Blood v. Blood Separation for cruelty, 1686–1704
This chapter narrates the ill-treatment meted on Elizabeth Blood by her husband, Holcroft Blood, and analyzes the legal procedures involved in the ensuing law suit. As a result of the new and plausible-seeming evidence of adultery by Elizabeth, her suit for separation with Holcroft Blood was rejected by the Consistory Court. Despite this serious set-back, Elizabeth was obstinate enough to appeal her case to the Court of Arches. There she turned the tables on her accusers by having them summoned to an identification line-up. She appeared with six other women, and, when asked to pick her out, the three key witnesses to her alleged adultery with Brome all failed the test. Moreover, Mrs Boteler and her maid swore that Elizabeth never slept out of the house a single night during all the period she was supposed to have been living with Brome.
Keywords: adultery, separation, witnesses, Holcroft Bloos, Elizabeth, estrangement
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