The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-07-07
Curiosities of American History.


sres,i0l. ..t
The firs, Legislative Assembly in Amer.
lea was lie Governor OF Virginia, Council,
aud number Of Bursesse-. who assem- ble,l
in one chamber AT jamestown, in 1917
In l620-'2l one bundled aud liily
young woman of "a.rceahle manners
were mi from England 10 Virginia, and
sold 10 The planters for wives Tor from "l2O
TO $50 pounds Of tobacco. CASH. This ,iaf
fic in wives con'inne,l many years, aud, in
1882 Two young women were sednced on
their passage out, aud were immediately
serl back, as unworthy 10 propagate the
race of Virginial,s." Indeed. 20 scarce and
valuable were '.agreeable" women, in 1924
that a fine was imposed upon any woman
who should encourage more than Que sui.
lor at time This was TO obviale The
Inconvenience resulting The "ar,lor Sile
frequency of amorOus competition
The early chivalric cavaliers Of the old
Dominion were hardly UP 10 Tho present.
age, as appear, from The following letter o.
Sir William Bersly, descriptive ofihe Vir.
sinia colony, years after The resltra'ion o
Charles IT,
~ thank God there are no free schools or prn
ting and hope we shall not have them these
Hundred years for learning has brought herrsy,
and disobedience, and sects into The world, and
printing has dvugcd them and libcs against the
best Government. God keep Us from bolh.,
III 1858, great majority OF The people o.
Vir!iula belonged TO The Established Church
aud The preaching Of Disseaers was prohib
tied. Qnakers we've bani,heI, and, II
they reiurncd, were punishable with death
BY statute. Adultery aud ioruicaiion were
punished 10y fiue Of one thousand dollars
for the first offence, AID five hundred
pounds of tobacco for The second. Women
convicted Of slander were ducked, If iht
husband did noi redeem them by a money
mulct. Al this period there was no, book
sellers shop in Virginia, aud even al The
beginning Of The eighteenth cen ury, there
was not one in Vir.inia. Maryland, or Car
olina, only one in New York, while Boston
had live prinling.otfices aud many book
shops.
The Purilans landed al New Plymouth
November o, 1920, bnt they intended II
settle on The Hudson River. Their Dulcl
captain, il is said, WI, bribed 10 land then
| further 10 the North, so us not 10 in,erier,
with the Dutch settlement on The Hudson
which had been established some year,
previous. These Plymouth Rock emigral
were mostly Browni,ls," or " "lniepend
ants" who had been prosecuted in Engal,l
aud fled 10 Hollali'l, and while there pur
chased the right OF the plymouth Com
pany,n 10 colonize a portion Of llieir Amer
lean posessions.
Robert Brown was all English clergyman
who, being cellsured by the Establishes
Church, in 1886, rallied agains; The Bishop
and The ordination Of ministers. He wa
Prosecuted rs a dangerous fanatic, and re
pealedly imprisoned. He roamed about
exhulIiligly proclaiming That he had bee
incarcera;ed in ,h'iy-lwo different, prisons
His proselyies naturally increased, and h
emgra,ed with his'lolIowers 10 Zealand
Here his hurch was soon dissolved, au
ne returned 10 England, rejoined The Is
labI,hed Church, became dissouie, an
finally ended his days in Incidence an,
contempt. The followers Of The same hob
ert Brown were at first called Brownisi-
and then Independents. Those who he'
from England called Themselves BrowGis,s
And when they were about leaving Deli
Havcn,,o plant colony in The New Void
their good Pastor, Robinson. in his farewell
sermon, ur !ed them 10 abandon, avoid
aud shake of the name Of Brown,ts; III
mere nickname, and brand for maxim.
religion and professors Of il odious 10 ih,
Christian World" .......
Iu 1857, il was customary in Boston Il
10 hold meetings 10 consider sermons Of lh
previous Sunday, and argue the doclrina
points. Females were nol allowed 10 par
iicirale in The discussinns,and Anne Hnlch
uson, n s,rong-minded married woman
determined thai she would no longer b
debarred from joining The debates. AS ih
Scripture eujuius The "elier women L
leach the younger" she established separ
ale female assemblies. She was called tn
Nonesuch, aud her felnnine galhelin.
were styled Gossipings "a word before lhi
time OF respectable impoIi 1, bu, lmm theme
consigned To contempt and ridicule. Sll
was cordially esteemed by John Cotlon an
Governor Vance, and became the leader {
a sect. She was banished from Massachr
s.,is, went 10 Rhode Island, and was fuall
killed by The Indians. Her followers wer
guilty Of the groses, vices and immoral
Ties. ..f
From 1884 10 1644lhe Council and Free
men OF Massachusetts assembled together
forming The General Court. Allerward III
Governor and Councitassembled apart fIol
The Fleemen, making Two branches Of tn
Legislature.
III Massachusetts Jesuiis and Roma
Priests were banished; aud the imporlaio
OF that +" cursed sect "-Quakers-prohb
led. On The Sabbath all persoiis were 70
hidden 10 run or walk, "excepi reveren'ly
10 an, from church." or 10 pr0lune The da
by sweeping their houses, cooking or SIT
wing. Mothers were commanded not
kiss their children Ol "ihal sacred day /;
aud fine was imposed on any one Z" ol
serving such n day a. Christmas.
In 1916, any person who kissed anolh'
IN The street, even rs an honest salute, wa
nogge,l, ant this punishment was ihfiic'e
as la,e n The riaheenlh century. No ma
was allowed 10 keep tavern, unless he wi
o.. good character and compelen, estate.
1888, there were bullwo licensed inns
Boston. When q stranger entered nn illl
an officer followed, and if he called i
more pros than the officer thought he coul
bear, !, wns forbidden, and less qnaniil
administered. All persons were direcie
10 dress according TO their fortune, or b
fined by The Grand Jury. Women wer
fined for cnliing their hair like man,
having il hung loosely over The face. Idle
ness swearing, lying, and drunkenness
were punished by whipping, The stocks, &c
Yonna women were required 10 spin as ih
seleclmen prescribed, or be- fined. An
per.on occurring maid, will,ou, her p;
rents consent" was fioed and imprisoned
A very few persons hal The tile OF Mr.,
and fewer that Of Esquire. The usual ar
citations were Goodman" and "Good
i wife" Associations were formed an
p