zgt) The Duchess of Newcastle 



rise, whether damned with censure, or saved by 

 excuse, I cannot tell. Thus, Madam, I though it was 

 the part of a friend to give you a true relation of our 

 cold condition, but in all conditions or extremities I 

 shall alwayes be, Madam, 



Your faithful friend and humble servant. 



A WINTER CITY 



Madam, — If you were here in this city, now all the 

 ground of the streets is covered with snow, you would 

 see the young men and their mistresses ride in sleds 

 by torch-light, the women and the men dressed 

 antickly, as also their horses that draw their sleds; 

 and then every sled having a fair lady, at least to her 

 lover's thinking, sitting at one end of the sled, dressed' 

 with feathers and rich clothes, and her courting servant 

 like a coachman, or rather a carter, bravely accoutred, 

 driving the horses with a whip, which draw the sled 

 upon the snow with a galloping pace, whilst footmen 

 run with torches to light them. But many of these 

 lovers, not using to drive horses so often as court 

 mistresses, for want of skill overturn the sled, and so 

 tumble down their mistresses in the snow, whereupon 

 they being in a frighted hast, take them up from that 

 cold bed, and then the mistress appears like a pale 

 ghost, or dead body in a winding sheet, being all 

 covered with white snow; and the sled, when the 

 mistress is seated again, instead of a triumphant 

 chair, seems like a virgin's funeral herse, carried, and 

 buried by torch-light; and her feathers seem like a 

 silver crown, that usually is laid thereon, also the sled 

 is drawn then in a slow, funeral pace, for fear of a 

 second faU. By this custom and practice you may 

 know, we have here recreations for every season of 



