The Placer herald., 1861-04-20
Puritan Blue Laws.


be buried in Massachusetts on Sunday, ex-
cep, by special order of the magistrate
Meat could not be dressed on Sunday. Sun.
day was extended over Saturday night, and
that was ordered to be kept equally sacred.
Clement Walker, gives as one Of the pur-
itan's principles, "That if man be ques-
toned for any crime, though his judges
have neither competent witnesses proofs nor
evidence of his outlines, yet if they think
in their conscience he is guilty, they may
condemn him out of the testimony of their
own private conscience"
No Quaker or dissenter from the estab-
lshed worship of the dominion shall be
allowed to give vote for the election of
magistrates or any officer.
No food or lodging shall be offered TO
Quaker, Adamite, or hereto.
If any person turns a quaker, he shall be
banshed, end not suffer to return upon the
pain of death.
No priests shall abide in the dominion;
priests may be seized by any one without
warrant
No man to cross river with none but an
authorized ferryman.
No man shall run on tie Sabbath day, or
walk in his garden or elsewhere, except rev.
erently to and from meeting.
No one shall travel, cook victuals, make
beds, sweep house, or shave, on the Sabbath
day.
No woman shall kiss her child on the
Sabbath or fasting day.
The Sabbath shall begin at sunset on Sat
urday night TO pick an ear Of corn in a
neighbours garden shall be deemed theft.
A person accused Of trespass in the nigh.
shall be judged guilty unless he clears him
self 10y oath.
No person shall buy or sell lands without
permission of the selectmen.
When it appears that an accused has con-
federates, and he refuses TO discover them
he may be racked.
A drunkard shall have master appointed
him by the selectmen, who are to debar him
the liberty of buying and selling.
Whoever publishes lie to the prejudice
Of his neighbors, shall sit on the stocks and
be whipped fifteen stripes.
No minister shall keep school.
Man stealers shall suffer death
Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold
or bone lace, above two shillings by the
yard shall I've presented by the grand jurors,
and the seectman shall tax the offenders
estate.
A debtor in prison, swearing he has no es
tate, shall be let out and sold TO make salts
faction.
Whoever SETS fire in the woods and burns
house, shall suffer death, and persons sus
pected of this crime shall be imprisoned
without benefit of boil.
Whoever brings cards or dice into the
dominions shall pay fine Of five dollars.
No one shall read common prayer, keep
Christmas or Saints day, make mince pies,
dance, play cards, or play on an instrumen,
Of music, except the drum, trumpet or jews
harp.
No gospel minister shall join the people
in marriage; the magistrates only shall join
them in marriage, as they do it with less
scandal to Christ's Church.
When the parents refuse their children
convenient, marriage, the magistrates on y
shall determine the point
The selcctmen on finding the ignorant may
take them away from their parents, and put
them in better hands at the expense Of the
parents.
A man that strikes his wife shall be i'm.
prisoned as the court directs.
wife shall be deemed good evidence
agains, her husband.
Married persons shall live together or
be imprisoned.
No man shall court maid in person or
by letter, without at first obtaining the
consent of the parents; 5 pounds penalty
for the first offense, 10 pounds for the sec
ond, and for the third, imprisonment during
the pleasure of the court.
Every male shall have his hair cut accord.
ing to his cap.