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CHAP. XIV.
Of Clandestine, Forcible and Treacherous Marriages.
t is with a great deal of Reason and Justice, that our Laws have made stealing of Ladies criminal; I mean a Capital Criminal. It seemed a little hard, that a Gentleman might have the satisfaction of hanging a Thief that stole an old Horse from him, but could have no Justice against a Rogue for stealing his Daughter.
The Arts and Tricks made use of to Trapan, and, as it were, Kidnap young Women away into the Hands of Brutes and Sharpers, were very scandalous, and it became almost dangerous for any one to leave a Fortune to the disposal of the Person that was to enjoy it, and where it was so left, the young Lady went always in Danger of her Life, she was watch'd, laid in wait for, and, as it were, besieged by a continual Gang of Rogues, Cheats, Gamesters, and such like starving Crew, so that she was obliged to confine her self like a Prisoner to her Chamber, be lock'd, and barr'd, and bolted in, and have her Eyes every Moment upon the Door, as if she was afraid of Bayliffs and Officers to arrest her; or else she was snatch'd up, seized upon, hurry'd up into aCoach
