CHAP. II.
Should it happen, as it sometimes does, that a man endows a Woman, having but a small freehold at the time of his being affianced, he may afterwards enlarge her Dower to the third part or less of the Lands, he may have[164] purchased.
But if upon the Assignment of Dower, no mention was made concerning purchases, even admitting that at the time of affiance he possessed but a small Estate, and that he afterwards much increased it, the Wife cannot claim as Dower more than a third part of such Land as her Husband held, at the time of being affianced, and when he endowed her. The same Rule prevails if a Man, not being possessed of any Land, should endow his Wife with his Chattels,[165] and other things, or even with Money. Should he afterwards make considerable purchases in Land and Tenements, the Wife cannot claim any part of such property so acquired by purchase; it being, with respect to the quantity or quality of the Dower assigned to any Woman, a general principle, that if she is satisfied to the extent of her endowment at the door of the Church, she can never afterwards claim as Dower anything beyond it.[166]