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Article THE SPEECH OF MISS POLLY BAKER, ← Page 2 of 3 →
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The Speech Of Miss Polly Baker,
be a crime ( in the nature of things I mean ) to add to the number of the King ' s subjects , in a new country that really wants people ? I - own it , I should think it a praise-worthy , rather than a punishable action . I have debauched no other woman ' s husband , nor enticed any youth ; these things I never was charged with , nor has any one the least cause of complaint against me , unless , perhaps , tne minister because
, orjustice , I have had children without bein ^ married , by which they have missed a wedding fee . But , can this be a fault of mine ? I appeal to your honours . You are pleased to ailow I don ' t want sense ; but I must be stupified to the last degree , notto prefer the honourable state of wedlock , to the condition I have lived in . 1 always was , and still am willing to enter into itand doubt not
my behaving well in it , having all the industry , ' frugality , fertility , and-skill in ceconomy , appertaining to a good wue s character . I . defy any person to say , I ever refused an offer Oi that sort : on the contrary I readily consented to the onl y proposal of marriage that ever was made me , which was when I was a Virgin ; but too easil confiding in the ' sincerity that made
y persons it ,- I unhappil y lost my own honour by trusting to his ; for he got ' me with child and then forsook me . That very person you ° aII know ; he is now become a magistrate of this county : and I had hopes he would have appeared this day on the bench , and have endeavoured to . moderate the court in my favour ; then I should have scorned to have mentioned it : but I must now complain of it
, as unjust and unequal , that my-betrayer and undoer , the first cause of my faults and miscarriages ( if they must be deemed such ) should he advanced to honour and power in the government , that punishes , rny misfortunes with stripes and infamy . I should be told it is like that were ( here no act of assembly in the case , that the precepts of religion are violated b y my transgressions . If mine is a reli gious leave it to reli
onence , gious punishments . You have already exemded me from your church communion . Is not that sufficient ? leui believe I have offended heaven , and must suffer eternal fire : -. ¦ Vill not that be sufficient ? What need is there , then , of your ad ditional fines and whipping ? I own , I do not' think as you do ; for , ir I thought what call a sinwas really suchI could not
you , , presumptuousl y commit it . But , how can it be believed , that heaven is angry at my having children , when to the little done by me towards it , God . has been pleased to add his divine skill and admirable workmanshi p in the formation of their bodies , and crowned it , by f'uniishingthem with rational andimmortal souls ? Forgive me , ' gentlemen , if I talk a little extravagantl y on these matters ; I an ! divinebut if
no , you , gentlemen , must be making laws , do not turn natural and useful actions into crimes , by your prohibitions . But taite into your wise consideration the great and growing number of hatchedors in the country , many of whom , frorn the mean fear of the e . vpeuces of a famil y , have never sincerely and ' honourably coi : rie
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Speech Of Miss Polly Baker,
be a crime ( in the nature of things I mean ) to add to the number of the King ' s subjects , in a new country that really wants people ? I - own it , I should think it a praise-worthy , rather than a punishable action . I have debauched no other woman ' s husband , nor enticed any youth ; these things I never was charged with , nor has any one the least cause of complaint against me , unless , perhaps , tne minister because
, orjustice , I have had children without bein ^ married , by which they have missed a wedding fee . But , can this be a fault of mine ? I appeal to your honours . You are pleased to ailow I don ' t want sense ; but I must be stupified to the last degree , notto prefer the honourable state of wedlock , to the condition I have lived in . 1 always was , and still am willing to enter into itand doubt not
my behaving well in it , having all the industry , ' frugality , fertility , and-skill in ceconomy , appertaining to a good wue s character . I . defy any person to say , I ever refused an offer Oi that sort : on the contrary I readily consented to the onl y proposal of marriage that ever was made me , which was when I was a Virgin ; but too easil confiding in the ' sincerity that made
y persons it ,- I unhappil y lost my own honour by trusting to his ; for he got ' me with child and then forsook me . That very person you ° aII know ; he is now become a magistrate of this county : and I had hopes he would have appeared this day on the bench , and have endeavoured to . moderate the court in my favour ; then I should have scorned to have mentioned it : but I must now complain of it
, as unjust and unequal , that my-betrayer and undoer , the first cause of my faults and miscarriages ( if they must be deemed such ) should he advanced to honour and power in the government , that punishes , rny misfortunes with stripes and infamy . I should be told it is like that were ( here no act of assembly in the case , that the precepts of religion are violated b y my transgressions . If mine is a reli gious leave it to reli
onence , gious punishments . You have already exemded me from your church communion . Is not that sufficient ? leui believe I have offended heaven , and must suffer eternal fire : -. ¦ Vill not that be sufficient ? What need is there , then , of your ad ditional fines and whipping ? I own , I do not' think as you do ; for , ir I thought what call a sinwas really suchI could not
you , , presumptuousl y commit it . But , how can it be believed , that heaven is angry at my having children , when to the little done by me towards it , God . has been pleased to add his divine skill and admirable workmanshi p in the formation of their bodies , and crowned it , by f'uniishingthem with rational andimmortal souls ? Forgive me , ' gentlemen , if I talk a little extravagantl y on these matters ; I an ! divinebut if
no , you , gentlemen , must be making laws , do not turn natural and useful actions into crimes , by your prohibitions . But taite into your wise consideration the great and growing number of hatchedors in the country , many of whom , frorn the mean fear of the e . vpeuces of a famil y , have never sincerely and ' honourably coi : rie