--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was a fact generally acknowledged by…" description: "\"“It was a fact generally acknowledged by all but the most contumacious spirits at the beginning of the seventeenth century that woman was the weaker ve..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/antonia-fraser-14421_bonds_it-was-a-fact-generally-acknowledged-by_840082.png" --- # It was a fact generally acknowledged by all but the most… ![“It was a fact generally acknowledged by all but the most contumacious spirits at the beginning of the seventeenth century that woman was the weaker vessel; weaker than man, that is. ... That was the way God had arranged Creation, sanctified in the words of the Apostle. ... Under the common law of…” quote by Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/antonia-fraser-14421_bonds_it-was-a-fact-generally-acknowledged-by_840082.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/antonia-fraser-14421_bonds_it-was-a-fact-generally-acknowledged-by_840082.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/052/antonia-fraser-14421_bonds_it-was-a-fact-generally-acknowledged-by_840082.png) > ““It was a fact generally acknowledged by all but the most contumacious spirits at the beginning of the seventeenth century that woman was the weaker vessel; weaker than man, that is. ... That was the way God had arranged Creation, sanctified in the words of the Apostle. ... Under the common law of England at the accession of King James I, no female had any rights at all (if some were allowed by custom). As an unmarried woman her rights were swallowed up in her father's, and she was his to dispose of in marriage at will. Once she was married her property became absolutely that of her husband. What of those who did not marry? Common law met that problem blandly by not recognizing it. In the words of The Lawes Resolutions \[the leading 17th century compendium on women's legal status\]: 'All of them are understood either married or to be married.' In 1603 England, in short, still lived in a world governed by feudal law, where a wife passed from the guardianship of her father to her husband; her husband also stood in relation to her as a feudal lord.”” [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In early 1600s England, law treated women as property, denying them rights and autonomy, illustrating systemic gender oppression. **In simple terms:** Women had no legal rights in 1600s England. Key Takeaway Understand historical gender inequality. Themes history law gender oppression Mood critical educational Type historical analytical When to use this quote - education - activism - policy reform - public awareness Key Concepts feminist theory legal history Questions to Reflect On - How did these laws shape women's roles? - What lessons apply to today’s gender equality efforts? A Different Perspective Historical context differs from modern legal standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonds/) [Empowerment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowerment/) [Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fathers/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feudalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feudalism/) [Gender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gender/) [Guardianship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guardianship/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Husbands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/husbands/) [Independence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independence/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Married life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/married-life/) [Matrimony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matrimony/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Misogyny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misogyny/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Self determination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-determination/) [Social norms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-norms/) [Subjugation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subjugation/) [Wedlock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wedlock/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) [Women 's rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women-s-rights/) ## Related quotes > [I've been doing a lot of work on female rights, especially adolescent rights. I've been to a lot of schools where the UNICEF had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/i-ve-been-doing-a-lot-of-work-on-female-rights-especially-adolescent/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [There is something wrong with a government that makes women the legal property of their husbands. The whole system needs changing, but men will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-woodhull/there-is-something-wrong-with-a-government-that-makes-women-the-legal/) [Victoria Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-woodhull/) > [Unfortunately, the belief that women are a minority is endemic in most cultures around the world. Obviously some take it to the extreme where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-anderson/unfortunately-the-belief-that-women-are-a-minority-is-endemic-in-most/) [Gillian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-anderson/) > [Children with heaven in their eyes and an air of mystery about them, meditative and quiet, friends of God, friends of all, loved and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-erskine-stuart/children-with-heaven-in-their-eyes-and-an-air-of-mystery-about-them/) [Janet Erskine Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-erskine-stuart/) > [Satisfied if they themselves can escape from the hard labour of thought, they willingly abandon to others the guardianship of their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/satisfied-if-they-themselves-can-escape-from-the-hard-labour-of/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [The administration of government, like a guardianship ought to be directed to the good of those who confer, not of those who receive the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-administration-of-government-like-a-guardianship-ought-to-be/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [A little reflection will enable any person to detect in himself that setness in trifles which is the result of the unwatched instinct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-beecher-stowe/a-little-reflection-will-enable-any-person-to-detect-in-himself-that/) [Harriet Beecher Stowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-beecher-stowe/) > [“As my husband, Lee had full right to appoint guardianship of me to any other man, with or without my consent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/as-my-husband-lee-had-full-right-to-appoint-guardianship-of-me-to-any/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [“My little girl, I would face a dozen storms far worse than this to keep your soul as stainless as snow; for it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/my-little-girl-i-would-face-a-dozen-storms-far-worse-than-this-to/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [You seem to forget that I'm Evie's legal guardian." "And you seem to forget that there's absolutely nothing legal about your guardianship, considering all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/you-seem-to-forget-that-i-m-evie-s-legal-guardian-and-you-seem-to/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [Just been talking today out here to all the Senators investigating these stock swindles and overcapitalizations. There has been hundreds of millions lost. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/just-been-talking-today-out-here-to-all-the-senators-investigating/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [For us, driving is not what we are looking for, but being in the driver's seat of our only destiny. That means ending guardianship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manal-al-sharif/for-us-driving-is-not-what-we-are-looking-for-but-being-in-the-driver/) [Manal al-Sharif](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manal-al-sharif/) > [No one can dictate what I will wear and I am strictly against such moral guardianship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mimi-chakraborty/no-one-can-dictate-what-i-will-wear-and-i-am-strictly-against-such/) [Mimi Chakraborty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mimi-chakraborty/) > [Reverence, enthusiasm, and a sense of guardianship, these three are actually the panacea, the magical remedy, in the soul of the educator and teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-steiner/reverence-enthusiasm-and-a-sense-of-guardianship-these-three-are/) [Rudolf Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-steiner/) > [Veganism isn’t just a strict vegetarian diet; it is a complete philosophical viewpoint. It is practical in outlook, simple to understand and aspires to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-lyman/veganism-isn-t-just-a-strict-vegetarian-diet-it-is-a-complete/) [Howard Lyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-lyman/) ## More by Antonia Fraser > [It can be a long gap between the emergence of fully researched historical biographies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/it-can-be-a-long-gap-between-the-emergence-of-fully-researched/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [“Though Charles II both craved and enjoyed female companionship till the end of his life, there is no question that by the cold, rainy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/though-charles-ii-both-craved-and-enjoyed-female-companionship-till/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [We are privileged. There are poor people out there. We must to do something to make them privileged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/we-are-privileged-there-are-poor-people-out-there-we-must-to-do/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [The concentration in my book on Marie Antoinette's childhood and on her family influences. It is surprising how some books actually start with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/the-concentration-in-my-book-on-marie-antoinette-s-childhood-and-on/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [My mother, who was quite sharp when I was young, became utterly mild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/my-mother-who-was-quite-sharp-when-i-was-young-became-utterly-mild/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [Of course there's no such thing as a totally objective person, except Almighty God, if she exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/of-course-there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-totally-objective-person-except/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [I'm very interested in good and evil and the moral natures of people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/i-m-very-interested-in-good-and-evil-and-the-moral-natures-of-people/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [As the Dauphine stepped out of her carriage on to the ceremonial carpet that had been laid down, it was the Duc de Choiseul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/as-the-dauphine-stepped-out-of-her-carriage-on-to-the-ceremonial/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [I have seen all, I have heard all, I have forgotten all. marie antoinette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/i-have-seen-all-i-have-heard-all-i-have-forgotten-all-marie-antoinette/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [After Mary Queen of Scots, I turned to the farthest subject possible: Cromwell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/after-mary-queen-of-scots-i-turned-to-the-farthest-subject-possible/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [I hate the only one of my book jackets when I was made up professionally, my hair made into a smooth bell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/i-hate-the-only-one-of-my-book-jackets-when-i-was-made-up/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [Mary Queen of Scots was my first love, and that is always something special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/mary-queen-of-scots-was-my-first-love-and-that-is-always-something/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [“People cannot help their predilections, although they may conceal them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/people-cannot-help-their-predilections-although-they-may-conceal-them/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [That is my major concern: writers who are in prison for writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/that-is-my-major-concern-writers-who-are-in-prison-for-writing/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) > [I don't like it, but this afternoon I've told myself I am going to go and get a dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-fraser/i-don-t-like-it-but-this-afternoon-i-ve-told-myself-i-am-going-to-go/) [Antonia Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) [Explore all 46 Antonia Fraser quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-fraser/) ## More Bonds quotes > [“It was a popular belief in Victorian society that women, with their mercurial natures and lesser brains, could not have the same quality of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/it-was-a-popular-belief-in-victorian-society-that-women-with-their/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [“The bonds between a family are strange indeed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-sheridan/the-bonds-between-a-family-are-strange-indeed/) [Sara Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-sheridan/) > [“If you cannot wait for time to unearth roots, you must dig.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelou-keramati/if-you-cannot-wait-for-time-to-unearth-roots-you-must-dig/) Nelou Keramati > [Bonds are guaranteed certificates of confiscation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-pick/bonds-are-guaranteed-certificates-of-confiscation/) Franz Pick > [I've seen few things more depressing than the end-of-season Giants-Padres series in 2001 in which Barry Bonds hit his 68th homer of the year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-rodrick/i-ve-seen-few-things-more-depressing-than-the-end-of-season-giants/) [Stephen Rodrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-rodrick/) > [“To have deep roots in a place means having dead buried there. It is almost that literal, the dead forming your bond to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julene-bair/to-have-deep-roots-in-a-place-means-having-dead-buried-there-it-is/) [Julene Bair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julene-bair/) > [“It is so simple and easy to hate and so grueling and hard to love, when the emotional “love forever”- revelation has become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/it-is-so-simple-and-easy-to-hate-and-so-grueling-and-hard-to-love/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [By the mid-1950s, the young bond traders on the Street were becoming more and more of a fraternity. We organized informal luncheons every Thursday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-simon/by-the-mid-1950s-the-young-bond-traders-on-the-street-were-becoming/) [William E. Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-simon/) > [“Don't get entangled With what you long for or dislike. Not seeing what you long for is suffering; So also is seeing what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-get-entangled-with-what-you-long-for-or-dislike-not-seeing-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Being afraid of building bonds because of the hurt you felt from those who betrayed your trust before, is a foolish sentiment. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imania-margria/being-afraid-of-building-bonds-because-of-the-hurt-you-felt-from/) [Imania Margria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imania-margria/) > [We are acknowledging the close personal nature of our 10 years at war and the strong bonds of fidelity that Marines have for one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-amos/we-are-acknowledging-the-close-personal-nature-of-our-10-years-at-war/) [James F. Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-amos/) > [The positive aspect of my negative view is essentially that you shouldn't own cash and government bonds, but you should be in assets like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-faber/the-positive-aspect-of-my-negative-view-is-essentially-that-you/) [Marc Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-faber/) > [It's a Crime for the Slave to Love her Bonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ghada-al-samman/it-s-a-crime-for-the-slave-to-love-her-bonds/) Ghada al-Samman > [Markets themselves are looking for stability, and I think we have underestimated the capacity of Europe... to actually create a more stable framework for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/markets-themselves-are-looking-for-stability-and-i-think-we-have/) [George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/) > [“If money is the bond binding me to human life, binding society to me, connecting me with nature and man, is not money the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/if-money-is-the-bond-binding-me-to-human-life-binding-society-to-me/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) [Browse all 156 Bonds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bonds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It was a fact generally acknowledged by all but the most contumacious spirits at the beginning of the seventeenth century that woman was the weaker vessel; weaker than man, that is. ... That was the way God had arranged Creation, sanctified in the words of the Apostle. ... Under the common law of England at the accession of King James I, no female had any rights at all (if some were allowed by custom). As an unmarried woman her rights were swallowed up in her father's, and she was his to dispose of in marriage at will. Once she was married her property became absolutely that of her husband. What of those who did not marry? Common law met that problem blandly by not recognizing it. In the words of The Lawes Resolutions [the leading 17th century compendium on women's legal status]: 'All of them are understood either married or to be married.' 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