Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-04-28
EXTRACTS FROM THE CONNECTICUT
BLUE LAWS.


Nhen these Tree states were colonies
Unto the mother nation
And in Connecticut the good
Old Blue Laws were IN fashion.
The following extracts from the laws ordained
by the people Of New Haven, previous to their
incorporation with the Saybrook and Hartford
colonies, afford an idea of the strange character
of their prohibitions. AS the substance only is
given in the transcription, the language is nee
cssarily modernized -
No quaker or dissenter from the established
worship of the dominion shall be allowed to
give vote for the election Of magistrates, or
any officer.
No food or lodging shall be afforded to a
quaker, adamite, or other hereto.
If any person turns quaker, he shall be ban
ished, and not suffered to return, but upon pain
of death.
No priest shall abide in the dominion: he
shall be banished, and suffer death on his re-
turn. Priests may be siezed by any one with
out warrant.
No man to cross river but with an author
lied ferryman.
No one shall run on the Sabbath day, or walk
in his garden, or elsewhere, except reverently
to and from meeting.
No one shall travel, cook vctuas, make beds.
sweep house, cut hair, or shave, on the Sabbath
dav.
No woman shall kiss her child on the Sab
bath or fasting day.
The Sabbath shall begin at sunset on Satur-
day.
To pick an ear of corn growing in neigh
boris garden shall be deemed theft
person accused of trespass in the night
shall be judged guilty, unless he clear himself
by oath.
When it appears that an accused has confed-
crates, and he refuses to discover them, he may
be racked
No one shall buy or sell lands without per-
mission of the selectmen.
A drunkard shall have n master appointed by
the selectmen. who are to debar him the liberty
of buying and selling.
Whoever publishes lie to the prejudice of
his neghbor, shall sit in the stocks or be whip
No minister Shall keep scnool.
Men-stealers shall suffer death.
Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold.
or bone lace, above two shilings by the yard,
shall be presented by the grand jurors, and the
selectmen shall tax the offender at E300 es-
tate.
A debtor in prison, swearing he has no es-
tate, shall be let out, and sold to make satisfac-
ton.
Whoever sets fire in the woods and it burns
" hNoHts Hlitii SuliVl hCdNlli ulll itTStus suS-
pected of this crime shall be imprisoned with
out benefit of bail.
Whoever brings cards or dice into this do
mnion shall pay fine of IS.
No one shall read common-prayer, keep
Christmas or saintdays, make minced pies
dance, play cards, or play on any instrument of
music, except the drum, trumpet, and Jews
harp.
No gospel minister shall Join people in mar
riage; the magistrates only shall Join in mar
riage, as they may do it with less scandal to
Christ's church.
When parents refuse their children conven-
lent marriages, the magistrate shall determine
the point.
The selectmen, on finding children ignorant
may take them away from their parents, and
put them into better hands, at the expense of
their parents.
A man that strikes his wife shall pay a fine
of fl0; a woman that strikes her husband shall
be punished as the court directs.
a wife shall be deemed good evidence against
her husband.
Married persons must live together, or be i'm
prisoned
No man shall court a maid in person, or by
letter, without first obtaining consent of her
parents; f5 penalty for the first offence; flO
for the second and for the third, imprisonment
during the pleasure of the court.
Every male shall have his hair cut round ac-
cording to a cap.