Page:A Treatise concerning the Use and Abuse of the Marriage Bed.djvu/385

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have said, have declared against; so that I need say nothing more to them.

There is also a violence of Importunity, and a violence of Authority; both these also I have spoken to at length, as well as the Violence occasioned by the Person having it in his or her Power to give or with-hold the Fortunes and Portions of the Persons.

But there is yet a violence of Treachery; and this is also a Crime which indeed ought to be punished by the Judge. This is generally practis'd upon the Ladies indeed, but sometimes both Sides are engag'd, and it is done with the utmost Cunning and Artifice: First, a Spy, or secret Agent is plac'd in the Family, (or as near it as may be) where the Person lives, and who insinuating into the Acquaintance of the Lady, and perhaps into her Confidence and Favour, fails not to encroach gradually so far, as to bring the Person who desires her Assistance, or employs her for that Purpose, into the Lady's Company; recommends him, gives his Character, sets other People to give his Character; and thus, in a word, the Lady is SET, as a Rook sets a Cully, for a Sharper, that is to say; for, &c.

Perhaps my Readers may be too sober to understand the Newgate Language, that is suitable to this wicked Work; namely, that the Cully is an innocent or ignorant Person, who a Sharper, that is a Gamester, wants to draw in to Play.

The Rook is a third Person, who sets him, as they call it, that is, gets into his Company, insinuates into his Society, scrapes Acquaintance with him, and so gets him to an Alehouse or Tavern, where the Gamester is sure to lieready,