The
Case
of
Madam Mary Carleton
The Wife of
Mr. John Carleton,
Formerly stiled
A German Princess.

Iam so much the
the more beholden
to my Innocence
then to my Fortune,
that I dare more
confidently appear to the VindicationB cation B1v 2
of the one, then (through
the malign deceit and injury of
my Adversaries) to the vendication
of the other; And challenge
my enemies, and the
Spoils they have made of me
though I dare not lay claim to
my Friends, my Honor and my
Estate, which I shall keep concealed
and inviolable from such
rude and mischeivous hands as
my Person hath been betrayed
to. And yet the suspicious,
noxious world doth very hardly
conceive of me other then a
Malefactor, and prefer my Wit
and Artful Carriage to my Honesty,
and take this untoward
passage of my life for some festivous
and merry accident of
the times, and look upon me as
a notorious (nay even among
the more ingenious, but as a) notable
person.

I B2r 3

I can give no other reason for
this, but the diligent and forestalling
slanders of my accusers,
who by lewd and most false suggestions
have precluded all ways
to my justification and defence;
and my own unwearied patence
in suffering those calumnies
pass unrefuted, further then
by a legal Trial; not willing to
cast any dirt upon those by way
of regesting those foul-mouthed
and libellous scandals by personal
reflections; for I concluded
that time, and the justice of
my Cause and the Laws of the
Kingdom would clearly absolve
me, and that therefore such exasperations
on my part would
widen that breach, which the
fraudulent covetousness of some
Relations had made between
my Husband and my self, and B2 render B2v 4
render it irreconciliable, when
as I had resolved to redintegrate
that affection, we were
mutually bound to have for
each other.

But since I have perceived,
and have been fully satisfied and
informed of their insatiable and
implacable malice against me,
not onely in prosecuting me
with fresh Indictments after the
Jury had acquitted me of the
former, (though the grand Jury
were so fully sensible of the Injustice
and maliciousness thereof,
that they would not receive
any more) to say nothing also
of the Witnesses brought against
me, the blind and the lame (as to
their tales and stories) procured
by most wicked and detestable
practises, (whom God forgive)
but by advising my Husband afterter B3r 5
my acquittal to forsake me,
and renounce my bed, and so
defeating me of my Jewels and
other things of value of mine
own, and leaving and exposing
me destitute to the World, and
to the pity or scorn of people, as
my condition shall weigh with
them: These unsufferable mischeifs
have now at last extorted
this Narrative from me, which
I request the courteous Reader
to give Credit to, and equally
and seriously consider my
Case.

It hath already made a great
noyse in the World, sutable
to that bluster my Husbands
Friends had raised my Fortune
and Qualitie to; but those High
winds being laid by their weeping
showers, I will secretly and
clearly tell the World the naked B3 truth B3v 6
truth of all this story, having
premised a short Apology for
my self, and given some account
of this my (Errant-like) Adventure
and Peregrination from
the place of my native Country.

I was born at Collen in
Germany, though incredulous
people do take that for a pretence,
and better concealment
from any research that can be
made after me; but as I have
declared it before that Honourable
Judicature in the Old Bayly,
whose grave and reverend Authority
I hate to prophane and
abuse with a lye; so I do again
assure the World by the greatest
pledges of a Christian, that I
am a Native of that place, and
did continue in it, or thereabouts,
the most part of my life
hitherto. They that know it, know B4r 7
know it to be one of the Mistresses
and compleatest Cities in
that Empire, not onely famed
for the birth of very Illustrious
persons of Ancient Times, and
the Honour it hath received
from them (as I could largely
instance, especially from its Latine
adject of Agrippina) but for
that modern glory it received
by the entertainment of the King
of Great Brittain, who was most
Hospitably and Cordially, and
with all imaginable respect and
Honour treated Here, when
by vertue of Cromwels League
with France, he departed that
Kingdom.

I mention this at large, because
hence I took up those Resolutions,
which since, with
so much misfortune I have put
in Execution. I observed here B4 the B4v 8
the courteous civility, and affable
good temper of the English
Nation, for by those Gentlemen
that then attended the
King I measured his Kingdom.
Those were persons of such winning
and obliging carriage, of
so easie and familiar address,
and yet of that generose and regardful
demeanour, that I was
hugely taken with such sweet
Conditions, and being then
young, by their frequent converse
in the Town, which was
constantly in my eares, came to
such an acceptable knowledge
of their manners, that I then
thought of passing over to that
Country, for a fuller satisfaction
and delight I had promised
my self among such a people.

As to my Parents, who by
Pythagoras his fancyful Phylosophy,phy, B5r 9
or rather envious Witchcraft,
have been transmigrated
into I know not what filthy and
vile persons, of the most perdite
and abhominable sort of
men; I do desire pardon of their
Ghosts, and shall sprinkle their
ashes with my tears, that I have
by my unadvised and ungoverned
Resolution, raised them
from their quiet and Honourable
Graves, to be the suspicious
and leud discourse of every malevolent
and busie tongue. But
let such know, that my Fathers
name was, Henry Van Wolway,
a Licentiat and Doctor
of the Civil Law, and Lord
of Holmstein, a man esteemed
for his services done to this City
of Colen, in mediating their
Peace and Security and Neutrality,
in the Swedish and GermanB5 man B5v 10
War, and for other effects of
his Counsels and Endeavours to
our Ecclesiastical Prince Elector,
and the House of Lorrain, in all
those turmoyles of that Country,
in the first rupture of the Spanish
and French War.

I instance these remarques,
because having been so long
dead some nineteen years, I cannot
better describe or Characterize
him to strangers, though
he were known in his own
Country by other great and
Noble actions, as well as for his
long and ancient descent from
an honourable Family of that
name: which whosoever shall
give himself the trouble of curiosity
in Enquiring, may yet
find preserved from the ruines of
a destructive, and but just composed
conflagration.

It B6r 11

It will seem foolish and sottish
flattery in me, to adorn
His Monument with any more
Elogy, to a strange and perhaps
unbeleiving Nation, who
have no faith for any thing they
see not, or not have heard from
plain and undenyable testimony.
And if I be taken for uncharitable
in this rigid imputation, let
the practices of those, who have
made their unreasonable incredulity,
a pretence to their more
barbarous cruelty, be my excuse
to the World.

I shall not need therefore to
particularize any more of him,
for places and circumstances,
and the like accidents, will be
of no greater demonstration, or
convincing verity, then those
punctual relations of Sir John
Mandevile, concerning things that B6v 12
that were impossible to be in
humanity and nature; and I will
not so much as seem to impose
upon the reader, with those
nearer artifices of a Lye. I am
capable of doing my self right,
(which I suppose will be too
readily interpreted to my disadvantage)
by any means, within
the compass of a womans
understanding, and therefore
if I thought I should need more
ordinary ways, I would have
applyed my self thereunto.

And so I will proceed to a
further Narrative of my life,
having acquainted the Reader,
that it pleased God to take
away both my Father and Mother
before I was full three
years old, but my Father died
last suddenly, and left me entirely
possest of his estate, withoutout B7r 13
any Guardian or Trustees;
the expectation of many people
who had long designs both upon
it and me.

Being thus an Orphan, and
destitute of a Procurator, as we
call it in our Law, the Church
as next a Kin to such estates (and
claims the right and disposal of
the Ward) secured me, and
what I had, in their hands, until
such time as I should be of age
and understanding to determine
of my self and my Fortunes,
which they hoped by so early
a matriculation, and induction
of me into profession of the
Religous, to grasp finally into
their hands.

By them I was put into the
Monastery or Nunnery of Sancta
Clara, at this Infant age, and
educated in all such breeding as was B7v 14
was fit for one devoted to the
service of God and his Church,
wherein, if ignorance and innocence
might render devotion
acceptable, my young probation-years
I may be confident
were not offensive. But growing
up to some capable years,
and my active busie soul exerting
it self, and biting as it were
the bit of this restraint and confinement;
the hours and days
of this solitude and retirement,
in which I was as it were buried
as soon as I was born, grew most
irksome and tedious to me,
though I was not yet acquainted
with the World. I felt some
such strong impulses and natural
instincts to be ranging abroad,
and in action, as the first finders
of Terra Incognita, were urged
with, to the discovery of those Regions B8r 15
Regions, of whose Existence
they had no further assurance
then their own hopeful bodings
and divinations.

The Discipline also, began
now to aggreive me, and the
more my thoughts wandred and
strayed after my roaming and
strange fancy of the worlds
bravery (which I began now to
take notice of, from the gallant
appearance of persons of
quality, who frequented our
Chappel) the more did the orders
of the place streighten and
fret me. I began to be weary of
my Company, and the poverty
of those Votaries, called in
derision, as it were the “Bare-
footed Clares;” and though I suffered
none of these hardships,
nor underwent any of those
nice penances and mortifications,ons B8v 16
as having no inordinacies
of youth to quell and subdue,
yet the customary severity of
such dealing with that sweetness
and tenderness of our Sex,
did much grate me; and I blindly
wished I were (what my inclinations
prompted me to) a
man, and exempt from that tedious
life, which yet was so
much the worse, because it
was altogether passive and sedentary.

Nor could I find when more
matured, but that Religion
when imposed as a Task, and
made an employment, was
one of the greatest burdens I
could endure; (though I have
learned better things by practise
and the troubles of the World,
and could wish my self safe in
such a retreat from the cares of B9r 17
of the future, and the doleful
thoughts of my past time, and
have a zeal for my Religion,
the obligations and conduct
whereof I have to my sorrow so
much in my late unadvised resolutions,
abdicated and neglected.)
I lookt upon it more as
constraint, and not a voluntary
act, wherein I had no manner of
election; and my Libertine spirit
which mistook bold Humanity,
and the dictates of a generous
nature, for simple and genuine
adoration, confirmed me in this
opinion, and finally perswaded
me and prevailed with my Reason,
which grew not up equall
with my passion, to abandon
this serene and blissful mansion,
and venture upon the Worlds
alluring, promising vanities.

I was arrived at that age wherein B9v 18
wherein I was capable of being
admitted, and professing my
self a Nun, and to take upon me
the Vows of the Order of perpetual
Virginity, and the like
requisites of that Monastical life,
and therefore the Fathers and
Confessors willing to make me
a Proselyte, were very urgent
that I would take the Habit and
devote my self to a religious
life, setting before me the many
examples of some excellent
Ladies and Gentlewomen then
in the Cloyster (though it be
one of the poorest Convents of
all) who had great and noble
friends, and great Estates (some
of them) and had notwithstanding
with all readiness of mind
separated and estranged themselves
from all worldly things,
and consecrated themselves to God. B10r 19
God. But my resolutions of
forsaking that melancholy and
silent abode, were so far advanced,
and so obstinated in me to
the prosecution of my masculine
conceptions that I obtained my
discharge at the same time, as I
have partly hinted before, that
his Majesty was in Colen, whom,
with the rest of the desirous
world I longed to see: accompanied
therefore with my maid
who had attended me in the religious
house, and a man-servant
who was my Steward or Bayliff
abroad, and had prepared all
things for my secular estate, I
went to his Palace, were to
pass other rencounters, I met
with a civil person, one Mrs.
Margaret Hammond, the Daughter
of Sir Richard Hammond,
living somewhere then in the North B10v 20
North of England, a very accomplisht
woman, who for her
Religion had left England, intending
to have betaken her
self to the English Nunnery at
Lovain; but some difficulties
happening therein, she had journied
up hither upon the same
account, and perceiving me a
stranger, did me the civility
with her Countrimen, as to
procure me the satisfactory
view of the King and his Court,
which could do no less then oblige
me to invite her home, and
to desire her while she staid at
Colen to make use of my house,
and what entertainment she
found.

She was pleased to accept of
this offer, and hereupon my
curiosity having attained some
part of its wish, we began to be B11r 21
be familiar, and I for my part
to enquire into her condition,
the reason of her travail, and
the news of the world, of all
which she gave me so delightful
an account, insinuating the
necessity of her condition, with
the perfection of her Endowments;
that I told her if she
could think it answerable to her
content, to stay with me, and
be my Governess, she should
plentifully partake of my fortunes.

We agreed: but not to weary
the Reader with those Instructions
and fundamentals of Education
she laid, as she was a
rare and absolute Mistress of all
those Arts, it will be sufficient
to declare, that seeing so much
vertue in her, my greediness of
communicating with it more freely B11v 22
freely and clearly, put me upon
giving her the trouble of teaching
me the English tongue, the
lockt repository of so many Excellencies.

This by a fond and most pleasing
diligence, I pretty well attained
in a years time, having
my Governess always in my
company, whither abroad, as I
I used to ride some miles,
by Coach, or else pass in a Pleasure-boat
in the Summer, to
acquaint my self first with my
own Country; the tenderness
of my years, offering no man
the occasion or thoughts of Love
or Marriage, by which means I
passed free and unobserved, and
then returned again to my
Country retirement neer the
City.

B12r 23

I now addicted my self to the
reading of History, and then to
take off the gravity and seriousness
of that study, to more
facile pastimes of literature;
Romances, and other Heroical
Adblandiments, which being
written for the most and best
part in French, I made that my
next business, though of lesser
difficulty, to gain a knowledge
of that Tongue, which
being counterminous to ours
and spoke promiscuously in the
adjacent provinces of the Walloon
Country, rendred it self at
my devotion.

The felicity of these two, put
me upon a desire of attaquing
the rest of the European Languages,
wherein without arowgance,
and as many can testifie;
I have more then a Smattering, and B12v 24
and here was lately an Italian
(as I have since been told upon
discourse and some wonder of
my readiness in them) who was
one of my Masters; and who
might have justified the truth of
this and the rest of my story; his
name was Giacomo Della Riva,
well known to many Gentlemen
in this Town.

In those and the like Studies,
and other befitting Exercises
of my sex, I past away
the age of nineteen years, when
I thought it high time to put all
this Speculation and Theory into
practice, and being furnished
with such a fraught, and store
of all Forraign necessaries, to
lanch into the World, and see
what returnes I could make of
this stock, but in the interim
of such meditations, and unhappyhappy C1r 25
accident, (at my being at
the Spaw the last Summer, to
drink those medicinal waters)
discovered me, and invited two
strange Gentlemen, which that
place always is furnished with, to
enquire further what I was: who
having obtained my Country,
and some inckling of my quality,
made claym to be my servants.
I could not in that place,
the Mart of good manners,
and where there is no nicety of
converse, but all persons use
their frankest liberty of visit and
discourse, refuse their Addresses,
but seeing both of them so importunate,
and both so disparately
and unsociably qualified
for my choyce or approbation,
I privately withdrew home,
but could not so be rid of my
odd payre of Gallants, who C quick- C1v 26
quickly haunted me and my
House.

I was thus of a suden encompassed
with two evils, of so indifferent
a choyce, that I could not
tell which was worse: one was an
old Gentleman that had fair
demeasnes about Leige or
Luyck not many miles distant
from Colen, a man of serious
gravity and venerable aspect
for his gray hayrs, but disfigured
with some scars his youthful luxury
had given him, which were
repayred and supplemented by
Art, but so that he plainly spoke
his infirmity through the ruined
Arches of his voyce. He accosted
me the rude military way,
for he had been a Soldado, and
had caught as he said, that rotten
hoarse cold, and snuffling
in the Trenches of Breda, in the facing C1v FigureAn engraving depicting a woman in conversation with two gentlemen. German Princess facing C2r C2r 27
the Brigade of Count Henry oof
Nassaw in Spinolas Army, andf
had afterwards served Mounsieur
Tilly against the King of
Sweden, whom he had seen fall
at Lutzen, and therefore by
no means must be said no, or
denyed his suit, since he had
never known what a repulse meant in his life.

The other was a young and
pale Student in the Mathematicks,
Chymistry, and Magick,
like a fellow here that pretends
to be Secretary to God and Nature,
, and had exhausted a
plentiful estate, and was like to
be a second Dr. Faustus, and
like my Lord, threatned either
a contract with me, or with the
Devil: for having lost his Projection
of the Philosophers
Stone, and decocted all his C2 money C2v 28
money and estate, his magical
Glass shewed him me, who
should by my fortune make him
up again. In short, the one
said he would storm and force
me, and the other would make
me yeild or else he would set
Archimedes his unexperimented
Engine at work, to remove me
with him into some unknown
World, to which he added
the efficacy of his Spels and Conjurations.

I had by my Servants and some
distant friends account of such
a design as carrying me away,
and forcing my consent by the
Gouty Cavalier, who had some
Castellanes and Governours in
Alsatia his friends, and there
was no less danger from my
Magical Sweet-heart, but the
open violence of the one, and the C3r 29
the secret mines of the other
were in prudence to be prevented
by my absence, which I
now concluded on by my
self.

I shall not be obliged to give
you any further account of my
parentage or condition, for by
such means my disaster here, may
reach the ears of some Friends
and Acquaintance, from whose
knowledge my purpose is yet to
estrange my self, (and to general
enquiries Collen is too spacious
and populous to afford any
discovery) It will suffice, that
I was liberally and honourably
educated, and such principles
laid, that I wonder at the superstructure
of my fortune. I knew
not what belonged to vulgar
and Plebeian customers or conditions,
and they that idlely tax C3 my C3v 30
my discourses and behaviour
with mimick pedantry, know
not the generous emanations of
a right born soul. And so, that
which probably makes me obnoxious
to the censures of the
multitude, as it hath to the hatred
of my new Relations, is
the low spiritedness, and pityful
ignorance of such Mechanick
and base people.

I would not be thought to
boast of any accomplishments,
which some persons (who favour
my distrest estate, and
they are of honour also) do
please to acknowledge in me,
all the use I can make of them,
shall serve onely for an Argument
against that vile and impertinent
falshood, that I am
of a most sordid and base extraction
in this Kingdom, no bet- C4r 31
better then the Daughter of a
Fidler at Canterbury.

That Blasphemous lye was first
broached in an Anonymous Libel,
Entituled the Lawyers
Clark trappanned by the crafty
Whore of Canterbury, but at
whose instigation I could never
tell, nor did I make enquiry,
but at last spontaneously the Roguery
discovered it self at my
being in custody neer Newgate,
where I understood the Devil
and necessity with the Writer,
and undertaker, were as instrumental
as the Devil and Covetousness,
in the Occasioner of
that report; but that fellow is
of so leud and miserable an infamy,
for such defamatory
Pamphlets, that his name will
poyson the eyes of the Reader,
and fester even my charity in C4 for- C4v 32
forgiving him, to proceed.

The time of my deliberated
departure being come, and
other intervening accidents having
confirmed me to the pursuance
of that journey, some
pece-meal rumours whereof
have been scattered up and
down, not far distant from
the truth, namely Constraint
and awe of an unliked and unsutable
match, which the freedom
of my soul most highly abhominated
and resented) I privately
by night withdrew from my
Governess, and by the way
of Utrecht, where I stayed a
while incognito, thence passed
to Amsterdam, and so to Rotterdam,
I came to the Brill, and
there took Shipping for
England, the Elyzium of my
wishes and expectations being in C5r 33
in hope to find it a Land of Angels,
but I perceive it now to
be, as to me, a place of Torments.

I am not single, or the first woman,
that hath put her self upon
such hazards, or pilgrimages,
the stories of all times abound
with such Examples, enough
to make up a volume. I might
as well have given lustre to a
Romance as any any any of those
supposed Heroina’s: and since
it is the method of those peices,
and the Art of that way
of writing to perplex and
intricate the commencement
and progress of such adventures,
with unexpected and
various difficulties and troubles,
and at last bring them to the
long desired fruition of their
dear bought content, I am C5 not C5v 34
not altogether out of heart, but
that Providence may have some
tender and more courteous consideration
of me; for I protest
I know not what crime, offence
or demerit of mine hath rendred
her so averse and intractable
as she hath proved to my designs,

Nor do the Modern and very
late Times want Examples of
the like adventures. I could
mention a Princess, and great
Personage out of the North,
who not long since came into
my Country, and hath passed
two or three times between
Italy and France, and keeps
her design yet undiscovered, and
is the onely Lady Errant in the
World. I could mention another
of a far worse consequence
in this Country, a She-General, who C6r 35
who followed the Camp to the
other World in America, &c.
and was the occasion of the loss
of the designe. Mine compared
with those are meer puny stories,
and inconsiderable, I neither
concerned my travail in
negotiationg peace, or carrying
war, but was meerly my own free
Agent.

Nor can I be blamed for this
course, for besides the necessity
and enforcements of forsaking
my Country, without running
into a more unsupportable condition
of Marriage then this I
am now in, (for my patience
and suffering, and Continence
I have, I trust in my own power,
and shall endeavour to keep
them undisturbed and uncorrupted,
what ever temptations
or occasions, by reason of this un- C6v 36
unjust separation, now are, or
shall be put upon me hereafter;
but my life is not in my disposal
or preservation, which I had
certainly endangered at home,
if I had been bedded to him
whom my heart abhorred:) and
besides other reasons, which I
cannot in prudence yet render
to the World, the very civility
and purity of my design, without
any lustful or vicious appurtenant,
would fairly excuse
me.

What harme have I done in
pretending to great Titles?
Ambition and Affection of
Greatness to good and just purposes
was always esteemed and
accounted laudable and praiseworthy,
and the sign and character
of a vertuous mind, nor
do I think it an unjust purposepose C7r 37
in me to contrive my own
advancement by such illustrious
pretences as they say I made use
of, to grant the Question, that I
am not so honourably descended
as I insinuated to the Catch-
dolt my Father in Law, (which
yet by their favour they shall
first better and more evidently
disprove then as yet they have
done, before I relinquish my just
claym to my Honour) I think
I do rather deserve commendation
then reproach; if the best
“things are to be imitated,” I had
a good precept and warrant
for my assumption of such a personage
as they were willing to
beleive me to be; If indeed by
any misbecoming act unhandsome
and unbefitting such a
person, I had prophaned that
quality, and bewrayed and di- C7v 4638
discovered any inconsistent
meanness therewith (as it was
very difficult to personate greatness
for so long a time without
slips or mistakes) I had
deserved to be severely punished
and abhominated by all
Geentlemen; whereas after all
these loads of imputations
which my enemies have heaped
upon me, I do with my acknowledgements
to them for
it) enjoy, and am happy in
many of their loves and good
estimation.

And I will yet continue the
same respects, and make the
World to know that there is no
possibility of such perfections,
without a more intent care and
elegancy of learning, to which I
have by great labour and industry
attained.

I C8r 4739

I need not therefore engage
further in this preluiminary part
of my defence, onely as an irrefragable
confutation of the
poorness of my birth, and in
this Kingdom, I would have my
Adversaries know, as some of
them do, though they don’t well
understand, that the severall
languages I have ready and at
my command, as the Greek, Latine,
French, Italian, Spanish,
English, and something of the
Oriental Tongues, all which I
pronounce with a Dutch Dialect
and Idiome, are not common
and ordinary endowments of
an English Spinster, no not of
the best rank of the City. And
since I must praise my self, in
short, I came not here to learn
any thing for use or ornament of C8v 40
of a woman, but onely the ways
to a better fortune.

I come now to the matter of
fact, the first place I touched at
was Gravesend, where I arrived
towards the end of --03March,
and without any stay took a
Tide-boat came to London in
company with a Parson or Minister,
who officiously, but I
suppose out of design, gave
me the trouble of his service and
attendance to the ExchangeExchange-
Tavern right against the Stocke,
betwixt the Poultry and Cornhil,
the house of one Mr. King, not
having any knowledge of the
Master or his acquaintance, and
free, God knows from any design,
for I would have entred
any other house if I had found
the doors open, or could have
raised the folks nearer to my landing C9r 41
landing, for I was distempered
with the nights passage; but
it was so early in the morning,
five a clock, that there was no
body stirring elsewhere, onely
here by mishap Mr. King himself
was up and standing at the
Bar, tellng of brass farthingsfarthings,
whom the Parson desired to
fill a pint of wine, which he
readily performed, and brought
to a room behinde the Bar.
while the wine was a drinking,
(which was Rhenish wine, the
complement being put upon
me by the Parson as the fruit
of my own happy Country)
Sir John very rudely began
to accost me, and to offer
some incivilities to me, which
I found no other way to avoid,
then by pretending want of rest
to the Master of the house, and acquaint C9v 4342
acquainting him with my charge
of Jewels, and that I was as I
do justifie my self to be a person
of Quality. Hereupon a room
was provided for me to repose
my self in, and the Clergyman
took his leave with a troublesome
promise of waiting upon
me another day to give me a
visit, which I was forced to admit,
& to tell him, I would leave
word where-ever I went; but
he considering as I suppose of the
unfeasibleness of his desires, and
the publiqueness of the place,
neglected his promise and troubled
me no more.

He being gone, Mr. King
began to question me, what
Country woman I was, and of
what Religion, I frankly told
him; and acquainted him withallall C10r 4243
what charge I had about
me, which to secure from the
danger of the Town, that was
full of cozenage and villany, he
advised me to stay with him till
I could better provide for my
self.

I rested my self here till
eleven a clock at noon: when
I arose, and was very civilly
treated by Mr. King, who well
knowing I was a stranger and
well furnished with money,
omitted no manner of respect
to me, nor did I spend parcimoniously,
and at an ordinary
rate, but answerable to the
quality and account, at their
fetching and itching questions, I
gave of my self.

This C10v 44

This invited him earnestly
with all submiss address to request
my staying with them till
I had dispatched, and had provided
all things for my publique
appearance, for the better furnishing
and equiping whereof,
I acquainted Him I would send
by Post to my Steward, for the
return of some moneys to defray
the expences thereof, which
Letters he viewed, and conceived
such imaginations in his
Head thereupon, that it never
left working till it had wrought
the effect of his finely begun,
and hopefully continued Enterprise.

These Letters he himselfe delivered
at my desire, to have
them carefully put into the
Male, to the Post-House; and
thereafter observed me with most C11r 45
most manifest respects. In the
Interim of the return of these
moneys, I was slightly, and as
it were by the by, upon discourse
of my Country (wherein
they took occasion to be liberally
copius) engaged into some
discovery of my self, my estate
and quality, and the nature of
both, the causes of my coming
hither, &c. but I did it so unconcernedly,
and negligently, as
a matter of no moment or disturbance
to me, though I had
hinted at the discontent of my
match, that this did assure them
that all was real, and therefore
it was time, to secure my estate
to them by a speedy and secret
marriage.

Let the World now judge,
whither being prompted by such
plain and publique signes of a design C11v 3846
design upon me, to counterplot
them, I have done any more
then what the Rule, and a received
principle of Justice directs:
“to deceive the deceiver, is
no deceit.”

I knew not nevertheless, which
way their Artifices tended, till
Master King, brought into my
acquaintance old Mr. Carleton
his Father in Law, and soon
after Mr. John Carleton his Son:
it seems it had been consulted,
to have preferred George the
Elder Brother: He troubled
with a simple modesty, and a
mind no way competent to so
much greatness, was laid aside,
and the younger flusht and encouraged
to set upon me. By
this time they had obtained my
Name from me, viz. Maria
de Wolway, which passage also hath C12r 3947
hath suffered by another leuder
Imposture, and allusory sound
of “De Vulva”: in the language of
which I am better versed, then
to pick out no civiller and eleganter
impress.

To the Addresses of Mr. John
Carleton, I carried my self with
so much indifference, not superciliously
refusing his visits, or
readily admitting his suit, not
disheartening him with a severe
retiredness, or challenges of his
imparity, nor encouraging him
with afreedom or openness of
Heart, or arrogance of my own
condition, that he and his friends
were upon the spur to consummate
the match, which yet I delayed
and dissembled with convenient
pretences, but herein I
will be more particular in the
ensuing Pages.

In C12v 48

In the mean while, to prevent
all notice of me, and the disturbance
of their proceedings,
that might be occasioned thereby,
they kept me close in the
nature of a Prisoner, which
though I perceived, yet I made
no semblance thereof at all, but
colluded with them in their own
arts, and pretended some aversness
to all company, but onely
my enamourate, Mr. Carleton:
nor was any body else suffered
to come near me, or to speak
with me; Insomuch, as I have bin
informed, that they promised
209l. to one Sackvil, whom for
his advice, they had too forwardly,
as they thought imparted
the business, the sum of 200l.
to be silent, lest that it should
be heard at Court, and so the
Estate and Honour which they had D1r 49
had already swallowed, would
be lost from their Son, and seized
by some Courtier, who should
next come to hear of this great
Lady.

After many visits passed betwixt
Mr. Carleton and my self,
Old Mr. Carleton and Mr. King
came to me, and very earnestly
pressed the dispatch of the Marriage,
and that I would be pleased
to give my Assent, setting
forth with all the qualities and
great sufficiencies of that Noble
person, as they pleased to stile
him. I knew what made them so
urgent, for they had now seen
the answers I had received by
the Post, by which I was certified
of the receipt of mine, and
that accordingly some thousands
of Crowns should be remitted
instantly to London, and D Coach D1v 50
Coach and Horses sent by the
next Shipping, with other things
I had sent for, and to reinforce
this their commendamus the
more effectually, they acquainted
me, that if I did not presently
grant the suit, and their request,
Mr. Carleton was so far in love
with me, that he would make
away with himself, or presently
travail beyond Sea, and see England
no more.

I cannot deny, but that I
could hardly forbear smiling, to
see how serious these Elders and
Brokers were in this Love-killing
story, but keeping to my business,
after some demurs and
demands, I seemed not to consent,
and then they began passionately,
urging me with other
stories, some of which long repetition
I will now insert:

Wednesday D2r 51

--04-01Wednesday the first of April,
Mrs. King made a great Feast,
where were divers persons of
quality, as she said, amongst the
rest, her Brother Mr. John Carleton.
At which entertainment
Mrs. King did advise me to call
her Cozen, the which I did.
--04-02Thursday the second of April,
Mr. John Carleton came in his
Coach, with two Footmen attending
on him, calling him my
Lord, and Mrs. King did also call
him my Lord. With that I asked
Mrs. King, if it was not the
same person that dined with us
yesterday; she said, “True, it
was so, but he was in a Disguise
then, and withal, that in a humour
he would often do so:”
“But”, saith she, “I do assure you he
is a Lord.” Upon that I replied,
“Then his father must be an Earl, if D2 living D2v 52
living.” She affirmed, that he was
a person of great honour. The
same time my Lord presented
me with a rich box of Sweetmeats:
I could do no less then
thankfully accept thereof.

My Lord came every day to
Mr. Kings, and by his importunity
would carry me abroad in
a Coach to Holloway and Islington.
Mrs. King would often ask
me, what my Lord did say to
me; I told her, “nothing that I
observed, but his Lordship abounded
in civility, mixt with complements.”
“How;” said she, “Madam,
He loves you.” “Loves me,
for what Mistris King?” I replied.
She said, “For your great parts and
Endowments.” I asked her, “How
my Lord could tell that I had either.”
She said, “My Lord must
have very good eyes if he could see within D3r 53
within me, or else I must be very
transparent.”

After which, I did order the
matter so, that his access to me
was not so easie: Mistris King
importuneth me to admit my
Lord to visit me; I told her
plainly, “That I did not understand
his Lordships meaning.” He provided
me a great Banquet, at
which his Lordships mother was
very fine drest, who questioned
what I was. I told my Lord,
“That I had received civilities
from him, and he had the like
from me, and that I had no necessity
to give any account to any
person what I was, for any thing
that I intended; and that if any
design or affair of his required
any such thing out of convenience,
or otherwise he might forbear it.”
His Lordship excused his mothersD3 thers D3v 54
inquisition, by saying, “She was his Mother, and that
Parents did think themselves concerned,
in looking after the good
of their Children. But” (said he)
“Madam, Wave all this, however
I will marry you to morrow.”
“What” (said I) “my Lord,
without my consent: my Lord,
I desire your Lordship not to come
near me any more, I will not lye
under such questioning and scrutiny:
Your Lordship will be safe
in following my advice, in not
coming at me any more.” Upon
this his Lordship wept bitterly:
I with-drew my self from his
presence: He writ a Letter of
high Complements to me (the
which Letter was lost in that violent
surprize of me and my
things, by the force of Mr.
George Carleton, my Husbands Father D4r 55
Father.) At the same time I had
a Gown making upon my own
account, by Mrs. Kings Taylor
in the Strand, I took a Coach
and went thither; all this while
the young Lord not knowing
where I was, remained impatient
until my return, where I
found him standing at the Bar
(in a very pensive and melancholy
manner, as if he had been arraigned
for not paying his reckoning)
at the Exchange-Tavern,
and suddenly claspt about my
middle, and violently carryed
me to my Chamber. I asked
his meaning: He answered,
“That I had forbid him my presence;
that it had almost made him mad;
that he desired nothing more of
me, then but to let him look upon
me.” Upon that he did, with a
very strange gesture, fix his eyes D4 upon C4v 56
upon me: In compassion to him,
I askt him what his Lordship
meant, and intended; he replied
in a kind of discomposed
manner, “I would have you to
be my Wife.” I answered him,
“My Lord, I rather think you have
courted me for a Mistress, then
for a Wife: I assure you, that I
will never be a Mistris to the
greatest of Princes, I will rather
chuse to be a Wife to the meanest of
men.”

Upon which, he uttered divers
asseverations in confirmation of
the realty of his intentions, and
earnest desire of the Honour in
making me his Wife, without
any respect to what I had.

After my Lord had insinuated
his affections so far, that I began
to understand him, and did
mix and scatter some such like accep- D5r 57
acceptable words, which put
him into some confidence of
obtaining me; he began like other
Lovers to set forth the amplitude
of his Fortunes, and
those brave things he would do
if I would finish his suit; among
many other finenesses and Grandures
he would bestow on me,
I well remember, he told me
that he had given order for a
great Glass Coach of the new
fashion to be presently made,
against our wedding was over,
where eleven or twelve might
conveniently fit, and that he
would sute it with a set of Lacquies
and Pages, the neatest
and handsomest of the Town for
their Liveries and persons. That
I might see I had married a person
that not onely dearly loved
me, but would also highly honourD5 nour D5v 58
me, with the most splendid
accomodations that England
yeilded.

At the very same time, he had
changed as he told me (and part
of it I saw) two hundred pound
of silver, into two hundred
peices of Gold, for the better
portableness thereof, that his
Princess might see nothing of
meanness belonging to him, and
that as soon as the Coach was
made and all things fitted to it,
he would presently go to Court,
and carry me with him, and introduce
me to the King and
Queen: his further intention
being, which as yet he concealed
to me, to get a Knight-hood,
and have something of honour
to oppose the envy of men, that
so great an Estate was conferred
on a private person.

And D6r 59

And now my Lord spoke
nothing but Rodomantadoes of
the greatness of his Family,
of the delights and stateliness of
his Lands and houses, the game
of his Parks, the largeness of
his stables, and convenience of
Fish and Foul, for furnishing
his liberal and open Housekeeping,
that I should see “England
afforded more pleasure then
any place in the World,” but
they were (without the Host)
reckoned and charged beforehand
to my account, and to
be purchased with my estate,
which was his, by a figure of
anticipation, when we two
should be all one, and therefore
he lyed not, but onely equivocated
a little.

But D6v 60

But he did not in the least
mention any such thing to me,
nor made any offer of enquiry
what I was, no not the least
semblace or shadow of it; he
seemed to take no notice of
my fortunes, it was my person
he onely courted, which having
so happily and accidentally seen,
he could not live, if I cherisht
not his affections. Nor did I
think it then convenient or civil
to question the credit of his
words, and the report given
me of him. His demeanour I
confess was light, but I imputed
that to his youth, and the vanity
of a Gallant, as necessary
a quality, and as
much admired as wit in a
Woman.

The D7r 61

The last day of my virgin state,
Easter Eve, the Taylor brought
me my Gown to my Lodging, I
being drest and adorned with
my Jewels, he again renewed
his suit to me; with all importunity
imaginable: His courteous
Mother was also now most
forward, pressing me to consent,
by telling me, that “she
should lose her Son, and his wits,”
he being already impatient with
denyals and delays, adding
withal, that he was a person
hopeful, and might deserve my
condiscention: I withstood all
their sollicitation, although they
continued it until twelve of
the Clock that night: The young
Lord at his taking his leave of
me, told me that he would attend
me betimes the next morning,
and carry me to St. Pauls Church D7v 62
Church, to hear the Organs,
saying, that there would be
very excellent Anthems performed
by rare voices, the morrow
being --04-19Sunday, the 19. of April
last: in the morning betimes,
the young Lord cometh to my
Chamber-door, desiring admittance,
which I refused, in regard
I was not ready; yet so soon as
my head was dressed, I let him
have access: he hastned me, and
told me his Coach was ready at
the door, in which he carried me
to his Mothers in the Grey-fryers,
London, where I was assaulted by
the young Lords tears, and others
to give my consent to marry
him, telling me that they
had a Parson and a License
ready, which was a meer falshood,
and temporary falacy to
secure the match.

So D8r 63

So on Easter morning, with
three Coaches, in which with
the Bride and Bridegroom were
all the kindred that were privy
to the business, and pretended
a Licence, they carried me to
Clothfair by Smithfield, and in
the Church of Great St. Bartholomews,
Married me by one Mr.
Smith, who was well paid for
his paynes: and now they
thought themselves possessed of
their hopes, but because they
would prevent the noise and
fame, of their good fortune
from publique discourse, that
no sinister accident might intervene,
before Mr. Carleton had
bedded me, offence being likely
to be taken at Court, (as they
whispered to themselves) that
a Private Subject had Married
a Forraign Princess, they had before D8v 64
before determined to go to Barnet,
and thither immediately
after the celebration of the
Marriage we were Driven
in the Coaches, where we had a
handsome treatment, and there
we staid Sunday and Munday,
both which nights Mr. Carleton
lay with me, and on Tuesday
morning we were Married
again, a License being then obtained
to make the match more
fast and sure, at their instance
with me to consent to it.

This being done, and their
fears over, they resolved to put
me in a garb befitting the Estate
and dignity they fancied I had;
and they were so far possessed
with a beleif of it, that they
gave out, I was worth no less
then 80000li. per annum, and my
Husband, as I must now stile him D9r 65
him, published so much in a Coffee-house;
adding withal, to
the extolling of his good hap,
that there was a further Estate
but that it was my modesty or
design to conceal it: And that
he could not attribute his great
fortune to any thing but the
Fates, for he had not any thing
to ballance with the least of my
Estate and Merits: So do conceited
heighths of sudden prosperity
and greatness dazzle the
eyes and judgement of the most,
nor could this young man be
much blamed for his vainglorious
mistake.

My Cloaths being made at
the charge of my Father in Law,
and other fineries of the mode
& fashion sent me by some of his
Kindred and friends (who prided
themselves in this happy affinity,finity, D9v 66
and who had an eye upon
some advantages also, and
therefore gave me this early
bribe, as testimonies of their early
respect, & as for Jewels I had of
mine own of all sorts, for Necklaces,
Pendants and Bracelets,
of admirable splendor and
brightness. I was in a Prince-
like attire, and a splendid equipage
and retinue, accoutred
for publique view among all the
great Ladies of the Court and
the Town on May day ensuing.
At which time in my Lady Bludworths
Coach, which the same
friends procured for my greater
accommodation, and accompanied
with the same Lady with
Footmen and Pages, I rode
to Hide-Park, in open view of
that celebrious Cavalcade and
Assembly, much gazed upon by them D10r 67
them all, the eximiousness of
my fortune drawing their eyes
upon me; particularly that noble
Lady gave me precedence,
and the right hand, and a neat
Treatment after our divertisement
of turning up and down
the park.

I was altogether ignorant of
what estate my Husband was,
and therefore made no nicety
to take those places his friends
gave me, and if I be taxed for
incivility herein, it was his fault
that he instructed me no better
in my quality, for I conceited
still that he was some landed,
honorable and wealthy man.

Things yet went fairly on,
the same observances and distances
continued, and lodgings
befitting a person of Quality
taken for me in Durham Yard, at D10v 68
at one mr. Greens, where my
husband and I enjoyed one another
with mutual complacency,
till the return of the moneys
out of Germany failing the day
and their rich hopes, old Mr.
Carleton began to suspect he was
deceived in his expectation, and
that all was not gold that glistered:
but to remove such a
prejudice from himself, as if
he were the Authour of those
scandals that were now prepared
against my innocence, a
Letter is produced, and sent
from some then unknown hand,
which reflected much upon my
Honour and Reputation; and
thereupon on the fifth or sixth
of May ensuing, I was by a
Warrant dragged forth of my
new Lodgings, with all the disgrace
and contumely that could be D11r 69
be cast upon the vilest offender
in the World, at the instigation
of old Mr. Carleton, who was
the Prosecutor, and by him
and his Agents devested and
stript of all my cloaths, and
plundred of all my jewels, and
my money, my very bodyes, and
a payr of silk Stockings, being
also pulled from me, and in a
strange array carried before a
Justice.

But because this story hath
not yet been fully discovered,
I will more manifestly here declare
it; That Letter abovesaid
came from one Mr. John Clay,
the younger Son of Mr. Clay a
Drugster at the Bear and Mortar
in Lumber-street, a Servant
and Admirer of Mrs. King my
fine Sister in Law, (who because
her Husband hath a weak head, (though D11v 70
(though he sat like a Parliament
man once in Richard Cromwels
time for three days, as since I
have been informed) must have
an assistant to carry on the business.
The contents of this Letter
were neer to this purpose,

“Sir, Iam unknown to you, but hearing
that your Son Mr. John
Carleton hath married a Woman
of a pretended great Fortue,
and high birth, and I thought fit to
give you timely notice of what
I know, and have heard concerning
her, that she is an absolute
Cheat, hath Married several
men in our County of Kent, and
then run away from them, with
what they had; If it be the same woman D12r 71
woman I mean, she speaks several
languages fluently, and hath
very high Breasts, &c.”

I was at the Exchange Tavern,
as it was designed, when
this Letter was brought, and
thereupon their countenances
were set to a most melancholly
look, and pale hue, which
shewed a mixture of fear and
anger: presently I was brought
before the inquisition of the Family,
and examined concerning
the said Letter, which I
constantly, innocently, and
disdainfully denyed, so that
they seemed something satisfied
to the contrary, and so my Husband
and I went home in a
Coach, but that very same
night, all the gang, with one
Mrs. Clark a Neighbour to King, came D12v 72
came to my lodging where after
most vile language, as Cheating
Whore, and the like, they pulled
me up and down, and kept
me stript upon a bed, not suffering
my Husband to come
neer me, though I cryed out
for him to take my part, and
do like a man to save me from
that violence, who at a distance
excused it, by putting all this
barbarity upon his Father; In
fine they left me not a rag, rincing
every wet cloath out of the
water, and carrying them away,
The whole, was a most unwomanly
and rude Action at the
best of it, if I had been such as
they pretended me to be, and
not to be parralleld, but by a
story I have lately heard of the
six woman shavers in Drury-
Lane

See E1r 73

See the fickleness and vanity
of humane things, to day embellished,
and adorned with
all the female Arts of bravery
and gallantry, and courted and
attended on by the best rank of
my sex, who are jealous observers
what honour and respect
they give among themselves, to
a very punctilio; and now disrobed
and disfigured in mishapen
Garments, and almost left naked,
and haled and pulled by Beadles,
and such like rude and boysterous
fellows, before a Tribunal,
like a leud Criminal.

The Justices Name was Mr.
Godfrey, by whose Mittimus,
upon an accusation managed by
Old Mr. Carleton, that I had married
two Husbands, both of
them in being, I was committed
to the Gate-house. Being E interrogated E1v 74
interrogated by the Justice, whither
or no I had not two Husbands
as was alledged, I Answered,
if “I had, He was one of
them,” which I beleive incensed
Him something the more against
me, but I did not know the
Authority and dignity of his
place, so much am I a stranger to
this Kingdom.

There were other things and
crimes of a high nature objectted
against me besides, That I
cheated a Vintner of sixty
pounds, and was for that committed
to Newgate, but that
lye quickly vanished, for it was
made appear, That I was never
a Prisoner there, nor was
my name ever recorded in their
books; And that I pickt a Kentish
Lords pocket, and cheated
a French Merchant of Rings, Jewels E2r 75
Jewels and other Commodities,
That I made an escape, when
sold and shipt for the Barbadoes,
but these were urged onely as
surmises; and old Carleton bound
over to prosecute onely for Bigamy,
for my having two husbands.

Thus the world may see how
industrious mischeif is to ruine
a poor helpless and destitute
Woman, who had neither money,
friends nor acquaintance
left me; yet I cannot deny that
my Husband lovingly came to
me at the Gatehouse the same
day I was committed, and did
very passionately complain of his
Fathers usage of me, meerly
upon the disappointment, as he
said, of their expectations, and
that he could be contented to
love me as well as ever, to live E2 with E2v 76
with me and own me as a wife,
and used several other expressions
of tenderness to me.

Nor have I less affection and
kind sentiments for him, whom
I own and will own till death
dissolve the union, and did acquaint
him with so much there,
and protested my innocence to
him, nor do I doubt could he
have prevailed with his Father,
but that these things had never
happened. If now after my
vindication he prove faithless
and renege me, his fault will
be doubly greater, in that he
neither assisted my innocence
when endangered, nor cherished
it when vindicated by the
Law.

In this prison of the Gatehouse
I continued six weeks, in
a far better condition then I pro- E3r 77
promised my self, but the greater
civilities I ow to the Keeper:
as I am infinitely beholding
to several persons of quality,
who came at first I suppose out
of curiosity to see me, and did
thereafter nobly compassionate
my calamitous, and injurious restraint.

All that troubled me was an
abusive pamphlet which went
under my Husbands name,
wherein, most pitifully he pleaded
his frailty and misfortune,
and intituled it to no lesser precedent
then Adam, which I suppose
was had out of the new
Ballad, of your Humble Servant, a
hint whereof, please the Reader
to take in this Abridgement.

“Reader, I shall not give my self E3 the E3v 78
the trouble, to recollect and declare
the several motives and inducements
that deceitful, but
wise enough, Woman used to
deceive me with, &c. Her
Wit did more and more ingage
and charm me: Her Qualities
deprived me of my own; Her
Courteous Behaviour, her Majestick
Humility to all persons, her
Emphatical speeches, her kind and
loving expressions; and amongst
other things, her high detestation
of all manner of Vice, as Lying,
&c. Her great Pretence to zeal in
her Religion; her modest Confidence
and Grace in all Companies,
Fearing the knowledge of none;
her demeanour was such, that she
left no room for Suspition, not
onely in my opinion, but also in
others both Grave and Wise. ”

And
all this is real and not feigned, and E4r 79
and more convincingly and apparently
true, by this foil of his
own setting, As for his undertaking
to tell the Story of
the management of the business
betwixt us; he is so far from
doing me justice herein, that he
wrongeth me and his own soul
by lying.

For Confutation of which, I
refer the Reader to the ensuing
Tryal; Onely there is one passage
that I am unwilling to let
slip, that is, he saith there,
that my Father was in Town upon
my Commitment, and did
acknowledge me to be his
Daughter, and that I had played
many such tricks. It’s strange
this Father of mine could not
be produced at the Tryal, if that
had been true.

And yet a little before this, upon E4v 80
upon his visiting me in the Gate-
house, where I was destitute of
money and subsistence, at my
first coming in he seemed very
tender of me, and charged the
Keeper I should want nothing,
for as far as 40sh. went, he would
see him payd, which I beleive
he must ere long, and after
that sent me a Letter, which is
the onely paper I have by me of
his, the other amorous and loving
scriblings being lost and taken
from me, the same time that
they plundered me of my
Jewels, I do not know what I
may do for them, but I hope I
shall never cry for those Epistles.
This done in these words, so
that my Love and my Dear,
could be hot and cold almost in
an instant.

My E5r 81 “My Dearest Heart, Although the manner of your
Usage may very well call the
sincerity of my Affection and Expressions
to you in question; Yet
when I consider, That thou art
not ignorant of the Compulsion of
my Father, and the Animosity
of my whole relations, both against
You and my Self for Your sake, I
am very confident your goodness
will pardon and pass by those
things which at present I
am no way able to help;
And be you confident, That
notwithstanding my Friends
aversion, there shall be nothing
within the reach of my power
shall be wanting, that may conduce
both to your liberty, maintenance,shall E5v 82
and Vindication. I
shall very speedily be in a condition
to furnish you with Money, to
supply you according to your desire.
I hope Mr. Bayly will be very civil
to you; and let him be assured,
he shall in a most exact measure
be satisfied, and have a Requital
for his Obligation. My dearest,
always praying for our happy meeting,
I rest, Your most
affectionate Husband.
1663-05-11May the 11th.
1663. John Carleton.” Other E6r 83

Other of my Husband’s
Friends came to Visit me in
the Gate-house, (of the many
hundreds of other I shall say
nothing) one of them said,
“Madam, I am one of your Husbands
Friends and Acquaintaintance,
I had a desire to see
you, because I have heard of
your breeding”. Alas, said I,
“I have left that in the City
amongst my Kindred, because
they want it.”

Another in his discourse delivered
as an Aphorism, “That marriage
and hanging went by Destiny.”
I told him, “I had received
from the Destinies Marriage, and
he in probability might Hanging.”
To Waive many others of the
like nature.

My innocence furnished me
with several of those answers, and E6v 84
and repartees to the mixt sort of
visitants, who either for novelty
or designe came to trouble me.
I was advised indeed to seclude
my self from such company,
but because there might be no
disadvantage pretended by
reason I kept close, and evidence
might be puzled, not
having seen me in so long a
time, as afterwards at my Tryal
might have been suggested, I
gave all persons the freedom of
my Chamber. But for the
Nobler sort, I may in some measure
thank my stars, that out of
this misfortune extracted so
much bliss, as the honour of
their acquaintance, which otherwise
at large I had been in no
capacity to attain.

the 2E1r 73

The time of the Sessions of the
Peace for London and Middlesex
being arrived, I was conveyed
from the Gate-house to Newgate;
where by the civility of
the Master of the prison I had
lodgings assigned me in his own
house, which adjoyns to the Sessions-house-yard;
and there I
was publickly seen by all comers:
that my enemies might
want no advantage of informing
their witnesses of my Person,
Age and condition, and so square
their Evidence: but my innocence
and my good Angels preserved
me from the worst of their
malice.

From thence, on --06-03Wednesday,
June the third, in the evening,
the first day of the Courts sitting
in the Old-Bayly, I was
brought down to the Bar: and
there an Indictment upon my
Arraignment was read against E me, 2E1v 74
me; to which I pleaded Not
guilty: and, as instructed by my
friends, and a good conscience,
(being altogether ignorant of the
Laws and Customs of this Kingdome)
put my self for my Triall
upon God and the Country,
without making any exception,
or ever so much as examining
what my Jury were.

And because they approved
themselves men of honesty, judgment
and integrity, and did me
so much justice, I can do no less
then to take occasion here to return
them my humble thanks, that
they would regard the oppressed
condition of a helpless prisoner;
and not give credit to the wicked
asseverations of a wretch, who
onely swore to the purpose against
me: and to let the world
know my particular gratitude,
I will transcribe into this my
Case, as one of the happiest and fairest 2E2r 75
fairest remarks therein, the
names of those upright Jurors,
viz.

• William Rutland,
• Arthur Vigers,
• Arthur Capel,
• Tho. Smith,
• Fran. Chaplin,
• Robert Harvey,
• Simon Driver,
• Robert Kerkham,
• Hugh Masson,
• Tho. Westley,
• Richard Clutterbuck, and
• Randolph Tooke.

“The Indictment was in hæc
verba. That the said Mary Moders,
late of London Spinster, otherwise
Mary Stedman, the wife of Tho.
Stedman late of the City of Canterbury
in the County of Kent Shooemaker,
--05-1212 May, in the Reign of his
now Majesty the sixth, at the Parish
of St. Mildreds in the City of Cant. E2 in 2E2v 76
in the County aforesaid, did take to
husband the aforesaid Tho. Stedman,
and him the said Thomas Stedman
then and there had to husband.
And that she the said Mary Moders,
alias Stedman, --04-2121 April, in the 15
year of his said Majesties Reign, at
London, in the Parish of Great S.
Bartholomews, in the Ward of Farringdon
without, feloniously did take
to husband one John Carleton, and
to him was married, the said Tho.
Stedman her former husband then
being alive, and in full life: against
the form of the Statute in that case
provided, and against the Peace of
our said Soveraign Lord the King,
his Crown and Dignity, &c.”

After which being set to the
Bar, in order to my Trial, I prayed
time till the morrow, my
witnesses not being ready; which
was granted: and all persons
concerned were ordered to attend
at nine of the Clock in the
Fore-noon.

Being 2E3r 77

Being returned to my lodging,
where some Gentlemen gave me
a visit to counsel and advise me;
my Husband Mr. Carleton came
thither to take his leave of me,
as I understood afterwards by
his complement: but my Keeper
knowing of him, thought
him not fit company for me, who
was one of the causers of my injurious
usage: but notice at last
being given me of it, I gave order
for his admittance, and treated
him with the respect which
became my Relation to him;
though he, to add trouble to me,
fell into more impertinent discourses
concerning the shortness
of my dayes, and speedy preparation
of Repentance for another
world; and that he would pray
for me, and the like to the
which I replied, “Pray, my lord let
none of those things trouble you;
I thank God I am as well as ever E3 in 2E3v 78
in my life, and do of all things
least fear hanging: and as for
your prayers, are you righteous
or no? if not, they will so little
availe me, that they will not profit
your self.” Hereupon a Gentleman
to break off this discourse
drank to him in a glass of Canary;
which my Lord unhandsomely
declining to accept, I
could not forbear to tell him, I
was sorry to see his Lordship’s
slender breeding could not suffer
him to be civill.

Thus the world may see how
these mine Adversaries had already
swallowed my life and my
credit, and devoted them to the
Gibbet without redemption: the
onely security of all their past
injustices towards me. —Per
scelera sceleribus est iter: they must
end as they have begun. Thus
the Devill and his imps were
here frustrated.

For 2E4r 79

For, on --06-04Thursday June the
fourth, I proceeded to Trial, according
to appointment; but my
fathers bandogs being not ready,
my husband came into the
Court very spruce and trim, in
one of the wedding-suits, and
prayed the Court, that in respect
his father and his witnesses
were not yet come together, or
rather had not concinnated their
lies to be found in one tale, that
the Trial might be deferred for
halfe an hour. I could not but
smile to see my deare husband
labour so to make sure of my
death, and with so little regard
to pass by his dear Princess without
so much as vouchsafing a
look to her; as if he were angry
at his eyes for having beheld
so much already. But to abrupt
these thoughts, and to continue
the discourse: the Court
growing impatient of these uncivilE4 civil 2E4v 80
delayes, and telling my father-in-law
that they were not
bound to wait on him or his witnesses;
they were now produced
before them, and sworn; and
with old Carleton himself were
six in number: namely, James
Knot, one that will almost cleave
a hair; William Clark, and George
Carleton her brother-in-law; Mr.
Smith the Parson, and one Sarah
Williams; which for fuller information
of the world, I will give,
with a review of the whole Triall,
according to the exactest copy
of it, which was taken in
short-hand at my desire.

James Knot. My Lord, and
Gentlemen of the Jury, I gave
this woman in Marriage to one
Thomas Stedman, which is now alive
in Dover, and I saw him last
week.

Court. Where was she married?

Knot. In Canterbury.

Court. 2E5r 81

Court. Where there?

Knot. In St. Mildreds, by one
Parson Man, who is now dead.

Court. How long since were
they married?

Knot. About nine years ago.

Court. Did they live together
afterwards?

Knot. Yes, about four years,
and had two children.

Court. You gave her in marriage,
but did the Minister give her
to her husband then?

Knot. Yes, and they lived together.

Jury. Friend, did you give this
very Woman?

Knot. Yes.

Court. What company was
there?

Knot. There was the married
Couple, her sister, my self, the
Parson and the Sexton.

Court. Where is that Sexton?

Knot. I know not, my Lord.

E5 Court. 2E5v 82

Court. You are sure they were
married in the Church, and this
is the woman?

Knot. Yes, I am sure of it.

Court. How long ago?

Knot. About nine years ago.

Court. Did you know this woman
before the Marriage? and
how long?

Knot. Yes, I knew her a long
time; I was an Apprentice seven
years near her Mothers house in
Canterbury.

Court. Then she’s no forreign
Princess? Of what Parentage
was she?

Knot. I did not know her own
father (and in that he might be
believed) but her father-in-law
was a Musitian there.

Court. You see her married:
what words were used at her
marriage, and in what manner?

Knot. They were married according
to the order of the Land, a 2E6r 83
a little before the Act came forth
touching Marriages by Justices
of the Peace.

Court. Was it by the Form of
Common-Prayer, any thing read
of that Form?

Knot. I did not take notice of
that: I was but a young man, and
was desired to go along with
them.

William Clark being sworn,
said, “My Lord, I was last week in
Dover, in company with this
James Knot, and Thomas Stedman,
and he the said Stedman did own
that he did marry one Mary Moders,
a daughter of one in Canterbury,
and that Knot gave her,
and that he had two children by
her, and declared his willingness
to come up to give evidence against
her, but wanted money for
his journey: And I have understood
that a person here in Court
was of a Jury at Canterbury, at a Trial 2E6v 84
Triall between Day and Mary
Stedman at the Bar for having
two husbands.”

Court. Was she cleared?

Clark. I cannot tell.

Young Carletons father sworn.
“My Lord, I was at Dover the
last week on Wednesday; I saw
the husband of this woman, and
the man acknowledged himself
to be so; and did say that James
Knot was the man that gave her
in marriage to him.”

Court. Where is this man her
husband? Hearsays must condemn
no man: what do you
know of your own knowledge?

Carlton the Elder. I know the
man is alive.

Court. Do you know he was
married to her?

Carleton. Not I, my Lord.

Sarah Williams. My Lord, This
Woman was bound for Barbadoes,
to go along with my husband,band, 2E7r 85
and she desired to lodge at
our house for some time, and did
so; and when the ship was ready
to go, she went into Kent to
receive her means, and said she
would meet the ship in the
Downs; and missing the ship, took
boat and went to the ship. After
severall dayes remaining there,
there came her husband with an
Order and fetched her ashore,
and carried her to Dover-Castle.

Court. What was his name
that had an Order to bring her
on shore again?

Sarah Williams. His name was
Thomas Stedman.

Court. Have you any more to
prove the first marriage?

Carlton the Elder. No, none
but Knot; there was none but
three, the Minister dead, the
Sexton not to be found, and this
Knot who hath given Evidence.

Court. What became of the two 2E7v 86
two children, Knot?

Knot. They both died.

Carlton the Elder. Stedman said
in my hearing, that he had lived
four years with her, had two
children by her, and both dead;
five years ago last Easter since she
left him.

Court. Mr. Carlton, What
have you heard this Woman
say?

Carlton. My Lord, she will
confess nothing, that pleases
him.

Court. Mr. Carlton, did you
look in the Church-Register for
the first marriage?

Carlton. I did look in the Book,
and he that is now Clerk, was
then Sexton (just now not to be
found;) he told me, that Marriages
being then very numerous,
preceding the Act beforementioned,
the then Clerk had
neglected the Registry of this Marriage 2E8r 87
Marriage. If she intended this
Trade, she likewise knew how to
make the Clerk mistake Registring
the Marriage.

Young Carlton’s brother sworn,
who said,

“My Lord and Gentlemen of
the Jury, I was present at the
Marriage of my Brother with
this Gentlewoman, which was
on or about 1663-04-2121 April, 1663.
They were married at Great St.
Bartholomews, by one Mr. Smith a
Minister here in Court, by Licence.”

Mr. Smith the Parson sworn.
“My Lord, all that I can say, is
this, that Mr. Carlton the younger
told me of such a business, and
desired me to marry them; they
came to Church, and I did marry
them by the Book of Common
Prayer.”

Court. Mr. Smith, are you sure
that is the Woman?

Parson 2E8v 88

Parson. Yes, my Lord, it is; I
believe she will not deny it.

Prisoner. Yes, my Lord, I confess
I am the Woman.

Court. Have you any more
witnesses?

Carlton. We can get no more
but Knot to prove the first Marriage;
the last is clear.

Judge Howel. Where is Knot?
Remember your self well what
you said before. You say, you
know that Woman at the Bar;
that you had known her a great
while; that she was born near
you in Canterbury; that you were
present at her marriage; that
Parson Man married them; that
none were present but your self,
the married couple, Parson, Sexton,
and her sister.

Knot. Some others came into
the Church, but none that I
knew; I am sure none went with
her, but those I named.

Court. 2E9r 89

Court. Who gave her in marriage?

Knot. I did.

Court. How came you to do it?

Knot. I was Stedmans shopmate,
and he desired me to go along
with him.

Court. Were her Parents then
living, or no?

Knot. Her Mother was.

Jury. How old are you?

Knot. Two or three and thirty
years.

Jury. How long ago was this
marriage?

Knot. About nine years since.

Court. Then he was twenty
three, and might do it. What
is your Trade of life?

Knot. I am a Cordweyner, otherwise,
a Shoomaker; Stedman
was so too: we wrought
both together.

Jury. We desire to know whether
she had a Father and Motherther 2E9v 90
then living.

Knot. She had a Father-in-
law.

Court. Did you know her Mother?

Knot. Yes.

Court. How long before that
Marriage did her own Father
die?

Knot. I did not know him. He
said so before indeed.

Court. What age was she
when married?

Knot. I suppose nineteen or
twenty.

Prisoner. May it please your
Honours, and Gentlemen of the
Jury, you have heard the several
witnesses, and I think this whole
Country cannot but plainly see
the malice of my Husbands Father
against me; how he causelessly
hunts after my life: when
his Son, my Husband, came and
addressed himself to me, pretenddingding 2E10r 91
himself a person of honour,
and upon first sight pressed me
to marriage; I told him, “Sir”,
said I, “I am a stranger, have no
acquaintance here, and desire
you to desist your suit”: I could
not speak my minde, but he (having
borrowed some thred-bare
Complements) replied, “Madam,
your seeming virtues, your amiable
person, and noble deportment,
renders you so excellent,
that were I in the least interested
in you, I cannot doubt of happiness:”
and so with many words
to the like purpose, courted me.
I told him, and indeed could not
but much wonder, that at so
small a glance he could be so
presumptuous with a stranger,
to hint this to me; but all I could
say, would not beat him off: And
presently afterwards he having
intercepted my Letter, by which
he understood how my affairs stood, 2E10v 92
stood, and how considerable my
means were, he still urged me to
marry him; and immediately by
the contrivance of his friends,
gaping at my fortune, I was hurried
to the Church to be married;
which the Parson at first did
without Licence, to secure me to
my Husband, and sometime after
had a Licence.

“And my Husbands Father afterwards
considering I had a
considerable fortune, pressed me
that in respect I had no relations
here, and because, sayes he, ‘we
are mortall, you would do well
to make over your Estate to my
Son your Husband; it will be
much for your honour, satisfaction
of the world, and for which
you will be chronicled for a rare
woman:’ and perceiving he had
not baited his hook sufficient
(with some fair pretences) to
catch me then, he and his Son, who 2E11r 93
who were both willing to make
up some of their former losses in
circumventing me of what I had,
they robb’d me of my Jewels,
and Clothes of great value, and
afterwards pretended they were
counterfeit Jewells; and declared,
that I had formerly been
married to one at Canterbury,
which place I know not; and
this grounded on a Letter (of
their own framing) sent from
Dover, with a description of me;
that I was a young fat woman,
full brested; that I spoke
severall languages; and therefore
they imagined me the person;
and so violently carried me
from my lodging before a Justice
of Peace, only to affright
me, that I might make my Estate
over to them. The Justice having
heard their severall allegations,
could not commit me, unless they
would be bound to prosecute me; which 2E11v 94
which my husband being unwilling
to, the Justice demanded of
his Father whether he would
prosecute me, saying, they must
not make a fool of him; and so
after some whisperings, the Father
and his Son were both
bound to prosecute; and thereupon
I was committed to prison;
And since that, these people have
been up and down the Country,
and finding none there that
could justifie any thing of this
matter, they get here an unknown
fellow, unless in a prison,
and from thence borrowed, you
cannot but all judge, to swear against
me. My Lord, were there
any such Marriage as this fellow
pretends, methinks there might
be a Certificate from the Minister,
or place; certainly if married,
it must be registred: but
there is no Registry of it, and so
can be no Certificate, no Ministerster 2E12r 95
nor Clerk to be found: and
if I should own a marriage, then
you see that great witness cannot
tell you, whether I was lawfully
married, or how? but it is
enough for him (if such a paultry
fellow may be believed) to
say, I was married. I was never
yet married to any but John Carlton,
the late pretended Lord: But
these persons to swear against
me, one hired with five pounds,
and another old fellow perswaded
to own me for his Wife;
who came to the prison, and seeing
another woman, owned her,
and afterwards my self, and indeed
any body. If such an old inconsiderable
fellow had heretofore
wooed me, it must have been
for want of discretion, as Carleton
did for want of money; but
I know of no such thing. Severalral 2E12v 96
scandals have been laid upon
me, but no mortall flesh can
truly touch the least hair of my
head for any such like offence:
they have framed this of themselves.
My Lord, I am a stranger,
and a forreigner; and being
informed there is matter of Law
in this Trial for my life, my innocence
shall be my Counsellor,
and your Lordships my Judges,
to whom I wholly refer my
Cause. Since I have been in prison,
several from Canterbury have
been to see me; pretending
themselves (if I were the person
as was related) to be my
school-mates; and when they
came to me, the Keeper can justifie,
they all declared that they
did not know me.”

Court. Knot, You said she lived
near you at Canterbury;
What woman or man there
have you to prove she lived there? F1r 97
there? have you none in that
whole City, neither for love of
Justice nor Right, will come to
say she lived there?

Knot. I believe I could fetch
one.

Court. Well said, are they to
fetch still?

Prisoner. My Lord, I desire
some Witnesses may be heard in
my behalf.

Elizabeth Collier examined. “My
Lord, my Husband being a
Prisoner in the Gatehouse, I came
there to see my Husband, and
did work there a dayes; and
there came in an old man, his
name was Billing, he said he had
a wife there; says Mr. Baley, ‘Go
in and finde her out’; and he said
I was his wife, turned my hood,
and put on his spectacles, looks
upon me, and said I was the
same woman his wife; and afterwards
said I was not, and so F to F1v 98
to others: I can say no more.”

Jane Finch examined.

“My Lord, there came a man
and woman one night, and
knockt at my door; I came down,
they asked to speak with one
Jane Finch. ‘I am the person’, said
I. ‘We understand,’, said they, ‘you
know Mistriss Carleton now in
prison’. ‘Not I,’ said I, ‘I onely
went to see her there’. Said they,
‘Be not scrupulous: if you will go
and justifie any thing against
her, we will give you 5 l.’”

Court. Who are those two?

Finch. I do not know them, my
Lord.

Mr. Baley examined.

“My Lord, there has been at
least 500. people have viewed
her; severall from Canterbury,
fourty at least that said they lived
there; and when they went
up to her, she hid not her face at all, F2r 99
all, but not one of them knew
her.”

Court. What Country-woman
are you?

Prisoner. I was born in Cullen
in Germany.

Court. Mr. Carleton, How came
you to understand she was married
formerly?

Carleton the elder. I received a
Letter from the Recorder of Canterbury
to that purpose.

Prisoner. They that can offer
five pound to swear against me,
can also frame a Letter against
me: they say I was nineteen
years of age about nine years
ago, and I am now but one and
twenty.

Court. Mr. Carlton, you heard
what Knot said; he said she lived
near him four years a wife: why
did not you get some body else
from thence to testifie this?

Carleton. Here was one Davis F2that F2v 100
that was at her Fathers house,
and spoke with him――

Court. Where is he?

Carlton. I know not; he was
here.

Court. You were telling the
Court of a former indictment
against her, what was that for?

Carlton. She was indicted for
having two husbands, Stedman of
Canterbury her first Husband, and
Day of Dover Chirurgion, her
second Husband. The indictment
was Traversed the year before
His Majesty came to England,
she was found not guilty.

Court. who was at that Trial?

Carlton. One here in Court
was of the Jury; but that party
said there was such a trial, but
knows not that this is the Woman.

Judge Howel. Gentlemen of
the Jury, you see this indictment
is against Mary Moders, otherwisewise F3r 101
Stedman, and it is for having
two husbands, both at one time
alive; the first Stedman, afterwards
married to Carlton,her
former husband being alive. You
have heard the proof of the first
marriage, and the proof doth
depend upon one witness, that
is Knot; and he indeed doth
say, he was at the marriage, gave
her, and he names one Man, the
Parson that married her, that he
is dead; none present there but
the married couple that must
needs be there, the Parson, this
witness, her sister, and the Sexton;
that he knows not what is
become of the Sexton. All the
Evidence given on that side to
prove her guilty of this Indictment,
depends upon his single
testimony. It is true, he says she
was married at Canterbury, but
the particulars, or the manner of
the marriage he doth not well F3 re- F3v 102
remember; whether by the Book
of Common-Prayer, or otherwayes:
but they lived together
for four years, had two Children.
If she were born there,
married there, had two children
there, and lived there so long, it
were easie to have brought some
body to prove this; that is all
that is material for the first marriage.

“For the second, there is little
proof necessary: she confesses her
self married to Carlton, and owns
him; the question is, Whether
she was married to Stedman, or
not?”

“You have heard what defence
she hath made for her self, some
Witnesses on her behalf; if you
believe that Knot, the single witness
speaks the truth so far forth
to satisfie your conscience, that
that was a marriage, she is guilty.
You see what the circumstancesstances F4r 103
are, it is penal; if guilty,
she must die; a Woman hath
no Clergy, she is to die by the
Law, if guilty. You heard she
was indicted at Dover for having
two husbands, Stedman the first,
and Day the second. There it
seems by that which they have
said, she was acquitted; none
can say this was the woman: that
there was a Trial, may be believed;
but whether this be the woman
tried or acquitted, doth not
appear. One here that was of
that Jury, says, there was a Trial,
but knows not that this is the
Woman. So that upon the
whole, it is left to you to give
your Verdict.”

The Jury went forth, and
after some short Consultation,
returned to their places.

Clerk. Mary Moders alias Stedman.
hold up thy hand; look uponF4 on F4v 104
her Gentlemen, what say you?
Is she guilty of the Felony
whereof she stands indicted, or
not guilty?

Foreman. “Not guilty”. And
thereupon a great number of
people being in and about the
Court, hissed and clapped their
hands.

Clerk. Did she flie for it?

Foreman. Not that we know.

Afterwards I desired, that my
Jewells and Cloaths, taken from
me, might be restored to me:
The Court acquainted me, that
they were my husbands, and that
if any detained them from me,
he might have his remedy at
Law. I then charging old Mr.
Carleton with them, he declared
they were already in the custody
of his Son her husband. So that
if they had been counterfeit, as
they all along pretended, I doubt not F5r 105
not but that they would have
had so much confidence and justice
for themselves, as to have
acquainted the Court with so
much, to the bettering the envy
and scandal of their gross abuses
but concerning the real worth of
those Jewels, I shall have further
occasion to speak presently.

Being thus fairly acquitted, I
was carried back to my former
Lodgings; where, among other
visits, I had one from my Husbands
near Friend, who but two
hours before had swore and
threatned my death: yet to feel
my temper in this disappointment
of their bloody designe against
me, he was sent with an
impertinent story into my company,
where he began to glaver,
and offer me a glass of Wine;
(above which their generosity
yet never reached:) but my passionsF5 sions F5v 106
were so high at the very
sight of him, that I bid him get
him out of the room, and not
trouble me with his company:
which he did, by slinking from
me, as the Dog in the Proverb
that had lost his Tayl.

They thought being thus
freed I would have ranted and
vapoured, and gave them some
further unwary hint of my condition,
as being now out of danger:
but I (that knew my self
not to be in any) was transported
with no such exultation, but
kept the same equanimity and
constant tenour; no less affected
with the triumphs of Justice,
then those of my Honour and
Reputation.

Hitherto they have not found
any thing unbecoming the person
I am, or what they made me
to be, except in my necessities,
and that frequency of company to F6r 107
to which they have subjected me
by false imprisonment, and other
scandals; which I could not better
remove, then by my barefac’d
appearance to all comers:
so that that which other women
hide and mask for modesty, I
must shew and set to publick
view for my justification.

On the --06-06sixth of June, being Saturday,
I was discharged of my
confinement, (having been all
along most civilly used by the
Masters and Keepers of both the
Prisons where I was in durance;
but indeed rather in the suburbs
of a Prison, then a Prison it self;
for which I am their Debtor)
and did expect that my husband,
by whom I was committed, that
is, by his Relations, would have
brought me out; and I stayed
there to that purpose two days
after my acquittal and purgation:
but no such matter; they had got F6v 108
got my Estate, I might do what
I would with my person; the
groundless slaunders they had
cast upon that, should yet serve
turn to infame my bed; and the
Counterfeit, though after conviction
of the falshood thereof,
must be separated and divorced:
but the counterfeit Jewels
they’ll Hug and Embrace, and part
withal at no rate.

And therefore in stead of my
lawful and true Husband, they
endeavoured to put a counterfeit
upon me: but too much are they
stupified, in stead of being sublimed
in this mysterious way of
cheat, which as in melancholy
people, works still in their fancy
that they sent me the most ridiculous
Dotard for Husband-
Gentleman-Usher, that ever woman
laid eye on: a Fellow that
could be no younger then brother
to Mother Shipton, and had his Pro- F7r 109
Prophetical Spectacles to fit
him for a Legacy.

It was one of my pretended
husbands, by whom a Bill was
preferred (but not found, as I said
before) by Billing the Brick-layer.
Upon Whitsun-Monday, the
--06-088th of June instant, the said Billing
came to Newgate, demanded
of the Keepers to deliver his
Wife to him. The Turn-Key,
and other subordinate Officers
of the Goal, told him, They had
none of his Wife. He insisted
upon it, and with-stood all denial,
mentioned my name, and the
particulars of my Trial. The
Keepers remembring there was
a former mistake of the same
person, given in Evidence on
my behalf at the Trial, called
one Grizel Hudson a Convict, a
pretty Woman, and in good
habit: The Turn-Key asked Billing,
Whether this was his Wife? F7v 110
Wife? Billing replied, “Yes”; and
askt her, Why she did not come
to him upon his first sending for
her? She told him, That the
Keepers would not permit her to
stir out of the Prison, in regard
her Fees were not paid. Billing
said, He would pay the Fees;
and whispered her in the Ear,
saying, That they had a minde
to hang her (meaning the Carletons)
but he would not prosecute
her. True it was, he had put in
an Indictment against her, but
he could not help that. “Well
Moll,” said he to her, “Have ye all
your things?” She said, “Yes”. “But”,
said he, “Moll, Why do you stay here amongst
such wicked company, Rogues
and Whores? I see their Irons about
their Legs.” “Why”, said she, “I have
left some Linnen ingaged in the Cellar.”
To the Cellar the Keeper
carried them both; and there
Billing left a note under his hand, to F8r 111
to pay five shillings to the Tapster:
Which Note he hath to
produce, to satisfie any that shall
make further Enquiry in this
particular.

He further said, That she had
cheated him of fourty pounds,
and that he would pawn the
Lease of his house, rather then
she should want Money, although
she was wicked Rogue,
if she would but live with him:
she promised she would. He told
her he would give her a Sky-colour’d
Silk Petticoat and Wastcoat,
and a Podesway Gown,
new Holland for Smocks, and all
other things necessary. Billing
turning himself to the Company
there present, said merrily,
“That she had cost him much before
when he married her, but he never
lay with her, but he had kist her, and
felt her a hundred times”. Billing askt
her again, if she would leave these wicked F8v 112
wicked Rogues, and go along
with him. She said, she had another
Debt to pay: He askt
what it was; She said, twenty
pounds to such a one, a stranger
then present, unto which person
he gave a note to pay 20 l. in one
moneth after the Date thereof:
(it’s more then probable he will
be made so to do.)

He further said to her, “That
now it will trouble me to pay all this
Money, and then you to run away
from me in a short time”. Withall,
said he, “Moll, You need not, for I
have a better estate then the young
man that tried you for your Life”.
So gave the particulars of his Estate,
what in Money, Houses,
Leases and Land. He added
moreover, that he did love her
out of measure, nothwithstanding
she had done him other mischiefs,
then what he had before
mentioned. She askt him, what they F9r 113
they were? He said, She had stollen
from his Daughter a Knife
and a wrought Sheath, a Handkercher,
and a Seal’d Ring. With
that, the standers by told him,
that he was mistaken, that this
Grizell Hudson was not the person.
He swore it was, and that
he knew her well enough; that
he saw her in the Gate-house, and
that she knew what passed between
us there: “But”, said he,
“Moll, Thou art a cunning Rogue; I
desire nothig of thee but to be honest,
and live with me;” the which she
promised, and he parted with
great content thereupon.

This affront and indeed disgrace
I put to the other; but am
very sorry the poor old Fellow
should be abused so by my Relations;
the second part or
worse of the cheat of a cunning
Gypsie, who having inveagled
his affections, and set him on edge F9v 114
edge by some lascivious gesture,
entangled him in a marriage;
and for better port and celebration
of the Nuptials, procured
him twenty pound from a
friend of hers, for which he gave
Bond, (the Duplicate of this story)
and when bed-time came,
and the rusty Bridegroom had
prepared himself, he ran away in
the dark with most of the money,
and some odd things, as Linen,
and the like, and never appeared,
till those skilful Conjurers
of Grey Fryars (in quo peccamus,
in eo plectimur; where my
fault was in deserting my first
station among the Religious,
from the like demolished place
am I punished) raised up my
white name, and made me personate
the baseness of that Imposture.

To proceeed: I might now
very well be said to be set at liberty,betry, F10r 115
having no where to go, or
where to betake my self: for the
Verdict did not reach to give me
possession of my Husband, whose
Wife I was declared to be, (the
Jury telling my young Lord, upon
his asking of them the Verdict,
as they were coming
through the Garden of their Sessions-House
into the Court, “That
he must make much of his Princess,
and keep her to himself”:) Nor was
it easie to avoid the trouble of
twenty several Courtiships for
Lodgings, which I well considered
might give further occasion of
reproach, and abuse of my Credit.

But Mr. Carleton not appearing,
which gave me suspition of
some further designe, I took
Lodgings in Fullers Rents, where
in privacy I resolved to wait the
reduction of him to better and
honester thoughts; and that when F10v 116
when they his friends had all prejudice
laid aside, and considered
the duty and obligation that lay
upon him, they would have restored
and returned him to me.
But this neither had its designed
end, though the danger that
I threatned his father with,
brought him to me.

This was on Sunday in the Evening,
--06-06June the sixth, when he
came to me, accompanied with
Mr. George Hewyt his Master, a
Barrister of Grays Inne in Coney-
Court; where after some discourses,
and perseverance of my
resolved manner of proceeding
against his Father in the same
method, and at the same Bar
where he had arraigned me; he
did most submissively supplicate
me, and adjure me by all respects
to him, falling upon his knees
to move me the sooner, that I
would promise him not to prosecutecute F11r 117
his father for my Jewels, or
any other account: adding
moreover, That if I did it, he
should presently murther himself;
with such-like cowardly
Bravado’s as he had used to the
over-ruling of my affections,
when he pretended he would do
an hundered more mischiefs to
himself, if I would not consent
to marry him.

And now he resumed his first
kindnesses, in hope I would do
what he intreated; kissed me,
and offered his embraces: though
I could not so easily admit such
danger into my bosome, having
so lately felt the viperous sting:
but this loving humour, like a
time-serving passion, soon abated
by the interposition of Mr.
Hewyt.

I do suppose, that if he had
been alone, and out of the custody
and tuition of that person,son, F11v 118
he would have stayed with
me all night, and perhaps for the
future; but that person who hath
surfeited may be, and hath had
too much of a woman, had now
so little respects for our sex, as
to curse it in generall: but let
him beware, as froward and as
great a woman-hater as he is,
lest he expiate those Maledictions,
by some notable feminine
revenge a steeping and preparing
for him.

Next day I sent a Letter to my
husband, and left it for him at
Master Hewits Chamber: but
through his means, as I can conceive
no otherwise, I received not
word of any answer; so that I
resolved once for all to go and
make a demand of my said goods
and Jewels of old Mr. Carlton;
which I did on Fryday night, the
--06-1919th of June, at his house at
Gray-Friars; and knocking at Door, F12r 119
Dore, he himself asked who was
there: I answered, “Your Daughter
when a Princess, but now
your sons wife”: he demanded
my business; I told him I came
to demand my Jewells, and other
things he had taken from
me, and also my husbands Person.
He replied in short, the old
Gentlewoman pulling him back
from further discourse, That for
the Jewels, my husband had
them; and for himself, he was
gone.

There being no more to be
said or done, I bid them look to
their hits, and departed: having
on all occasions, after so many
injuries sustained, proffered a reconciliation,
being willing to cohabit
with him, and have left
no means unattempted to bring
us together, that the world might
see I am not such a loose irregular
leud woman as I am slandereded F12v 120
to be, by my carriage and demeanour
in that relation of a
wife, which title I am more ambitious
of then any other yet put
upon me: but since it must be
otherwise, I doubt not so prudently
and innocently to behave
my self, as I shall not want a
husband, much less the trouble
of so impertinent and fickle a
person as my husband, whom I
would willingly exchange for my
Jewels, and give him liberty to
look for another Princess
where he can finde her.

And now for that Hocus Pocus,
the delaying of those counterfeit
Jewels, as they talked, I shall
make it no difficulty to prove
that those Gems they had of me
were none of their Bristol-stones,
or such-like trumpery: for
not long after my tryal, they
were offered in Cheap-side to the
view of a Goldsmith, and he demandedmanded G1r 121
what they might be
worth; who having steadily and
considerately lookt them all over,
said, they were worth 1500.l.
At which the Trustee, or Fiduciary,
in whose hands they were,
askt the Gold-smith if he was
mad, or knew what he said. “Yes,
that I do,” replied he, “and will
presently lay you down so much
money for them, if you have
power to sell them”: whereupon
my Gentleman put up his counterfeit
ware with a more counterfeit
face, saying, he came only
to try his skill, and departed.

And now let all the world
judge of the Cheat I have put
upon this worshipfull family of
the Carletons. I have of theirs
not a thred, nor piece of any
thing, to be a token or remembrance
of my beloved Lord,
which I might preserve and lay
up as a sacred relique of a personG son G1v 122
dear to me (I think indeed
the dearest that ever woman
had.)

But it may be they intend to
furnish my Lord with this portable
and honourable furniture
to the second part of this Gusman-story,
against he shall
knight-errant it abroad; and
having found the way, marry
some other great forreign Lady,
and in stead of Boys whooping
and hallowing at him here, be
revered and adored by subjects,
as his great spirit alwayes
divined and suggested to him he
should be some-body, though to
little purpose: but I hope to
prevent that designe, and to have
speedy redress against all this
fraud and violence that hath
been acted against me.

And now I have concluded
the Narrative, and I hope to the
satisfaction of the world: and if G2r 123
if there be any thing not so elegantly
and clearly expressed as
my cause requires, let it be known
it is my fathers, not my fault,
which hath in some places disturbed
and muddied my fancy,
and in others reserved a hiding
place and obscurity for my pursued
honour.

I hope the ingenuous will pardon
and admit of this defence,
considering the nature of it. No
man is bound by any law to set
forth more then what his is directly
interrogated and questioned
to; and there I have for my
innocence sake exceeded. And
for the ignorant and malicious,
let them wonder and slander on;
and when they shall give me
worthy occasion, which is not in
the capacity of their shallow
brains, or in their dishonest intentions,
to a further vindication;
that is, when my relations shall G2 have G2v 124
have returned me what they took
from me, and leave me in statu
quo, by any handsome expedient,
I shall not faile of making this
discourse most evident demonstration,
and descend to such undeniable
proofe of every particular
here, that shall make their
impudence and rash folly one of
the leudest stories of the Age.

The world usually and frequently
judges as it likes and affects,
and is altogether swayed
by interest and humour; and even
by that, amidst all those industrious
calumnies, I dare stand
or fall. Let my quality and condition
alone, and he is not
weighed in the common scales;
yet the fair conduct and the
harmless example deserves no
censure. Let both alone, my sex
is to be pittied and respected,
and my person not to be hated.
But I will not prostitute my fame G3r 125
fame to them: to his Highness
I have appealed, and to him I
shall go. Not doubting but
what the strictness and nicety of
the Law doth at present withhold
him, we shall by his gracious
protection of innocence be
freed from such incumbrances;
and some easier solution found
for those intricacies, then my
Lawyers can at present expedite.

I am advised howsoever to
prosecute my adversaries in the
same manner, and at the same
Bar where they arraigned me for
a suspition, of a real suit of Felony,
for that riot against the
publick peace committed upon
my person: which I am not resolved
to do, in case I receive not better
satisfaction from them before
the Sessions: nor shall my husbands
dilating intreaties and
perswasions befool me any longer.

G3 Either G3v 126

The fashions and customs here
are much different from those
of our Country, where the wife
shares an equal portion with her
husband in all things of weal and
woe, and can liber intentare, begin
and commence, and finish a
suit in her own name; they buy
and sell, and keep accounts,
manage the affairs of houshold,
and the Trade, and do all things
relating to their severall stations
and degrees. I have heard and
did believe the Proverb, “That
England was a Heaven for women”:
but I never saw that Heaven described
in its proper termes: for
as to as much as I see of it, ’tis
a very long prospect, and almost
disappears to view; It is to be
enjoyed but at second hand, and all G4r 127
all by the husbands title; quite
contrary to the custome of the
Russians, where it is a piece of
their Divinity, that because it’s
said that the Bishop must be the
husband of one wife, they put out
of orders, and from all Ecclesiastical
function such Clergy men,
who by the Canon being bound
to be married, are by death
deprived of their wives; so that
their tenure to their Livings and
Preferments clearly depends upon
the welfare and long life of
their yoake-fellows, in whose
choice, as of such moment to their
well-being, they are very curious,
as they are afterwards in
their care and preservation of
them.

I could instance in many other
customes of nearer Nations, in
respect to female right and propriety
in their own Dowers, as
well as in their husbands estates: G4 but G4v 128
but, “cum fueris Romæ, Romano vivite
more”. I will not quarrel the English
Laws, which I question not
are calculated and well accommodated
to the genius and temper
of the people.

While I mention these customes,
I cannot forbear to complain
of a very great rudeness
and incivility to which the mass
and generality of the English
vulgar are most pronely inclined,
that is, to hoot and hallow, and
pursue strangers with their multitudes
through the streets, pressing
upon them even to the danger
of their lives; and when once
a cry, or some scandalous humour
is bruited among them,
they become Brutes indeed. A
Barbarity I thought could not
possibly be in this Nation, whom
I heard famed for so much civility
and urbanity. This I experimented
the other day in Fanchurch-street,church- G5r 129
as I was passing
through it upon some occasion,
which being noised and scattered
among the Prentices, I was forced
to bethink of some shift and
stratagem to avoid them, which
was by putting my Maid into a
Coach, that by good hap was at
hand, and stepping into an adjoyning
Tavern; which the Herd
mistaking my Maid for me, and
following the Coach as supposing
me there for the convenience
thereof, gave me the opportunity
of escaping from them. A
Regulation of this kind of uproar
by some severe penalties,
would much conduce not onely
to the honour of the Government
of the City, but the whole
Nation in general; having
heard the French very much
complain of the like injuries and
affronts: but those to me I may
justly place to my husbands account,G5 count G5v 130
who hath exposed me to
the undeserved wonder, and to be
a May-game to the Town.

And to his debility and meanness
of spirit, I am likewise beholding
for some other scandalous
Libels and Pasquils divulged
upon this occasion of our
marriage; chiefly for the Ribaldry
of some pitiful Poetry,
entituled, A Westminster-wedding,
which equally reflects as much
upon himself as me. This tameness
of his doth hugely incense
me; and I swear, were it not for
the modesty of my sex, the bonds
of which I will not be provoked
to transgress, I would get satisfaction
my self of those pitiful
Fellows, who by this impudent
and saucie scribling, do almost
every day bespatter my honour.
At least, I wonder my husband
doth not vindicate himself, and
assert his own individual Reputation,tation, G6r 131
having threatned so much
in print against a civil person
that formerly & first of all endeavoured
to clear and justifie mine.

But when I consider how apt
his kindred are to return to their
vomit of slandering me, and reckoning
the nine days wonder of
their great cheat discovered is over,
are like those that have eat
shame and drank after it; I did
the less wonder at his stupidity
and senslessness of those indignities
done him: and commonly
those that have no regard to anothers
honour, have as little respect
for their own; as he is Master
of another mans life, that is a
Contemner of his own.

I shall therefore omit all the
subsequent sneaking Lyes, raised
by the same kindred, when they
saw their more mighty and potent
Accusations helped forward
with such prejudices, noise and osten- G6v 132
ostentation, were at once disappointed
and blown to nothing:
such are those Chimæra’s of their
framing and fancying, that I was
seen in mans apparel, with a
Sword and Feather, in designe to
do mischief to somebody; and
that I have used to do so: and so
punctual are they in this Lye, as
to name both the time and place:
that I resolved to set up a Coffee-
house, and at last to turn Player
of Actor: with an hundred other
slams to sully my Name,
and of a multitude of the like, to
make one or other of those Calumnies
and Reproaches to stick
upon me.

Whereas on the contrary I do
resolve, as soon as my cause is
heard, and justice done me by the
supreme-power, if I cannot otherwise
attain it, to retire and
return back, though not immediately
to my own home, yet to make G7r 133
make such approaches at necessary
distance for the present, that
I might be in a readiness and
view of all transactions there, as
soon as this bluster shall be so
laid here, that I shall not fear the
tayl of this Hurricane pursuing
me: yet shall I always have my
heart and my Arms open to Mr.
Carleton, as a person whom for
his Person and Naturals I do and
shall ever affect, as his wife and
my husband, maugre all those
practices (as for my part) of rendring
us mutually hateful and
suspect to each other.

And while I thus open the
way to a composure of this unhappy
business, and am willing
to put up so many private injuries,
and publick contumelies and
disparagements, in tendencie to,
and in consideration of the relative
state of marriage, which my
conscience commands me to preferfer G7v 134
before any advantage, respect
or honour of mine own individual
particular; and have not
refused, but rather by all fair
means, and too mean condescentions
have courted an Accommodation
and Agreement; what
Injustice is it upon Injustice, Oppression
upon Cruelty, refined
Malice like Salt upon Salt, to
pierce and exasperate that bosome
which is full of so much indulgence
to, and dallyance with
their worst of injuries, in expectation
that time would give
them to see their mischievous errour?

But neither Time nor Truth it
self will reclaim them, without
Angels appear to confirm them
in it. And I do in some part not
blame them for it: for the excess
and lofty structure of their
hopes hath so dazled their looks
downwards, that they can see no G8r 135
nothing aright, nor in any true
proportion or colour. Their dejection
and fall from the pinacle
of their ambition, hath quite
stunned them, that they will
hardly recover the dizzie mistake
that lies between a Princess and a
Prentice.

They are angry their golden
Mountains have travelled and
been in labour with a Mouse,
and that they cannot finger any
of my Estate; and very importunate
they are for me to declare
it; and this they say is the
onely argument to prove me no
Cheat, and I say and believe it is
the onely argument to prove me
a fool; and with that, of all other
their slanders and durtiness, they
shall never abuse me.

But may not I with a great
deal more reason enquire for,
and demand my Joynture and Dowry? G8v 136
Dowry? and those Mannors,
Leases, Parjs, Houses, and
the like Rhapsodies and Fictions
of an Estate, meer castles in the
Air; and as one merrily since told
me, he believed they were Birds
Nests? It is sure a greater imputation
and shame to them to
be found such Cheats and Lyars,
then it can be the least blur to
me, who never avowed any such
thing, nor boasted of my Quality
and Fortune.

As to the Letters they intercepted
of mine from my Steward,
I wonder they do not produce
them but they are ashamed of
their most ridiculous simplicity
therein. I knew very well the
uncertainty of my condition
here, and therefore the Letters
were meerly Cyphers, and under
those terms of Moneys, &c. an
account was given me of another affair G9r 137
affair at home: the distast
whereof made me comply with,
and so soon yeild to those importunate
and love-sick sollicitations
of my Lord.

But what will they be the better
for a Rent-roll, or particulars
of an estate in Germany, the Tenure
and Customes of whose
propriety and nature of claime
if they did know, yet could they
not tell how to make their Title
to it? I could easily name places,
and discover my own Hereditaments
perhaps without danger,
and they never the wiser: nor
will the impartial Reader be better
satisfied. But if my sister King,
or any of my kinsfolk long for
some Baccharach grapes, I’ll send
to my Steward for them, and he
will convey them from mine
own vineyard as soon as they are ripe; G9v 138
ripe; and I can furnish her husband
with Westphalia Hams,
which run in my woods gratis.
All those fine things I have store
of: and when Mr. Carlton pleases
to make it a surer match, and
be married the third time, all
things shall be done in ample
manner: I will make a resignation
of my whole estate, and
have nothing setled in lieu of it,
but a necessitous despised condition
of life, and be taught to
sing Fortune my foe to the pleasant
new tune, or eccho of a
Cheat.

But I trust Providence will
better govern me, and put me upon
no necessity of abandoning
good and just resolutions I have
made to my self, whether in case
of separation or re-union, which
I shall not over-fondly press, or urge G10r 139
urge from them who love not me
but mine, and require signes and
wonders, to love to be no less
then Principalities.

Finis

{Handwritten addition: Read 1738-10Octo..1738} end of handwritten addition