Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-02-25
CONNECTICUT aBLUE LII VS.
CODE OF 1850.
DISORDER IN COURTE.

! II Is ordered BIZ this Courte, that whose
ever doth disorderly speake privately, during
the sitting of the courte, with his neighbour
or two or three together, shall presently pay
twelve pence, if the courte so think meett.
w ioa CHILDREN. ''
Fforasmuch as the good education of children
is of singular behoofe and benefit to any
commonwealth; and whereas many pa
rents and masters are too indulgent and
negligent of THERE duty in that kinde:
1t as therefore ordered by this courte, and
authority thereof That the selectmen of ev-
cry towne in the several precincts and quar-
tiers where they dwell, shall have vigilent
eye over THERE brethren and neighbours, to
see, first, that none of them shall suffer so
much barbarisme in any of their familyes, as
not to indeavor to teach by themselves or
Others, theire children and apprentices, so
much learning, as may Unable them perfectly
to read the English tongue, and knowledge
of the capital lawes, uppon penalty off ftwen-
ty shillings for each neglect therein; also,
that all masters of familyes, doe, once a week,
at least, catechise THERE children and SER
wants, in the grounds and principles of relig-
ion, and if any bee unable to doe so much,
that then, at the least, they procure such chill
dren or apprentices to learne some shorte or
thodox catechisme, without booke that they
may bee able to answer to the questions that
shall be propounded to them out of such cat
echismes by THERE parents or masters, or any
of the select men, where they shall call them
to tryall of what they have learned in this
kinde; and further, that all parents and mas
ters doe breed and bring up theirs children
and apprentices in some honest lawful call
ing, labour or Employment, either in husband
ry or some other trade profitable for them
selves and the commonwealth, if they will
not nor cannot traine them up in learning,
to fit them for higher imployments; and If
any of the selectmen, after admotion bv them
given to such masters Of familyes, shall inde
them still negligent of theire duty, in the per-
ticulars aforementioned, whereby children and
servants become rude, stubborne and unruly,
the said select men, with the helpe of two
magistrates, shall take such children or APP
prentices from them, and place them with
some masters for years, boyes till they come
to twenty-one, and girles eighteene years of
age compleat, which will more strictly locke
unto and force them to submit unto goyerne-
ment according to the rules Of this order, if
by faire meanes and former instructions they
will not bee drawne unto it.
DAMAGES PRETENDED.
II IS ordered By this courte, That no man
in any suite or action against another, shall
falsely pretend great damages or debts, to
vexe his adversary; and if it shall appearc
any doth SO, the Courte shall have power to
sett a reasonable fyne on his head.
LYINGE.
Whereas truth in words, as well as in actions,
is required of all men, especially, of chris
tians, who are the professed servants of the
Lord of truth; and whereas all lying is
contrary to truth, and some sortes of lyes
are not only SINFUL as all lyes are, butall-
so, pcrnicious to the pubique veal and in
junous to particular persons:
II IS ordered therefore, by this court and
authority thereof That every person of the
age of discretion, which is accounted four
teene years, who shall Willingly and willing
ly, make or publish any lye, which may bee
pernicious to- the publique veal, or tending
to the dammage or injury of any perticuar
person, to deceive and abuse the people with
false news or reportes, and the same duly
proved in any courte, or before any one
magistrate, who hath hereby power graunted
to hoare and determine all offences against
this lave, such persons shall bee fyned for the
first offence, ten shillings, or if the party bee
unable to pay the same, then to be sett in
the stocks so long as the said courte or mag
istratc shall appointe, in some open place, not
exceeding three houres; for the second of
fence in that kinde, whereof any shall bee
legally convicted, the summe of twenty shil-
lings, or be whipped upon the naked body,
not exceeding twenty stripes, and for the third
offence that way, forty shillings, or if the par
ty bee unable to pay, then to bee whipped
with more stripes, not exceeding thirtye; and
if yeti, any shall offend in like kinde, and bee
legally convicted thereof, such person, male
or female, shall be fyned ten shilings at a
time, more than formerly, or if the party so
offending, bee unable to pay, then. to bee
whipped with five or six stripes more then
formerly, not exceeding forty at any time
And for all such as being under age Of dis
cretion, that shall offend in lyingc contrary to
this order, theire parents or masters shall give
them due correction, and that in the presence
os some officer. if any maoistrate shall so ap-