Brewer's: Divorcement

A writing, or bill of divorcement. “Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement” (Matt. v. 31). Adalet tells in the Nineteenth Century (July, 1892, p. 137):

“A woman [in Turkey] divorced from her husband is not treated with contumely ... and often marries again ... A man simply states to his wife that he has divorced her, on which she will go away; and the man, having repeated the same to the cadi, will receive an act of divorce written, which he will send to her. If it is the first or second time that this has occurred, he may take her back again without any formality ensuing, but, after a third divorce, she will be lost to him for ever. Seeing the ease with which this may be done, it is not surprising if men abuse the licence, and sometimes divorce their wives for [a very small] fault ... as a badly-cooked dinner, or a button unsewed, knowing very well that if he repents of it he can have her back before evening. I know a lady who has been divorced from five husbands, and is now living with a sixth.”

Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894

Divus

Division