Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/42

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lated, which ſtill strengthens my Aſſertion, that the Law in this Inſtance is hard, since it ſhews it to be againſt the general Senſe and Humanity of Mankind to go to the Extent of it.

Obj. V. The Laws obliging Men to pay their Wives Debts contracted before Marriage is as hard upon them.

I believe not; Womens Debts being more eaſily known than Mens, they having many ways of concealing and miſrepre{{ls} }enting their Circumſtances which Women have not.

All Men in Trade have their Affairs ſo complicated, that it is an hard Matter to find out what their Debts are.

A Man may by the treacherous Kindneſs of a Friend be put in Poſſeſſion of a Fortune in Order to obtain a Woman with Money, and ſecretly contract to pay it all back again as ſoon as he is married. That is, as ſoon as he has got her Money, that being all which he conſidered.

A Spend-thrift may buy a young Heireſs of thoſe about her, and afterwards pay the purchaſe money out of her Eſtate.

Obj. VI. Theſe are Tricks and Cheats, which the Law neither ordains, nor is anſwerable for.

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