Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/56

 Heart which acquits me before God, will alo plead my Excue before Men, for making thee Repreentations; epecially ince I apprehend, that I am jutified by the Laws of the Land, which allow every Englih Subject, the Privilege to peak his own Grievances.

It is reported of a magical Ring of Gyges's, that it had an extraordinary Power of making the Wearer of it inviible. A Peron being aked, what a Man of Honour would do had he uch a Ring? He was anwered, jut the ame as he would without it. All Men who have the leat Notion of Honour, would readily acquiece in the Jutnes of this Reply: Bur I believe few who know the preent Dipoition of the World, would think it very politick to preent every Man in his Majet's Dominions with uch a Ring; let the Power of doing Michief, might create, as well as ait an Inclination to it.

A Man of Honour would not deire uch a Ring; a Man without Honour hould not be truted with it.

A good Huand would not deire the Power of Hore-whipping, confining, Half-tarving his Wife, or quandering her Etate; a bad Huband hould not be allowed it.

A good Huband would never feel the Retraint; a bad one, would ultimately find the Advan-