ABSTRACT
Two matches were before proposed by myself to him within a year's space ... with two noble gentlewomen that were likely to be the co-heirs of their families, but these perished abortively in the birth almost as soon as I had begun the pursuit of them: by which he plainly saw that next religion my chief aim was to enrich my posterity with good blood, knowing it the greatest honour that can betide a family to be often linked into the female inheritrices of ancient stocks: and seeing the divine providence had blessed my father with a wife that was the heir of her father's estate and surname, I did not doubt but he would in mercy vouchsafe me the like happiness: which made me always in an humble and mannerly way to refuse such propositions of matches as he made to me in the city of London or elsewhere: which, in respect of the greatness of the portion36 would have been very acceptable to him. This was the fourth female inheritrice I cast my thoughts and desires upon ....
