University of Virginia Library

Declaration.

Priscilla Morecrave Widow, doth complain
Of Roger Pricklove, who doth now remain,
Prisoner to th'Marshal of the Marshalsie,
Of the said Keepers of the Liberty
Of England, by authority and power
Of Parliament, i'th' Bench superiour,
Before the same Keepers themselves that be,
For that (to wit) whereas the aforesaid she
Priscilla Morecrave, is a person just,
Honest, and faithful, one that never durst
Give the least cause for to be thought unchast,
But hath liv'd ever modest, and was grac't,
With godly education, and demurely,
Behav'd her self; and all her life most purely,
Hath with the zealous and precise consorted;
And free from all uncleanness was reported,
Who never was amongst the well affected,
Stain'd with a Crime, or in the least suspected;
But with the pious people of this Nation,
Hath had good fame, credit, and reputation;
By which good reputation, she hath gain'd
Not only love, and favour, but obtain'd
A plentiful estate, by which most freely
She manag'd her Affairs; And that Ralph Seely,
One of the Assembly late at Westminster,
A godly-Gospel-preaching-Minister,
Was earnest suiter in the way of Marriage,
To have her for his yoke-fellow; his carriage;
And his most Saint-like loving humble speeches,
Had her consent to all that he beseeches.
And she agreed to give him all content,
To wed him by the Act of Parliament:
Three times the Contract publish't, then their trust is
That all shall be compleated by the Justice:
But this said Roger all aforesaid knowing,
Maliciously intending her undoing,
To blast her reputation, and dishonour
Her unstain'd Chastity; to cast upon Her
Infamous obloquy, to dis-repute Her;
And to deprive her of her foresaid Suiter;
By breaking of the marriage was intended;
To leave her to the world lost, and unfriended;
In month September, day of the same Eleven,
One thousand six hundred fifty and seven,
Of our Lords year, as by our computation,
Our Common-wealth reckons from th'incarnation,
At London in the parish of St. Mary
Bow, in the ward of Cheap, he then contrary
To truth most falsly and maliciously
In hearing of right worthy Company,
And honourable persons, Noble Lords,
Did speak these false, and most reproachful words,
To and off her the Plaintiff; that's to say,
You are a Pockie Whore, and at this day
You have three Bastards living, which do dwell,
Two in Pick-hatch, and one in Clarkenwell:
By reason of which false malicious speaking
Of the said Roger, to her great heart-breaking;
The godly Gospel-Minister, her Suiter,
Forbears his former suit, and for the future,
Did make profession he would never take her
To be his Consort, but did quite forsake her;
And all her friends with whom he had repute,
Do now esteem her for a Prostitute;
Whereby she is the worse, and damnifi'd,
One thousand and five hundred pounds, beside;
And thereupon she doth her suit produce,
In th'Upper Bench, because of this abuse.