Great Fortune; the Duchess of Newcastle has proved herself, according to report, a very proud and ambitious lady, in presuming to answer you her own self, in this noble assembly without your command, in a speech wherein she did not only contradict you, but preferred Honesty and Prudence before you; saying, that her lord was ready to serve you honestly and prudently; which presumption is beyond all pardon; and if you allow Honesty and Prudence to be above you, none will admire, worship, or serve you; but you’ll be forced to serve yourself, and will be despised, neglected and scorned by all; and from a deity, become a miserable, dirty, begging mortal in a churchyard-porch, or nobleman’s gate: Wherefore to prevent such disasters, fling as many misfortunes and neglects on the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle, and their two friends, as your power is able to do; otherwise Prudence and Honesty will be the chief and only moral deities of mortals.
Rashness having thus ended her speech, Prudence rose and declared herself in this manner:
Beautiful Truth, Great Fortune, and you the rest of my noble friends; I am come a great and long journey in the behalf of my dear friend the Duke of Newcastle; not to make more wounds, but, if it be possible, to heal those that are made already. Neither do I presume to be a deity; but my only request is, that you would be pleased to accept of my offering, I being an humble and devout supplicant; and since no offering is more acceptable to the gods, than the offering of peace; in order to that, I desire to make an agreement between Fortune, and the Duke of Newcastle.
Thus she spake, and as she was going on, up started Honesty (for she has not always so much discretion as she ought to have) and interrupted Prudence.
I came not here, said she, to hear Fortune flattered, but to hear the cause decided between Fortune and the Duke; neither came I hither to speak rhetorically and eloquently, but to propound the case plainly and truly; and I’ll have you know, that the Duke, whose cause we argue, was and is my foster-son; for I Honesty bred him from his childhood, and made a perpetual friendship betwixt him and Gratitude, Charity and Generosity; and put him to school to Prudence, who taught him wisdom, and informed him in the rules of temperance, patience, justice, and the like; then I put him into the university of honour, where he learned all honourable qualities, arts, and sciences; afterward I sent him to travel through the world of actions, and made observation his governor; and in those his travels, he contracted a friendship with experience; all which, made him fit for Heaven’s blessings, and Fortune’s favours: But she hating all those that have merit and desert, became his inveterate enemy, doing him all the mischief she could, until the God of justice opposed Fortune’s malice, and pulled him out of those ruins she had cast upon him: For this God’s favourites were the Duke’s champions; wherefore to be an enemy to him, were to be an enemy to the God of justice: In short, the true cause of Fortune’s malice to this Duke is, that he would never flatter her; for I Honesty, did command him not to do it, or else he would be forced to follow all her inconstant ways, and obey all her unjust commands, which would cause a great reproach to him: but, on the other side, Prudence advised him not to despise Fortune’s favours, for that would be an obstruction and hindrance to his worth and merit; and he to obey both our advice and counsels, did neither flatter nor despise her; but was always humble and respectful to her so far as honour, honesty and conscience would permit: all which I refer to Truth’s judgment, and expect her final sentence.
Fortune hearing thus Honesty’s plain speech, thought it very rude, and would not hearken to Truth’s judgment, but went away in a passion: At which, both the Empress and Duchess were extremely troubled, that their endeavours should have no better effect: but Honesty chid the Duchess, and said, she was to be punished for desiring so much Fortune’s favours; for it appears, said she, that you mistrust the gods’ blessings: At which the Duchess wept, answering Honesty, that she did neither mistrust the gods’ blessings, nor rely upon Fortune’s favours; but desired only that her lord might have no potent enemies. The Empress being much troubled to see her weep, told Honesty in anger, she wanted the discretion of Prudence; for though you are commended, said she, yet you are apt to commit many indiscreet actions, unless Prudence be your guide. At which reproof Prudence smiled, and Honesty was somewhat out of countenance; but they soon became very good friends: and after the Duchess’s soul had stayed some time with the Empress in the Blazing-World, she begged leave of her to return to her lord and husband; which the Empress granted her, upon condition she should come and visit her as often as conveniently she could, promising that she would do the same to the Duchess.
Thus the Duchess’s soul, after she had taken her leave of the Empress, as also of the spirits, who with great civility, promised her, that they would endeavour in time to make a peace and agreement between Fortune and the Duke, returned with Prudence and Honesty, into her own world: But when she was just upon her departure, the Empress sent to her, and desired that she might yet have some little conference with her before she went; which the Duchess most willingly granted her Majesty; and when she came to wait on her, the Empress told the Duchess, that she being her dear platonic friend, of whose just and impartial judgment, she had always a very great esteem;
