Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/35

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and Seiſin of that Right to his Goods, which ſhe had acquired by becoming his Wife".

Again, though [1] "by the Civil Law, the Huſband during the Marriage, receives the Profits acruing from the Wife's Portion, yet if he declines and grows low in Fortune ſhe may by Law ſeize her Portion, or Security, or bring her Action againſt him, and lodge it out of his reach, for the Property of the Portion is not tranſfered from the Wife by the Intermarriage."

The Laws of England allow a Wife no ſuch Privilege; for if a Man having no real Eſtate, marries a Woman with any Fortune in Money, and covenants to leave her ſuch a Part of it at his Death, if afterwards ſhe perceives that he deſigns to ſpend the whole in his Life-time, ſhe cannot take any Method to prevent it, the Law allowing her no Remedy.

Thus We ſee that by the Laws of Rome, the Wife had her diſtinct Properties, as well as the Huſband. But that by the Laws of England ſhe is diveſted of all Property.

I have been informed by Perſons of great Integrity, who have long reſided in Portugal and conſequently had Opportunities of know-

  1. Wood's New Inſtitute, p. 54.
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