of the day, and in 1659 the following law was passed by 

 the Colonial legislature of Massachusetts : 



"For preventing disorders arising in several places 

 within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing 

 such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other coun- 

 tries, to the great dishonor of God and offence of others, 

 it is therefore ordered by this Court and the authority 

 thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such 

 clay as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of 

 labour, feasting or any other way, upon any such accounts 

 as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for 

 every such offence five shillings, as a fine to the county." 



This ordinance was objected to by the Royal Commis- 

 sioners in 1665 ; but was not repealed until May 27, 1681. 



In three years less than two centuries after the passage 

 of this ordinance, the Legislature [1856, chap. 113], 

 made this day a legal holiday on which even the sover- 

 eign legislature is not permitted to sit, and all govern- 

 ment offices are closed. 



NEW YEAR'S DAY. 



New Year's day was then considered. The beginning 

 of the year was very various in different ages and coun- 

 tries. Until the middle of the eighteenth century there 

 were no less than seven days reckoned as this period ; 

 viz., Jan. 1 (as now) ; Jan. 1 (one year in advance) ; 

 Dec. 25 ; Easter ; March 1 ; March 25 (nine months 

 sooner than the present time) and March 25 (three 

 months later than the present time). This last, called 

 the Florentine style or calendar, was the one in use in 

 England and this colony until 1752, when it was changed 

 to Jan. 1, and the Gregorian calendar adopted instead of 

 the Julian which had been previously in use. The neces- 

 sity of this change was then explained. 



