The Blazing World and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) (6 page)

Sir, said she, if there be such an assembly of nobles, beauty, and bravery, I shall appear so dull, that I shall be only fit to sit in the corner with you; besides, I shall be so out of countenance, that I shall not know how to behave myself; for private breeding looks mean and ridiculous, I suppose, in public assemblies of that nature, where none but the glories of the kingdom meet.

Ashamed, said he, for what? You have stolen nobody’s goods, nor good names, nor have you committed adultery, for on my conscience you guess not what adultery is; nor have you murdered any, nor have you betrayed any trust, or concealed a treason; and then why should you be ashamed?

Sir, said she, although I have committed none of those horrid sins, yet I may commit errors through my ignorance, and so I may be taken notice of only for my follies.

Come, come, said he, all the errors you may commit, although I hope you will commit none, will be laid upon your youth; but arm yourself with confidence, for go you shall, and I will have you have some fine clothes, and send for dressers to put you in the best fashion.

Sir, said she, I have observed how ladies are dressed when I pass the streets; and if you please to give me leave, I will dress myself according to my judgement; and if you intend I shall go more than once, let me not be extraordinary brave, lest liking me at first, and seeing me again, they should condemn their former judgement, and I shall lose what was gained, so shall I be like those that made a good assault, and a bad retreat.

But Sir, said she, if you are pleased I shall show myself to the most view, let me be ordered so, that I may gain more and more upon their good opinions.

Well, said her uncle, order yourself as you please, for I am unskilled in that matter; besides, thou needst no adornments, for nature hath adorned thee with a splendrous beauty. Another thing is, said he, we must remove our lodgings, for these are too mean to be known in; wherefore my steward shall go take a large house, and furnish it nobly, and I will make you a fine
coach, and take more servants, and women to wait upon you; for since you have a good estate, you shall live and take pleasure; but I will have no men visitors but what are brought by myself: wherefore entertain no masculine acquaintance, nor give them the least encouragement.

Sir, said she, my duty shall observe all your commands.

When her uncle was gone, Lord, said she, what doth my uncle mean to set me out to show? Sure he means to traffic for a husband; but Heaven forbid those intentions, for I have no mind to marry: but my uncle is wise, and kind, and studies for my good, wherefore I submit, and could now chide myself for these questioning thoughts. Now, said she, I am to consider how I shall be dressed; my uncle saith, I am handsome, I will now try whether others think so as well as he, for I fear my uncle is partial on my side; wherefore I will dress me all in black, and have no colours about me; for if I be gay, I may be taken notice of for my clothes, and so be deceived, thinking it was for my person; and I would gladly know the truth, whether I am handsome or no, for I have no skill in physiognomy; so that I must judge of myself by the approbation of others’ eyes, and not by my own. But if I be, said she, thought handsome, what then? Why then, answered she herself, I shall be cried up to be a beauty; and what then? Then I shall have all eyes stare upon me; and what am I the better, unless their eyes could infuse in my brain, wit and understanding? Their eyes cannot enrich me with knowledge, nor give me the light of truth; for I cannot see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, no more than their meat can nourish me which they do eat, or rest when they do sleep. Besides, I neither desire to make nor catch lovers, for I have an enmity against mankind, and hold them as my enemies; which if it be a sin, Heaven forgive, that I should for one man’s neglect and perjury, condemn all that sex.

But I find I have a little emulation,
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which breeds a desire to appear more beautiful than the Duke’s wife, who is reported to be very handsome; for I would not have the world say, he had an advantage by the change: thus I do not envy her, nor covet what she enjoys, for I wish her all happiness, yet I would not
have her happiness raised by my misfortunes; for charity should begin at home; for those that are unjust, or cruel to themselves, will never be merciful and just to others. But, O my contemplations, whither do you run? I fear, not in an even path; for though emulation is not envy, yet the bias leans to that side.

But, said she, to this masque I must go, my uncle hath pressed me to the wars of vanity, where Cupid is general, and leads up the train: but I doubt I shall hang down my head, through shamefastness,
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like a young soldier, when he hears the bullets fly about his ears: but, O Confidence, thou god of good behaviour, assist me. Well, said she, I will practice against the day, and be in a ready posture. So after two or three days, was the masque; and when she was ready to go, her uncle comes to her, and sees her dressed all in black.

Said he, why have you put yourself all in black?

Sir, said she, I mourn like a young widow, for I have lost my husband.

Now by my troth, said he, and it becomes thee, for you appear like the sun when he breaks through a dark cloud. Says he, I would have you go veiled, for I would have you appear to sight only when you come into the masquing room; and after the masque is done, all the company will rise as it were together, and join into a crowd: then throw your hood over your face, and pass through them as soon as you can, and as obscure, for I will not have you known until we are in a more courtly equipage. So away they went, only he and she, without any attendance; and when they came to enter through the door to the masquing room, there was such a crowd, and such a noise, the officers beating the people back, the women squeaking, and the men cursing, the officers threatening, and the enterers praying; which confusion made her afraid.

Lord, Uncle, said she, what a horrid noise is here? Pray let us go back, and let us not put ourselves unto this unnecessary trouble.

O Child, said he, camps and courts are never silent; besides, where great persons are, there should be a thundering noise to strike their inferiors with a kind of terror and amazement; for poets say, fear and wonder makes gods.

Certainly, said she, there must be great felicity in the sight of this masque, or else they would never take so much pains, and endure so great affronts to obtain it: but, pray Uncle, said she, stay while they are all passed in.

Why then, said he, we must stay until the masque is done, for there will be striving to get in until such time as those within are coming out.

But when they came near the door, her uncle spoke to the officer thereof; pray Sir, said he, let this young Lady in to see the masque.

There is no room, said he, there are more young ladies already than the Viceroy and all his courtiers can tell what to do with.

This is a dogged fellow, said her uncle; whereupon he told her, she must put up her scarf, and speak [her]self; for everyone domineers in their office, though it doth not last two hours; and are proud of their authority, though it be but to crack a louse; wherefore you must speak.

Pray Sir, said she to the door-keeper, if it be no injury to your authority, you will be so civil as to let us pass by.

Now by my troth, said he, thou hast such a pleasing face, none can deny thee: but now I look upon you better, you shall not go in.

Why Sir? said she.

Why, said he, you will make the painter and the poet lose their design, for one expects to enter in at the ears of the assembly, the other at their eyes, and your beauty will blind the one, and stop the other; besides, said he, all the ladies will curse me.

Heaven forbid, said she, I should be the cause of curses; and to prevent that, I will return back again.

Nay Lady, said he, I have not the power to let you go back, wherefore pray pass.

Sir, said she, I must have this gentleman along with me.

Even who you please, said he, I can deny you nothing, angels must be obeyed.

When they came into the masquing room, the house was full;
now, said her uncle, I leave you to shift for yourself: then he went and crowded himself into a comer at the lower end.

When the company was called to sit down, that the masque might be represented, everyone was placed by their friends, or else they placed themselves. But she, being unaccustomed to those meetings, knew not how to dispose of herself, observing there was much jostling and thrusting one another to get to places[.] When she considered she had not strength to scamble
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amongst them, she stood still. When they were all set, it was as if a curtain was drawn from before her, and she appeared like a glorious light; whereat all were struck with such amaze, that they forgot a great while the civility in offering her a place. At last, all the men, which at such times sit opposite to the women to view them the better, rose up, striving every one to serve her: but the Viceroy bid them all sit down again, and called for a chair for her. But few looked on the masque for looking on her, especially the Viceroy and the Duke, whose eyes were riveted to her face.

When the masquers were come down to dance, who were all women, the chief of them being the daughter of the Viceroy, who was a widower, and she was his only child, they took out the men such as their fancy pleased, and then they sat down; and then one of the chief of the men chose out a lady, and so began to dance in single couples[.] The Duke being the chief that did dance, chose out this beauty, not knowing who she was, nor she him: but when she danced, it was so becoming; for she having naturally a majestical presence, although her behaviour was easy and free, and a severe countenance, yet modest and pleasing, and great skill in the art, keeping her measures just to the notes of music, moving smoothly, evenly, easily, made her astonish all the company.

The Viceroy sent to enquire who she was, and what she was, and from whence she came, and where she lived, but the enquirer could learn nothing. But as soon as the masque was done, she was sought about for, and enquired after, but she was gone not to be heard of: whereupon many did think she was a vision, or some angel which appeared, and then vanished away;
for she had done as her uncle had commanded her, which was, to convey herself as soon away as she could, covering herself close. So home they went, and her uncle was very much pleased to see the sparks of her beauty had set their tinder hearts on fire. But as they went home, she enquired of her uncle[,] of the company; pray Sir, said she, was the Duke or Duchess there?

I cannot tell, said he, for my eyes were [so] wholly taken up in observing your behaviour, that I never considered nor took notice who was there.

Who was he that first took me out to dance? said she.

I cannot tell that neither, said he, for I only took the length of your measure; and what through a fear you should be out, and dance wrong, and with joy to see you dance well, I never considered whether the man you danced with moved or no, nor what he was: but now I am so confident of you, that the next assembly I will look about, and inform you as much as I can: so home they went. But her beauty had left such stings behind it, especially in the breast[s] of the Viceroy and the Duke, that they could not rest. Neither was she free, for she had received a wound, but knew not of it; her sleeps were unsound, for they indeed were slumbers rather than sleeps; her dreams were many, and various: but her lovers, that could neither slumber nor sleep, began to search, and to make an enquiry; but none could bring tidings where she dwelt, nor who she was. But the Viceroy cast about to attain the sight of her once again; so he made a great ball, and provided a great banquet, to draw an assembly of all young ladies to his court. Whereupon her uncle understanding, told his niece she must prepare to show herself once again; for I will, said he, the next day after this ball, remove to our new house.

Sir, said she, I must have another new gown.

As many as thou wilt, said he, and as rich; besides, I will buy you jewels.

No Sir, said she, pray spare that cost, for they are only to be worn at such times of assemblies which I shall not visit often for fear I tire the courtly spectators, which delight in new faces, as they do new scenes. So her uncle left her to order herself; who
dressed herself this time all in white satin, all embroidered with silver.

When her uncle saw her so dressed, now by my troth thou lookest like a Heaven stuck with stars, but thy beauty takes off the gloss of thy bravery; now, said he, you shall not go veiled, for thy beauty shall make thy way; besides, we will not go too soon, nor while they are in disorder, but when they are all placed, you will be the more prospectious.
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But the cavaliers, especially the Duke and the Viceroy, began to be melancholy for fear she should not come; their eyes were always placed at the doors like sentinels, to watch her entrance; and when they came to the court, all the crowds of people, as in a fright, started back, as if they were surprised with some divine object, making a lane, in which she passed through; and the keepers of the doors were struck mute, there was no resistance, all was open and free to enter. But when she came in into the presence of the lords and ladies, all the men rose up, and bowed themselves to her, as if they had given her divine worship; [excepting] only the Duke, who trembled so much, occasioned by the passion of love, that he could not stir: but the Viceroy went to her.

Lady, said he, will you give me leave to place you?

Your Highness, said she, will do me too much honour.

So he called for a chair, and placed her next himself; and when she was set, she produced the same effects as a burning glass;
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for the beams of all eyes were drawn together, as one point placed in her face, and by reflection she sent a burning heat, and fired every heart. But he could not keep her; for as soon as they began to dance, she was taken out, but not by the Duke, for he had not recovered as yet [from] love’s shaking fit. But the young gallants chose her so often to dance, for every one took it for a disgrace, as not to have the honour to dance with her, insomuch that few of the other ladies danced at all, as being creatures not worthy to be regarded whilst she was there.