] It was the wife's to do with as she saw fit. Interesting to think of all those Irish peasants toiling away to keep one Englishwoman in ribbons and laces.

] I know of a fictional example -- the Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane marriage settlement in Busman's Honeymoon. In this case, I suppose Mrs. D would be happy to take whatever the love struck Mrs. D was pleased to settle on her. Such negotiations as there were would have been handled by her father, who, as you say, was not in much of a position to insist on more than D was willing to give.

] In this class of people at this time, rents and the funds are where it would come from.

] Excellent questions to which I don't have an answer.