Orations of divers sorts accommodated to divers places written by the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle.

Accusing and Pleading at the Barr before the Judges, for and against a Woman that hath kill'd her Husband.

Most Reverend Judges,

The Plaintiff

THis Woman, who is Accused, not only for Killing a Man, but her Hus∣band, we have for this Grievous and Horrid Fact brought before your Honours, to be Judged according to the Laws, delivering her to your Justice and Judgement.

Defendant.

Most Reverend, and Just Judges, 'T is true, that this Unhappy Woman hath unfortunately Kill'd her Husband, but Heaven knows, it was Against her Will, and as I may say Against her

Knowledge: for her Husband and She being Lovingly together, not Mistrusting any Danger, on a sudden came a Man, who as it seems, was her Husbands Enemy, for he assaulted her Hus∣band with a drawn Sword; this Woman seeing her Husband in Danger, as being Unarmed and Defenceless, was so afrighted as she knew not what she did; Wherefore, she having got a Dagger, which lay in the Room they were in, and thinking to thrust it into her Husbands Ene∣my, Unawares thrust it into her Husbands Body, wherewith he fell down, and immediately Died, which when she saw and perceived the mistake, she was as Distracted, and at last fell into a Trance, but being Recovered out of that faint Fit, she hath since remain'd a most Sorrowfull and La∣menting Widdow; I Express her Sorrow, to prove her Innocence from all Evil Constructi∣ons; for the Death of her Husband was not Designed or Intended by her, but by Fate and Fortune; and it is the Duty of a Loving Wife, to defend her Husbands Honour, Person, and Life, with all her Indeavours, and if the success of her Honest, Loyal, and Loving indeavours falls out unfortunately, She ought not to be Pu∣nished for her Misfortune; for Misfortune is no Crime, but rather to be Pitied and Comforted, either can Justice make Misfortune a Law to Condemn to Dye; and shall Duty and Loyalty be made Traitors? shall Honest Love be Pu∣nished with Torments and Death? No, Most Reverend Judges, Love and Loyalty ought to

be Honoured with Praise and Respect, and not with Torments and Death, and the Death of this VVomans Husband was caused by a mas∣kered Fear, proceeding from an Extraordinary Love. Thus his Death was a Chance, not an In∣tended Murder.

Plaintiff.

Most Reverend Judges, there can be no Wit∣ness of the Intention, but her own Knowledge and Conscience, which are Invisible and not Proveable, and therefore Insufficient to Acquit Her; but that which is a Sufficient VVitness a∣gainst her Intention, and may lawfully Condemn her, is her indeavour to Resist the Judgement and Sentence of Death; for all Good, Loyal, and Loving VVives ought, nay, desire to Live and Dye with their Husbands, when as they be free from all Suspect, wherefore much more ought they to accompany their Husbands in Death, who are liable to be Judged and Condemned for Treason and Murder; for as it is Unlawfull and Irreligious for to Act her own Death, so it is Dishonourable and Impious to Indeavour to re∣sist the Judgement of Death by Lawfull Autho∣rity, Pleading by her Lawyers most shamefully for Life.

Defendant.

Most Reverend Judges, It is not that she De∣sires to Live, but not to Dye Infamously, as to Dye as a Murderer of her Husband; for though her Husband was Kill'd by her Hand, yet he was not Kill'd by her Intention, but by Chance, which misfortune makes her Life a Torment to her, for being so unhappy as Unwittingly to

Destroy him, which her Life did most Delight with; but yet she would, if she could, rather Live Miserably, than Dye Dishonourably; for in her Dishonourable Death, both She and her Husband doth doubly Dye.

Plaintiff.

Most Reverend Judges, It were better Two Persons should Dye Four times over, than such a Crime should be Once Pardoned; for the Ex∣ample will be more Dangerous, than to have an Innocent Condemned would be Grievous: But it is most probable, She is Guilty.