The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-03-03
WHOLE NO. s97O.
From the Plymouth Memorial.


early records of this Colony, and may be
amusing to many of our readers.
1861. Nathaniel Bassett and Joseph
Prior for disturbing the Church of Duxbufy,
on the Lords day were sentenced each of
them to pay twenty shillings fine, or the
next Town Meeting or training day each of
them to be bound unto post for the space
OF two hours in some public place with
paper on their heads on which their capital
crime shall be written perspicuously so as it
may be read.
1854. We present Joan, the wife of
Obidiah Miller, of Taunton, for beating and
reviling her husband and having her chill
dren to help her, bidding them knock him
IN the head, and wishing his victuals might
choak nm. -..g..,.. =, .,o... .,.v. su..s...s
John Barnes to be drunk in his house is
fined five shillings.
1865. Thomas Phelpes for telling a lye
fined ten shillings.
1865. John Barnes being lately detected
of being twice drunk, is fined twenty
shillings.
1875. The indictment of Mary Ingham:
Mary Ingham thou art indicted by the
name of Mary Ingham, the wife of Thomas
Ingham, of the town of Scituate in the
Jurisdiction of New Plymouth, for that thou
having not the fear of God before thy eyes,
hast by the help of the devil, in way of
wichcraft or sorcery, malciously procured
much hurt, mischief and pain, unto the
body of Mehitable Woodwork, the daugh-
ter of Walter Woodwork, of Scituate
aforesaid, and some of hers, and particular
ly causing her, the said Mehitable, to fall
into violent fits, and causing great pains
unto several parts of her body at several
10 I'LL
worth, hath been almost bereaved of her
much suffering thereby, and the procuring
of great grief, sorrow, and charge, to her
parents: all which thou hast procured and
done, against the law of God, and to his
great dishonor, and contrary to our sover-
eign Lord, the King, his Crown and dignity.
The said Mary Ingham did put herself
on trial of God and the country, and was
cleared of this Indictment in process of law
by a Jury of twelve men whose names
follow: Here follow the Jurors names.]
LITIGATION. "Let every law-maker for
ever remember that litigation is the great
evil of society; the disturber of its peace;
the ruin of the rich and poor. 1t sows the
seeds of the most bitter and lasting animosi-
ties ; it withdraws men from the occupations
whereby they live; it engenders idleness
and all the vices of her train. The man
who has been Longing for a year or two
about court, awaiting the trial of, perhaps,
some petty action, in which his Iesentments
are more concerned than his interests, not
only loses his time and labor, so precious to
him, but contracts habits which may lay the
foundation of his ruin. We do not hesitate
to pronounce that the law, which, ,cith6ut
frequent and Uiolent injustice, keeps dozen
litigation, and produces the .fetVest suits, is
the best law of contracts, in every view,
which wise legislator should take of the
subject"
"MEcHANICAL Powers. If the abilities
of man were limited by the extent of his
natural strength, small indeed would be his
knowledge of the works of nature, and few
the rehnements and comforts Of civilized
society. We can hardly look upon any pro-
duction of art which could have been OBJ
tanned without the aid of mechanical con-
trivances. Hence we may conclude, that
the construction of machines must have
been long antecedent to knowledge of the
theory upon which their principles depend.
The remains of Egyptian architecture ex-
hlblt the most surprising marks of mechan-
ical genius. The stones laid upon the tops
of the pyramids of Egypt, are each of them
equal in size to small house. The eleva-
ton of such immense ponderous masses, to
the tops of these and other stupendous fab
RIGS, must have required an accumulation Of
mechanical power, which the architect of
the present day cannot regard without as
constituent"
Divorces. The Cincinnati Gazette thinks
there is good reason to apprehend that the
Legislature Of Ohio are enacting laws, which
will tend directly to dissolve the bonds of
matrimony, and entirely dishonor the sacred
nature of marriage contracts. A bill has
been reported, giving jurisdiction to the
Court of Common Pleus, also, in cases of
divorce and alimony. A very large number
of divorces are granted annually by the Su-
preme Court, indicating wretched state of
morals in the community. AS the law per-
mits separation by contract between the
parties, causes of separation are constantly
multiplying, and the facilities for it, appear
to be augmented rather than diminished.
Boston Patriot
A USEFUL HINT. Elbow are all your
family, John---Mrs. Clod and the little
ones," said an office-seeking lawyer to a
man in his neighboshood, who was employ
ed in mending the public road. "Pretty
well, thank you," said he. 81 am glad
to hear it," said the other-What's the
news ?''-" Why l guess" replied John,
"we shall have an election very soon.n
"Why so ?" Because you are so glad to
hear that Mrs. Clod and the little ones are
WE'LL" returned the laborer, with a look
that told the lawyer he had better be off.
merchant, not remarkably conversant with
geography, picked up newspaper and sat down
to read. He had not proceeded Ear before he
came to a passage stating that one of his ves-
, sells was in jeopardy. Jeopardy Jeopardy i