Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1878-10-19
Old Bio. Law. Ia vlrulsl..
New Ysrh Gnphic.l

WASHINGTON. Sept. Is. - Much has
been written about the "Blus Laws Of
Connecticut. but few people know that
the early laws Of the Virginia colony
were just as "blue" and just as Pu.itan.
ical. The .'Blue Laws OF Connecticut
most often quoted ara those prohibiting
kissing. running or walking on the Sab
bath; prohibiting the reading Of the
common pra, or book. or the keeping OF
saints days. and the counting OF maidsns
without the consent OF their parents.
I believe Il has become q settled opinion
that these claws" 30 long discussed.
were never actually upon the statute
books, but are q traditional sarcasm
upon the stringency Of the New England
statutes. particularly In regard to reii.
sious ~obssrvances. which have been told
80 often as . joke that they have been
licensed o. facts. But In an old Virginia
law book which has come into my pos.
session. printed in the early part OF the
eighteenth century. before the birth OF
Washington, I find several strange stat.
utss passed by the General Assembly OF
Virginia in the year 1861. They are
said to have been vigorously enforced
Immediately after their enactment, but
at the time this law book was written
were practically dead letters. They are
as follows:
Every person who shall refuse to have
his child baptized by 4 lawful minister
shall DO amerced 1000 pounds Of to-
bacco; half to the parish. half TO the In.
former.
No marriage shall be valid In Law ex-
cept such ~ Is made by Q minister OF
the Established Church Of England. nc.
cording to the laws OF England; and no
minister shall marry any person without
O licence from the Governor or his de-
putty. or the thrice publication OF the
banns, according to the rubrick In the
Book Of Common Prayer. The minis
ter who doth marry not according TO this
act shall 30 fned 10000 pounds OF 10.
bacco.
In acts OF Islander by q mans wife,
after Judgment passed for damages the
woman shall DO punished by ducking.
and II the husband refuses to pay the
damages. tho woman shall then DO duck.
ed once for every one hundred pounds
Of tobacco adjudged against her hus.
band.
1t is enacted that the Lords Day be
kept holy, aud no journeys shall bs
made on that day. And all persons
shall every Sunday resort to the parish
church and there abide orderly during
the Common Prayer and preaching upon
the penalty Of fifty pounds OF tobacco.
which shall be the property OF the par.
ish. This oct shall not extend to Qua
kers or other recusants, who totally alb.
sent themselves, but they shall DO liable
10 tho penalty imposed by the Stat Elk,
viz: 20 pounds sterling for every
months absence from the divine service
OF the church; and all Quaken Assem-.
bling in conventicles shall be fned,
every man no taken. 200 pounds OF to-
bacco. And u any Quakers, or other
separatists whatsoever. assemble them.
selves to the number OF five. OF the age
Of sixteen years or upwards. under q
pretence Of joining In religious worship
not authorized by the Church Of Eng.
land. the parties so offending. being
thereof lawfully convicted by verdict,
confession or notorious evidence, shall,
for first offence. forfeit and pay 800
pounds OF tobacco. each one Of them /;
and for the second offence, GOO pounds
Of tobacco. to be levied by warrant from
any Justice OF the Peace upon hisgoods;
but IL the party convicted 30 unable to
pay the forfeit. it may be levied upon
the goods Of any Quaker or ssparatist
who hath them ; and for the third Of.
tense the offender shall DO banished
from the Colony forever.
Every master Of a ship or vessel who
shall bring q Quaker or ssparatist 10
Virginia shall be fined 5000 pounds Of
tobacco. to be levied by distress, and
shall DO enjoined to carry him. her or
them out again.
Every person entertaining Quaksrs
known to be such. or giving or selling
to them, shall DO fined 5000 pounds OF
tobacco.
The 9Th OF August is appointed as q
day Of fasting, humiliation and prayer
to iinplore Gods mercy, and II any per-
sol DO found upon that day doing other
than acts Of necessity or mercy. upon
presen,ment by the church wardsns no
shall be fined 800 pounds Of tobacco;
half to the informer. half to the poor.
Every county not sending two bur.
gesses to every session VI the Assembly
shall be fined 10000 pounds OF tobacco
to the use OF the public. The allowance
Of every burgess for the future shall be
100 pounds OF tobacco and q cask every
day. to commence two days before every
Assembly and to continue two days
after, aud for their travelling allowances
they shall be allowed. those who come
by land. 10 pounds Of tobacco for every
day. and for water passage they shall DO
allowed proportionately.
No licensed attorney shall demand or
receive for bringing any III to judy.
ment in the General Court more than
800 pounds Of tobacco and . cask. and
in tho County Court $50 pounds Of to-
bscco and = cask which fees shall be
allowed him for each case without agree
ment, and II any attorney shall refuse
to plead any In the respective
courts aforesaid for tho aforesaid fees,
or II he shall demand or receive more.
he shall forfeit all he has received, and
as much more as his lawful fees should
have been. for the use Of the poor. G.