Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/14

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which gave her, her Coup de Grace in leſs than a Month; when ſhe left her Sufferings to be avenged by Heaven, though they were diſregarded by Men, from whom ſhe could find no Redreſs, her Huſband never having beaten her, nor threatened her Life, though he took all other Methods to break her Heart.

Caſe III. The next Caſe I ſhall relate is very ſhort, conſiſting of few Particulars. A young Lady poſſeſt of a conſiderable Fortune in Land and Money, married a Gentleman, in whom ſhe had ſuch full Truſt and Confidence, that ſhe made no Reſerve to herſelf, but flung her whole Fortune with her Perſon entirely into his Power. As he had no Fortune of his own, it was a fine thing to him to be maſter of an Eſtate; he launched out into the moſt extravagant Expences, but ſoon finding ſome Frugality neceſſary, he thought fit to confine his Wife in her Country Houſe, with the bare Allowance of the neceſſary Supports of Life, and one Servant to attend her, who was alſo her Jailer. In this Confinement ſhe lived, till it pleaſed that Being, who alone had Power, to ſet her Free.

Caſe IV. The next Inſtance I ſhall produce, is the Caſe of Mr. Veezey, tryed at the Old Bailey, where it was proved that he con-

fined