Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/39

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with the Conſent of her intended Huſband otherwiſe the Court of Chancery will relieve him. But if we reflect how extreamly ignorant all young Women are as to points in Law, and how their Education and Way of Life, ſhuts them out from the Knowledge of their true Intereſt in almoſt all things, we ſhall find that their Truſt and Confidence in the Man they love, and Inability to make uſe of the proper Means to guard againſt his Falſehood, leave few in a Condition to make uſe of that Precaution. And it is too notoriouſly known, that it has ſeldom been of Service to thoſe who have done it, the Huſband having ſo entirely the Diſpoſal of the Wife's Perſon, that he eaſily finds Means to bend her to his Will, inſomuch that I have heard, that it is a frequent ſaying of one of our preſent eminent Judges, “that he had hardly known an Inſtance where the Wife had not been kiſſed or kicked out of any ſuch previous Settlement."

Obj. IV. A Wife cannot be ſaid to be diveſted of all Property, ſince ſhe does retain a reverſionary Property in her Jointure, which is out of the Huſband's Power to alienate.

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