The first of just two more queries

[Penholder]

It's the word between what I think says "sometimes they pretend that" and "the said Confederate Joane" that I can't make out  here.

As always I shall be incredibly grateful if someone can decipher it.

Diana

[horselydown86]

This one is a puzzler, Diana.

There are two words.  The second is she:

...she the said Confederate...

The preceding word eludes me for the moment.

[Bookbox]

Is it perhaps ... altho' she ... ?

[horselydown86]

Is it perhaps ... altho' she ... ?

It could well be....I can't see anything else that works.

The o in Confederate is similarly open.

[Penholder]

Hi Horselydown86 and Bookbox

Thank you both so much.   It's a really long sentence with no punctuation to help the sense but "altho" would certainly work in the context.

With grateful thanks as ever,

Diana