lu:	Noe but hee hath given mee very good Counsell
Ta:	O, I understand you, but I wonder you will sufferr him to bee so ymperious.
Lu:	Will you iudge before you heare.
Ta:	Wye tell mee then.
Lu:	Accordinge to yo^e Comaunds I'le tell you upon his first good Counsell, I looked soberly, as if I would strickly observe him, yet drest myselfe contrary to his instruction, and my behaviour was according to my dress, soe much as hee sayd Sweete Heart, doe you goe abroade today? I sayd noe, is your desire I should, noe sayd hee, but meethinkes you're very fine, and though I knew I was, yet I sayd fye, why will you reproch your owne soe much, but I am glad you sayd soe, for now I shall understand you by contraryes. Soe Sister I knew hee was to seeke about againe for a new good Counsell
Ta:	Come deare Sister tell mee his next humour.
Lu:	Sweare you will tell your Husbands humour and your owne, otherwayes you shall have mee noe more your liberet Foole.
Ta:	What oaths you please I'le sweare.
Lu:	Well I'le trust you, Fayth all that day hee was in a conflict, betwixt Anger and mallencholly not knoweinge whether my behaivour proceeded from neglect or ignorance, then hee declared himselfe by allygory and praysed a Lady, obedyent ffoole in towne, and swore hir Husband was the happyest man in the world. I replyed shee was a Very good Lady, and I accounted him happy that was hir Husband, that hee could content himselfe w^th such a Meachanick wife. I wishe sayd hee shee might bee your Example, and you have noe reason to sleight hir, for shee is of a noble family. I knowe that sayd I, and doe the more admire why shee will contract hir family, Noblenes and Birth, to the servitude of hir husband, as if hee had bought hir his slave, and I'm sure hir Father bought him for hir, for hee gave a good Portion, and now in sense who should obey? Then hee came w^th his old Proverbe and sayd hee would teach mee another Lesson, and soe w^th a forced kind of mirth, went out of y^e Roome, and I understood hee had nothinge else to say soe was never angry./
Ta:	But is hee never higher?
Lu:	Yes once, when hee thought to make mee cry, but Efayth I observ'd him in his owne way, and told him his teareing Oathes should not fright mee, and for part, I valewed at the same rate hee did, for I had noe designe upon him, but to love him, and pray for him. I would yet if in either of these I was inconvenient to him, I could lay those Contemplations at his feete, and would not weepe.
Ta:	Ha: ha: ha: How I am pleased to see Courtley become Praesumtion after marryage.
Lu:	And Praesumption Courtley.
Ta:	Noe fayth hee gently sleights as being madd in Love.
Lu:	How prethee let mee heare?
Ta:	Wye thus, when I am in Company w^th him hee becomes a Compound of hee knowes not what, that is hee doth not appeare my Husband, nether is his Garbe my Servant.
Lu:	Now I wonder Sister how you can call this a sleight for in this hee appeares himselfe. but I see you would have him fond in Company.
Ta:	By witt, I hate see a fond foole, let it bee, Hee, or Shee, but in a word I knewe I had angered him, therefore tooke this his silence as a neglect, yet I sweare by you I was myselfe, and held my petulant Garbe, once hee spoke in Company according to a discreete Husband, then I gave him a modest returne of wife, and yet appear'd his Mistris.
Lu:	Howe write you to him?
Ta:	In as severall humours as I will dresse myself. His Mistris, this you may see is an equall marryage, and I hate those people that will not understand, matrymony is to ioyne Lovers.
Lu:	But thinkes Husbands are the Rodd of authority.
Ta:	Or a Marriage Clogg
Lu:	That puts mee in mind of my Epilog

Epilog

Lu:	Truely the conflicts I did see w^th in Which for to tell you, even would bee a sinn The severall wayes, and fansyes of their feares And yet they darr not speake for their Eares Now I am charged, not a word more to say But begg your likes, and then 'tis Hollyday.

Epilog

Ta:	And I was sent in all hast to you here For to assure you there is a great feare Not knoweing how the Comedy doth please Dislik'd there will bee a white Huds decease Ladies from you I begg, a smile of like If Hats the Poet's happy in this might.

An Epilog

	In perticuler to your Lo:^pp
Lu:	Now since your Excellence hath thought it fitt
Ta:	To stay a three howres Comedy of sitt
Lu:	And soe but speake of it as like
Ta:	Then are our Sceanes even happy in your sight
Lu:	And though wee have, smyles and hats if you dislike
Ta:	Wee're totally condemned, for tonight. Have you now read my Lord, pray doe not speake For I'm already growne, soe faint and weake Not knoweing how you will now sensure mee As rash to thinke, noe witt a present bee But if you like not, I pray let mee knowe The Penn and Inke shall have a fatall blowe If you not pleas'd, it will impression make In my vaine selfe, for indiscretion sake But if you like you will mee Cordyall give And soe as witty, I shall ever live./


Cheyne, Jane, Lady, 1621-1669	Egerton, Elizabeth Cavendish, 1626-1663
(Lady Jane Cavendish)	(Lady Elizabeth Brackley)

The Concealed Fansyes: A Play by Lady Jane Cavendish and Lady Elizabeth Brackley.
Edited by Nathan Comfort Starr. PMLA, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Sep., 1931), pp. 802-838.
Copyright not renewed.

XLIV
THE CONCEALED FANSYES :
A PLAY BY LADY JANE CAVENDISH AND LADY ELIZABETH BRACKLEY

THE text of The Concealed Fansyes, which has hitherto remained unprinted, is preserved in the Bodleian library in Rawlinson MS. Poet. 16¹, which bears the following title: "Poems, songs, and a pastorall, by the R^t hon^ble the Lady Jane Cavendish and Lady Elizabeth Brackley." Though the play was listed by Halliwell-Phillipps,², students of the drama have displayed very little curiosity in regard to it. Indeed, aside from a few communications which appeared many years ago in Notes and Queries³, I have not found the slightest discussion of this play.

The Ladies Jane Cavendish and Elizabeth Brackley were the first and second daughters, respectively, of William Cavendish, first Duke of Newcastle, by his first wife, Elizabeth Basset. A great deal has been written about the distinguished father and step-mother of these young ladies, but about themselves relatively little is known. However, such facts as we have supply some useful information when considered in relation to their play, especially those which trace their connection with Welbeck and Bolsover.⁴

Lady Jane Cavendish was born in 1621. Of her early years there is little to record, save that she lived at Welbeck. The year 1643 saw the death of her mother, while the Earl himself was bending his efforts towards the preservation of his sovereign's power in the field. The disastrous battle of Marston Moor in July, 1644, destroyed the hopes of Charles for an overwhelming victory in the North, and drove the Earl of Newcastle into exile on the Continent.

Embarking for Holland, he took with him his two sons, Charles, Lord Mansfield, and Henry, later Earl of Ogle, but left his daughters behind at Welbeck, with a royalist garrison to hold the Manor for the King. We know positively that with Jane was her younger sister Frances, and probably also the sister Elizabeth. Elizabeth Cavendish was born about the year 1623, and in 1642 married John Egerton,⁵ Viscount Brackley, the son of the first Earl of Bridgewater and grandson of Baron Ellesmere, Queen Elizabeth's trusted councillor. The family into which Elizabeth Cavendish had married was distinguished in service both to the sovereign and to literature.

But to return to the young ladies at Welbeck. In August 1644, Welbeck Abbey surrendered to the Parliamentary forces at the demand of the Earl of Manchester. Extracts from the Earl's letter to the Committee of both kingdoms give an interesting account of the capture.

... I was further moved by the Committee and gentlemen of Nottingham for the reducing of the garrison of Welbeck to the obedience of the Parliament, because it was a great annoyance to those parts... Upon my coming near Welbeck, I sent a summons to the place, and they with great civility sent to parley with me. The next day, Friday, they rendered the house to me upon composition.

After mentioning his generous terms, the strength of the garrison and the equipment found there, he continues:

The house I preserved entire, and put a garrison into it of Nott's men... The place is very regularly fortified, and the Marquis of Newcastle's daughters, and the rest of his children and family are in it, unto whom I have engaged myself for their quiet abode there... ⁶

So here we have Newcastle's daughters brought into direct contact with the unpleasant realities of warfare. Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire surrendered on about August 16 to Major-General Crawford of the Parliamentary forces,⁷ and the young ladies were deprived of their other estate. So willy-nilly they had to stay at Welbeck, under the care of Colonel Thornhaugh, the commander of the garrison. Lord Fairfax must have exercised himself in their behalf, for in April, 1645, we find the Ladies Jane and Frances Cavendish writing him an interesting letter.

For his Excellence the Lord Fairfax, these humbly present.
May it please your Lordship,

Your favors are so continued us, that they are not only to be acknowledged, but repeated as comforts, since your lordship's care of us we may justly confess is much beyond our merit. Now give us leave to present our humble thanks to your lordship for your noble favors, which oblige us as long as we live to owe your excellence a faithful acknowledgment. Colonel Bright hath been lately at Bolsover, and is to give your lordship some account of that garrison.

We linger our remove from thence till we have some certainty of that business, hoping, that if he concur with the committee of Derby and some others for disgarrison of that place, to have the favour to be admitted to that house, which we the more desire by reason that town is assigned to us for maintenance, which will yield very little, I fear, if it continue still a garrison. However, whatsoever your excellence's pleasure, it shall be most welcome to

Your lordship's most humble and obliged servants,

Jane Cavendysshe
Fra. Cavendysshe

April 17th, 1645

My sister Brackley presents her most humble service to your lordship, and gives your excellence many thanks for the favour of your lordship's protection.⁸

But Welbeck was not yet lost for King Charles. In July, the former governor of the manor, Colonel Fretchville, and a Frenchman, Major Jammot, recaptured the Abbey in a brisk little engagement. Newcastle's daughters were almost certainly there at the time. And three weeks later the King himself stopped off there during his northern campaigning.⁹

However, in November 1645, the Abbey seems again to have been in the hands of the Parliamentarians. As to the whereabouts of the ladies after this we have only the scantiest evidence. Certain it seems that both Welbeck and Bolsover were disgarrisoned by the Roundheads on November 15, 1645.¹⁰ But apparently troops were again quartered in the Derbyshire seat, for on September 5, 1645, an order was issued providing for the withdrawal of the troops, and the demolition of the castle.¹¹ That Newcastle's daughters would have stayed at Bolsover seems unlikely. In the absence of evidence to the contrary one might assume that Welbeck was left in their charge. However, another possibility may be suggested. They all may have gone to Ashridge, the Hertfordshire seat of Lord Brackley. On the whole, this seems the more plausible theory, for the Ladies Jane and Frances certainly could not have relished staying alone at Welbeck. Lady Brackley, naturally, would have returned to her husband. And the play must certainly have been written by the two sisters in direct collaboration.

In 1649, Lady Elizabeth Brackley became the Countess of Bridgewater, on the succession of her husband to the title. Of the Lady Jane we know little during this period, save that she was active in saving the art treasures of Bolsover, and that in 1654 she married Charles Cheney, of an old Northamptonshire family, an ardent Royalist, and later first Viscount of Newhaven. The marriage was apparently a genuinely happy one, albeit Cheney married again after Lady Jane's death in 1669. Numerous benefactions in Chelsea, where her husband was active in political service, had made her beloved. She continued all her life the avocation of authorship, and filled several manuscript volumes with her verse.

Bridgewater and the Lady Elizabeth seem likewise to have been happily married. He was a man of considerable taste and refinement; as Chauncy says, "a learned man [who] delighted much in his library." ¹² The shock of his wife's death during childbirth in 1663 was a blow from which he never fully recovered. On her tomb he caused to be recorded that "he enjoyed, almost twenty-two years, all the happiness that a man could receive in the sweet society of the best of wives." ¹³

Such, then, are the biographical data which we are able to gather about the authors of The Concealed Fansyes.¹⁴

The text of the play herewith printed was transcribed from a photostat of the Rawlinson MS. It has been allowed to stand exactly as in the original, without correction, save that u and v have been written according to modern practice. Also, the word "and", represented nearly always in the MS. by a contracted form, has been written in full.

[Here appeared the text of the play, as given above.]

The dates which limit the composition of this play may be closely fixed. In 1642, Elizabeth Cavendish became Lady Brackley, and in 1649, she became the Countess of Bridgewater. So, unless she retained her former courtesy-title as a nom-de-plume (which seems unlikely) the piece must have been composed between the years 1642-49. And in view of the fact that the siege in Act III must reflect directly the course of events at Welbeck in 1644-45 we are able to get an even closer date for the composition of the play. As reasonable a guess as any would seem to be that the Lady Jane went to stay with Lord and Lady Brackley at Ashbridge, in 1646, and that while there, the two sisters, in order to pass time which must have hung heavily on their hands, and perhaps to amuse the old Earl of Bridgewater, dashed off a Comedy.¹⁵

As a literary production, The Concealed Fansyes is practically without value. Its conformity to the Jonsonian comedy of humors, and its specific indebtedness to Jonson are sufficiently obvious without detailed comment, nor is it necessary to dwell upon the resemblance between the brothers in the play and those of Comus ¹⁶ The chief interest of the work lies in the artless revelation of the activities of seventeenth century ladies of fashion, living in the country. As might be expected, the authors did not hesitate to use material based on the circumstances of their own family. With our knowledge of the historical background against which the ladies Cavendish were placed, we may even undertake to identify more or less certainly the characters in the play.

In the first place, it is well to remember that Jane Cavendish and Elizabeth Brackley had never met their famous step-mother (née Margaret Lucas) at the time The Concealed Fansyes was written. Doubtless they had heard of her from her brother Sir Charles Lucas, an officer in Newcastle's army, even before the Duke married her in Paris, during his exile. But that they were genuinely loyal to the memory of their own mother we can scarcely doubt. And probably they regarded Margaret Lucas as a clever schemer; an irresponsible upstart thirsting for advancement. It is certain that friends tried to prevent the impending match; for just what reason it is not quite clear. Even Queen Henrietta Maria attempted to dissuade her lady-in-waiting from the alliance. Rumors of these difficulties must certainly have reached England. Lady Tranquillity in the play probably is meant to be a thinly veiled representation of Margaret Lucas. When she first makes her appearance, she is pictured as vain and idle, scheming cleverly to win Mons. Calsindow's affections, through the aid of his daughters. But they will have nothing to do with her. In order not to make the allusion too pointed, the Lady is made to marry Corpolant, for his money. Her comment upon this, in French doggerel, is illuminating.

Mais devan que je vous marriey
Je vous die que je nemley.¹⁷

Calsindow is almost certainly Cavendish himself. The similarity in name is sufficiently noticeable, and the fact that he is apparently away from his family for a certain period would seem to coincide with the Cavalier's exile. He is made French because at that time he actually was resident in Paris. Perhaps another subtle thrust at the much-discussed wedding is implied in his dealings with Toy, Lady Tranquillity's serving maid. After the Lady resigns herself to Corpolant, Calsindow, catching the marriage fever so noticeable at the end of comedies, announces his intention of wedding Toy. But an Angel opportunely appears and urges him to

... Take a wife that's truly vertuous & faire
Hansome and innocent as the chaste Ayre...

Whereupon Calsindow replies:

... Then Toy you may bee gone, for I'le be true
My conscyence bids mee not to looke of you.¹⁸

The siege in Act III unquestionably relates to the capture of Welbeck Abbey by the Parliamentarians, and its recapture by the royalists, in 1644-45. The events of this period must have become clearly fixed in the young ladies' minds. Indeed, it would have been strange if the play had not revealed in some way the influence of their Civil War experiences. Two royalist prisoners, Action and Moderate, it is not possible to identify, but perhaps it is not fanciful to suppose that the Colonel Free, who figures largely in the military operations of The Concealed Fansyes is drawn from that same Colonel Fretchville, whose dashing attack won back the Abbey for the King. And we might even identify the French engineer officer, whose ignorance of the English language caused such distress in Mr. Devinity¹⁹, with the Major Jammot who was associated with Fretchville.

In the characterizations of Lucenay and Tattiney the ladies Cavendish are probably using autobiographical material. They converse with such freedom and reality that we cannot but feel that it is the authors themselves that are speaking. But here, as in the case of the Calsindow-Tranquillity-Toy relationship, there seems to have been a deliberate fusion with another set of characters, in order to cloak the reality, and add to the variety of the picture. For it is the three Lady Cousins who are besieged in the manor house, and who are held prisoner by the enemy's forces. During the siege, these ladies might almost be identified with Cavendish's three daughters. The two Stellowes, brothers of Lucenay and Tattiney, are probably intended to be Newcastle's sons, Charles, Viscount Mansfield, and Henry, Earl of Ogle.

NATHAN COMFORT STARR.

St. John's College, Annapolis

¹ Summary Cat. of Western MSS. in the Bodleian, ed. F. Madan, Oxford, 1895, III. 286 (No. 14509). These copies were probably made for the Duke of Newcastle, as the initials W. N. appear on the binding. A transcript of The Concealed Fansyes, made from the M.S. in the Bodleian about 1860 and bearing the Stainforth bookplate, is in my possession. Save for minor differences of spelling, and the fact that the later copy omits both the prologues and the epilogue of the original, the Bodleian and Stainforth texts agree.

² A Dictionary of Old English Plays, etc. Lond. 1860.

³ 2nd Series, X, 127 – Merely a question by "Iota" as to the identity of the authors of the Play in the Bodleian. 2nd Series, XII, 110 – Question by "R.I." as to The Concealed Fansyes (among others); whether or not it was for private performance, and asking for a dramatis personae. 2nd Series, XII, 179 – Note by W. D. Macray in answer to "R.I."'s query, giving list of characters. (This list has not been carefully done.) 3rd Series, IV, 506 – Note by C. H., and Thompson Cooper, in answer to "Iota." Discusses Lady Jane Cheney. Omits Lady Elizabeth. Dates play as before 1654.

⁴ Seats of the Duke of Newcastle; the former in Nottinghamshire, the latter in Derbyshire.

⁵ Granger (Biog. Hist. of Eng., Lond. 1824, II, 290-291) is the authority for the statement that Elizabeth Cavendish married at the age of 19.

⁶ Calendar of State Papers, (Domestic) 1644, 404-405.

⁷ Bygone Derbyshire, ed. W. Andrews, Derby, 1892, pp. 140-41.

⁸ Memorials of the Civil War (Fairfax Papers) Ed. R. Bell, Lond. 1849, I, 194-5.

⁹ Firth, Highways and Byways in Nottinghamshire, Lond. 1916, p. 246.

¹⁰ State Papers, 1645-47, 228.

¹¹ State Papers, 1648-49, 272.

¹² Chauncy, Hist. Antiq. of Hertfordshire, Lond. 1826, II. 484.

¹³ Granger, Biog. Hist., III, 308-9.

¹⁴ Granger (IV, 261-3) believes that the whole family was together at Antwerp, on one occasion, when Diepenbeck did his famous family portrait, which appears in Newcastle's volume on Horsemanship. But there is no record in the State Papers of permissions granted to either of the ladies to leave England.

¹⁵ Although it seems likely, because of the carelessness of its construction, and the long list of actors required, that The Concealed Fansyes was not intended to be acted, yet it is quite possible that if the two authors were sojourning at Ashridge, they found the house and grounds so interestingly arranged that they could not resist putting on a play. Notice the description of Ashbridge given in Thomas Baskerville's account of a journey from Bayworth to St. Albans, in 1682. (Hist. Mass. Comm., 13th report, Appendix, Pt. II Welbeck Abbey, Vol. II, 306.) "Here I may not omit to make mention of a place called Ashridge where the present Earl of Bridgewater hath a great house, formerly some monastery.... As to the fabric of form of the house within the gate houses, for it hath one fair gate house which gives entrance through a large court on the northern side of the house to the hall to which they ascend by steps on a terrace.... It is a square containing in it a small guadrangle, and in that a little pond of water.... Here doth also enclose this pool and quadrangle a fine cloister, remarkable for this, because my lord wil not have it blurred out, for having in paint upon the walls some scripture and monkish stories." The fact that Ashridge had formerly been a religious house, and that Lucenay and Tattiney in The Concealed Fansyes for a time take the veil makes it very likely that the play was written at the Earl of Bridgewater's seat.

¹⁶ It is interesting to remember that Viscount Brackley and his brother played the brothers in the first production of Comus.

¹⁷ Concealed Fansyes, Act V.

¹⁸ Concealed Fansyes, Act V.

¹⁹ Concealed Fansyes, Act III.

The Concealed Fansyes: A Play by Lady Jane Cavendish and Lady Elizabeth Brackley By Jane Cheyne, 1621-1669. and Elizabeth Cavendish Egerton, 1626-1663. Edited by Nathan Comfort Starr, 1896-1981. PMLA, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Sep., 1931), pp. 802-838. Copyright not renewed.

The Concealed Fansyes: A Play by Lady Jane Cavendish and Lady Elizabeth Brackley
By Jane Cheyne, 1621-1669.
and Elizabeth Cavendish Egerton, 1626-1663.
Edited by Nathan Comfort Starr, 1896-1981. PMLA, Vol. 46, No. 3 (Sep., 1931), pp. 802-838. Copyright not renewed.