a speedy and secret marriage Let the World now judge whither being prompted by such plain and publique signes of a 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 suffered by another lender 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 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 209 l. to one Sackvil whom for his advice they had too forwardly as they thought imparted the business the sum of 200 l. to be filent lest that it should be heard at Court and so the Estate and Honour which they 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 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 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 Thursday 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 living She affirmed that he was a person of great honour The same time my Lord presented me with a rich box of Sweet-meats 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 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 mothers 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 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
men of honesty judgment and integrity and did me so much justice I can do no less then 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 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 haec verba That she 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 Shooe-maker 12 May in the Reign of his now Majesty the sixth at the Parish of St. Mildreds in the City of Cant. 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 21 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 returned to my lodging where some Gentlemen gave me a visit to counsell 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 that 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 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 on Thursday 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 his 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 uncivil civil 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 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. 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 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 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 Carleton 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 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 VVhat 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 wa s 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 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 VVhat have you heard this VVoman 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 before-mentioned the then Clerk had neglected the Registry of this 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 21 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 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 VVhere is Knot Remember your self well what you said before You say you know that VVoman 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 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 VVere 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 bad a Father and Mother 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 pretending 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 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 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 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
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 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 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 sit 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 honour 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 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 House-keeping that I should see England afforded more pleasure then any place in the World but they were without the Host reckoned and charged before-hand 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 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 semblance 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 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 he would attend me betimes the next morning and carry me to St. Pauls Church to hear the Organs saying that there would be very excellent Anthems performed by rare voices the morrow being Sunday 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 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 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 80000 li. per annum and my Husband as I must now stile 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 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 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 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 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 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 I Am unknown to you but hearing that your Son Mr. John Carleton hath married a Woman of a pretended great Fortune and high birth 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 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 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 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 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 objected 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 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 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 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 Minister 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 have sought alwayes to take away my life bring 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 Several 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 sâ—e 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 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 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 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 Carlton 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 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 aâ— 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 otherwise 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 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