Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/19

 Throne, to the Labourer that digs in the Mines.

'Tis true, hould a Wife be o audacious as to find Means to confine her Huband, he would be unpardonable; her Guilt would be aggravated by the Relation he tands in to him, by the Repect and Deference he owes him; it would be a kind of Petty Treaon. But as it is impracticable, I can injure no Man by making the Suppoition, which, as a Chritian, every Man who has any uch Deigns upon his Wife, ought to make to himelf: Though the Law allows him that Power, Concience does not. Our very Enemies, as oon as they fall into our Power, though involuntarily, have a Title to our Favour and Protection; all the Laws of Honour and Generoity plead for their gentle Treatment; and hall a Huband be called a Man of Honour, who treats his Wife harhly for no Reaon, bur becaue he is in his Power, and which Power he derived from her unbounded Confidence in him? She puts her whole Happines into his Hands, a Trut for which no Man can give a ufficient Security. She has from hence a Title to his Protection in every Ditres: If o, how is a Huband's Guilt aggravated, when he beats, confines, or murders his Wife? Our