▁the ▁King ' s ▁peace , ▁was ▁de alt ▁with ▁in ▁sec ular ▁courts . ▁Pen alt ies ▁for ▁abort ion ▁varied ▁depending ▁on ▁whether ▁the ▁fet us ▁was ▁formed ▁or ▁un formed , ▁that ▁is ▁before ▁or ▁after ▁quick ening , ▁and ▁were ▁only ▁im posed ▁on ▁women ▁who ▁had ▁ab orted ▁the ▁product ▁of ▁" f orn ic ation " ▁( ill ic it ▁sex ), ▁a ▁distinction ▁previously ▁made ▁by ▁the ▁V ener able ▁B ede . ▁ ▁The ▁person hood ▁status ▁of ▁the ▁fet us ▁once ▁born ▁is ▁a ▁matter ▁of ▁spec ulation , ▁as ▁children ▁had ▁little ▁recognition ▁at ▁law ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁Off ences ▁against ▁the ▁Person ▁Act ▁ 1 8 2 8 , ▁and ▁today ▁are ▁still ▁not ▁considered ▁full ▁persons ▁until ▁they ▁reach ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁majority ▁and ▁are ▁de emed ▁capable ▁of ▁entering ▁into ▁leg ally ▁binding ▁contract s . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁El iza ▁Arm strong ▁case ▁shows , ▁however , ▁it ▁was ▁still ▁legal ▁for ▁a ▁father ▁to ▁sell ▁his ▁child ▁as ▁late ▁as ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁long ▁after ▁the ▁slave ▁trade ▁had ▁been ▁abol ished ▁in ▁England . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁nin ete enth ▁century , ▁some ▁began ▁to ▁argue ▁for ▁legal ▁recognition ▁of ▁the ▁moment ▁of ▁conception ▁as ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁a ▁human ▁being , ▁bas ing ▁their ▁argument ▁on ▁growing ▁aw aren ess ▁of ▁the ▁processes ▁of ▁pre gn ancy ▁and ▁f etal ▁development . ▁They ▁succeeded ▁in ▁draft ing ▁laws ▁which ▁criminal ized ▁abort ion