A RECORD IN rhythm, BEING An Essay towards the Reformation of the Law, offered to the Consideration of the Committee appointed for that purpose.  
Written by some men of Law, at a time when they had little else to do.  

London, ss.  BE it remembered now that formerly,  
To wit last Term o'th' holy trinity,  
Before the Keepers of the liberty  
Of England, by the full authority  
Of the long Parliament, at Westminster,  
Priscilla Merecrave widow came, by her  
Attorney M. B. and prefers,  
I'th' Court of upper bench, a bill of hers,  
Against one Roger Pricklove, who doth lie  
A prisoner in the marshal's Custody.  
Et cetera, and 'tis upon a plea  
Of trespass on the Case, Pledges there be  
To prosecute the suit, to wit John do  
And Richard Ro●. And the said bill also  
Doth follow in these very words, to wit  
In legal manner, London, Scilicet.  

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

Imparlance.  
And now until this day, that is to say,  
On Monday three weeks after Michael's day  
In this same Term, which very day until  
Roger had leave t'emparle unto that Bill,  
And then to answer it; before the same  
Keepers, as well the said Priscilla came,  
I'th' Court of Upper Bench, at Westminster  
By that attorney named before, for her  
As the aforesaid Roger who doth come  
By his attorney, A. B.  
And doth defend the force and injury,  
When, where et cetera. And saith that she,  
The said Priscilla, ought not maintain, nor  
Have thereupon her Suit against him, for  
Protesting, not acknowledging, that she  
Is half so honest as she'd seem to be,  
Nor is her body, or her life so clear,  
Nor so unspotted, as she would appear;  
Nor is she of so chaste a reputation,  
As is pretended by her Declaration.  
Protesting also that the said Ralph Seely  
(Though oft together did both he and she lie)  
Ne'er meant to Marry her, but all his power  
Of love was quenched in less than an half an hour.  
Besides he'd quite undo her, if he had,  
His learning was so small his life so bad.  
For Plea he saith that at the time, wherein  
She does suppose these slanderous words t'have been  
Spoke by th' aforesaid Roger, she the said  
Priscilla was nor Widow, Wife, nor maid,  
And though she passed for an unbroken virgin,  
She catched th' aforesaid Presbyter in her gin;  
And with his wall-eyed Saintship played the sinner,  
Who b'ing inspired by a Thanksgiving dinner,  
Did carnally her body know, to wit  
The crime of Fornication did commit;  
In the same Ward, and Parish, to his Honour,  
He at on clap got 3 great Boys upon her.  
All which for privacy were put to feeding,  
At Bridewell and Pickbatch, to learn good breeding.  
And she in recompense claped him so sore,  
With Anglice French-POX, it made him roar,  
And put his genitals in such a pickle,  
That all his Parish women did article,  
And out him of his Benefices twain,  
And into Scotland made him trot again.  
Wherefore (as lawful 'twas) on this occasion,  
He spoke the words laid in the Declaration.  
And this he justifies, and judgement crave,  
If she this suit ought to maintain or have.   

Replication.  
And she the said Priscilla doth maintain her  
Said Action, against all that's said to stain her,  
And saith this Court nor will nor can forejudge her  
For aught that's pleaded by the foresaid Roger  
But though by his said Plea; she's forced to tarry,  
Her suit against him, yet she ought to carry;  
Protesting therefore she's not such a liver,  
Nor of such Fame, as the said Plea doth give her  
Out for to be, but that she hath not varied,  
One jot in life from what she hath declared.  
And on the said Ralph's part protesting farther,  
That of the kirk he was a Godly Father.  
And of as pure and chaste a conversation,  
As any Presbyter within the Nation.  
And free from any lustful act committing,  
With her, or any other deed unfitting.  
For Replication saith, she was not knowing,  
Of the said Ralph but 3 years' last foregoing.  
During which time, and till the said words spoke were,  
By the said Roger (that almost have broke her)  
She lived a matron's life, chafed, grave, and thrifty,  
And came unto the Age of three and fifty;  
And the said Ralph all the said time, by reason  
Of his much preaching in and out of season,  
And of his fasting long, and longer praying,  
And from his people's not their duties paying,  
In the same Ward and Parish, grew so weakly,  
That of his life he did despair weekly:  
Which weakness had so very much out worn-him,  
That in his bed he was not able turn him;  
Till that a learned Doctor of the college  
Who of his sickness had full perfect knowledge,  
For gaining of his health did much exhort him,  
To wed an honest Matron to Comfort him.  
Which the said Ralph well liking, and well knowing  
The honour to the said Priscilla owing,  
And thinking that delays might greatly Worse him,  
With Zeal, did Court her for a wife to nurse him:  
And She in pity to his weak Condition,  
Did condescend to be his she Physician,  
And for their joint desires better carrying,  
A day by both appointed was for marrying.  
But on the sudden off the same was broken  
By the said Roger's words aforesaid spoken:  
By means whereof, he the said Ralph, endure  
Could not the said Priscilla for a Cure,  
But of relief his expectations falling,  
And his long sickness more and more prevailing,  
In Month October, day thereof that first is,  
In the Lord's year that formerly expressed is,  
At the said Ward, the said Ralph much in trouble,  
Did die, to's loss, possessed of living double:  
And left the said Priscilla to bemoan her,  
For that no other man would after own her;  
And that she truly doth reply and don't lie,  
She prays may be inquired by the Country.   

Rejoinder.  
And the aforesaid Roger saith the Plea  
By her the said Priscilla formerly  
Put in and pleaded by her Replication,  
In the aforesaid manner, form, and fashion,  
And the whole matter that's contained there  
Are not sufficient in the law, for her  
The said Priscilla, to maintain her foresaid  
Suit against him, and there need be no more said:  
Nor by the laws of England is it fit,  
That he should make answer unto it,  
This he to aver is ready. Whereupon  
For want of better replication  
In this behalf, he doth a judgement pray,  
And that she from having her action may  
Be barred, for this against him; And for  
The causes why he doth in Law demur  
Upon that replication, he the said  
Roger according to the Stature made,  
And in such case provided, doth declare  
And show to'th Court of Upper Bench that's here,  
These causes following, to wit, that this  
Said Replication insufficient is,  
Negative, pregnant, and uncertain, nude,  
Double, wants form, and does not conclude  
Rightly, according to the legal way.   

Joining in demurrer:  
And she the said Priscilla here doth say  
That the said Plea which by reply has been  
Pleaded by her, and what's contained therein,  
In point of Law, good, and sufficient be,  
Her suit against him to maintain, And she  
That Plea and matter, pleaded as above,  
Is ready here both to maintain and prove,  
As this Court shall consider, and think sit,  
And 'cause he does not answer it, nor yet  
Deny that Replication any way,  
The said Priscilla (as before) doth pray  
Judgement, and damages, to be judged to her,  
For all this injury which he did do her.  
But cause this Court here not advised is  
Of giving judgement of the premises,  
A day's given to both parties to appear  
I'th' Upper Bench, before the Keepers here  
At Westminster, till Monday after eight  
days of St. Hillary, for the receipt,  
And hearing of their judgement upon it,  
For that the Court is not advised as yet.  
FINIS.