NEW ENGLAND. 



153 



Jn Connecticut,^ the provisions to secure the safety of morals, are perhaps the most strict ; 

 and the operation of the laws also much fortified by the " steady habits " of the people, — bu 

 jn this respect the laws of all the New England States have a similarity, and by mentioning a i'ew 

 of those of Massachusetts, a conception may be formed of those of the other States. Bribery 

 entails a perpetual disqualification for office ; gamblers may be bound to good behavior, and a 



* The following are extracted from tlie old code called 

 the Blue Laws of Connecticut, and some records of the 

 ancient Courts. 



' It is ordered hy this Coiirte, and authority thereof. That 

 no person or persons licensed for common interteinment, 

 shall suffer any to bee drunken, or drinke excessively, 

 viz. above halfe a pinte of wyne, for one person, at one 

 time, or to continue tipling above the space of halfe an 

 houre, or at unseasonable times, or after nine of the clock 

 at night, in or about any of theire bowses, on penalty of 

 five shillings for every such offence ; and every person 

 found drunken, viz. so that hee bee thereby bereaved or 

 dissabled in the use of his understanding, appearing in his 

 speech or gesture, in any of the said howses or elsewhere, 

 sliall forfeitt ten shillings ; and for excessive drinking, 

 three shillings foure pence; and for continuing above 

 halfe an houre, tipling, two shillings six pence ; and for 

 tipling at unseasonable times, or after nine o'clock at 

 night, five shillings, for every offence in these perticulars, 

 being lawfully convicted thereof; and for want of pay- 

 ment, such shall bee imprisoned untill they pay, or bee 

 sett in the stocks, one houre or more, in some open place, 

 as the weather will perniitt, not exceeding three houres at 

 one time ; provided, notwithstanding, such licensed per- 

 sons may intertein seafaring men or land travellers in the 

 night season, when they come first on shoare, or from 

 theire journeye,for theire necessary refreshment, or wlien 

 they prepare for theire voyage or journeye the next day 

 early, so there bee no dissoider amongst thein, and allso, 

 strangers and other persons, in an orderly way, may con- 

 tinue at such howses of common interteinment during 

 meal times, or uppon lawful business, what time theire 

 occassions shall require. 



And it is allso ordered, That if any person offend in 

 drunkenness, excessive or long drinking, the second time, 

 they shall pay double fynes ; and if they fall into (he same 

 offence the third time, they shall pay treble fynes ; and if 

 the parties bee not able to pay theire fynes, then hee that 

 is found drunken shall bee punished by whipping, to the 

 number of ten stripes; and liee that offends by excessive 

 or long drinking, shall bee put into the stocks for three 

 hours when the weather may not hazzard his life or 

 limbs ; and if they offend the fourth time, they shall bee 

 imprisoned untill they put in two sufficient sureties for 

 their good behavior. 



It is ordered by this Courle, and authority thereof, That 

 every person of the age of discretion, which is accounted 

 fourteene yeares, who shall wittingly and willingly, make 

 or publish any lye, which may bee pernicious to the pub- 

 lique weal, or tending to the dammage or injury of any 

 perticular person, to deceive and abuse tlie people witli 

 false news or reportes, and the same duly prooved in any 

 Bourte, or before any one magistrate, who hath hereby 

 power graunted, to heare and determine all offences 

 against this law, such persons shall bee fyned for the first 

 offence, ten shillings, or if the party bee unable to pay the 

 same, then to bee sett in the stocks so long as the said 

 courte or magistrates shall appointe, in some open place, 

 not exceeding three houres ; for the second offence in that 

 kinde, whereof any shall bee legally convicted, the 

 summe of twenty shillings, or be whipped uppon the 

 naked body, not exceeding twenty stripes, and for the 

 third offence that way, forty shillings, or if the party bee 

 unable to pay, then to bee whipped with more stripes, not 

 exceeding thirtye ; and if yett, any shall offend in like 

 kinde, and bee legally convicted thereof, such person, 

 male or female, shall bee fyned ten. shillings at a time, 

 more then formerly, or if the party so offending, bee un- 

 able to pay, then to be whipped with five or six stripes 

 more then formerly, not exceeding forty at any time : 

 And for all sucii as being under age of discretion, that 



20 



shall oflend in lyinge contrary to this order, theire par 

 ents or masters shall give them due correction, and that 

 in the presence of some officer, if any magistrate shall so 

 appointe ; provided allso, that no person shall be barred of 

 his just action of slander, or otherwi.se, by any proceeding 

 uppon this order. 



It is ordered by this Covrtc arid authority thereof. That 

 no master of a faniilye shall give interteinment or habita- 

 tion to any younge man to sojourne in his i'amilye, but by 

 the allowance of the inhabitants of the towne where he 

 dwells, under the penalty of twenty shillings per week : 

 Jind it is allso ordered, That no young man tliat is neither 

 married, nor hath any servant, nor is a publique officer, 

 shall keepe howse by himselfe, without the consent of the 

 towne, for, and under paine or penalty of twenty shillings 

 a week. 



And it is allso ordered and declared, Tliat no person 

 whatsoever, male or female, not being at his or her owne 

 dispose, or that remaineth under the government of par- 

 ents, masters or guardians, or such like, shall cither make 

 or give interteinment to any motion or sute, in way of 

 marriage, without the knov^'ledge and consent of those 

 they stand in such relation to, under the severe censure of 

 the courte, in case of delinquency not attending this or- 

 der ; nor shall any third persons intermeddle in making 

 any motion to any such, without the knowledge and con- 

 sent of those under whose government they are, under 

 the same penalty. 



It is ordered and by this Courte decreed, That if any per- 

 son within this jurissdiction shall sweare rashly and 

 vainely, either by the liolv name of God, or any other 

 oath, and shall sinfully and wickedly curse any, hee shall 

 forfeitt to the common treasure, for every such severe 

 offence, ten shillings : 



It is ordered by the authority of this Courte, That no 

 person under the age of twenty-one years, nor any other, 

 that hath not alri'ady accustomed himselfe to the use 

 thereof, shall take any tobacko, untill hee hath brought a 

 certificate under the hands of some who are approved for 

 knowledge and skill in phisick, that it is useful! for him, 

 and allso, that hee hath received a lycense from the 

 courte, for the same. And for the regulating of those, 

 who either by theire former taking it, have, to theire 

 owne apprehensions, made it necessary to them, or uppon 

 due advice, are persuaded to the use thereof. 



It is ordered. That no man within this colonye, after 

 the publication hereof, shall take any tobacko, publiquely, 

 in the strcett, highways or any barne yards, or uppon 

 training days, in any open places, under the penalty of 

 six-pence for each offence against this order, in any the 

 perticulars thereof, to bee paid without gainsaying, uppon 

 conviction, by the testimony of one witness, that is with- 

 out just exception, before any one magistrate. And the 

 constables in the several towncs, are required to make 

 presentment to each perticular courte, of such as they 

 doe understand, and can evict to bee transgressors of this 

 order. 



At a Court held at Kcic-Haren, A. D. 1043. 

 Andrew Low, jun. for breaking into Mr. Ling's house, 

 where he brake open a cupboard, and look from thence 

 some Strong Water,* and (id. in money, and ransackt the 

 house from roome to roome, and left open the doors, for 

 which fact being committed to prison brake firth and es- 

 caped, and still remains horrible obstinate and rebellious 

 against his parents, and incorrigible under all the means 

 that have been used to reclaim him. Whereupon it was 

 ordered that he shall be as severely whipt as the rule will 

 bare, and work with his father as a prisoner with a lock 

 upon his leg so that he may not escape. 



* Rum. 



