Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/46

 Obj. VI. Amends is made for all this, by Womens Exemption from Imprionment in Civil Caues.

'Tis fit indeed they hould be exempted, as having no Property, and conequently no Way of getting out again; but this Exemption was never intended as a Favour to them; however it may ometimes accidentally become o.

One Reaon of uch Exemption I take to be this, that a Woman's lying in Jail will pay no Man his Money, and o ome Perons might chance to become Loers by her; 'tis therefore Decreed, that her Huband who poees her Property, hall be anwerable for her Debts.

The Civil Law aigns another Reaon for the Exemption of Wives from a Jail in Civil Caues, namely, that there is too great an Hazard of having their Chatity attempted in uch Confinement.

I uppoe our Englih Hubands are more tenacious of their Property in that Point than the Romans were, and would be more uneae at the Invaion of it: Not that they conider the Woman in an higher Character, as a Chritian, and for her own ake, to keep her out of the Temptation, and inning againt the Law of God; for if that were