ABSTRACT
This chapter explores exclusion through its domestic dimensions, focusing on two well-documented but hitherto overlooked cases from the mid-seventeenth century. The notebook of Justinian Pagitt records his struggle with his stepmother, whom he accused of failing to perform her duties as wife and housekeeper, with each seeking to marginalise the other within the household. The extraordinary story of Wessell Goodwin reveals a more complex political dynamic. Two scheming sisters contrived to rid themselves of their unwanted husbands, ingratiate themselves with Goodwin, and eventually exclude him and his family from their home and business. Both cases underline the instability of marriage structures in early modern England, especially when the head of a household proved incapable of adequately performing his role.
