prætense

Noun

 * 1) * 1671, 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.
 * 1) * 1671, 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.