as no sooner introduced,
under pretence of calling by the way to see some pictures he had a mind
to buy, but the key was turned upon her, and she left a prisoner by her
faithless husband, who while his injured wife was confined and used with
the utmost barbarity, he, like a profligate wretch, ran through her
fortune with strumpets, and then basely, under pretence of giving her
liberty, extorted her to make over her jointure, which she had no sooner
done but he laughed in her face, and left her to be as ill-used as ever.
This he soon ran through, and (happily for the lady) died by the justice
of heaven in a salivation his debauches had obliged him to undergo.

During her confinement, the villain of the madhouse frequently attempted
her chastity; and the more she repulsed him the worse he treated her,
till at last he drove her mad in good earnest. Her distressed brother,
who is fond of her to the last degree, now confines her in part of his
own house, treating her with great tenderness, but has the mortification
to be assured by the ablest physicians that his poor sister is
irrecoverably distracted.

Numberless are the instances I could produce, but they would be
accounted fictitious, because I do not name the particular persons, for
the reasons before assigned; but the sufferings of these poor ladies are
not fictitious, nor are the villany of the madhouses, or the unnatural,
though fashionable barbarity of husbands, chimeras, but too solid
grievances, and manifest violations of the laws of God and man.

Most gracious and august queen Caroline! ornament of your sex, and pride
of the British nation! the best of mothers, the best of wives, the best
of women! Begin this auspicious reign with an action worthy your
illustrious self, rescue your injured sex from this tyranny, nor let it
be in the power of every brutal husband to cage and confine his wife at
pleasure, a practice scarce heard of till of late years. Nip it in the
bud, most gracious queen, and draw on yourself the blessings of
numberless of the fair sex, now groaning under the severest and most
unjust bondage. Restore them to their families; let them, by your means,
enjoy light and liberty; that while they fondly embrace, and with tears
of joy weep over their dear children, so long withheld from them, they
may invoke accumulated blessings from heaven upon your royal head!

And you, ye fair illustrious circle! who adorn the British court! and
every day surround o