English

Noun

prætense ‎(plural prætenses)

1. Archaic spelling of pretense.
   • 1661 CE, Chancellor Hyde, in Life and Administration of Edward, Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans; Volume III, Chapter LXII, page #123:

     […] all which I say only to you, at least that these propositions may aryse from them rather then be pressed by us, and that the Kinge may be cleerely informed from your Lordship what is offred and expected ther, before you conclude any thinge positively ; and you will finde the difficulty the greater, because (though you may sweare no rebellion that shall aryse ther, on what grounde or prætense soever, will finde lesse countenance from our master then from any Pr. in Europe) you will observe in many treaties, if not in all, some articles in favour of the Protestants ; and if any thinge should be soe expresse in the Articles, that might obliege the Kinge to do any thinge against them, it would make an ill noyse, to the Kings præjudice, without any other advantage to the Kinge of France then of that præjudice.

   • 1671 CE, John Milton, “Samſon Agoniſtes, A Dramatick Poem” in The Poetical Works of John Milton, volume 4 (ed. Henry John Todd; pub. 1801), page 505:

     The queen hears of it; takes occaſion to paſſe wher he is, on purpoſe, that, under prætense of reconſiling to him, or ſeeking to draw a kind retractation from him of the cenſure on the marriage; to which end ſhe ſends a courtier before, to ſound whether he might be perſuaded to mitigate his ſentence; which not finding, ſhe herſelf craftily aſſays; and, on his conſtancie, ſounds an accuſation to Herod of a contumacious affront, on ſuch a day, before many peers; præpares the king to ſome paſſion, and at laſt, by her daughter’s dancing, effects it.