keep his
wife so much in subjection, that she by no means be mistress of her
own actions. If the wife have her own free-will, notwithstanding she
be of a superior caste, she will behave amiss."

"The Creator formed woman for this purpose, that man might have sexual
intercourse with her, and that children might be born from thence."

"A woman shall never go out of the house without the consent of her
husband.... and shall act according to the orders of her husband, and
shall pay a proper respect to the Deity, her husband's father, the
spiritual guide, and the guests; and shall not eat until she has
served them with victuals (if it is physic, she may take it before
they eat); a woman also shall never go to a stranger's house, and
shall not stand at the door, and must never look out of a window."

"If a woman, following her own inclinations, goes whithersoever she
choose, and does not regard the words of her master, such a woman
shall be turned away."

"If a man goes on a journey, his wife shall not divert herself by
play, nor shall see any public show, nor shall laugh, nor shall dress
herself with jewels and fine clothes, nor shall see dancing, nor hear
music, nor shall sit in the window, nor shall ride out, nor shall
behold anything choice or rare, but shall fasten well the house-door
and remain private; and shall not eat any dainty victuals, and shall
not view herself in a mirror; she shall never exercise herself in any
such agreeable employment during the absence of her husband."

"It is proper for every woman, after her husband's death, to burn
herself in the fire with his corpse."

It will be seen that the following laws scarcely vary at all, in
principle, from the preceding:

II. ANGLO-SAXON LAWS. 1848.--"By marriage, the husband and wife are
one person in law; that is, _the very being or existence of the woman
is suspended during the marriage_, or at least is incorporated and
consolidated into that of the husband, under whose wing, protection,
and _covert_ she performs everything; and is, therefore, called in our
Law-French a _feme-covert_, is said to be _covert-baron_, or under the
protection and influence of her husband, her baron, or lord; and her
condition during her marriage is called her _coverture_. Upon this
principle, of an union of person in husband and wife, depend almost
all the legal rights, duties, and disabilities that either of them
acquire by the marriage."--_1 Blackstone Com_., 356.

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