Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/29

 be equally prevalent in all Caes, and a Wife is not exempted from Punihment in Cae of Treaon, though it hould appear that he committed this Treaon in Concert with, and in the Preence of her Huband: A uppoed Compulion from peronal Strength will not exempt a Boy from Punihment, if he robs, or murders with any Man, except his Father; but the Father's Authority shall excuse the Son, till the Son is at Years of Discretion, when it is supposed that he must; understand, that the Command of God uperedes that of a Father, and that it is at his Peril if he does not obey God rather than Man.

A Son is not conider'd as a free Agent, when he Acts with his Father, till he comes to the full ue of his undertanding; and the Indulgence he receives before, is a Favour to the Weaknes of his Intellects, not to the Weaknes of his Body.

In Short, either Wives can judge how far, and in what intances an Huband is to be obeyed, or they cannot: If they are o undicerning as not to be able to perceive the eential Difference between obeying their Hubands in the Lord, and in the direct Oppoition to and Defiance of him; then let their blind Obedience to their Hubands excue them in the Cae of Treaon as well as