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to be inconvenient. Or rather, by blending their ſeveral conſtitutions together he had ſo ingeniouſly counterbalanced the evils of one mode of government with the benefits of another, that the advantages were richly enjoyed, and the inconveniencies ſcarcely felt. In ſhort, his family was thought to be the beſt ordered of any in his neighbourhood.
He never exerciſed any undue authority over his children or ſervants; neither indeed could he oppreſs them if he was ſo diſpoſed; for it was particularly covenanted in his marriage articles that he ſhould not at any time impoſe any taſks or hardſhips whatever upon his children without the free conſent of his wife.[1]
Now the cuſtom in his family was this, that at the end of every ſeven years his marriage became of courſe null and void; at which time his children and grandchildren met together and choſe another wife for him, whom the old gentleman was obliged to marry under the ſame articles and reſtrictions as before. If his late wife had conducted herſelf, during her ſeven years marriage, with mildneſs, diſcretion, and integrity, ſhe was re-elected; if otherwiſe, depoſed: By which means the chidren had always a
- ↑ the Parliament
