The True original Picture of Mary Carleton also called by the name of the German Princess as it was taken by her own Order in the year 1663  
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THE Counterfeit Lady UNVEILED.  
Being a full Account of the Birth, Life, most remarkable Actions, and untimely Death of MARY CARLETON, Known by the Name of THE German Princess.  
LONDON, Printed for Peter Parker, at the Leg and Star, over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, 1673.   

TO THE READER.  
BEfore you proceed in reading this Book, I would have you begin here, and then you are likely to know what you shall find in it; I intend for you a particular account of the Birth, Life, most remarkable actions, and death, of a famous woman called Mary Carleton, but better known by the name of the German Princess. You have had some account of her by Books already printed, but I think as this is the last, so it is the best. I am sure here is most in this, and most pains hath been taken about this, I have gathered my intelligence from several that knew her, and from all that hath been written of her; and in having this Book you will have all that is, or I think can, or will be said of her; had she given any account her self of her actions she could best have done it, but as she acted them with all privacy, so she desired to conceal them, and she would never answer any particular question, nor would she own any particular action; if any  told her they had heard she had twenty husbands and desired to know the truth, she would answer that she had been  told she had fifty, but would not answer punctually to any question. You will find her temper by reading the passages of her life, which I in this manner describe to you. I first give you the best and truest account of her Birth, the place where, and time when, and who were her Parents I acquaint you with the manner of her education and first marriage with one Stedman; her supposed second marriage with one Day: then some of her rambles, and her traveling to her pretended country colen; where by a mistake she gets the name and title of Lady Maria Wolway, and how by the continuation of that mistake she gets a quantity of Jewels, and cheating her Landlady who had been her assistant, she leaves that place, and comes for England. Upon her arrival here, she chances into the house of Mr. King, her Husband Carletons Brother in law, who supposing her to be a Princess at best, and a Lady at least, contrives how to get her married to his wifes Brother John Carleton. I give you a full account of all Passages in the wooing, Wedding, and pretended discovering of this Lady. Her Indictment for having two Husbands, and her being acquitted, and the circumstances how. You then have an account of her Acting at the Theatre, and her leaving that employ at the entreaty of two young Novices who she cheats and abuses. Next how a country Gentleman entertains her as his wife, or Mistress rather, till she finding her opportunity cheats him of money and jewels and leaves him. She then cheats a young man of a round sum of money by a counterfeit Letter, which induces him to entertain her in his Lodgings, where she robs him and leaves him. After that she pretends to bury a Friend, and getting a Pall of Velvet and several pieces of Plate for the Solemnity, she runs away with all, leaving a Coffin with Hay and Brickbats. She then cheats a Mercer, and after him a Weaver and Laceman of several rich Commodities; and causing a tailor to make her clothes, she not only gets off without payment for them, but also robs him of Plate &c. She likewise gets gloves, Ribbons, Hoods, scarves, &c. from an Exchange-Shop without payment. She draws in and trappans a young Lawyer out of a hundred pound. She often changes her Lodging and steals silver Tankards, and as often visits Ale houses and gets silver Bowls and other drinking Cups; for some of these Facts she is caught, Indicted, found guilty, and sent to Jamaica. I then relate to you the manner of her Voyage thither, entertainment there, and her return to London; where she presently falls to her old Trade of Pilfering and Cheating of several, till she meets with an Apothecary, to whom she pretending to be a Rich Citizens niece, thereby Cheats him of a hundred pound. Lastly her Cheating a Watch-Maker of a round sum of money and several Watches. After all this, she is taken in Southwark; I give you a clear account of the manner how, and how she behaved her self in the Prison of the Marshalsea, and afterwards in Newgate. The manner of her trial and Condemnation at the Sessions in the Old bailie; and her deportment in prison from the time of her Condemnation till her Execution; her penitence before, and at her Execution, and lastly, her last Speech, death and Purial. This is the Sum of what you shall red in this ensuing Treatise, before which I have placed her true original Picture as it was taken by her own order and appointment in the year 1663. when she was tried about her marriage with her Husband Carleton, and being acquitted, she was so Confident as to writ, print, and publish a Book, calling it the Case of Mary Carleton, and under her Picture she caused these Lines to be placed.  

Behold my Innocence after this disgrace,  
Dares show an honest and a noble face;  
Henceforth there needs no mark of me be known,  
For the true Counterfeit is hereby shown.   
And underneath was added these words.  
Aetatis meae proximo 22. Januar. Stilo novo vicessimo primo 1663. M. C.  
So that she began with a lie, for her Age was as I have said, seven or eight years more, only the day was true as she alleged to the last; If you behold her Picture, and did know her, or ever see her, you will conclude it very like; only she was somewhat thinner faced, nine years time had made that alteration; and you will find that the dressing of her Head is different from the present fashion, and from what she now wore, which was a-la-mode; a large parcel of frizzled hair, which is called a tower, and her habit now at her trial was an Indian strip'd Gown, silk Petticoat, white shoes with slaps, laced with green, and in these she was hanged, and I think butted. This was her outside, what her inside was, by reading this Book you will be sufficiently acquainted, for I have related at large all these several passages which you have here red in epitome. And she may very well serve as a Looking-glass, wherein we may see the Vices of this Age Epitomized. And to the end that we may see her vices and thereby amend our own wicked lives, is the intent of  
Your Friend, F. K.   

THE Counterfeit Lady Unveiled: Being a Full Account of the Birth, Life, most remarkable Actions, and untimely Death of MARY CARLETON, commonly known by the Name of the GERMAN princess.  
LEt Nature be never so Liberal to us in the complete forming of our Bodies after the most exact Copies of Proportion, and let us be never so well accomplished in all our outward qualities, so that we may imagine ourselves to be complete, yet if Grace be not implanted in our hearts, whereby to guide us in our Actions, we are like a fair Vessel at Sea which is sufficiently furnished with all her sails and Tackling, but yet wants the only thing to Guide and Steer her by, her Rudder: without which it is very difficult to Guide her to any safe Harbour. The truth hereof we may every day experiment in ourselves, and we need look no further, then into our own actions, when we are only lead by our natural inclinations, but in regard we either cannot, or will not so soon see mistakes and crimes in ourselves as in others; therefore we have plentiful Examples, and of all that this Age have produced, none does so clearly demonstrate the Truth of our Frailness and Imbecility, when governed by our own wild desires, then this ensuing Narrative.  
The intent of my discourse is to give you an account of the most considerable Actions of a Woman whose Infamous carriage hath made her Famous through the whole Kingdom, but more especially in and about this City of London, where for the most part she hath played her pranks, and which hath been the Scene of her most considerable Actions, and where at last she made her untimely Exit. If I should promise to give you a true account of her whole life I should deceive you, for how can Truth be discovered of her who was wholly composed of Falsehood? but that I might not err from the Truth in what I shall relate to you, I have took some pains to gain intelligence; some I had from her self, some from those who were considerably concerned with her, and some from Mr. John Carleton her unfortunate Husband, and what I could not gather from these informations, I have supplied by Books, which have been formerly written of her, both in her defence and against her; and I have carried so even a hand in my belief of what I red, that I hope I shall do her no wrong in misrepresenting any thing of her.  
That I may orderly begin my Discourse, it will be convenient in the first place to let you know the time and place of her Birth, and from what Parentage she was descended, but here now I am but just begun, if I should credit what famed relates of he, and how various people are in their reports of her in these particulars, I should be at a stand, but although I shall contradict the opinion of many, and what she always declared of her self, yet I tell you that according to my best intelligence, which I think is sufficiently authentic, she was no German, but an absolute( I will not say true) English woman, and although London hath been dishonoured, or she hath rather dishonoured London with her lewd practices, yet the City of Canterbury in the County of Kent was the place of her Birth, her Parents were of honest and good report, her father being a musician, and belonging as a Choirister to that Cathedral, his name was Meders, he died long since, and her Mother married with an honest Inn-keeper of the same place where she now lives, or lately did so. I know in this my relation I differ from her own, who denied that she was of this County or of so mean Parentage; for if you will believe her she thus reported that she was born in colen in Germany, and that she had lived there or thereabouts the most part of her life, and that her Father name Henry Van Wolway, was a Lycentiat and Doctor of the Civil Law, and Lord of Holmsteim, that he was esteemed for his Services done to that City in mediating their Peace and Security, and Neutrality in the Sweedish and German War, and for other effects of his Counsels and Endeavours to the Ecclesiastical Prince Elector and the House of Lorraine in all those turmoils of that Country in the first rapture of the Spanish and French War. This is the Character she gives of her Father, but I am sufficiently assured of the contrary, and that this was but a Romance, and that she had  told this lie so often, that she at last believed it her self to be true. I have known many more of her temper in this particular, especially when they relate any thing that is honourable or glorious of themselves, we have had in England pretended Princes in the time of King Henry the VII. A Perkin Warbeck, one who was of an Outlandish and mean Extraction, yet he gave out himself to be Heir of the Crown of England, as Son to Edward the fourth, and he did so well personate the Prince himself, and was so well backed on by others, that he without any difficulty persuaded several Kings and Princes of the truth of his assertion, and was had in so particular an esteem of the King of Scotland, that he not only treated him as the Prince he represented, but he also gave him a fair and virtuous Lady to Wife, who was very near a kin to himself; and this Counterfeit so well behaved himself in every thing, that he won the affections of many Englishmen to be of his side, and although he and his whole party were routed, and himself taken Prisoner, yet he could not be persuaded in the least to aclowledge himself to be other then the true Prince, and in that opinion or resolution he died, being executed for that Treasonable practise. Such was the humour of that man, and his example hath our German Lady imitated; for as a German she would be esteemed, a Lady she gave her self out to be, and the vulgar who are inclined to multiply and magnify every novelty, gave her out to be a Princess, and for such a one did she pass in the common report of all: but I suppose that humour is over, and that now they do or will believe what I writ, that she was Daughter to a musician at Canterbury. And it is to be doubted that she who denied her earthly Parents, and particularly her father in her words, and in her actions denied or practised against the Laws of God her Heavenly Father, if he was not the more merciful to her, might have disowned her and denied her a place in his Heavenly kingdom.  
Having now given you the best and truest account of her birth and extraction, the place where, and the persons who, I should proceed to tell you the time when; but in that I can give you less certainty then the other; for I altogether believe her own report to be false, but as she related I must give it you, not knowing how to disprove her; she was as she said born on the 22 of January 1642. although I do not believe this to be true, yet I find it to be very ominous, for according to this account she was executed on her Birth day, and lived in all just 30 years, now that she was much elder by at least 7 or 8 years is not only my opinion, but also that of her husband and several of her intimate acquaintance.  
And now I have  told you all I know of her birth and age, I can say little of her education, only those that knew her when young, relate that she was very much addicted to her pleasure, loved fine Clothes and gallantry, and endeavoured to exceed her betters in the bravery of her habit, that she took much pleasure in reading, especially Love Books, and those that treated of Knight Errantry, she was well red in Perismos and Perismenos, Don Bellianis of Greece, and all those other books that related to love and Arms; she proceeded to Amadis de gall, and reading of his fair Lady the Princess Otiana, she oftentimes fancied her self to be some such Princess, or at leastwise a Lady of Honour that did belong to her; after this she red Cassandra, Cleopatra, and the rest of those Romances, and could and often did give a very perfect account of their adventures; and from her frequent and often reading, she believing all she red to be true, was much in love with the actions of those great and renowned Heroes, and supposed her self to be no less then a Heroina, or that in time she should be dignified with some Illustrious Title. But all these high imaginations and fancies of her self proved to be only so, and no reality. The meanness of her quality did not svit with her spirit, and although she intended for her self no less a Fortune then a Knight, or some great man to be her Husband, yet she failed in her expectation, and was glad to accept of a shoemaker; I suppose she might have red the Story of the Gentle Craft, and was satisfied with that assertion so often used here, that a shoemakers Son is a Prince born, and that although she her self were not a Princess or Lady, yet that she might be the Mother of Princes; what ever she conceited I know not, but Married she was to one Stedman, a Gentleman of the Gentle Craft, and that about 18 years ago, that she lived four years with him, and had two Children by him which soon died, and her Husbands quality being mean, and he not being able to maintain her at that height which she always aimed at, she was discontented and was resolved to seek her Fortune, and falling acquainted with the Masters Mate of a Ship that was bound for Barbadoes, she purposed to run away from her Husband, and go with him; but although she went on Board the Ship yet her Husband understanding her intent, and finding that the best of his movables were gone, he to recover them stopped her, and by a Warrant took her out of the Ship, and carried her to Lover Castle.  
This breach between her and her Husband was not so well made up, but that it was soon after broken, for she still continuing her resolve of trying her fortune, slipped away from him, and shipped her self for another voyage, but whether it was to Barbadoes, or what other place I cannot learn, neither is it much material to the Story. In this Voyage she spent about two years, and then it was that she first put in practise some of her good qualities. At her return, although Canterbury was not far off, and her Husband Stedman lived there, yet she was married to one Day a chirurgeon of Dover; what means she used to manage this affair I know not, only that she was indicted for having two Husbands, but so carried the matter, that she was acquitted and this emboldened her to proceed and undertake a third marriage, which was to the aforesaid John Carleton, and which was the first occasion of her being publicly taken notice of in London, where she hath since acted so many several Projects, to the recital of which, I would hasten because it is the most material and most expected and desired of all the world, to whom I hope I shall give a sufficient satisfaction in this my undertaking. But before I come to those particulars in order to my orderly management of my Story, I must not only acquaint you with the management of her marriage with the said Carleton, but with some particular passages of her Life, which preceded it, and which are as yet unknown to most people.  
She having been Indicted for having two Husbands, Stedman and Day, and being acquitted, she thought it not convenient to stay longer in that County of Kent, or indeed in the Kingdom of England, and therefore once again Shipped her self for foreign parts, whether it was France or Holland where she first landed, I know not, but she saw both before she returned, and from those parts she traveled to the so much by her talked of City of colen, and in this voyage and journey she attained to some perfection in the languages of those several countries, a smattering knowledge she had before, for she was always well pleased to converse with strangers, and to red books of those Languages, and by these means she gained the knowledge of those Languages which she so much boasted of, but I have heard her Husband Carleton and several others say that she was not so well skilled in any language except English, no not in her own pretended Native Language, High Dutch, as to hold any considerable discourse, but would always wave and decline it, and as for Latin or Greek, she knew no more of it then Jack Adams the Town Fool. But were she minded, she could discourse very well in English, her Tongue was well hung, and she knew it, and loved to hear her self talk. But to proceed, she after some rambles about the countries, fixed at colen, when she arrived there, she being Mistress of a considerable sum of money, took up her lodging at a house of entertainment there, and lived in the greatest splendour she had ever done, and as it is usual in England for Ladies and Persons of Quality to go in the Summer time to Eps●m or Tunbridge Wells, so it is as customary to go to the Spaw, a place well known in those parts; her designs without all question were to advantage her self, and she intended to use her best Artifices upon that occasion. But Fortune was so favourable to put such an Adventure upon her, as the like hath seldom been heard of, and thus it was. As she was one evening walking in one of those pleasant walks that were adjoining to those Medicinal Waters, she was met and accosted by a Gentleman, whom she thus described, he was an old Gentleman that had fair Demeasns about liege or Luyet, not many miles distant from Colen, a man of serious gravity and venerable aspect for his Gray Hairs, but disfigured with some scars his youthful luxury had given him which were repaired and supplemented by Art, but so that he plainly spoken his infirmity through the ruined arches of his voice. This man whom she her self hath thus described, accosted her in the rude Military way, for he had been a Soldado, and had caught as he said that rotten hoarse o old and snuffling in the Trenches of Breda in the Brigade of Count Henry of Nussaw in Spinolas Army, and had afterwards served Monsieur Tilley against the King of Sweden, whom he had seen fall at Luthen. This Gentleman meeting and accosting her as if she had been long known to him, raised some wonder, for she could not believe her self to be known at that place, but she soon sound he was mistaken in her, for in his applications and discourse he gave her the title Madam Maria, and sometimes of Wolway; she could not tell what to imagine when he called her by the right name of Maria, but when he added the other of Wolway she was sensible of his mistake, but she finding him civil enough in his deportments and actions, and withall that his pretences were amorous, she permitted him to proceed in his discourse, which he did in such manner, that he would not be denied his svit, since as he said he had never known what a repulse meant in his life. Our new made Madam not finding any prejudice likely to accrue, by her admitting him, gave him such answers as were indifferent and only complimental, and desired for that time to retire home to her lodging, he understanding hermind, readily attended her, and at their arrival there, after some few words of course they partend. She was glad she was rid of him, that she might consider of the adventure, but she could not gather any profitable or advantageous meaning of her self without the help of her Landlady, to whom she having discovered what had happened, and she having seen this Inamoretto  told her his quality, for he was very well known there, and she being now acquainted with this, desired to know if she might, the reason of his mistake in her name, to this she received a satisfactory answer, for her Landlady also  told her that there was such a Lady living at Colen, or else in the Nunnery of the Barefooted Clates, who was of that name of Maria Van Wolway, and whom she had seen and who indeed did very much resemble her.  
This discourse of the Landlady did not only satisfy but please our new Madam, and she who was always ready witted on such occasion, did purpose to make some advantage of his adventure, and therefore presently applied her self to her Lanlady, desiring her advice in this mistake; truly said the Landlady I cannot think it will be any disadvantage to you to continue the mistake, for although the Gentleman is old yet he is of great Estate, and if he will deceive himself let him, you cannot but reap some advantage thereby, for he can do no less then make you some presents which I advice you to accept of, and so you may continue your acquaintance with him so long as it shall stand with your benefits. Our Lady was not deaf to this discourse, but listened very attentively, and resolved to follow her Landladyes directions and not questioning but by her assistance to reap some profit, and he Landtady was well enough pleased to engage in this affair for her own interest, because she expected some profit in the visits which she expected he would make there. And as they projected it, so it fell out, for our Soldado the next day met his Mistress, and waiting on her home, was there indifferently received by her, and that I may come to the main point of my Story, I in short tell you that she used such Artifice in the manage of this Affair, being withal assisted by her Landlady, that he presented her several fair Jewels, some whereof were of real worth, and others that appeared to be so, but since proved to be otherwise, as her Husband Carleton, to whose hands they afterwards came, doth affirm.  
This was the adventure of our Soldado, and our new dignified Lady, she by these means did get a Name which she always held, and which indeed was very fortunate to her, not only in her present Transactions with her suitors, but afterwards in her Husband Carleton; but that I may quiter finish this adventure, and come to that, I will proceed. She was doubtful that i● would not always be such fair weather, and therefore she was resolved to make Hey while the Sun did shine: She had many resplendent Jewels that gave a great lustre, but she was willing to have more and some money to boot; therefore her suitor still continuing his Courtship, and that importunately, and pressing to Marriage, she knew then that all would come out, that she should be discovered, and that she having always delayed it till her return to Colen, and her Lover intending to go thither with her, could no longer be deluded, and that then the true Maria Van Wolway would be known, wherefore she devised how to manage her affairs, and thus she accomplished them. She at length consented to go to Colen, but first her Lover was to go home and fetch such habit and other necessaries as were convenient for his intended Match. His habitation was not far off, and he had made several trips thither, & never returned empty handed, but still brought some Jewel or another, such as his Ancestors had left, or he had otherwise come to by the fortune of the Wars, and when she had them together they were a very fair parcel; but now at his going home he promised to bring her more variety, but she resolved not to expect him in his return, but however, he having a Chain of Gold and a Medal, which was given him for some remarkable good service in the War, and which he always wore next his Shirt. She with small entreaties prevailed with him to leave that also behind him, he knowing that if he had her, as he did not question, that then he should have all again, was very free with her, and so he partend. She knowing that it was then full time to be gone, acquainted her Landlady with her design, who had had a pretty share in the spoils of our Captain; but our Lady was resolved she should not carry it off, she would have all her self, and admit of no shaters, in order whereunto she persuaded the Landlady to get her a conveniency to be gone, not to the intended Colen, but to another place where she should not be suspected, and therefore not followed by her Lover. The Landlady was willing to accommodate her, and therefore went out, leaving her at home, but she did not intend to stay there, for this ingrateful Woman, so soon as her Landlady was gone out, did break open a Chest, wherein she put all her Treasure, and there she found not only what had been given her by the Captain, but also a considerable Sum of Money; all which she took, and packing it up with her own parcel away she went, and having privately provided her self of a passage to Utrecht, there she made a stop for a while, thence passed to Amsterdam, where she sold the Gold Chain, and some other Jewels, from thence she passed to Roterdam, and so coming to the Brili, took Shipping for England.  
These were the adventures of our Lady, and now being possessed of so much wealth, she did believe her self to be one, and she having had such good success by this Name of Marta van Wolway; she was resolved to continue it, she cared not for either her old Lover or her Landlady, nor how they would resent her departure; she believed she had done well in chousing the old Fool of his Jewels, and that she had done very well in so cheating her Landlady, who had assisted her. She had now been absent some years, and was somewhat altered in her Face and Garb, but much more in her Tongue, for she now either spoken all Dutch, or else a mixture of that and English; however she would no more go to Dover or Canterbury to look after her old Husbands, but to London she would go to get a new one, and such a one as she hoped as should exceed her late good fortune, and then it was that she contrived all her story of her Birth, Parents, Travels, Love, and other Adventures, which not only cheated her Husband John Carleton and his Friends, but also many other people in this City of London.  
Being now Landed at Billingsgate, towards the end of March Anno Dom. 1663. it being early in the morning, and coming with other Company, among the rest a person was most officious in attending on her, they walked together without designing whither, but to the next convenient House they should find open, and the first that they came to, was the Exchange Tavern in the poultry, near the Royal Exchange. Thus have I given you the truest account that I can get of her life, from her birth to her arrival at this Tavern, where the greatest and most politic of her actions were managed where she first had the Title of Princess, and where the management of her Marriage with John Carleton was begun, carried on, and finished; the world hath formerly had an account of it, for in the year 1663. aforesaid, after her trial for having two Husbands was over, and she was cleared and quit, she in a confident bravery did writ her own Case, caused it to be Printed, and had the boldness to dedicate it to an Illustrious Person. The aforesaid Book I examined, and comparing it with her Husband Carleton's report, cannot find it or her guilty of any considerable untruth; therefore I shall in the continuation of her story, give it you as the hath related it, according as it is now corrected, and thus as I shall proceed. We came, said she, to the Exchange Tavern right against the Stocks, betwixt the Poultry and Cornhill, 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 entered any other house if I had found the doors open, or could have raised the Folks nearer to my 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, only here by mishap Mr. King himself was up and standing at the Bar, telling of Brass farthings, whom my Companion desired to fill a pint of Wine, which he readily performed, and brought to a Room behind the Bar; while the Wine was a drinking ( which was Rhenish Wine, the compliment being put upon me as the Fruit of my own happy Country) He 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 acquainted him with my charge of Jewels, and that I was( as I do justify myself to be) a person of Quality. Hereupon a room was provided for me to repose myself in, and my Gallant took his leave with a troublesone promise of waiting upon me another day to give me a visit, which I was forced to admit, and 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 illness 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 withal what charge I had about me, which to secure from the danger of the Town, that was full of cozenage and villainy, he advised me to stay with him till I could better provide for myself.  
I restend myself 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 ●o 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 myself.  
This invited him earnestly, with all submiss address to request my staying with them till I had dispached, and had provided all things for my public appearance, for the better furnishing and equipping whereof, I acquainted Him I would sand by Post to my Steward, for the return of some moneys to defray the expenses 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 himself delivered at my desire, to have them carefully put into the Male, to the Post-house; and thereafter observed me with 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 copious) engaged into some discovery of myself, 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 public signs 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, t●ll 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 simplo modesty, and a mind no way competent to so much greatness, was laid aside, and the younger flushed and encouraged to set upon me. By this time they had obtained my Name from me, viz. Maria de Wolway.  
To the Addresses of Mr. John Carleton, I carried myself with so much indifference, not superciliously refusing his visits, or readily admitting his svit, not disheartening him with a severe retiredness, or challenges of his imparity, nor encouraging him with a freedom 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 averseness 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 been informed, that they promised 200 l. to one, whom for his advice, they had too forwardly, as they thought imparted the business, the sum of 200 l. to be silent, 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 myself, 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 sufficiences of that Noble person, as they pleased to style 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 svit, 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 A●ril, 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 advice me to call her cousin, the which I did. Thursday the second of April, Mr. John Ca●leton 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 than 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, mixed with compliments. 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 easy: 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 dressed, 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 Mar●y you to-morrow. What( said I) my Lord, without my consent: my Lord, I des●re your Lordship not to come near me any more, I will not lie 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 myself from his presence: He writ a Letter of high compliments to me( the which Letter was lost in that violent surprise 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 tailor 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 clasped about my middle, and violently carried 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 asked 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, than for a Wife: I assure you, that I will never be a Mistress to the greatest of Princes, I will rather choose 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 svit, 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 sure it with a set of Laccuies 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 accommodations that England yielded.  
At the very same time, he had changed as he  told me( and part of it I saw) two hundred pounds of silver, into two hundred pieces 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 spoken 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 than 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 lied 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 only courted, which having so happily and accidentally seen, he could not live, if I cherished 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 tailor brought me my Gown to my Lodging, I being dressed and adorned with my Jewels, he again renewed his svit 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 denials and delays, adding withal, that he was a person hopeful, and might deserve my condescension: I withstood all their solicitation, 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. Paul's 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 hastened 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 mary him, telling me that they had a person and a licence ready, which was a mere falsehood, and temporary falicy 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 ●icence, they carried me to Cloathfair by Smithfield, and in the Church of great St. Bartholomews, Married me by one Mr. Smith, who was well paid for his pains: and now they thought themselves possessed of their hopes, but because they would prevent the noise and famed, of their good fortune from public 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 h●d Married a foreign 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 stayed Sunday and monday, both which nights Mr. Carleton lay with me, and on Tuesday morning we were Married again, a licence 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 befiting the Estate and dignity they fancied I had; and they were so far possessed with a belief of it, that they gave out, I was worth no less than 80000 li. per annum, and my Husband, as I must now style him, published so much in a Coffee-house; adding withal, to the extoling 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 balance 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 vain-glorious mistake.  
My clothes being made at the charge of my Father in Law, and other fineries of the mode and 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, and as for Jewels I had of mine own of all sorts, for Necklaces, Pendants and Bracelets, of admirable splendour & brightness. I was in a Princelike attire, and a splendid equipage and retinue, accountred for public view among all the great Ladies of the Court and the Town on May day ensuing. At which time in a Ladies Coach, which the same friends procured for my greater accommodation, and accompanied with the same Lady with Footmen and Pages, I road 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, honourable and wealthy man.  
Things yet went fairly on, the same observances and distances continued, and lodgings befiting a person of Quality taken for me in Durham Yard, 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 Author 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 stripped of all my clothes, and plundered of all my Jewels, and my Money, my very Bodies, and a pair of Silk Stockings, being also pulled from me, and in a strange array carried before a Justice.  
Bu because this story hath not yet been fully discovered, I will more manifestly here declare it; That Letter abovesaid, came from one in Lumbard-street. The contents of this Letter were near 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 melancholy 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 disdainly denied, 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, came to my lodging, where after most vile language, as Cheating Whore, and the like, they pulled me up and down, and kept me stripped upon a bed, not suffering my Husband to come near me, though I cried 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 parrallel'd.  
See the fickleness and vanity of human things, to day embellished, and adorned with all the female Arts of bravery & 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 misshapen Garments, and almost left naked, and haled and pulled by Beadles, and such like rude and boisterous fellows, before a Tribunal, like a lewd Criminal.  
The Justice, 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 alleged, I Answered, if I had, He was one of them, which I believe 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 lie 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 picked a Kentish Lords pocket, and cheated a French Merchant of Rings, Jewels and other Commodities, That I made an escape, sold and shipped for the Barbaloes, 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 mischief is to ruin 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 Gate-house the same day I committed, and did very passionately complan of his Fathers usage of me, merely upon the disappointment, as he said, of their expectations, and that he could be contented to love me as well as ever, to live 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 Gate-house I continued six weeks, in a far better condition than I promised myself, but the greater civilities I owe 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 ther●after 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 intitaled 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 myself 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 engage and charm me: Her Qualities deprived me of my own; Her Courteous Behaviour, her majestic 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. H●r 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 suspicion, not onely in my opinion, but also in others b●th Grave and Wise. And all this is real and not feigned, 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 trial; 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 aclowledge 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 trial, if that had been true.  
And yet a little before this, 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 40 shillings went, he would see him paid, which I believe he must e're long, and after that sent me a Letter, which is the only Paper I have by me of his, the other amorous and loving jugglings 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: ●●at my Love and my Dear, could be hot and cold-almost in an instant.  
My Dearest Heart,  
ALthough the manner of your Usage may very well all 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 myself 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, 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. John Carleton. May the 11th 1663.  
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 Husband's Friends and Acquaintance, 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 wave many others of the like nature.  
My innocence furnished me with several of those answers, and repartees to the mixed sort of Visitants, who either for novelty or design came to trouble me. I was advised indeed to servile myself from such company, but because there might be no disadvantage pretended by reason I kept close, and evidence might be puzzled, 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 Noble 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 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 adjoins to the Sessions-house-yard; and there I was publicly 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 Wednesday, June the third, in the evening, the first day of the Courts sitting in the Old-Bayly. I was brought down to the Ba●: and there an Indictment upon my Arraignment was red against me; to which I pleaded Not guilty: and, as instructed by my friends, & a good conscience,( being altogether ignorant of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom) put myself for my trial 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, judgement and integrity, and did me so much justice, I can do no less than 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 only 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,  
Arthu Capel,  
Tho. Smith,  
Fran. chaplain,  
Robert Harvey,  
Simon Driver,  
Robert Kerkham,  
Hugh Masson,  
Tho. Westley,  
Richard Clutterbuck, and  
Randolph Yooke.   
The Indictment was in haea 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 shoemaker, 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 St. Bartholome us, in the Ward of Farringdon without, seloniously 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 sovereign Lord the King, his Crown and Dignity, &c.  
Thus have you red her Case, as she her self relates it, and by this you may see how this Cheat was managed on both sides Carleton, and his Friends were as Covetous as she was Cunning, how she contrived to have answer of her Letters from the foreign Post, which coming to their hands blinded them, and caused them to imagine her no less then a Princess; I know not but these Letters were her masterpiece; It was this that was the best carded in the whole Pack. They had seen her Jewels before as her Landlady  told her Brother Carleton.  

Jewels she hath as sanguine Ruly,  
onyx and sapphire with a blew die  
Diamond and Topas with the Opal  
Emerald and Agate Turquex: take all  
What shall I say she hath Gems in plenty  
Pray enter on her Rome is empty.   
The sight of these Jewels were enough to persuade an easy Soul to great matters, but when the Letters come that mentioned thousands of Crowns, and a Coach and Horses, they were all then Cock a hoop, and stark nothing then but clapping up of a Marriage was discoursed of; but her Landlord was mistaken in his opinion of this German Princess, for no less did he take her to be, and therefore being very desirous to advance his Brother John Carleton, the Father, Mother, and all the Friends sat in close Consultation.  

Their Daddy, Mammy, Friend and Knight,  
In Judgement one did all Unite  
And did agree without long tarry  
That Knight should Lady princess mary.  
But as the Counsel was adjourning,  
The Lady Sister entered Mourning,  
Acquainting them that foreign Knight  
With coal black hair and eyes like wright,  
Had at the house enquiry made  
F●r German Princess, and like Blade  
Or Gallant, A la Mode did Swear  
That Heart from Body he would Tear  
Of h●m that durst Crack Princess Nut,  
Or dare with her to go to Rut,  
And whatsoe'er he found the Man  
Should dare to Usher Princess hand,  
Withal head give two hundred pound  
Princess to see on English gr●und,  
That he might Carry her to Cullen  
With greater Joy then Anne from Bullen.   
This Message, if it were true, must needs amaze and terrify them all much more when it was seconded by another Alarum: Letters sent to inquire of her.  

They finding fresh pursuit by Letters  
To find out Princess though in Fetters,  
With promise fresh to give more money  
To him should tell where lay dear hony.   
All these passages how contrived I know not, but it put them all upon the Spur to finish the Marriage, which as you have red, was Celebrated at Great St. Bartholomews, And then  

They driven away to place called Barnet,  
And with them took a friend called Garnet,  
Where being come they fell a eating, And hungry, All threw Wine and Meat in  
Like Misers at a City Feast  
That eat ten Meals, nine at least;  
At length their Guts being stuffed with food,  
And all being set on merry Mood,  
They did begin to Dance and Caper,  
Like Poppet made up with brown paper.  
Princess began a German Dance,  
And Friend to Buff like Mars did Prance.  
The Lord did Dance in order meet,  
And Elder Brother on's bare feet,  
An Ancient custom where young Cit,  
Before his Elder— doth hit.  
At length the Couple went to Bed,  
And Cap was put on young Lords head,  
The Posset too of Sack was eaten,  
And stocking thrown too( all besweaten)  
Which Ceremonies being ended,  
And that days work by all Commended,  
The Elder Brother and his Friend,  
Bid him Ride soft to's Journys end,  
Wishing them sport at very heart,  
They left the Lord at Princess Mart.   
Our young Lord being thus assured of his Princely Bride, was very well pleased, but so was not his Father, who like a grave Pollitician, thought fit first to secure her Person better by a second Marriage, for the first being done on hast, was without a Licence, and secondly he intended to secure her Estate by a Writing drawn to that purpose, which was offered her to Seal, as thus you have it.  

When house was cleared of all but Friends,  
On Princess there was further ends  
Intended to be done in instance,  
Married to be again with Licence  
For to prevent the Lawyers bawl,  
In Court Ecclesiastical,  
The which was done, and then Old Sir,  
With Instrument well drawn Suns blu●.  
Reciting Princess Earth in hand,  
And personal goods about to land,  
Desiring the si●n might be made over,  
To Lord his Son and her great Lover,  
To this he hoped shed not be shie  
Being to prevent mortality,  
Sir Quoth the Princess, I'll consult  
My Pillow and give you result,  
But till I die, I think not fit,  
To part with State, or wealth one bit,  
Besides your Son's to me but light wood,  
And hau● received Honor of Knighthood,  
Though in regard of my high Birth,  
He's called Lord with Cap to the earth,  
And Judge pray Sir when Friends Arrive,  
And see their Princess Scriveners Wife.  
Wilt not disparaged high Discent,  
As Garters in Rump Parliament.  
Like Child rebuked crying for knife,  
Stood Father without Soul or Life,  
Or without Fodder Cow in pound,  
Or Ape in Chain with Whip scourged round,  
At length he spake to Princess face  
With homespun Language cobblers grace;  
May it please your Highness Daughter I  
No harm did think most verily,  
Quoth she, pray Sir, no more of this,  
We do forgive what is a miss,  
And for to satisfy your Will,  
Time and his Love shall it fulfil.   
Ah witty Baggage, she had her answer as ready as they their question, and still she carried her self in all actions with such bravery, that they had not the least suspicion, for the old man being fully satisfied, let loose some of his old angels, furnished her with clothes, as she her self hath related, and her Husband Carleton  told me within these few days, that the whole expense upon this account did cost 160 l. and this was all spent in one Months time, for no longer did they live together, the occasion she hath already  told you, was by a Letter, and so saith her Husband, and I believe it so to be, but some say it was by a Shoemaker that coming to make her Shoes, knew her when ●he had lived with her Husband Stedman; that she knew him, and took no notice but sent him away angry, wherefore he  

Contrived in his Horny Pate,  
Malice against the Lords Bed-Mate.   
And hereupon one day waiting for our Lord and his Princess return from hid Park, where they were gone to air themselves;  

At coming home unto their Court,  
St. Hugh to Lord did straight resort,  
 told him he could relate sad Story  
Would make him weep in all his glory,  
And curse the time that ever he,  
His Hawk at Hobby did set flee,  
Enough to put him into lax,  
Not to be stayed by cobblers wax.  
The Knight did wonder what he meant,  
And prayed him to declare intent.  
Of his address, for he did make  
His teeth to Chatter, knees to shake,  
Why then quoth he, your Lady Gay  
Is Kentish breed, and Crowders spray,  
And Married is to a Shoemaker,  
That is no cobbler nor Translator,  
And hath to boot( tak't not in dudgeon,)  
Another Husband called a Surgeon,  
And you in order make the third,  
And Princess is not worth a—   
This must needs be heavy news to our young Lord, but whither the discovery was made by this Shoemaker or the aforesaid Letter, matters not much, but her husband tells me, that she her self attempted it several times her self to him, for she would be melancholy, and say she neither desired nor deserved that attendance, and great expense, and that she was undone unless he would pitty her; and many broken speeches out of which he might, but at present did not, pick out her meaning, for although he did not believe her to be a Princess, yet he was very confident that she was a Lady of that Name and quality which she had name her self to be; as for her Estate he never inquired what and where it was, but did not question but some she had, and that considerable; but however he does protest to me that he loved her not so much out of respect of that, as her good parts, with which she was plentifully stored, and knowing how in all Companies to demean her self so, that it was clearly her person and parts that he esteemed her for, neither could it be expected he should look for much, for he was very young, not full 19. years old, he followed his own inclinations as to her person, and the advice of his Friends as to her Estate, they had examined that as much as they durst, or indeed could. But in conclusion, thus they found themselves outwitted, she not what they expected, and then their anger and revenge caused their carriage to her to be very course, and indeed scurvy, as she hath already, and I shall once again relate it.  

The Lackey-Boy was sent away  
To Father and to Mother; Nay,  
His Sister too, the good Match-maker,  
Of Story true must be ●●rtaker:  
Who being come, the Lord did tell  
His sad mischance, which made 'em yell,  
And to exclaim 'gainst German Lady  
That had abused poor little Baby.  
At last they went into Bed-Chamber,  
Where Princess lay like Dog in Manger,  
Till aged Sir did her importune  
The truth to tell, if such a Fortune,  
Or where she was a German princess,  
Or who had taken her by th' Inches  
before Son did enter Lower Quarters,  
Or who wore signior cobblers Garters  
When he did mary her in Church,  
And who she lamed and brought to Crutch;  
And who it was besides did scrub her,  
And what the Surgeon was did probe her.  
This fierce assault did make the Lady  
To stand as mute as jointed Baby,  
And was surprised to hear the Gabble  
Of this connexed and joined Rabble,  
By which the Women thought her guilty,  
With hand and knee they hilty tilty  
Most shamefully did her assault,  
Which made her Royal Back to halt,  
Whilst antedated Lord stood by,  
And like Boy whipped did snob and cry:  
At last Old Man as fierce as Hector,  
Having more of Henbane then of Nectar  
laid hands upon the Ladies Garments,  
Jewels and Rings, and her Attirements,  
And Gouty Shank was held aloff:  
And new Silk-Stocking, plucked off:  
In fine, they stripped her to her Smock,  
So fine, you might have seen her knock.  
Then much despised by bawling Litter,  
Which made before their chaps to twitter.   

When all Indignities were over,  
In German rest they did her cover,  
With Justacore and a Night-Rayle,  
And Petticoat all black to th' tail,  
The same reserved by Ships Master,  
When she escaped from foreign cloister,  
Thence brought before Godfrey not of Bullion,  
For this did use her like a Scullion;  
And so by Beadle fell and Hostile,  
He sent her to the Gate-house Bastille:  
Where being come, the Gates flew open  
For to receive Dutch Fro Van Slopen,  
As great Companion come to dwell  
In Prison close much like to Hell.   

The noise of Princes close restraint,  
Sent Persons great to hear her Plaint  
But when they heard her to discourse,:  
They nettled were like pampered Horse;  
And did applaud her high-bred Parts,  
Not to be equaliz'd at Marts,  
Or Ladies some with face like Maple,  
That spend their time in tittle-tattle,  
With great respect they did her treat,  
And sent in Money, Wine and Meat,  
And Bribes to Keeper to be civil,  
As he that Candle holds to Devil:  
Where I will leave her to her Fate,  
Still great, though in confined estate:  
And for her high-conceited Lord,  
When Reputation he had scored  
On Tick and borrow, then he went  
To Chamber where he Body penned,  
Believing German Knight would call  
His Lordship to account for all  
His base abusing Princely Dame,  
And using her with so much shane:  
And Parents full with shane and ire,  
Did mope and dote like Cats by Fire.   
And now I have again brought her to the Gate-house, and from thence she was conveyed to the Sessions-house in the Old Bayly, to take her trial. Great was the confluence of people to behold her, the presenc of a real Princess could not have drawn more Company togeher than this Counterfeit one did; her Indictment being red, and she set to the Bar in order to her trial, prayed time till the next day, her Witnesses not being ready; this was granted, and she conferring with several Friends who came to advice her, was again the next day brought to her trial; the most material and considerable Witness that came against her was one James Knot, who gave in evidence that he gave the P●isoner at the Bar in Marriage to one Thomas Stedman a Shoemaker, who was then alive in Dover, that they were Married in Canterbury in St. Mildreds Church by one person Man, that was then dead; that the Marriage was about nine years before, that they lived together about four years, and had two Children. This was the sum of what he said to prove the Marriage; but being asked by the Court several across questions, he could not fully and clearly answer, for he acknowledged that there was no other company but himself, the parties, her Sister, the person who was dead, and the Sexton, who he knew not where to find, neither could he tell after what manner they were Married, neither was their Marriage registered. Thus was his evidence but slender, not being seconded by any other, for all else spake by report; the second Marriage to Carleton was not only proved, but acknowledged by the Prisoner, who made a very pathetic Speech, alleging that all this was the malice of her Husbands Father, and how her Husband had courted her as he pretended, only for her virtues, amiable person, and noble deportment, that she had often desired him to desist, but that he or his Friends having intercepted some of her Letters, whereby they understood how considerable her means were, they therefore hu●ried her to Church to be Married; that her Husbands Father afterwards considering she had a considerable Fortune pressed her that in respect she had no Relations here to make over her Estate to his Son, that it would be much for her Honour, satisfaction of the world, and for which she would be Chronicled for a Rare Woman; that she having refused it, they had robbed her of her Jewels and Clothes of great value, and declared that she had formerly been Married to one at Canterbury, which place she said she knew not, and that this was grounded on a Letter of their own framing; that thereupon they had violently carried her from her Lodging before a Justice of Peace, only to affright her to make her Estate over; that they charging her with this Fact, she was bound over and committed.  
That since then they had been up and down the country, and finding none there fit for their purpose; they had gotten an unknown fellow to swear against her. She alleged that if any such Marriage had been, there might be a Certificate from the Minister or Register; but nothing of that nature was to be found; and that that only Witness could not say whether she was lawfully Married, or how; she did aver that she was never yet Married to any but John Carleton, whom she called pretended Lord; but that those persons had sought always to take away her life; hiring people to swear against her, & had laid several scandals against her, and had framed this of themselves. That she was a Stranger and foreigner, and being informed that there was matter of Law in the trial, her Innocence should be her counselor, and their Lordships her Judges, to whom she did refer her cause. That since she had been in Prison, several from Canterbury had been with her; but as the Keeper could justify they all declared that they did not know her.  
This was her Plea, which she uttered with such a becoming Confidence as pleased all her Auditors. And the Court having heard some Witnesses that she produced on her side, to take off the allegations of those that had witnessed against her, and finding such slender proof of the Indictment, they therefore gave this Charge to the Jury.  
That there was an Indictment against Mary Moders alias Stedman, for having two Husbands at one time alive, Stedman and Carleton; that they had heard the proof of the first Marriage which depend upon one Witness, Knot; that all the Evidence given on that side to prove her guilty of the Indictment depended upon his single Testimony; that he said she was Married at Cante●bury; but the particulars or manner of the Marriage he did not remember. If she were Born there, Married there, and as he said had two Children there; and lived there so long, it were easy to have brought somebody to prove this, that that was all that was material for the first Marriage; for the second there was little proof necessary she confessing it, the question was whether she were Married to Stedman or not. They had heard what defence she had made; now if they did believe that Knot the single Witness had spoken the truth, they saw what the Circumstances were; it were Penal if guilty, she must die, a Woman hath no Clergy, she was to die by the Law if guilty. This was the whole of the directions of the Court, leaving it to the Verdict of the Jury, who going forth after some short Consultation, returned and gave in their Verdict of Not Guilty, to the great joy of the Prisoner, and the great satisfaction of the Auditors, who expressed their content in Clapping their hands and loud noise.  
But many of those that were now so glad, had little cause for it after wards; for I know some that were then there present, and were as they expressed themselves to me, mighty well pleased that the German Princess had come off so well, these very persons were not long after Cheated by her of a considerable quantity of Plate, and then they cursed her as much as now they magnified her for a great wit, and brave Woman. But I shall very suddenly come to the Relation of some of those stories, but first I will finish this of her Marriage, Husband, and his Relations, who indeed were very severe in their prosecution, and there was much of malice in their actions, for they not only indicted her for this Marriage with Stedman of Canterbury, but alleged her other Marriage with the chirurgeon at Dover, but they could make nothing of it; and much less of another Marriage which was pretended with an old doting Bricklayer, who also Indicted her, but the Bill was not found, and he when he came to Newgate to see his pretended Wife the German Princess, he did not know her, but mistook another for her, with whom he held large discourse to little purpose, and therefore I I shall omit it. I have been informed that he had been choused by some such piece as our Princess, but whether it was she her self, the Devil in her likeness, or some body else, that was endowed with some of her good qualities I know not, but she for her part always denied it, stileing him Ridiculous Dotard, and one that could be no younger than Brother to Mother Shipton. But let this suffice concerning this fellow.  
She being acquitted by the Jury, desired of the Court that her Jewels and Clothes might be restored; the Court acquainted her that they were her Husbands, and that if any detained them from her, he might have his remedy; She then charging old Carleton with them, he declared they were in the custody of his Son her Husband.  
And now being cleared by the Law, she was discharged of her Imprisonment on Saturday the 6th. day of June, and she did confess and declare that she had been very civilly used by the Masters and Keepers of both the Prisons, and great reason they had for so doing, for great was the gain they received by this Diana, she was so famous and so generally beloved and visited by all; that she fared the better, and so did those who had her in Custody so great Novelty had not been known or seen in our age, nor in any other age as I can red of, I never heard of her Parallel in every thing, and I believe had she been exposed to public show for profit, she might have raised 500 l. of those that would have given 6 d. and 12 d. a piece to see her; It was the only talk for all the Coffee-houses in and near London.  
Before she left her old Lodging in New Gate she was offered twenty several other Lodgings in other places in and about London, so many Friends she had who all courted her Company in hopes of great profit by her presence; but I believe some of them may have by this time repented it, if ever she came into any of their houses, for it is well known that she rarely missed of playing some such project in any of her Lodgings as should occasion them to Court her to be again their Tenant; she was not often sought after by any of her Landlords to continue or return to their houses; but she was frequently hunted out to clap her up in a stronger, at her old Lodging in Newgate, whither in time she returned; but before that she had many pranks to play, and the first was to see what further advantage she might make of her Husband Carleton, and if she could not get, she endeavoured not to lose by him, her Clothes and Jewels she wanted, and therefore knowing that he was in Greys Inn, she takes Lodging in Fullers Rents, which was not far from it, and not long after according to her expectation her Husband Carleton comes; his business was to desire her not to prosecute his Father for the detaining of the Jewels; and hers was to get them, and in order thereto to 'allure her Husband to stay with her, but he being in the Company, Custody and Tuition of his Master, she missed, of her ends, and so they abruptly broken off. She having thus missed sent a Letter to him, but receiving no answer, she went boldly to old Carleton, and boldly knocking at his door, he asked who was there? She answered, your Daughter when a Princess, but now your Sons Wife; he demanded her business, she  told him she came to demand her Jewels and other things, and also her Husbands person, he replied in short, that for the Jewels her Husband had them, and for himself he was gone; she then threatening him to take her course departed.  
Thus you see what applications she made for her Jewels and Husband. As for him he tells me that she was very desirous to Cohabit with him, and did several times afterwards woe him to it, but he knowing her inclination and temper, declined, and wholly refused. And as for the Jewels, he tells me they were Counterfeit; but she alleges that they being offered in Cheapside to a Goldsmith, he valued them at 1500 l. This I believe is a lie and a loud one, neither do I believe they were of so little value as her Husband Carleton reporteth.  
She having acted as far as she could with her Husband, sent him this farewell,  

THere was a time when Skinker Perkin  
leaped into Prince from a frieze Jerkin:  
Time also was, as't has been said,  
When friar Bacon's brazen Head  
spoken monstrous things, but We do tell  
Of stranger things, that have befell,  
How pretty Monkey in disguise  
Held Pescod in her Mouth as prise.  
Oh fatal time! how couldst thou be  
So cruel in thy Managery?  
More fierce then erst thou wast to Fellow  
Who though in rage with Drink more mellow,  
Did all his forepast Fancies deem  
Of Drunken brain the passing steem.  
Oh my sweet Pescod, prithee think  
Like him, that all thy hopes was drink.   
And having spent some time in being treated by that numerous company that resorted to her, and coveted her acquaintance, and in this manner spent all the Money she had, was now to consider of some course to raise more. diet and Lodging must be paid for, and Clothes must be had too, and though some flushed young Gallants that kept her Company pitying her condition, would either lend or give her a Piece of two sometimes, and she had a very good faculty of begging or borrowing; for she was very well gifted in the Art of High-drinking, and when she saw her Cullies were Maudlin drunk and kind-hearted, she would pretend some present occasion, and borrow what they had about them. Nay; she had so rare a faculty in this Art, that when she was a Prisoner in the Gate-House, she prevailed with one of her fellow Prisoners to lend her five Pounds. This was much for a Prisoner to do, and such a one too as I very well knew was not worth five Pounds more in the world, and without any Estate or Calling, no Employment, but a pretended Artist; and one who gave himself out to be a right Rosi Crucian, and Secretary to God and Nature, a Fellow, that if he had any knowledge, knew not of it himself, for he could not utter, and had only a parcel of hard words, with which persons being affencted, and expecting some great matters from him, he lived upon them, and particularly one person of Honour from whom he had lately gained that money, and then having given him some abuse, and being in disgrace, was clapped up from this Fellow; she borrowed, but I believe never returned, who I am sure was often since in want of six Pence. If she had the Art of wheedling this Fellow, sure she might do more upon others; but that Course failing, and she being now generally acquainted and resorted to, the Players in hopes of gaining by her, entertained her as an Actress. She who had acted on the large Theatre of the World in public, now came to act in a small Theatre, I cannot say in private, for it was public enough at all times, but much more when she presented her Part thereon, for it was a Play of her own self that she acted in; it was styled by her glorious Name of The German Princess. As for my own part, although I have been a great frequenter of those Divertisements, yet I never went to see her, but those who did, tell me, that although there was a great Confluence of People to behold her, yet she did not perform so well as was expected; many have exceeded her in that particular, and that she acted much better, and more to the life, in the wide World than in that epitome. I do not remember that ever I saw the Play, but I think the Epilogue spoken by her self at last was thus,  

I have past one Trial, but it is my fear  
I shall receive a Rigid Sentence here.  
You think me a bold Cheat, put case 'twere so,  
Which of you are not, now you'd swear I know.  
But do not, lest that you deserve to be  
Censured worse, then you can censure me.   

The World's a Cheat, and we that move in it,  
In our degrees do exercise our Wit;  
And better 'tis to get a glorious Name,  
However got, then live by Common famed.   
I question not but she had Clapping and general Applause, but every new thing being as they say, but nine dayes wonder; hers was not to last many years, although it is now just nine years from her thus first acting on the Stage, to her last acting at the Gallows. There was a Report indeed, when she was first discharged from Newgate, that she intended to turn Actress at one of the theaters, and that she would set up a Coffee-House: I suppose this was only the opinion of people, who thought those Employments fit for her; but however she was mighty angry at it, and said that it was a Flam given out to sully her Name and Reputation; but it had been better for her to have applied her mind to, and continued at her acting at the Theatre, or else have taken a Coffee-House, at which Employment she might have done well enough, and which Trade her Husband Carleton was afterwards necessitated to take up, but she had other Fish to fry: She had a running Brain, and the whole City of London was too little for her to act in, indeed a bad fate pursued her, and she was to run on for a while, the Squib was to run to the end of the Rope, and then bounce, flash, and make its Exit. It was her Fate to do some more worthy actions, such as would bring her again before her twelve Godfathers, who would not be outwitted when her Crimes were mischievous; as for the future you shall find them, and as numerous as ever were committed by any in so short a time, which was indeed too long to the Cost of those with whom she had acquaintance.  
Before she left the Theatre, she had a large parcel of young Cullies, that having heard of her famed, and seen her Person, were very desirous of a nearer acquaintance, and she who mightily loved Company and Gallantry, was free enough of access, and treated them all with a gallant Indifferency; among the rest of her admirers, there were a couple of young Fellows that had more Money than Wit, and so doted on hers, and for that cause kept her Company; they had other designs then barely her converse, for they desired a nearer association with her Body, she knew their meaning by their whineing, and accordingly was resolved to make her advantages, they sought out opportunities of being private with her, and she used such artifice, that she would not entertain them but in Company, only sometimes in a large Room at a Tavern, she would step to an odd corner with one of them, who pretending some private Business, would then desire to know when he might wait on her at her Lodging; she would commonly answer them, that she was seldom there, but when she slept, being forced to spend all the Day at the Theatre, and the Evening she dedicated to the service of him and such other worthy Company as were desirous of hers, so that she had no time to spare for attending on her Employ, which she began to be weary of: Her Cully then desires her to leave it off, and tells her that she might live better, and more at ease in her private Lodgings, telling her, that if she will do so, he will not be wanting to contribute handsomely to her Maintenance, she thanks him, and tells him she will consider, and suddenly resolve of it; he then gives her some further knowledge of his affection to her, which she answers very obligingly, and withall, takes occasion to tell him that she wants such a Point-Lace, or some such other thing to Act in, or to commend his Watch or a Ring, and so get it from him. Thus did she handle these two Blades for some time, without letting one know of the others Pretences. Their importunity at last prevails with her to leave the Play-House and her Lodging, for which and her Diet they both severally pay; and now she was to play a private Game, and finding that these young Fools had Money, she intends to have her share of it. They both Court her for the happy time, as they call it, of enjoyment; she tells one of them that she is in hopes of being reconciled to her Husband, which she desires above all things, telling him that she knew then she might have opportunities enough without scandal, for she knows him to be of so easy a Nature, that she can over rule him, and that until that time, she must carry her self with all wariness and circumspection, and withall tells him, that she doubts the other is so conversant with her, as being only set on by her Husband to look into her Actions. This Tale pleases her Lover, and clears him of one doubt, for he till then believed that the other was both his Enemy and his Rival, but now he looks on him only as his Enemy: She tells the other much such another Story, but that I may not seem to Romance, by telling you all their private Discourses, which would be impossible; she manages her Affairs so, she gets Money out of one to buy her a New Gown and other Ornaments, and pretending an old debt which she owed to a Mercer, who would sue her Husband; she, that she might keep it from the knowledge of her Husband, which would spoil all her design upon him, persuades the other to lend her Money to pay this debt; and thus they having done all that she can desire of them, and finding their Moneys to be well shrunk, and being desirous to be rid of them, she at their earnest importunity, appoints one to go out of Town two or three Miles, where they were to continue and have their frolic for a day or two, and when she comes to a Tavern, the place where they were to take Coach, the other meets as if by chance, though it was by her own appointment, and so affrightens her and him that was first come, she as pretending to be surprised, rails at them both, and they at one another, fall to fighting in the Tavern; in which engagement she leaves them, taking Coach, and returning to her Lodging, telling her Landlord and Landlady, that her Husband had endeavoured to trepan her, and had made use of these two persons, naming them, who had some design upon her, what she knew not, but that she was so sensible that their Company would be such a slain to her Honour, that she would never see them more, and therefore desires them both not to admit either of them into their House. By this Stratagem is she rid of her two Importunate Lovers, and passes in the opinion of her Landlord and Landlady for a Woman of great virtue; and not to bely her, she was not much guilty of that Crime of Incontinency. Her Husband Carleton  told me, that he did not at all believe her to be a Common Prostitute, not to be enjoyed by every one that Courted her, that she had no great Inclination that way, and if she did, it was not with any that brought their half Crown, Crown, or half a Piece; it must be greater Kindnesses then these, and some considerable acquaintance, and knowledge of the Party. I know several idle Fellows that would pretend they had been very Inward with the German Princess, and could command her Company at all times, and it may be so, at some considerable Treat at their Charge, for she much delighted in High Treatments, and would drink as high as most men, and still made her greatest advantages when she had out-drunk them; but when they came to the other thing, let them be never so confident or debauched, she knew how to frustrate their expectations; so that this Crime she was not so guilty of, as the world supposes, no it was her other Tricks of Cheating and its Attendants, Lying and Wheedling; at these she was her Arts Mistress, and these were so innate and natural with her, that they were part of her self; you might as well expect to have a Fish live out of the Water, as to expect her to be without acting some of these Falsities, and in all these things she was as false as Hell. I have heard of some persons of quality, who were of that base temper of Stealing, that if they had occasion for any Laces, Hoods, Skarfs, or any such things to be bought at the Exchange, they could never be pleased with any thing that could be bought unless they stolen it, and they have been so often guilty, that at last the Shop-keepers who knew them, would let them steal, and take no notice of it, for soon after some friend who watched them would come and pay for it. Our Princess was much of this Thieving Quality, her Fingers were Bird-lime; but withall, she was too cunning to be caught, or else it was very rare, she had the right art of Legerdemain, as you shall presently hear; but before I come to that, I will have one Relation more, to show that she was not easy to be courted to Incontinence, and that they who did win her to it, paid full dear for their Lechery.  
You have already heard how she was rid of her two young Lovers, it was not long after, before she had an old one, a Gentleman of about fifty, he lodged in the same house with her, and was so deeply in Love with her, that he would willingly have been at the Charge of a constant maintenance, if she would have lived with him, only, he not only disinherited, but knew her tricks, and  told her of them; and that he did believe the Story of foreign birth was Romantick, but however, if she would answer his love, and live soberly with him, he would maintain her in as splendid a Garb as she would desire; for he had four hundred pound per an. and no charge but himself and a man-servant. This was his discourse to her, to which she gave him various answers; but at last presenting her with some Rings and such toys, he won her to consent. Now in regard this their purpose could not be handsomely executed in the house where they were, and they designing to live in all freedom as man and wife, they therefore left that Lodging and went to another at a convenient distance; he had promised her a Jewel worth fifty pound, which he would give her the first night she would lie with him, as an engagement of his truth to her, and he performed his word accordingly; some time they lived thus together, and complied with one another very reciprocally; yet he like an old Fox knowing that he had a Serpent in his bosom, would not trust her with any money nor himself neither; for all the time they lived together he did not keep above ten pound in the house at a time; but still as he received his quarterly or half-yearly payments of Rent, he carried the money to a Goldsmiths, and fetched it as he had occasion; and the Goldsmiths Bill he was very curious of, not leaving it in any Box, Chest, or trunk, that might be broken open; but still carrying it about him in his pocket; she minded all this well enough, and was for some time contented to live in that private retired manner, but like fire that is kept close, will blaze when it can get out, so she could not endure to live long without being in action; she had a mind to blaze abroad in the world a little; her inclination, or rather Fate forced her, and act she must; wherefore she waited her opportunity when she might get some prise and so march off with flying colours. She waited the coming of the next Quarter-day when his Rents were to come up, which were brought accordingly, but secured as I have already  told you, she knew not how to engage him to bring it home, lest he should distrust her, and if it lay long there, he would fetch it away in parcels; wherefore she knew not what course to take, but fortune put an opportunity into her hands by his coming home one night so drunk, that she was forced to put him to bed; where, when he was laid and she found by his snorting that he was fast enough, she examined his pockets, and looking into his Letter Case, among his papers, she there found a Bill upon a Goldsmith in Lontbardstreet for a hundred pound; this she secures, and puts all up again; and although her Bedfellow sleeps hard, yet she takes little rest, for thinking how she should finish her design, for she doubted that the next day upon examining his papers, which he often turned over, he would miss the Bill, and presently go to the Goldsmiths and prevent her receiving of it; wherefore she concluded it absolutely necessary, to hinder from that by getting him out of the Town; but how to do that she did not presently know, but at length considering that he had a very loving friend that lived about eight mile off, she resolved to sand her Bedfellow of some errand thither; wherefore early in the morning before he was willing to awake, she called on him telling him, the day before in his absence, Mr. such a one his friend had been there, and must needs speak with him that day; now said she, I thought fit to call you thus early, that you may have time enough to go and return again before night; for you know that I cannot be content without your Company. He hearing her discourse, and not having any occasion to hinder him, soon rises, and taking leave of her, begins his journey. No sooner was he gone but she makes ready for hers; and being dressed she takes Coach for the Goldsmiths; when she was almost come thither, she drew out the Bill to look on it, and it was well she did so, or else all her project would have been spoyled, for she intended to demand a just hundred pound; when looking on the backside of the Bill, she found that twenty pound of the hundred had been received; this startled and troubled her to think that she was twenty pound worse than she thought for, but she was glad she saw it before she came to the Goldsmiths, who might else have disinherited her had she asked for the full hundred pound. She being now come to the Goldsmiths shop,  told him that she came from such a Gentleman, who had such a day left a hundred pound, but had received twenty pound; and he being sick, had sent her for the eighty remaining. There was no distrust nor no cause for it, wherefore the money was paid and the Bill delivered up. She being now Mistress of this rich Cargo of eighty pound in money, the Jewel of fifty pound which he had given her, and several other Rings, Pendants, and Necklaces to a good value, was resolved to march off, leave her old friend, and seek a new, or at leastwise new Quarters; but she was much disturbed and vexed that she was disappointed twenty pound in her expectations, and thought how she might make that good; and being now resolved to leave her old Lover, and therefore to make the most of him, and knowing that she had time enough by reason of his being out of town, she therefore returns to her Lodging, and not having the keys, breaks open the locks of a trunk and Box and ri●les them both, where she finds twenty pieces of old Gold, a golden Seal, an old Watch, and some odd pieces of Plate; these and all things else of any worth she takes, and then without taking any leave of her Landlady, she again takes Coach and marches off to a new Lodging at another end of the Town, where for some dayes she keeps close.  
And now I have related this Story of her, is she not a base ungrateful woman thus to leave a man who so handsomely provided for her? Had it not been better for her to have continued with him, who loved, tendered, and would always have taken care of her, and kept her from running into those lewd Courses that she since then committed. Was it not enough for her to take the Gentlemans Bill and all his money, but also afterwards to go back and take his Gold, which he valued it may be more than the worth, but above all things his Seal of arms, which it may be had descended to him from his Ancestors, and which he would not have partend from for forty times the price? This she must needs think must much discontent him, considering the trouble and necessity she would put him to till the next Quarter day, until when he must stay without money or be forced to borrow. All these things she knew, but no consideration weighed with her as any thing, all was laid aside to perform her will, and to be as she reckoned revenged for the twenty pound she was disappointed of. Well, let her go for a base lewd woman, but time will come that she must repent this unhandsome ingrateful action. And thus you see how dearly this man paid for her wanton Company, if he had any music he paid the fiddler soundly or she paid her self; his sweet meat cost him sour sauce, and so will hers in the end. But she had much more work cut out for her to do, this was but one of her first Projects and was not likely to make much noise, for the Gentleman for shane would not speak much of it in public, only to some private friends, and from one of them I had it; If he had made it public it would have availed him little, he should only have been laughed at, and therefore silence was best in the case.  
Our Counterfeit Lady having thus over-reached her old Lover, and having taken a convenient Lodging, it was not long e're she had a young one, who you shall see she used no better than the former; but first when she took her Lodging pretending she was a Virgin and newly come out of the country upon some extraordinary occasion, she wanted a Maid to wait on her, she therefore desires her Landlady to help her to one; she soon furnished her, but not to her content; and several she had before she was pleased, they had one fault or other, and she found they would not be for her purpose; but in conclusion one she had, that very well pleased her; and indeed was as cunning and subtle a Baggage as her self; and was afterwards very assistant to her in her affairs. She being provided and fitted with tools, a convenient Lodging, and fit Servant, it was not long e're she fell to work; she was very careful to keep her self out of idleness, and to contrive how to get more money before what she had was gone. She had already given out that she was a country Gentlewoman, had a thousand pound to her portion left by an Uncle, that she could command when she married; that her Father was able to give her more, and would do so too if she would consent to mary with one in the country whom he well liked and had provided for her; but she wholly disliking him, had chosen rather to leave her Father and come to London, than abide at home and be so importuned by her Father and hated Lover; and that for her maintenance she had the Interest money of the thousand pound quarterly paid her. This was the Story she framed, and to make it the more feasible, she contrived Letters to be often brought her as if sent out of the country from a Kinswoman, who gave her constant intelligence how affairs went about her Father and Lover; and these Letters being loosely laid about her Chamber, were seen and perused by her Landlady. She was so reserved and retired that she went seldom abroad, and then masked, vayl'd, and coached, and kept very good hours and a handsome decorum in all things. The Landlady where she lodged had a Kinsman of a very good fortune who came often to visit her, and so by that means had a sight of our Counterfeit, who was very wary and shye of being seen of any; and that occasioned this young man to be the more inquisitively curious. He knew no more than what his Kinswoman the Landlady  told him, and all things corresponding to her discourse it was taken for authentic; and he believing her to be a Fortune suitable to his quality, sought all means to Court her; she as shye as she was, was however so civil out of complacency to her Landlady, to suffer her self to be treated by this young Gallant; and in fine drew him on to be her affectionate Lover; she knew her distance, and kept that, engaging him to the same; and he respectfully obeied her, he presented her with a Watch, which she after some seeming refusal accepted; and now being free in their Converse she  told him all the sad story of her Fathers harshness in seeking to force her to such a Match as she hated, her Suitor pitied her in that, and made a free tender of his Love and Service, telling her that he had five hundred pound by him in money, and two hundred pound per an. and that he would gladly enjoy her to wife with her bare thousand pound, and leave her Fathers good will to time; she thanked him, but withal seemed very unwilling to mary without her Fathers consent; for by that means, she should lose a thousand pound more, which, he could, and intended to give her; our Youth heard and believed all still, offering his love at the terms aforesaid. As they were one day discoursing of these and such like affairs, a Porter knocks and brings a Letter, the Maid receives it, and brings it to her Mistress, who presently opens and reads it, but she had no sooner finished her reading, but she pretending to be amazed and affrighted, cried out, I am undone, and was so ready to fall into a swoon, that her Servant was forced to apply things to recover her. Her Lover was all this while by her and comforted her with the best words he could, desiring if she pleased to understand the occasion of her present distemper. Sir said she, since you are already acquainted with most of my Concerns, I shall not make a secret of this, therefore if you please to red over that Letter you will know the present cause of my affliction, he having her leave took up the Letter and red thus,  
Dear Cousin.  
ALthough I have taken Pen in hand with a resolution to writ to you, yet I almost resolve against it; knowing that you will receive much trouble at the intelligence I shall give you, but there is somewhat in it that may turn to your advantage, which I pray make your best use of, and let that give you some Consolation for the other trouble; and now I have provided you in general for ill news, know that your dear Brother and my loving Cousin is dead, I know he was dear to you, and therefore his loss will the more sensibly afflict you; but withal you know that by his death you are the only Heir after your Father to his estate of two hundred pound per an. This may give you some pleasure, but what I am next to inform you of, is the worst news of all, and that is this, that your hated Lover hath been so importunate with your Father, especially since your Brothers death, that now your Father is resolved you shall be married to him; your Brother who was used to be your Friend to dissuade your Father from violence being dead it is believed your Father will take no refusal of you, especially since he says now you being his Heir, are to receive the greatest part of your portion from him. And therefore you shall obey him in order to these resolves, he and your Lover are preparing for a journey to London, where they will be in few dayes, and they know where to find you out, I doubt to your trouble, unless you can in obedience to your Fathers commands throw off the aversion you have for your Lover; I shall not advice you but thought good to let you know of this alteration of your Condition, that you may not be wholly unprovided how to dispose of yourself, which God grant may be for the best; these are the prayers of  
Your loving and affectionate Kinswoman R. F.  
Our young Lover having red over his ladies Letter, found that she had cause to be afflicted, and that he was concerned in the matter, he was glad to hear of her additional fortune, but doubtful that her Country Lover would deprive him of her; wherefore after some words of Comfort, they fell to consultation of what was necessary; and to be brief in my relation, it was thought wholly necessary to change her Lodging, and not knowing where better to be, he made her a tender of his, which he could commodiously spare having two Rooms on a floor; this was that which she aimed a●, and therefore he without much difficulty persuaded her thereto, and so they the next day removed accordingly; he gave her the accommodation of the fairest Room of the two which was to the street-side; and was better furnished than the other which was backward, and where his man had lain who was now mounted up into a Garret; he removed only his trunk into his back-chamber, leaving all things else in the fore-room; here our Counterfeit and her M●id lay, but her business being to come at this trunk where she supposed his money was, she was not well pleased that it was removed, and therefore resolved to be lodged where that was: for this purpose, one evening, when they were ready to go to bed, she complained of an lawfulness in her head, and that she was so disturbed by the noise of the street, that she could not sleep; and therefore desired to change lodgings with him; he made some excuses that it was not so commodious, but she still urging the inconveniency and noise, he was content, and only changing the sheets without removing any thing else, for that night they changed lodgings, he telling her, that the next day he would cause several things that lumbered up the Room to be removed, to make it as commodious as might be, but she purpod to save him that labour, and therefore a bottle or two of wine being drank in her new lodging, they for that night partend, he to his bed to sleep, but she was otherwise employed. Her Maid knew of her design and assisted in it; they resolved not to go to bed that they might be ready so soon as the doors were open to be gone, they lay down by turns for some hours in their clothes, but towards morning they sell to work, and soon broken the trunk open, there they found a hundred pound in a bag, and some suits of clothes, they preached for Gold which they knew he had, but that being portable, he carried it in his pocket and so they missed of it, and only the silver was their prise, which so soon as it was day and the doors open they slipped away with, leaving our poor Lover to look his money & his Mistress, who with her woman,( for Maid I cannot truly call her) were gone far enough. Thus did she over-reach both old and young, still coming off with flying colours, and as yet acted pretty honourably, only cheating those that intended some project upon her; but e're long she being flushed with success attempted to cheat any body friend or foe, rich or poor, all was fish that came to net whether Salmons or Sprats; for she would play at small Game rather than stand out, a silver Tankard or Beer-bowl was prise with her; nay rather then lose her labour a pair of sheets and pillow-beers would serve the turn. But before she declined to these poor things, she had some more considerable projects; one whereof was of notable subtle contrivance, and thus it was. She had often changed her Lodging, and by her womans means had gained some ranting acquaintance which had been of hers, so that money flew away apace; and they knowing that she was somewhat bare of money as well as they, but still their wits were as plentifully furnished as hers, they set them( the only tools they had) to work, to raise a new stock; and having considered of many ways they resolved on this. She one day  told her Landlady that a country Gentleman of her acquaintance being unacquainted in the City, had happened into a pitiful Alehouse, where falling sick he soon dyed; and some friends of his and she together had thought it very inconvenient to bury him from thence, and not knowing any place so fit, they desired to bring his dead body to her Lodging to bury him from thence; therefore she desired her leave and assistance in accommodating her with necessaries and she should have a piece for the trouble of her house. The Landlady hearing of profit soon consented, and that Evening the Corps, in a very handsome Coffin, was brought in a Coach and placed in the Chamber, which was the Room one pair of stairs next the street and had a Balcony. The Coffin being covered only with an ordinary black cloath, our Counterfeit seems much to dislike it; the Landlady tells her that for twenty shillings she might have the use of a Pall of Velvet; and for as much more some Scutcheons of the Gentlemans Arms, our Lady was well pleased with the Pall, but for Scutcheons she said they would be useless in regard the deceased Gentleman was unknown, but she desired that the Landlady would sand for the Pall, and withal accommodate the Room with her best furniture, for the next day but one he should be butted; this the landlady performed, getting the Pall of Velvet, and placing on a Side-board table two Silver Candlesticks, one silver flagon, two standing guilt Bowls, and several other pieces of plate; this was for adornment and to be used in serving the wine the next day, but the night before the intended Burial, our Counterfeit Lady and her Maid within the house, handed out to their Comrades without, all the Plate, the Pall of Velvet, and all the other furniture of the Chamber that was portable and of value, leaving the Coffin and supposed Corps, and she and her woman descended from the Balcony by help of a Ladder which her Comrades had brought her. The next day the Landlady opening the door, found all was conveyed away but the Coffin, when calling some friends, they opened that and found in it only Brickbats and hay, such a quantity as might make it weighty enough for a dead body; this was the adventure of the Coffin, which was so talked of, and indeed was one of her Masterpieces and she carried it off very cleverly; the Plate was converted into money, and the Pall of Velvet into a loose French Coat and Mantle for her self, and velvet Coats for her Confederates; who being all Rogues alike were in one Livery; they sung Oh be joyful, whilst the Landlady and Armes-Painter sung Lachrymae, and this adventure made work for the Lawyers, as well as the Taylors, for the Armes-Painter went to law with the Landlady for satisfaction for his Pall of Velvet, which lately cost him forty pound. But let them agree the matter as well as they can, our Counterfeit and her Companions agreed to act more villainies, and she seeing that her stolen french Coat became her so well, purposed to have a new Gown of the same price, and having projected the way how, she soon put it into execution in this manner. She and her Waiting-woman took Coach and went to Lombardstreet, where at a Mercers Shop they alighted, desired to see several sorts of Silks, which were shewed to her Ladyship, who at length likes of some for her purpose, she beat the price as low as possibly she could, that she might seem to be a good Pay-Mistress; and at last they agreed for six pound, she then pulls out a Purse wherein she had about twenty shillings in silver and several pieces of Gold, but seemed so troubled to part from her Gold that she rather than do so, desires the Mercer to let his servant ride along with her in the Coach to her house and she will instantly pay him in silver; telling him that she should suddenly, and it may be presently, lay out more money with him for a Kinswoman she had at home, who it may be liking of her silks, might presently bespeak some of him of the same. The Mercer being willing to accommodate his Customer and to gain more, ordered his Servant to attend her, whereupon they being all coached, the Coachman was ordered to drive home, but they had not gone far, but our Counterfeit bethinking her of some present business, altered her orders, and commanded the Coachman, first to drive to the Old Exchange, and said she to her Waiting-woman, now I am out, I will go up into the Exchange and fit myself with a set of Knots suitable to this silk, that will be very convenient replied the woman, and therefore being come to the Exchange and the Coachman opening the Boot she alighted; saying to the Mercers man, Friend, you may sit here in the Coach while my Maid and I go up & buy a few odd things & will return instantly; the poor young man thought it was good manners to obey her Ladyship, and therefore sat still, permitting her woman to take the silk to match with Ribbons as they said, and so they tripped it up stairs, leaving the young Novice to take a nap in the Coach; but he might have taken a long one, if he had stayed till their return, for although their business was soon dispatched yet they came not back, no, they returned another way; all that they did there, or intended, was to walk half way round the Exchange to the other door, and so descending and taking Coach driven home to their Lodging, where they fell into a great fit of laughter, to think what the poor fellow would do, and how he would answer his Master; how he came off you may imagine, but he waited long in expectation of her Ladyships return, and then examined the Coachman of his Lady, who could give as little account of her as himself, only the Coachman first discovered they were both cheated, and the young man not knowing how to excuse his folly to his Master, as his best expedient, gave the Coachman twelve pence to go home with him and certify his Master how the case was; who understanding the Cheat was forced to sit down with his loss. Our counterfeit having made silk enough at one heat for a Gown and Petticoat caused it to be made up, and bragged of her fair undertaking to her Comrades; telling them that it liked her very well, although it was the cheapest Gown she ever wore. Well, said one of her Male-companions, I dare undertake within one weeks time to be master of a better, and that at a cheaper rate; for your Silk came from the Mercers, and I intend to have some at a better hand, an easier lay, play the good husband and have it from the Weaver himself that makes it. That would not be amiss said she, and indeed although I want no Gowns yet I long for a piece of Silk so purchased at the first hand, therefore I pray make trial of your skill, the other replied he would not fail, and therefore thus he executed his project. He walks into Spittle-fields, and inquires for a Broad silk-weaver a French man, and finding such a one, he knocking at his door, and being brought in to him, tells him that he belonged to such an eminent Lady, naming her, who had ordered him to find out a French man a Broad weaver, that she might buy of him some Silks, for said he, my Lady hath been deceived by her Mercer who sells her English silks for French, and therefore I had orders to find out a French man. Well sir replied the Weaver, what would your Lady have? a right French Farendine replied the Cheater. I can furnish you with the best in England said the Weaver, of the very same making as such a great Lady had, and thereupon brings out several sorts and pieces; they discoursed of price, and the Weaver asking eleven shillings a yard, the Cheater replied that his Lady had ordered him to give ten shillings per yard if it were a right French Farendine, and to buy the whole Piece. The honest Weaver being willing to take money, tells him that indeed if he did sell it so, it was as cheap as the Mercers gave him, who bought all he made all the year round; that may be said the Cheater, but then I suppose you trust six or twelve months whereas now here is good ready money, 'tis granted replied the Weaver, that, and that only is the reason why I shall be willing to take your money. Well then said the Cheater, since we are agreed, I will have all the Piece, being forty yards, and you shall have your ready money, only I must desire you or your Servant to go home with me to my Lady, who at the first fight will pay the price we have agreed upon. The old Weaver having formerly been choused, and had tricks put upon him, was shye and unwilling to go from home, but the thoughts of twenty pound together ready money induced him, but that he might be the more sure, he was resolved to take his man with him to carry it, and then he did not question but they two should be wise enough to prevent any trick that should be put upon him. He therefore delivering the silk to his servant they walked out together to the other end of the Town, when coming to a great Gate, the Ladies pretended Gentleman entred, and desiring them to walk in the Court-yard, he goes in, stays some little time and returns, saying, Sir, my Lady is not yet stirring, but will be presently; wherefore if you please, we will go over the way to the Alehouse take a mornings draft, and by that time she will be ready, and you shall be dispatched. To this the Weaver consented and they took a Room next the street, there they sat about a quarter of an hour, when over comes a fellow bare-headed, now said the Cheat I believe my Lady is up, and I am sent for, upon this the fellow without a hat enters, how now said the Cheat what news? Why Mr. Thomas said he, my Lady is ready and would have you bring over the silk, and she will sand the money; you see said the Cheater to the Weaver that I  told you true, it would not be long e're she was ready; therefore give me the silk and I will go over and fetch the money; Ralph said he to the other do you stay and keep the Gentleman Company the while. The Weaver as wary as he was, was now blinded, he saw every thing carried so cleverly that he had not the least distrust; but the bare-headed fellow sitting down and drinking he delivered the silk to the other, who goes directly in at the great Gate, and the Weaver seeing that, and having the other fellow with him, thought all was well, but he did not find it so; for they sat drinking so long, that the bare-headed fellow began first to complain; saying, I wonder our Thomas stays so long, I am sure my Lady will give him the money at the first word if she be at leisure, I therefore wonder at his stay, and so do I said the Weaver, after some little longer stay the Weaver seeming troubled, the bare-headed fellow said, I will go over if you please, and see what is the matter, do so said the Weaver, but do not stay, no replied he, but he intended not to be so good as his word, for he was glad he was thus discharged, and going in at the great Gate he was no more seen. The Weaver sat in great trouble, doubting somewhat was the matter, and vexing that he had delivered his silk, at length he calls for the people of the house and asks them, if they knew not the men that were with him? they replied no, what not know my Ladies men Thomas and Ralph that were there with him? we know none of them replied they, nor know not what Lady you mean; my Lady replied the Weaver that lives over the way at the great Gate; Sir you are mistaken said the people of the house, for we assure you there is neither Lady nor Lord there at present, all are out of the Town but a House-keeper and one boy; then I am cheated said the Weaver, but I cannot conceive well how that can be, for I saw them both go in, and neither of them yet is returned, for I watched them; if that be all your hopes said the Host, you will be deceived, for there is a passage through into the back street, Nay then, said the Weaver, I am certainly cheated and cannot help it; but to satisfy himself further, he went over with the Host and found the passage was as he had related, and no body but an old Woman and a Boy in the House, who could give no account of the people he inquired after. There was no Remedy but Patience, and that the Weaver was forced to, & to return home with a light Purse and a heavy Heart, and he was not so troubled, but our Counterfeit Lady was as well pleased with the handsome performance of her Friend, who gave her a particular account of the management of the Affair; he commended his Wit, and so did she too: but she  told him that she should never be at quiet, until she had acted somewhat that might be equal to it, and considering of what she  told him, that she would put the Cheat upon the very same Man, the honest Weaver. Nay, if you can do that said her Confederate, then I shall yield you the Priority; but I doubt you will find it a very hard Task to out-wit the Weaver, who is bitten so considerably already, and who stands warily on his Guard. I am resolved, said she, I will attempt it, and so she did in a short time after. She being acquainted with the Place and Person, takes Coach and goes thither; but first she provided her self of a Convenient Lodging, for that is the principal matter in the Case: Being thus fitted, she boldly goes to the Weavers, and desires to see some Silks, which he shows her, she likes them, and the price they agreed upon, nothing was remaining but to pay for it; but examining her Pocket, she had nothing but Gold, and not enough of that neither; wherefore she tells him, that he must either go or sand with her, and take his Money; You must pardon me Madam, said he, I shall not let my goods go out of the House before I have my Money; she demands his Reason, he tells her, he had been several times Cheated, and among other Cheats, he relates the last, which she knew as well as himself; she seems to wonder at the Contrivance, and exclaims against the cunning subtle wickedness of the world, and tells him he had been well enough had he kept his wears in his own hands, and presented them himself to the pretended Lady, but to trust another was the ready way to be cheated; very true, replied he, I know it to be true to my Cost, and therefore shall not venture myself nor Goods out of my own House: What not with a Woman, said she? I have no body with me, and I will pay you before your Goods go out of your Sight; I shall be at one word, here's one, here's 'tother, and besides it will not be very inconvenient for you, for you may ride in my Coach with me: Well Madam, replied he, I believe you are an honest Lady, and I dare trust myself in your Company, and thereupon taking up the Silk, he went with her into the Coach; she seeing that she had secured him thus far, and not questioning but she could finish her Project on him, was resolved that she would exceed in her first purpose, and that he should have a Companion in his suffering; wherefore asking him, where she might buy some good Gold and Silver Lace, he directs to a place as he says, a Friend of his, thither the Coachman was ordered to drive, who did so, & she seeing and liking the Commodity, agreed for as much as came to 20 Pounds; she tells that man as she had done the Weaver, that he must go or sand with her and receive his Money: The Lace-man seeing his Friend the Weaver there, not doubting any thing, did not think it necessary to go himself, but sent his Man, supposing him to be sufficient, and so they entred the Coach, ordering the Coachman to drive to the Ladies Lodgings. Thither they came, and she conducts them up Stairs, calls her waiting Woman to bring a Bottle of Wine, that is brought, and they drank, she fetches a Bag of Money, supposed to be fifty or sixty pounds, chinks it on the Table, but being about to open it, calls to her attendant to bring Pen, Ink, and Paper, and says to the Weaver and Lace-man, I must desire you both to writ down the Quantity and prizes of your Goods, that I may have no mistake, for I buy half of it for a Niece of mine, who is above in her Chamber; they were content with this and began to writ, her Bag of Money and Hand on it was still on the Table, and then she calls to her Attendant, Here said she to her, carry this Silk and Lace to my Niece, and see how she likes it, the Attendant takes it away: and one of the two had now made out his Bill, and the other begins to do so, she takes it in her hand as to peruse it, walks three or four steps towards a Curtain and turns in there. The other had by and by made his Bill, and they both expected the return of the Lady with the Money, but she intends no such matter, they had seen their last of her; to conclude, after much stay they call and knock, and that so loudly, that one from below came up, asks what is the matter, they inquire for the Lady; are answered, they know nothing of her, but thought she had been still with them, they draw the Curtain and search the Room, but find no body, but to their great grief, see a Door and a back pair of Stairs, which they concluded was the way she and her Woman went. The Weaver inquires for the Ladies Niece, but can find no such Party; he charges the People of the House with the Cheat, they deny all knowledge of it, and tell him that she was a Stranger to them, having lain there but three Nights; he fumes and frets, but to no purpose; for upon further enquiry he finds the people innocent, & therefore he and the Lace-man return without Money. The Weaver is very angry, and the Lace-man more then he, charging him with the miscarriage, this enrages him, but all to no purpose, for he is forced to sit down with the loss, only resolving for the future, not to trust out of his House. In the mean time our Counterfeit and her Attendant, got home to her old Quarters( for she continued her old Lodging, only taking this, as finding it convenient for her Design) and there she lays up her Purchase, much rejoicing that she had exceeded her Confederate in her undertaking; and he that Evening coming to her, and she relating her particular Adventure, did conclude himself out-done by her, and that she had far out-strip'd him, not only in the Affair of the Weaver, but in that additional Adventure of the Lace, and that now she was capable of any Undertaking. She was as well pleased with these Praises and Commendations, as she had been with her Purchase, which was now to be made up into Clothes for her, and having enough and to spare, she promises her Attendant a Gown out of it; she had Money enough to pay a tailor, but it went against the Grain to think of parting from any Money, where Wit would serve the turn; nay, she should not so well like of her Clothes, if she did not wholly Cheat for them; and therefore she was resolved to give no more for the making, then the Materials had cost her, and that was a little Wit, which she thus set to work, she must again take a new Lodging, and therefore went upon the Hunt to inquire for one, she saw many, but liked of none, till she came to a Taylors House, and understanding his quality, though the Lodgings were dear, and not so convenient as she desired, yet she dispensed with that, and agreed upon all terms. She gave her self out to be a Country Gentlewoman, newly come to Town, and that her Trunks would in few dayes be brought to her. She one day went abroad, and at her return, tells her Ladlady, that a scurvy mischance had befallen her, for her Trunks with her Clothes, and other things which she had expected, were left behind, and would not come in a fortnight, and that she being to be visited within three dayes, was much troubled at the disappointment, and that she was so concerned, that she would instantly go and buy Silk for a new Gown, if she could tell that her Landlord would be at leisure to make them by the time appointed for her Visitants. The Landlady replied, yes, her Husband should in such a case as that, lay by all other Work to accommodate her; our Counterfeit hearing this, takes Coach with her Maid, and pretending to go buy Silk, goes to her old Lodging, and takes as much of her late ill purchased Commodity, as would make her self and Attendant, Gowns and petticoats, and so returned. By this time the tailor himself was come home, and his Wife having acquainted him with their Lodger's occasion, he offers his Service, she produces the Silk, he likes it and commends her pennyworth, and takes Measure of her and her Maid, for the Mistress says, the Maid's Sweet-Heart was one of those that was to visit her, and therefore it was convenient for her to be as handsome as she can; she says she will pay for both, and produces much Gold, and is on all occasions free in showing her Necklaces, Pendants, Rings and other Jewels. The Tailor believing he hath an excellent Job of Work, falls closely to it, and by the assistance of his Servants, gets both the Gowns and Petticoats finished by the Day, against which time she bespeaks of her Landlady a Fish Dinner, as she says, to entertain her Friends, gives her twenty Shillings to buy the Fish, and desires her to dress it, and provide all things necessary, and she will in the Evening pay it. All is provided according to order, and the Visitants came, eat up the Victuals, and drank off a large quantity of Wine which the Landlady sent for; the Landlord is fuddled, and the Landlady goes up with him, to get him to lye down; in the mean time( the Entertainment being kept in a Room below Stairs) our Counterfeit Lady seeing the cost clear, and all things as she would have it, she and her Associates( who all came for the purpose) slip out, neither did they go empty handed, one carries a Silver Tankard, another a Silver Salt, and the rest, all that they could lay their hands on, and the Ladies Attendant in the rear, carries her Ladies and her own old Apparel, made up into a farthel, they clap all, and themselves into a Coach, and so march off: and thus much for the Adventure of the tailor.  
And now Reader, let me tell you and assure you, that these three last Adventures, two whereof were with the Weaver, and the third and last with the tailor, are certainly true, for they are both my Relations, and lately gave me this account of their misfortunes, which you may understand to be very considerable; for, would it not anger any one to be twice Cheated by Back Doors, as the honest Weaver was, and yet all things were managed so well, that there was not the least cause of suspect, to see and hear Money, and be ready to tell it, was such a disappointment as could not be imagined, and could not be contrived, but by such a Crafty Slut, with the assistance of that foul Fiend, who I think always attended her. The tailor too, was much disappointed of his good Customer; all he had for Workmanship, and other Necessaries for two Gowns and Petticoats, was only his share of a Fish Dinner; the Fish indeed she paid for, but she left him to pay for the sauce, which I am sure was sour in his Stomach a great while after; and then it was, that Laughter and Joy was turned into Sorrow and Mourning, nay, and further, into bitter Cursing; for this honest tailor was one of those, that at her her Trial about her two Husbands, was so joyful at her deliverance, he then commended her for a brave Woman, and said it was much pity that she should suffer for that Fact, but now he was in another Tale; he said it was pity she had not been hanged seven years before; since that time he knew her, though his eyes were then blinded, one would have thought he could not have been so mistaken in his Lodger, for he had seen her at her Trial, and after that in her public acting at the Theatre, but now he did not remember her, nor could not imagine who she was, till in some few moneths after, she having played some more such projects, became famous for stealing Tankards, &c. and then he too late remembered that his Lodger was the very same German Princess, but she had such an art in disguising her self, that it was very difficult to know her, she could upon occasion alter, not only the air of her Countenance, but also some of her Features would seem to be different; to conclude, she had such a Face, such a Carriage, and such a Tongue, as would deceive a very piercing Eye, as Experience hath already demonstrated: she being thus bravely come off, had no need at present to seek out for more purchase, and commonly she did not seek for any, because it fell out ready to her hand, the bide usually came into the Net of its own accord; and her manner of living being altogether upon Plots and Devices, and she always like a cunning Gamester, looking to her Hits, did let few blots escape her, but was still contriving how to win the Game. Among the rest of her Contrivances, I shall acquaint you with one of a different nature and quality from what I have already related to you; for although she did often act her tricks over several times, yet I shall relate them but once, lest I should seem tedious, and what I intend for your divertisement, should prove your trouble, & that I may come to matter of fact, I shall thus proceed. Our Counterfeit had for some time lived privately at home in her quarters, if I may term that to be private, when she was visited frequently by her Comrades, such as were as good as her self of both Sexes, but she went abroad but seldom, and then only to divert and air her self; but now being weary of her retirement, she went to the Exchange to buy Gloves, Ribbons, and such like toys, and which was somewhat wonderful, she paid honestly for them; but it was still out of design, for she seldom acted any thing that was good, but it was for some ill intent; she only paid for this small parcel, that she might cheat for a larger, and thus she did it. She acted several parts, but all in a splendid gallant Garb, which now she was weary of, and therefore intended to put her self into Mourning, which she was resolved some body should pay for; her Clothes being fitted, she wanted a Set of mourning Knots, Ribbons, Hoods, scarves, Apron, Cuffs, and other Mourning Habiliments, she therefore sent her Woman to the Exchange, to the Shop where she had laid out Money and was known, desiring them to bring all such sort of Trinkets to her Lady instantly, for her Father was dead, and she must put her self into Mourning. The woman of the Shop instantly looked out three or four of a sort of all these Commodities, and sent them by her Servant, to see which she would like, and bring the rest back, but she was mistaken, none was to return, no, our Counterfeit was resolved to show her a trick, and it was as good for much as little, and as soon done; when the things were brought, she pretended to be so indisposed, that she could not at present look on them, but sent word, that at noon she would dress her self, and then when she was fitted with what she liked, she would sand back the rest, and money for what she had. This answer was sufficient at present, but not satisfactory in the main, for the next day the Exchange Woman sending her Servant to see what her ladyship had liked; answer was given, that she went out, and came not home that Night, neither did she the next, nor no more thither; for she having another part to act, left her Quarters, and so the Exchange Woman lost her Goods and Customer. Our Counterfeit being now habited in Sable a-la-made, became the talk of those that saw her, for as yet she had not given out at her new Lodging what she was; she knew not whether it would be most for her advantage to pass for a Maid, Wife, or Widow, and she was ready to represent any quality she pleased. She now walked abroad attended by her Woman into grays-inn Walks, where she was gazed on by all, every one inquiring who was this unknown Lady, but she intended to continue so for some time. There was at the same time walking, a young Gentleman in Mourning too, he was known and talked of, to be a rich Heir, and a well moneyed man by the late death of his Father, he was a Student in the Law, and of able parts. All this she understood, and this was the Trout she intended to tickle, this was the Prey she hunted after, his ready Money made her fingers itch to be at it, and therefore she also gave her self out to be a Rich Heir, hoping that she should make a younger Brother of this young Lawyer: But she was mistaken, he was otherwise designed, he Courted a Lady who lodged not far from her Lodgings, and she found by his often passing by her Lodgings what his design was; she therefore understanding that one of her strings had slipped, and that she could not draw him in as a suitor to her, she therefore consulted with some of her Confederates, and resolved on another Course, which thus she effected. She now gave out that she was an Heir to her late deceased Father, but that she had an Husband, who being an Extravagant, she did not live with him, and that her Father had given all his Estate to her, so as her Husband might not enjoy it; but that her Husband threatened and prosecuted her, and her chief Business was, to take such order in the settlement, as her Husband might not disturb her, and to this end, she wanted Counsel of Lawyers to advice with. This was her pretence, and this was laid to get in with the young Lawyer, to whom she went and related this Story, he gave her the hearing, and asked her several Questions, which she well enough answered, but he  told her, that he could not satisfy her in all particulars, unless he saw the Writings; she was at a loss in this, but said she would get them and come again, so giving him 10 s. for his Fee, she left him. She made several Errants to him, and still giving him money, she became familiar, and he entertained her in his Bed-chamber, where his beloved Chest of Money was, but she had no opportunity to come at it; she  told him, she should ere long have her Writings, which she durst not keep in her Lodging, left her Husband coming should seize on them, and thus she spent some time, till at last, she saw there was no good to be done at his Chamber, and therefore she intended to make her own Lodging the Scene of her Undertaking. All parties and things being therefore ready, she one day seeing him go by, watched his return, and then desired to speak with him, he distrusting nothing, walked up Stairs, and was conducted into her Bed-Chamber, a Bottle of Wine was brought, and she drank to him, causing him to sit down, and some Discourse they entred upon, about her pretended Law Affair; she enlarged upon the Subject, and spun away the time, till on a sudden her Woman, who was below, came running up, crying, O Lord, Madam, we are undone, for my Master is coming; what shall I do, said our counterfeit? why said the Lawyer? I mean for you, said she, what Excuse shall I make for your being here? I dare not tell him your Quality and Business, for that would endanger all, and on the other side, he is jealous of his Honour too, therefore good Sir, said she, step into that Closet, till I can sand him away. The Lawyer being surprised, and not knowing what on such a sudden to do, did as she desired, and she locking the Closet and drawing the Curtains of the Bed, went to the Chamber Door, to receive her Counterfeit Husband, who was no sooner entred the Chamber, but having heard the noise of drawing the Curtains, cries out, How now, what means this, have you been lazing on your Bed and be hanged, let me see if you have not a Companion, when looking there, he sees the Bed all tumbled, and places as if two had been lying there, wherefore he cries out, Oh, you have a Companion, where is he, let me see the Rogue, that I may sacrifice him to my just anger; Ah you whore, have I now caught you, is this your retired modesty. Truly Husband, replied she, you are mistaken, there is no such party here; there is you base Woman, said he, and I will find him to the shane and confusion of you both, and thereupon he searching behind the Hangings, found the Closet Door; which in fine, he forced her to open it, and there discovers the young Lawyer, all pale and trembling, at the first sight of him, out flew his Sword, but the Wife flew between them, and a Companion of his seized his Sword, endeavouring to pacify him, but the more he endeavoured it, the more enraged he appeared, so that at last his Wife confessed, that indeed she had abused him, but desired pardon for her self and Friend, who seeing himself trapan'd, began to speak and tell the truth of the story, and what his business was there; but he had been as good to have said nothing, all was to no purpose, there was sufficient testimony, the Bed, the drawing of the Curtains, his being hide, and above all, her Confession, were sufficient to contradict all he could say; therefore nothing would serve but blood, or other sufficient reparation for his Honour, which at last his Friend propounded should be in money, and name 500 l. This was a tall sum, and frighted the Lawyer, but he considering the many inconveniences he was fallen into, was in the end brought to pay 100 l. down instantly, which he sent his Man for, and then he was discharged from his imprisonment. Glad he was that he was gone, and they as glad that they were rid of him; but doubting some after-clap, and that the Lawyer after second thoughts might return and trouble them, they therefore thought it necessary to change their Quarters, wherefore the pretended husband continuing his hussing humour, would have his wife away with him, and so they instantly removed.  
And now Reader let me tell thee, that as our Counterfeits Father the fiddler did often in his life-time strike up that merry and well known tune, called, The worst is past, so I on the contrary do assure you, that the best of your Sport, and of my Writing is past; I have little more of her Adventures to relate, nothing but what is ordinary, except her two last Adventures, of the Apothecary and Watch-maker, and some few Silver Tankards and Beer Bowl adventures, and then I must conclude with her; but although the best of our Writing is past, the worst of her Adventures are to come, which I shall thus relate to you. She had thus fortunately enough performed all the aforementioned Projects: Success had flushed her, and she finding with how much ease she gained money, she was as free in spending it; she knew she had the same tools her wits to work with, and so long as they lasted she assured her self of a brave Livelihood, and therefore sought no other way, took no other course to live by; but her money being gone, she attempted to get more, and her ordinary course was this, she pretending to be some country Gentlewoman, would take a Lodging, carry her self very demurely, keep good hours, and although she went abroad about her urgent affairs in the day-time, yet she still returned early at night; would hold any discourse with her Landlady or Landlord, and prie into the affairs of the house, and be sure to mind what Plate was stirring, and if there were a silver Tankard, that she would assure her self of, by pretending sickness in her head and stomach, and desiring a Posset, which was commonly brought her in the silver Tankard; some she would eat, and the rest must stand by for her breakfast the next morning. And thus would she become Mistress of the Tankard, which with her self would the next morning be invisible, for she would be sure to be up early and watch her opportunity to give her Landlady the slip, neither did the Tankard alone serve the turn, but if there were any Chest, Trunk, or Box in the Room, she would break it open and rifle it of all that was considerable and worth her carriage. This was her trick for Tankards, this was her usual common way to serve her Landladyes, and this she did so often in so many places that it is admirable she should escape; I can name at least half a score of these Tankard-adventures in several places, and all performed much after one and the same manner, in Covent-Garden, Milford-lane, Lothbury, New-Market, and several other places; and for one of these adventures was she at last taken and Indicted, found guilty, Condemned, Reprieved and banished to Jamaica, but before I let her pass from England I will relate another adventure of hers and a petty one, wherein she took much pains for little gains, to show you that she would play at small Game rather than stand out, and that she would not be daunted nor put by her undertaking, she could not endure to be baffled. She came one evening into an Alehouse near West-Smithfield, being scarfed and masked, and pretending to be very could, was admitted to the Kitchinfire, she calls for a Cup of Ale and her Landlady, one was brought, and the other came, desiring to know her pleasure, only said she to have your company, for I cannot drink; I do not so much value that as your fire, being newly come to Town, just now alighted out of the Coach; from what country I pray said the Landlady? from such a place in Essex naming it, said our Counterfeit. Oh dear said the Landlady, I know the person of a Parish close by! naming it, and so do I said our Princess, and he is a brave Preacher, I love to hear him; and much more she and her Landlady enlarged upon this Subject, in all which discourse she was very confident. And now she was not only acquainted with the Landlady, but her daughter coming into the kitchen, she enters into a Dialogue with her, who being at work upon a Point-Lace, she looks on it and much commends it, telling her that she would come again suddenly and show her work, and thus she invites her self into an acquaintance, and finding there was no good to be done at present, she paid for her drink and departed, but came again the next evening, and calls for more drink, and enters into a familiar discourse with the Landlady; she enlarging and sitting there a great while and being troublesone, the Landlord takes her into examination what she was, she replies a Maiden Gentlewoman, which had a thousand pound to her portion in her own hands, and lived upon the interest-mony of it: who gave you that portion said the Landlord, my Father said she, who allows me to receive the interestmony of it, and truly what I do not spend I bestow upon the poor, and other Charitable uses; away away said mine Host, I cannot believe any man to be so mad as to leave a thousand pounds to your dispose, neither do I believe you to be such a person as you name yourself, if you were, you would not sit tippling here at this time of the the night. The Host having given her this Tart discourse left her; and so did she the house in short time after, but was not in the least daunted, but made excuses for his peevishness. One would have thought that this would have beat her off for coming hither any more, but it did not; now she was resolved not to lose her labour, nor to leave things done by the halfs, and it may be she was resolved to be revenged of her Host; for the next morning she comes again early before the mistris or Master was up, calls for a pot of Ale and a Tost, the maid brings it her but pours it out into a pewter pot: Alas said our Counterfeit, what do you do maid, you know I cannot drink in pewter, I hate it above all things, and I know you have Plate enough in the house, therefore fetch some or else I cannot drink one drop; truly said the maid my Master carries all the plate up every night, he is not up yet, but if you please I will go up and fetch a Beaker, do so said she, the wench went up and  told her Master and Mistris that the Gentlewoman was there below, and wanted a silver Cup to drink in, she shall have none said the man, why said his wife, she is a Cheat said the man, no said the woman I cannot believe it, but to be more sure I will go down and watch her, and thereupon she leaps out of the bed and with her clothes half on and half off went down, by this time the Lady had dispatched her drink and was contriving how to secure the Cup, but the Landlady came and prevented her; withall seeing that her drink was off she went to take the Cup out of her hands, she was unwilling to part from her Cup, therefore said, nay Madam, what do you mean, now you are come down I will have the other pot of Ale to drink with you. The Landlady being willing to take money, was content; her maid was stepped out of an errand, and a neighbours maid came for some drink, she therefore her self went into the cellar to draw for her Guest and neighbours maid, leaving them together in the kitchen; she was but just down in the Cellar and was beginning to draw the Ale when she heard one tread, and being jealous of her guest, ran up immediately to see if all were well, but she found that the bide was flown, she asked the maid where was the Gentlewoman, I know not said the maid, she stepped to the door as she said, to see what weather it was and I saw her no more: Good lack my Beaker said the woman, where is it, I saw none said the maid, they both looked for that and for our Counterfeit, but they were both invisible neither to be seen nor heard of. And now her husband being come down, understood the case, and was very angry but to no purpose, it was too late. They were both troubled the more because it was an ancient piece of plate worth about three pound, but more or less, old or new, it was gone and no more to to be heard of. And now Reader I have no more projects to relate to you, for it was not long after this that she was taken and secured in Newgate for one of her Tankard-adventures, she had used so many of them that she was at last caught. She had lived like a Duck hunted by the spaniel, who had often forced her to dive and hid her self, but at last she must be taken and the sport at an end: She was indicted for stealing a Silver Tankard, was found guilty, and condemned to be hanged, but had the mercy of Transportation, and was two days before Shrovetide, in the year 1670. sent on board a Ship at Gravesend bound for Jamaica, so that from her banishment to her late death, was under two years. How she behaved her self, and what new projects she had in this two years is the intent of my future discourse, which I shall briefly relate to you: There was about twenty other Felons went with her the same voyage, who were put on board on Shrovetuesday 1670. two days after her, she being a person of quality, had the liberty to go alone and they followed, and all performed their voyage together: How she behaved her self in this voyage I know not, but from her own relation which said, that the other Felons had a design of murdering the Commander of the Ship, and some of the other officers, of seizing the Ship and steering their course another way; the design was communicated to her, who seemed to approve of it, but soon after acquainted the Commander therewith, who finding the danger he was in, hastened to the next Port, and there furnishing himself with Irons, caused all his Felons to be sufficiently shackled & otherwise secured, and so they ended their Voyage. And for this piece of good service to the Captain, she was in much favour with him and the governor, where she had her freedom to dispose of her self. She who had been so famous in England, was well enough known there, and for the present was courted and treated by all, but this was not to last, there was no work for her to do, There was no thoughts of drawing in another Lord Carleton to marriage. No acting on the Theatre. No young Novice to Cully and draw in. No Old Man, to keep and maintain her, till she serve him a Jades trick, rob him, and run away from him. No suitor to persuade to entertain her in his Lodgings, till she robbed and fled from him. No pretended Burial, to cheat for Plate and a Pall of Velvet. No Mercers man, to leave at one Door of the Exchange, whilst she goes out at the other. No Weaver nor Lace-seller, to Cheat by whole-sale. No Taylors House to lodge in, where she may get her Clothes made, and march off without payment, and with a further prise. No Exchange-shop there, to cheat of Ribbons, Hoods, scarves, and other Habiliments. No young Lawyer to draw in, trepan, and hector out of 100 l. at once, and to conclude, Jamaica afforded her no several Lodgings to cheat of Tankards; nor Ale-houses, to make Beer-bowls and Beakers in; there being none of this sort of Trade to be dealt in at this Place, she knew not what to do, she was out of her Element, like a Fish out of the Water. In the time of this her Exile, we had a Letter from her, from Port Royal in Jamaica, to all her fellow sufferers in Newgate; wherein she, or the Author that writ it, gives a Drolling Romantick account of her Voyage thither, arrival there, and several other fabulous fancies, which Letter being first printed in the year 1661, and now again printed, and added to a Book of hers, called, The Memoirs of Mary Carleton, and being known to be only a piece of Romantick Wit, I shall not recite it here, lest all the rest of my Relation be suspected to be only my own Invention; therefore I shall pass that by, and proceed to matter of Fact. How long she continued there I know not, but she said, all the while she was there, she was sick, and attended by two Physitians; she still kept her state in all places, but the air of the Climate not agreeing with the Constitution of her Body, and indeed, there being little for her to do, and her fate so ordering it, that she was not to die there; she therefore takes shipping, in order to her return. I remember that some persons of Quality being at Sea in a terrible tempest, it was the opinion and fear of most in the Ship, that they should suffer shipwreck and lose their Lives, and accordingly prepared for Death; when one Gentleman among the rest cries out, Fear not Friends, I dare warrant, you will escape this danger, and that we shall come safe to Land: What reason have you to hope it, said the rest? I am confidently sure of it, replied he, for here are two Fellows of the Ships Crew, that will never be drowned, for I am very sure, they are born to be hanged, they have hanging Countenances, every feature in their faces tells me, that they will be hanged: Now therefore, if we have them in our Companies, who are born to be hanged, what need we fear to be drowned; this was that Gentleman's frolic. Now if those who sailed with our German Princess, had but known of her Fate, they needed not have feared drowning; whether they were in any danger on that account, I know not, but she endangered her Neck by her return; whether she first Landed in Holland, and so from thence came hither, I know not, neither is it much material; but hither she did come, and fell to her old Trade, so that it was not long before we heard of her; she had her old Tools, her Wits to work with, and besides that, she had not lost all her time at Jamaica, she had gained some acquaintance there, who, at her return, sand Letters by her to their Friends in London. These Letters did her some Kindnesses, for by virtue of them, she had some Business, she was entertained, and treated by the Friends here, for their sakes, from whence she came; you may be sure she  told her Tale plausibly enough, and pretended to be of quality, so that she was admitted into their Houses, where she served two or three, some of her Tankard-Tricks, seeing an opportunity, seized on a piece of Plate, and marched off. To one she pretended, she had not yet received Money for the Goods she brought over with her, desires his assistance, pretends a present occasion for a small sum, which he lends, and then she gives him the slip. Many of these petty Cheats she puts upon her new Acquaintance; but at length, being resolved upon a better Game, she thus begins. She takes Lodgings some where about Westminster, and knowing she can do little without help, she entertains an old woman of her acquaintance to be her Attendant, or Assistant rather, in her new Design. They both inquire if there be any young Rich Novice thereabouts, that she may Cullydraw into some considerable Adventure, and upon enquiry, they find that there is a young man a Shop-keeper, by Trade an Apothecary, who was Rich and Covetous; him they think to be a subject fit for them to work upon; our Counterfeit Lady her self keeps close, but the old woman is sent of many an idle Errand to the Apothecaries Shop; she wants Pomatum, Mithridate, diascord, and several such well known Medicines: he furnishes her with them, and she gets acquaintance with him, and watching her opportunity, she discourses with him of several matters; among the rest, she asks him why he does not mary, he replies, the times are hard, Trading dead, and House-keeping chargeable: That is true, said she; but all this may be supplied by a good rich Wife: Yes, said he, a good one and a rich one too, were a brave thing worth the having, and I should gladly embrace such a Fortune; such Fortunes there are, and such a one I can help you to. The young man hearing the old woman's Tale, was well pleased with the Discourse, which they continued, and he urging her to know who, and where she meant; he by degrees draws this intelligence from her, That there is a young Gentlewoman of her acquaintance, that is Niece to a rich eminent Citizen of London; that she hath 2000 l. to her Portion, in her Uncle's hands, which must be paid at the day of marriage; that her Uncle kept a very strict hand over her, not permitting her to go much abroad; but however, that she fometimes gave her a Visit, she having formerly been Nurse in her Father's house, and that she complained of her Uncle's severity, and was minded to alter her Condition, and indeed willing to mary with a Husband that would take her from her Uncle's severe usage. The Apothecary was marvelously well pleased with this old womans Story, believes it all, and being  told the Name of the Citizen and his Niece, he instantly goes into the City and makes enquiry of both; he finds that there is such a Citizen, that hath such a Niece, that hath such a Portion, and the Citizen is described to be such a person as the old woman had related, and indeed, every particular was according to her Relation; so that he questioned not, but that there was such a Gentlewoman that had such a Fortune; and he hoped he should have the good fortune to have her. This made him very eager and earnest to see the old woman, that he might know when he might see his intended Mistress. The old one was not long absent from his Shop, but came, and was soon taken on one side by the Apothecary, that he might ask some more questions, which she answered cunningly enough, and thereupon he promises to give the old woman great matters, if she will bring this Match to pass. If she will help him to get the Gentlewoman, she should have some of the old Angels: Well said she, I will have no hand in the Match, unless you can love one another; when you have seen her, if you can like her, and when she hath seen you, if I can find by her that she can love you, then I will tell you more of my mind, then I will make my Propositions; very honestly said, replied the Apothecary; but when shall I see her, I expect her daily, said the old woman, and so soon as she comes, I will bring you into her Company. Thus she said, and so she did, for our. Counterfeit, who was to personate the Citizen's Niece, was not far off, and therefore the sooner to be procured, and was brought into the Apothecary's Company; their first interview was but short, the Lady pretending hast to return to her Uncle's. The Apothecary Courts her, and desires her further acquaintance, she promises nothing, but passes some few indifferent compliments, and so they part. And now the old woman hath somewhat to say, she goes to know the Apothecary's mind, who was all on fire to proceed, and promiseth her any thing, she shall have her own terms, if she can but bring this matter to pass. The old woman remains indifferent, and says she desires nothing, if she does not effect his Desires; but if she doth, then she hopes he will remember her: Nay said he, that you may be upon sure terms, I will instantly seal a Bond of 100 l. to pay you 50 l. at the Day of Marriage. The old woman is content, and accepts his offer, promising her utmost assistance, and withall telling him, that she hopes to manage it so, as it shall be done without much difficulty; for she tells him, that she finds the Lady had a good opinion of him, and then let her alone to increase it. Thus did these two make their Bargain; neither was it long before the Apothecary and the Counterfeit had agreed upon theirs, for after some several Treats and meetings, he still pressing her to be married, and telling her that he loves her, can, and will handsomely maintain her, and that he is not quiter destitute of an Estate, having some hundreds of pounds by him ready money, and a good profitable Trade, & very well furnished; and withal that he was a good husband; I but said our Lady I question not all this, but I doubt I shall still be in the same condition and be kept bare of money. My Uncle hath money enough of mine in his hands, but he will spare me none, or very little, he will not let me have sufficient to buy me Cloths and other things befiting my quality, and that makes me so unprovided at present, and he for to justify his niggardliness urges the same argument as you did, good husbandry; and you having commended your own good husbandry, I doubt I shall find you guilty of the same sparingness towards me, and that you will not afford me wherewithal to maintain me as I ought. The Apothecary hearing this discourse, and knowing to what it tended, and being resolved to please her in all things, that he might testify what he had said was true, that he was of a noble temper, he presently fetches 200 pieces of Gold, and throwing them into her lap, says, there Madam, you may see that I do not belie myself in reporting of my Estate; I give you this, and can show you much more; and that you may have a taste of my liberality and love towards you, I present you with this as a token of my love, and leave it to be wholly disposed of as you shall think fit. Our Counterfeit being well pleased, was resolved to please him, and therefore replied, well Sir, I am very well satisfied of you, and am content to be ruled and ordered by you in all things. He being overjoyed, pressed her to speedy marriage, which was consented to and performed accordingly, and he bedded with her, and so she left him for the present, ordering him in few dayes to come to her Uncles and demand her and her portion. This was good advice, and the Apothecary purposed to follow it; but now our Counterfeit and her old woman, having performed their Project, they change their Lodging to another end of the Town, leaving the Apothecary to get his rich wife where he can find her, they laugh at that which will ere long make him cry. For at the time appointed he walks into London, and goes to the Citizens house, the pretended Uncle of his wife, he believing he should have some falling out, resolves to bear the first brunt with much bravery; and therefore coming to the Speech of the old man, he peremptorily tells him that he comes to demand his wife; I know not what or who you mean replied the Citizen, I mean said the Apothecary your niece, Mrs.— who is my lawful wife, for I have been married to her and bedded with her some dayes since. I cannot believe it said the Citizen, I doubt you are mistaken, for my niece hath not been abroad in that time, and therefore this is some idle Story, it is very true replied the Apothecary, and I do demand her of you, and with her, two thousand pound which you have of hers in your hands as a Portion; I do not deny that, replied the Citizen, but I doubt I shall keep it out of your hands, but I hope said the Apothecary you will not deny me my wife, and then as for the money I shall find a way to take course for it. I will give you the satisfaction of showing you my niece said the Citizen, but I hope she is no wife of yours, and thereupon the old man went in and called his niece, telling her that she must come to her husband, the young Gentlewoman was at a loss, and wondered at her Uncles discourse, who tells her again seriously, she must go to her husband, she replies she knows not what he means; and the old man telling her the absolute demand of the Apothecary, charges her with it; she denies it, as well she may, and is unwilling to go and see this bold pretended Husband of hers; but at length her Uncle leads her out to him saying, well Sir, here is my niece, what have you to say to her? Our Apothecary seeing the Maiden and doubting that they did put tricks upon him, tells them that they are deceived in him, to think to serve him so, he knows his wife well enough, that this is not she, but that she is in the house, and he will have her. The old man now believing that the Apothecary is either a mad man, or a deceived man, tells him, that he believes some body else had cheated him and put this trick upon him and not he, for he had no other Kinswoman but that here present. The Apothecary doubting somewhat of the matter,  told the whole tale to the Citizen, who now fully concluded he had been cheated, he only pitied him and advised him to go home and make some further enquiry, he did so, but to little purpose; the old and young were both gone and left him to a fruitless repentance. This is the Story of the Apothecary so well known and talked of; But although the Story is related generally in this manner and is written thus by others, yet I have been  told, and by those too, that pretend acquaintance with the Apothecary that it was not just in this very manner, but that our Counterfeit Lady acted the same part as the old woman did in this Relation, and that she procured another Baggage of her acquaintance to represent the Citizens niece, that this was acted at our Counterfeits Lodgings; and that she had the Bond of one hundred pound to pay fifty, though I suppose the Bond was never paid to either. And that our Counterfeit being fearful of making any more marriages with her self, procured one of her acquaintance to act that part, who deceived the Apothecary, for instead of a young virtuous Virgin to his Bride, he had a rotten Jade to his bedfellow, that since hath cost him some physic in his own Cure of that disease, which is commonly gotten by such kind of bedfellows. But whether it was thus, or as is afore related matters not much, but in general cheated he was of his money, and his exceptions of a rich wife, and that by the contrivance of our Counterfeit Lady, who now rants it among her companions as long as this money lasteth, not questioning but to get more by the same means as formerly; and she would often boalt out of old Quarters, seek and find a new one, where she would be sure to march off with a silver Tankard or some such purchase; many of these she thus purchased, but still using the same way. I omit the Relation and come to her last trick, and so shall conclude; the Scene still lies Westward, and near Charing-Cross was the particular place where she takes her Lodgings for her self and a pretended maid-servant, she understood the quality of her Landlady and the other Lodgers in the house; but principally of a Watch-maker, who not only lodged above stairs but had a Shop below; she quickly acquaints her self with him and her Landlady, and being earnest in her business makes hast to put it in execution, therefore three or four dayes after her arrival there, she invites the Watch-maker, who was a bachelor, and her Landlady to go see a Play at the Dukes Theatre; she tells them it is recommended to her for an excellent Play, and that she desired their Companies and would pay for them; they accepted her offer, and taking a Coach, together they went. Whilst the Actors were employed in acting there, her Agents were as busy at home at her Lodging; for a Gentleman came to inquire for her, whom her Maid tells that her Mistress is not at home but will return ere long, and that if she please she may stay in her Chamber and rest her self the whilst, she took her council and was conducted up stairs to the Chamber and left there, the Maid comes down, and the Landladies maid asked her how she durst trust any body in her Mistresses Chamber alone, she replies it is her Mistresses sister, but she lies, for it was as errand a Baggage as her Mistress, they might be sisters in iniquity and quality indeed, though they were not by consanguinity; for this womans name was hernia or Keeling, by both these names and indeed several others she goes by, but these are the most usual; while she is employed above stairs, our Counterfeit Ladies maid entertains the Landladies maid below stayrs with a Bottle of wine, they were merry while the other breaks open a Chamber door and a Trunk, from whence she takes above two hundred pound ready money in gold and silver, and about thirty very rich Watches; so that the prise was in all valued at about six hundred pound, she being possessed of this, comes down stayrs and tells the maid she can stay no longer for her Mistress, but would return another time and so she departed. The Play was by this time done, and our Counterfeit desires her friends to go to the Green Dragon Tavern in Fleet Street, where a Bottle of wine being called for, she pretends an excuse to step aside, and so down stairs she goes and hastens to her Lodging, her servant tells her all is done, and then she knowing it was time for her to be gone, away went she and her Maid, and were no more seen in those quarters. And the Watchmaker and his Landlady distruting somewhat by her sudden departure, after half an hours stay, went home after her, but they came too late; all was done and gone, and he found out his loss to be as considerable as I have related it. The news of this loss was soon spread abroad, neither was it long before it was well enough known that our German Princess was the principal Actress. She was known, but it was too late, and not to be met withal at present. This purchase was so considerable as one would think that she might leave off; whether she did or intended it, I know not, but it was not long after, before she was taken. The Pitcher had not gone so often to the water but it was to come broken home at last. Search had been made for her in several places, but she was far enough off out of the way: She left the West, though it had been lucky, yet it was at last fatal to her; and now she settled Southward: She crossed the River of Thames, and takes Lodgings in St. Georges-Fields in Southwark, where she for some time was as safe as a thief in a Mill, but her appointed time was drawing nigh, her glass had but few more Sands to run. And I do not hear of any more Projects that she acted; this of the Watchmaker was the last, especially of any remark. As the world had been several years troubled with this subtle Female thief; so we also had men of the same good qualities: for one Mr. Freeman a Brewer in Southwark, was robbed of goods to the value of 200 pound, and one Lancaster, a notorious felon was suspected. Alderman Freeman being desirous to meet with his goods again, or at least with the thief, employs one Fisher Bailiff of the hundred there to seek after him; he being promised good payment, makes diligent enquiry in all suspected places; among other places, he comes to the house where our Counterfeit Lady was; he sees two or three fellows below stairs, who upon inquiry what Lodgers were in the house, sneaked away, the Landlady said there was none, but Fisher seeing these fellows gone, and hoping to find more above, he without any leave, or more questioning, runs up two pair of stairs, where he finds our Counterfeit Lady walking in a night-gown, he knew her not, but being curious and suspicious of every thing, and seeing some Letters lie on the table, he had the Curiosity to cast his eye upon one, which was directed to one Mr. hide; he takes it up, and our Lady seeing him, endeavours to get it from him; but he thereby growing more suspicious, and knowing there was one of that name Prisoner in the Marshalsea, and hoping to get some light into his present business, as believing this hide might be concerned in the late Robbery; he therefore opens the Letter and reads it, although it contained nothing of that concern, yet he thought good to let Mr. Lowman the Keeper of the Marshalsea know of it; and he being not far off upon the same enquiry; was presently sent for? when he came he knew not his old acquaintance, the German Princess; for he was linsey-woolsey of Newgate, when she was Prisoner about her Marriage with Carleton, although he knew her then well enough; yet at the first sight he knew her not, but upon some little discourse, he knew her, and  told her, she must go along with him: This was ill news to her, but he would be obeied, though he had no Warrant, nor as he said, no thoughts of her at present; but he had heard of her late Practices, and believed he should do good service to the public, in apprehending and securing of her. Therefore away she is forced to go along with him, and was lodged in the Marshalsea. The news of her apprehending was soon spread abroad, and a great resort was daily made to her, some out of Curiosity to see her, others who had been cheated by her, to see if they could get any satisfaction; but she was too cunning to confess any thing that might turn to her damage, and if any such question were asked, she would tell them, that she was not in humour at present to talk of any such matters, and would be sure to deny knowledge of any person that so charged her. But however, charged she was, and examined before a Justice, upon the Watch-maker's account, on the 17th. of December last; but she continued a Prisoner in the Marshalsea till the 16th. of January, whereby Writ of Habeas Corpus, she was removed to Newgate, to take her Trid●nt the Sessions House in the Old bailie. During her Imprisonment at the Marshalsea, she behaved her self very briskly, and as if she had been innocent and unconcerned, no thoughts of Death possessed her, and she was in great hopes of her Life; for pretending to discover somewhat considerable, she went abroad with her Keeper, to the Judges; but I do not hear of any discovery she made, she promised much, but performed nothing, only played with her Business; had she been true to Justice in her Discovery, it is possible that Justice might have spared her, that never spared any body whom she could Cheat; so that now, she cheated her self of her Life, as she had cheated others of their Goods; for which Facts, she was on the said 16th of January, brought before the Court at the Old bailie. The Judge asked her, if she were the same wom●n that commonly went by the name of Mary Carleton, and was not ●ong since transported; she replied, I am the same Person. She was then asked the reason of her so sudden and speedy return? she replied, she had something to discover that troubled her Conscience; she was desired to declare what it was. To this she answered, It is not convenient to unveil my thoughts about this Concern in so public a place, and therefore I humbly desire further time till the next morning, which was granted her.  
The next day she was again brought to her trial, where she was arraigned and indicted, for stealing a piece of Plate, from one in Chancery Lane, of which Fact she was found guilty by the Jury. She had now but one Shift more, and that was an old Newgate Trick, to pled her Belly, that she was with Child; whereupon a Jury of Wom●n was found out and sworn, who after an hours private debate, brought in this Verdict, That she was not quick with Child; and thereupon Sentence of Death, according to Law, was passed upon her, and was presently sent back to Newgate, to prepare her self for the other World. And now after this Sentence she was quiter altered, she was of another Note, she had not been so frolic and merry before, but now she was as melancholy and sad. She had the day before answered all Questions in a drolling merry way, and now she can say nothing for sighing: when she was the day before at the Sessions House, some Gentlewomen discoursed with her, and one  told her, that she wondered, that a person so rarely qualified and gifted, should be guilty of such poor beggarly shifting tricks, as stealing any thing that came to her hand; she readily replied, Ladies your failings consist in Falling, and mine in Filching; yet if you will be so charitable to forgive me, I will freely forgive you. On Thursday night after she was in her Lodging in Newgate, several persons visited her there; one  told her that she must think of Death, Yes, said she that is no hard matter, I am very well satisfied in my Condition; you have good Friends said he, yes, said she, one good Friend here, laying her Hand on her Belly, and meaning a Child there; but said one, you have not seen your Husband a great while, how then will the Court believe you to be with Child: Good lack, replied she, is it such a matter to be with Child, because I have not seen my Husband? These were her Replies; and in this manner she answered all her Visitants; and when some, who were appointed by the Court, came to her from the Bench, to know what great matter she had upon her Conscience to relate; she could say nothing to them but trifled, telling them the story how she preserved the Captain at her going to Jamaica, as you have already heard: And pretending that she had other Treasons, but all was but to trifle away the time, in hopes of a Reprieve. There were several visitants with her of both Sexs; and among the rest, I myself went on the Saturday night, but then she was in her malancholly mood. She was sending to the Marshalseas for some things she had left there; and for want of which, she had not been in a naked Bed those two nights since she had been in Newgate. She complained of some hard usage, and that People were so numerous, and troublesone in their visits, that they would not give her time to repent, but would have her to die with all her sins: She then said, that it was a great thing to die, a harder matter then she had thought it. There was two women with her, one of which was a witty baggage; for she made a Speech which tickled the ears of all that were present, talking of the frailness of human nature, and that these crimes which men would slip through and make nothing of, were accounted highly criminal with women; but before the Great Tribunal in heaven, men and women should then have equal Justice; adding, that it was an unworthy action in men, to come only to behold that poor soul there as a wonder, when indeed she was more like a Looking-glass: Yes indeed, replied the Prisoner, I am very like a Looking-glass, wherein you may all see your own frailties: The other woman added more to her discourse, that she was a stranger, and had seen the Prisoner but once before, and that it cost her two Shillings her admittance. So after some little stay, she took leave of the Prisoner and departed. I observed that there was two very near her, who spake in French to her; who I then believed, and since have had farther information, that they were Roman catholics; they had several private Dialogues with the Prisoner, and then also went away: When another friend in my Company discoursed her, telling her of Death here and judgement hereafter; and advising her not to believe any Roman catholics, and that none was able to save her, but Jesus Christ the righteous, who had suffered for sinners, and that the merits of all others, would little avail her; she seemed to be very well satisfied in what was said to her: And I being near her,  told her it was a great work she had to do and that yet she had time to repent of all her ill deeds to a merciful God, who refused none that came with a true repenting heart, she replied, the Lord grant me true repentance: and some other discourse we had suitable to the condition she was in, which she seemed to be very well satisfied in; and truly I believe she was truly sorrowful, for she was, heard to sigh very often, and cry out, Oh that I had my dayes to live over again, But I do not desire it: yet did she seem very desirous to live, and troubled that the women who were of her Jury did not favour her as they might, and then she might have had more time. She was like a piece of wax fit to receive any impression; and God knows whether the sparing of her life might not have been to her prejudice, since I believe she thus prepared her self for her change; and it is thought and hoped that she was truly fitted, she continued in this frame of Spirit to the very last; spending all the day-time in discoursing about her present condition, and most of the night-time in Prayers. She was not lodged as other condemned Prisoners are, in the Dungeon but in a fair Room above stairs, although strictly guarded; indeed the profit paid for the charge well enough; for great was the concourse of her Visitants, and many gave money for their admittance. Many reports have gone of her that she was very frollicksome during her imprisonment; I was  told that while she was at the Marshalsea two or three Gentlemen came out of curiosity to see her, and prevailed so far with her Keeper as to go forth with her to a Tavern, and that she as soon as she entred,  told the master of the Tavern that she would have him sand so many dozen bottles of wine, and such a quantity of Neats-tongues and other Junkets to her fellow Prisoners, and that he should be paid before she went out of the house; that her orders were obeied and she was treated by the Gentlemen in a very handsome manner, asking her several questions, which she pleasantly answered; that a Reckoning being at last called for, it was answered thirty pound; how so, said the Gentlemen? we have not had above thirty shillings here, and that we are willing to pay; but Gentlemen, said she, I hope you will pay for me too; and I did bespeak as much as you hear of, and sent it to my fellow-prisoners that they might be the better for me, & Gentlemen, continued she, you came purposely to see me, and to hear of some of my tricks; and now I have shewed you: therefore without more questioning you must pay the reckoning. This is a story that I have heard of her, as done at the Marshalseas; and that she acted it over again at Newgate, but I cannot believe it, and am confident no such thing was done at Newgate, she was not in so merry a mood; for after her Trial, to her Sentence, she was another Creature: I am sure she was much dejected, and very humble when I was with her. I believe she had no wild wanton thoughts: she was as clouded in her Spirit, as she was in her Face, for her hood was still over it down to her mouth; and she very rarely turned it up: and her speech was very low and faint, broken and interrupted with deep and often sighing; and she was in a manner constantly attended by one of these Romish Priests on one side of her, and her Sister on the other. Thus did she continue till the day of her Execution, which was Wednesday, the twenty second of January, and then she seemed to be much altered, for she was very cheerful and pleasant in her Countenance and appeared to be so in her mind; for she did not sigh so often as before, and her speech was less interrupted, she seemed to be not only very willing, but also very desirous to die, saying she had no hopes nor thoughts of a Repreive, and that she was truly willing to leave this world wherein she had found nothing but misery; to go to the other where she hoped to find mercy. At the hearing of the Passing-Bell, she shewed signs of Joy, crying out Lord Jesus I come to thee, help me Lord in my extremity, and do thou overcome nature for me, thou that hast overcome sin and Death for me, assist me against nature that does cling to me and is unwilling to leave me. I  told you in the beginning of this Treatise, that she was born on the twenty second of January, but it was stilo novo, so that she was born, on the 11th day, but it was on the twenty second day that she was baptized, whereupon she made a considerable remark, saying, this day was I baptized, and before night I expect to be sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb, which will be a second baptism. Some time before her going to execution, the Priest her Ghostly friend left her, but she first gave him a testimony of her Religion, by lifting up her hands and crossing her self; and did not deny to those that asked her, that she was a Roman catholic. At her Friend's departure, she said to him in French, My friend, the good God bless you, and so they partend. She gave order to her Sister and a Kinsman, about her Burial, giving them Money, and they lamenting her sad and deplorable Condition; she desired them to rest satisfied and content; as she her self did, entreating them not to continue their grieving, which was great trouble to her. And now her time being almost come, the Master of the Prison ordered her Irons to be taken off, which had been put on but on Monday night before, for what cause I know not, and being ready to go, took out her Husband Carleton's Picture saying, this Picture hath been my Companion in all my afflictions and miseries, and I desire it may be butted with me, giving it to her Sister; but soon after she took it again, and pinned it on to her left side, and wore it so to Tyburn. She was now lead out of her Lodging into the Common Hall, to have the Halter tied about her, which was done, and there she met with five young men, who for several Facts were to suffer with her; she was the Eldest of the Six, for the other Five could not make 120 years. They were all much of her temper and humour, and indeed more unconcerned and unsensible of their Condition, for they went into their several Carts as if they had only been going to return again; but she employed all the time of her being in the Cart in meditations and reading in two Popish Books which she had in her hands; one entitled, the Key of paradise, and the other the Manual of daily Devotion; which books when she came to the Gallows, she delivered to a friend in the Cart; by the way as she went in St. Gile'sstreet the Cart stopped, and she had a Pint of Canary, one glass full of which she drank off, delivering the rest to one in the Cart; soon after her arrival at Tyburn she was lifted out of the Cart into an other, where all the rest of the Prisoners were, and there she was tied up; and then she took her Husbands Picture and put it into her bosom; then the Subordinary coming into the Cart to them, asked them all twice if they had any thing to say before they departed this world? no answer being made he began his Prayers; which being ended, another Person also desired to pray with them, this was granted, and when he had finished his Prayer, Mary Carleton desired the liberty to speak to the People, and being permitted so to do, she thus began. You will make me a President for sin, I confess I have been a vain woman, I have had in the world the height of glory, and misery in abundance; and let all people have a care of ill company. I have been condemned by the world, and I have much to answer for; I pray God forgive me and my husband, I beseech God lay nothing to his charge for my fault. A Gentleman hearing her speak of her Husband, asked her if she desired any thing to him, only( said she) my recommendations, and that he will serve God and repent, for I fear he wants sober counsel, and I beseech God lay nothing to his charge upon my account; you are in perfect charity with him said one, yes said she, and with all the world; and thus the Cart being ready to be drawn away she began and continued in pious Ejaculations, saying, Lord Jesus receive my Soul. Lord have mercy upon me. Christ have mercy upon me; and thus she continued till the Cart was gone and she ended her life. After she had hanged about an hour, she was cut down, and her friends having paid all due fees for her body and Clothes, they put her into a Coach which carried her to her Coffin not far off, and being put into that, she was the next day butted in St. Martins Church-yard. Thus have I brought this unlucky woman from her birth to her burial; as she was born obscurely and lived viciously, so she dyed ignominiously. Such crimes as she was guilty of deserve such end and punishment as was inflicted on her; and without repentance and amendment infallibly find them here and worse hereafter. The only way therefore for Christians to avoid the one and contemn the other, is with sanctified hearts and unpolluted hands still to pray to God for his grace, continually to affect Prayer and incessantly to practise piety in our thoughts, and godliness in our resolutions and actions; the which if we be careful and conscionable to perform, God will then shrowd us under the wings of his favour, and so preserve and protect us with his mercy and providence as we shall have no cause to fear either Hell or Satan. But if we give ourselves over to ill Company or our own wicked inclinations, we are infallibly lead to the practise of those Crimes, which although they may be pleasing at the present, yet they have a sting behind, and we shall be sensible thereof when we shall be hurried to an untimely end, as you have seen in the vicious life and untimely death of this our Counterfeit Lady.  
FINIS.