“‘Women must be submissive,’ said my landlady.  ’Indeed what could most women do?  Who had they to maintain them, but their husbands?  Every woman, and especially a lady, could not go through rough and smooth, as she had done, to earn a little bread.’

“She was in a talking mood, and proceeded to inform me how she had been used in the world.  ’She knew what it was to have a bad husband, or she did not know who should.’  I perceived that she would be very much mortified, were I not to attend to her tale, and I did not attempt to interrupt her, though I wished her, as soon as possible, to go out in search of a new abode for me, where I could once more hide my head.

“She began by telling me, ’That she had saved a little money in service; and was over-persuaded (we must all be in love once in our lives) to marry a likely man, a footman in the family, not worth a groat.  My plan,’ she continued, ’was to take a house, and let out lodgings; and all went on well, till my husband got acquainted with an impudent slut, who chose to live on other people’s means—­and then all went to rack and ruin.  He ran in debt to buy her fine clothes, such clothes as I never thought of wearing myself, and—­would you believe it?—­he signed an execution on my very goods, bought with the money I worked so hard to get; and they came and took my bed from under me, before I heard a word of the matter.  Aye, madam, these are misfortunes that you gentlefolks know nothing of,—­but sorrow is sorrow, let it come which way it will.

“’I sought for a service again—­very hard, after having a house of my own!—­but he used to follow me, and kick up such a riot when he was drunk, that I could not keep a place; nay, he even stole my clothes, and pawned them; and when I went to the pawnbroker’s, and offered to take my oath that they were not bought with a farthing of his money, they said, ‘It was all as one, my husband had a right to whatever I had.’

“’At last he listed for a soldier, and I took a house, making an agreement to pay for the furniture by degrees; and I almost starved myself, till I once more got before-hand in the world.

“’After an absence of six years (God forgive me!  I thought he was dead) my husband returned; found me out, and came with such a penitent face, I forgave him, and clothed him from head to foot.  But he had not been a week in the house, before some of his creditors arrested him; and, he selling my goods, I found myself once more reduced to beggary; for I was not as well able to work, go to bed late, and rise early, as when I quitted service; and then I thought it hard enough.  He was soon tired of me, when there was nothing more to be had, and left me again.

“I will not tell you how I was buffeted about, till, hearing for certain that he had died in an hospital abroad, I once more returned to my old occupation; but have not yet been able to get my head above water:  so, madam, you must not be angry if I am afraid to run any risk, when I know so well, that women have always the worst of it, when law is to decide.’