THAT the now Lady Leigh being proposed to the late Lord Leigh , as a considerable fortune for his Grandson , the now Lord Leigh , he by his Agents entred into a treaty with her Mother ( then in truth the Wife of one Mr. Temple , her concealed Husband ; but going by the name of Mrs. Brown ) about it : But finding , on information , that her Estate consisted in Land , and that incumbred , and his occasions requiring monies to pay the debts of his deceased Son Sir Thomas Leigh ( for most part contracted in his late Majesties service ) and raising portions for his Daughters , the now Lords Sisters , being three , he declined further treaty . Wherewith the Mother being acquainted , she , to draw on the match , declared that her Daughters Lands were 900 l. per Annum ( though in truth they never yet exceed 740 l. or thereabouts , and for the most part not worth fourteen years purchase ) charged with 200 l. per Ann. for her Joynture , and tho incumbred with 3000 l. debt ( for no more was spoken of , tho others afterwards appeared ) : yet that there was 3000 l. raised by sale of Woods , which would clear the incumbrances ; that her Daughters Lands might be sold to serve all occasions ; and that if ( being under age ) her Daughter should die before sale , ●et the Mortgages should be assigned for the Grandsons benefit , so as the 3000 l. would come clear to him : And in sum , she would lay her Daughter and set Fortune at his Lordships feet , to be disposed of at pleasure : And with these , and the like insinuations , the late Lord was drawn to consent to the Match , without any positive Agreement made about the Estate ; and she well knowing that his Quality and Estate might justly expect a better Fortune , least second thoughts might prevent it , got them forthwith married privately in London , before almost any of his Friends knew of it .

That the Debts and Portions ( which for the most part were not ( as suggested ) charged on the Estate , but yet in Honor and Conscience to be taken care of , ) being on all treaties declared and intended to be provided for ; ( and therefore not concealed as is pretended ) the Mother and Daughter , presently after the marriage were sent to veiw Ridware ( part of the Estate the Grandson had in possession ) and then to consider which was fittest for sale , that , or the Daughters , his Lordship declaring and intending to endeavour to get an Act of Parliament to that purpose , and for settlement of the whole , in regard both were under Age.

The Mother , after view , declares the Daughters estate fittest for sale ; and the Daughter in no sort gainsaid it . But the Mother it seems intended nothing less : for having got her own ends in the marriage , she presently leaves Stoneleigh ( his Lordship House ) where they then lived , pretending to go into Kent to mannage the Estate till disposed of , and prevailed with the Son in Law and Daughter to go with her . But being come thither , she takes another method , using all Artifices first to alienate his affections from his Grandfather and Relations , and ( that not taking ) then to raise jealousies and dissentions betwixt him and his Wife .

That the Grandfather , having discovered ( which till after the marriage was concealed ) tha her Mother and her Unkle Mr. William Andrews had procured the Lady at thirteen to levy a Fine of a great part of her Estate , and to declare the use to the Mother , and her Heirs , in default of Issue of her own , but with power of Revocation ; and the Parliament near approaching , sent Proposals , that 300 l. per Ann. of the Ladies Land might be sold for the ends supra , which produced several Treaties . But Mr. Andrewes , who was employed on the Ladies part ( having laid a design by that Fine to get the Estate to his Sister , and by consequence to himself ) came fraught with such extravagant demands and cavils as 't was evident no compliance was intended . And the Mother at length declared , that the Debts or Portions were only Provisions of Honor , and her Daughters Estate should not be applyed to pay them , so as all Treaties that way proved ineffectual .

That as to the Incumbrances upon her own estate , 't is true the Wood had been sold by Indenture under Hand and Seal , wherein Mr. Andrewes , as the Ladies Guardian , and the Mother ( by her Widdows name Brown ) sold the Wood for 3000 l. to herthen Husband Temple and two others . But all that the Lord could receive of it ( and that not without suit neither ) was but 1400 l. for part was lost in Temple's hands , and 1000 l. Mr. Andrewes received , which was so far from being applied to discharge the Incumbrances , that 't was rather to make Incumbrances : For whereas part of the Estate was mortgaged to Mr. Farewell for 2000 l. that 1000 l. ( 't is true ) was paid to Mr. Farwell , but Mr. Andrewes took Bonds for it from Mr. Farewell to his own use , and having so done , without the Grandsons ( though then married ) or Grandfathers privity ; gets that mortgage assigned to Mr. Bennet in consideration of 2000 l. borrowed and mentioned to be paid to Mr. Farewell , but it truth he had but 1000 l. of it , and the other was paid to Mr. Andrewes , who thereupon Delivered up the Bonds , and this 1000 l. still remains in his hands , and other monies raised by Wood sales and Profits , he ( though he stiled himself the Guardian in the Deed ) alledging he acted but as a Servant to the Mother and accounted to her , and she ; that she was then a Feme Covert ( though that was concealed ) and not accomptable for what accrewed in Mr. Temple's time , who was dead insolvent .

That the Grandfather failing of his expectations of other Provisions ( 't is true ) endeavoured an Act of Parliament , for sale of Ridware for the honourable ends before mentioned . But no ●a●●● being made for the Ladies Dower therein ( though that was after offered to be added ) it did not pass .

That being thus every way disappointed therein , and considering that they , who had perswaded the daughter at Thirteen to levy a fine , and to pass by the Fathers Line , by whom the estate came , and to settle the Inheritance , of failer of issue , in the Mother , and concealed it from him on the Marriage treaty , did still drive on their designs to get the Estate to themselves , and of keeping the now Lord Leigh from having advantage and benefit by it ; and that they were incouraged therein by their hopes , that when the late Lord Leigh ( who was very old and infirm ) should dye and the Estate fall in possession upon the Grandson , she would become dowable of the whole ; whereby in effect , she would have all the advantage that could be out of his Estate , and he little or none out of hers , and that while those hopes remained they would not be brought to any reasonable settlement , he , that he might treat with them on equalterms , prevailed with the Grandson ( tho then under Age ) to levy a Fine of his Estate also , and to declare the Uses so , as she might not be dowable thereof ; but with an intention still to reverse it when any reasonable settlement could be obtained of the Estate ; of which his inspection afterwards may be a sufficient evidence .

That not long after the late Lord Leigh dyed , having committed the care and guardianship of his Grandson , then a Minor , to Sir William Bromley , who had Married his Daughter , and if his Lordship received that 1400 l. of the Wood money ( whereof 1000 l. is untruly suggested to be possessed by Sir William Bromley , ) he made a full Recompence to his Grandson for it , having discharged him of the Statute insisted on , and other Debts ; made him sole Executor , and left him a personal Estate to the value of several Thousands of pounds , and much greater advantages then ever were talked on or proposed in any the marriage treaties .

That all the Estate thus faln in possession 't was hoped a better compliance would be on the Ladies Friends part then formerly ; but though she had been all along kindly treated , and not with any those severities suggested ; yet her Friends , designing still to get the Estate to themselves , left no means unattempted both by Letters and otherwise to foment differences , and occasion a separation , nay so far to proceed as to make several attempts to take her away by force . And if those proceedings and her own personal weakenesses ( which did not at all times render it convenient for her to go abroad , ) did occasion a stricter inspection into her carriage and correspondencies then she was willing to admit , yet was there no cause , upon such untrue suggestions as were used ( which can be manifestly disproved ) either to cause his Lordship to be called up as he was ; first before his Majesty and Counsel ; and after in the Kings Bench , where ( when be lay very dangerously ill of the Small Pox ) she obtained a Habeas Corpus , and an Alias , and Pluries to bring her up to London , which produced those two Agreements insisted on . The first by the Three Lords , and the latter by the Judges . And that neither of them was executed , was her own and her Friends fault , as he doubts not in due time to make it evidently appear .

Notwithstanding these provocations , and the unjust blemishing of his Honor and Reputation , yet they continue to cohabite at Stoneleigh , till ( frustrated of other means ) in order to payment of Debts and Portions , he breaks up house , and by her consent and choice , retires to Mr. Dovers : and to remove all Jealousies , all Servants she had any prejudice against were displaced , and there ( notwithstanding the untrue suggestions to the contrary , ) she was treated with great respect , and had Coach and Servants to attend her when she desired ( save when 't was fitter for her to repose at home ) till by her Elopement , in such a manner as she did , she forfeited all the kindnesses could be expected from her Husband , with what Honor to her self , he could wish for her own sake had ( as well as her many other miscarriages in her ordinary conversation ) been kept from the World as a secret ; and that he might not by such unjust and scandalous reproaches as are used against him be compelled to make them more publick .

For what is said as to Sir William Bromely is ungrateful as well as for the most partuntrue , it being notoriously known that he was far from widening diffeence , and she justly owned many kindnesses from him ; And if any Plate , Writings or other things , were , upon breaking up of house , removed for safe custody to his House , what fitter person to be entrusted then so near a Relation ? to whom the Grandfather ; for his known Prudence and Integrity had committed both his Person and Estate during minority . And who , when it shall properly come under Examination , will appear to have reaped nothing but trouble by it ; the assignment so much noise is made of , being but a transferring of the Mortgage , on laying down of the Mortgage Money , after a Bill exhibited to foreclose a Redemption .

And now after his Lordship has been unjustly brought upon the Stage in the Three great Tribunals of England ; his Honourable intentions of discharging his Fathers Debts and Sisters Portions prevented ; and he in danger of suffering other irreparable injuries in his Name , Person , and Estate , whether he ought to encourage her in her disobedience , by giving her a separate maintainance , or reversing the Fine , and letting her into his Estate ( when in truth he can have little or no benefit or advantage by hers ) is humbly submitted to the consideration of all Prudent and Good men .