Answer:
The answer is Was a divine dispensation/And could not be dissolved,/Except by death.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the line above, Mr. Purkapile is stating his view on marriage as something religious and spiritual, probably related to the Christian tradition of marriage as a sacrament. The usage of the phrase 'divine dispensation' is related to a biblical term that refers to special permission granted by the Church to do something. It is also implied that marriage is eternal and can only end by death, something very common among Western religions.