[ 25 ]
A Man and his Wife were found hanged, and their Child murdered in the Cradle in their Bed-chamber, the Door being locked within ſide, and a Paper lying upon the Table, which Paper contained the Reaſons of their laying violent Hands upon themſelves and Child, and was ſubſcribed both by the Man's and Woman's Name. The Man was adjudged guilty of Murder and Suicide, and his Body buried in the High-way accordingly; but the Woman being ſuppoſed to hang herſelf at the Command of her Huſband, was exempted from further Miſchief. Now this was no doubt a conſiderable Kindneſs to the Woman, and a great Comfort to the good Huſbands in his Majeſties Dominions, to provide them a Precedent for commanding their Wives to hang themſelves, the Woman being ſuppoſed to act upon competent Authority, or the Sentence upon her Body could not have been remitted upon that Conſideration. There is a further Reaſon to deem it an Act of Obedience to Authority, and not a Compliance with Power, time I believe it would be hard to find any Perſon of ſo peculiar a Way of thinking, as to be prevailed upon to hang herſelf for fear of being killed: Unleſs her Huſband had had an Authority as abſolute as Nero, and ſent his Mandate ordering her to diſpatch herſelf in
