Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-10-16
PURITAN MANNERS AND CUSTOMS,

The law maxim, COnsEeiNdo pro lsss ser
ratVr, expresses what we all feeI-that Gus
tom is law; and il is much stronger than sny
statute. free people project themselves in.
to their customs and manners as part Of their
freedom. So il was with our Medford apces.
tors. The chihsen Of our FIRST settlers, re-
moved from the sight and dread Of European
aris:ocrscy and social oppression, grew UP as
the iron circumstances Of pioneer life mould
ed them. lndividualism seemed forced upou
them; and, if a State organization existed,
-sAey felt that 1t existed by them, and not they
by It, An intellectual and moral manliness
grew out of this fact
Some of the customs Of our ancestors were
incenceivably puerile, some were needlessly
severe, and some gloriously noble The Purf-
tan Idea OF religion was woven, like a golden
thread, through the entire web Of human life;
and nothing but their religion would have en-
abled them to accomplish what they did
1t was the custom in Medford for the Select
men 20 appoint Thanksgiving day on hear
ing OF any victory gained by British arms in
any quarter of the world. They ordered a
town fast If case of smallpox was reported
among them, or if the weather was unfayor-
able, or If sickness prevailed, or if Quakers
threatened TO come to their plantation But
there were some physical and social evils,
which they did not 60 to God to prevent or
remedy; they took the administration into
their own hands. A Commissioners Court,
composed in part of the Selectmen of Medford
had jurisdiction within the town and could
issue warrants and enforce judgments This
easy terror proved effective in restraining law
less conduct. The agency of this judicial and
executive power may be seen in our account
OF crimes and punishments. We turn to more
agreeable customs.
MARRIAGES Whether IL was from iealousv
of ministerial rights, or hatred of EpiscopaI
forms, or from considering the nuptial tie as a
more civil bond, or from any other cause; but
the General Court early deprived clergymen
OF the power of solemniIing marriages, and be-
slowed 1T on magistrates. This legisl alton was
In direct hostility TO English usage. May %,
1886, the Genera Court made a proclaim atiOn
authorizing clergymen to solemnize marriages;
but 1t was long time before it became com
mon to apply them.
If a man made - n motion Of marriage to
his chosen one, without FIRST gaining the per-
mission of her parents, he was fined severely.
Before they could be legally married, they
must be - cried" three times in some public
place, each announcement being seven DAYS
apart.
Weddings were occasions of exuberaut iol-
lIty. Pent-up nature leaped forth with an
hilarious spring, prOpOrtiOned to the social du-
resS in which il had been held To show how
much was thought of these red letter days in
Medtord, there were instances where pro-
Visions for them were made in wills The en-
tire day was devoted to one; and every form
Ofyouthful frolic and maturer joy came in turn
The house of the bride was open for all the
invited guests IF both parties; and rural
games were all the fashion. The cake and
wine, though abundant, did not prevent the
offer Of more substantial viands A custom
like this would be apt to run into extremes; !;
and this became so apparent as u call forth
from the ministers of Boston a testimony
against evil customs in l7l9 They called
them "riotous Irregularities Prom BROOKE
History Of Melt0rd.