The sun., 1897-06-27
LOVERS IN COLONIAL DAYS.
WRITTEN AND UNWRITTEN LAWS TO
REGULATE COURTSHIP.

WRITTEN AND UNWRITTEN LAWS TO
REGULATE CoURTSHIP.
sp,nsters ana Rachoiors Looked Upon with
DtsrAvor Despite tho Restraints ON Love-
lzakinE-Ruies FER the Bride snd Groom.
From the CAtcdoo Record.
As the chief and only object of girl of Colonial
times was plainly to get married, It is cvidons
that the stops that led her to marriage wore Of
much Importance. She was early taught by
precept and few rare and deplorablo examples
to dread end shun being an old maid. The
traveller, John Dunton, wrote In 1874:
st 10 true an old or superannuated maid IN
Boston In thought such a curse as nothing can
excood It, look'd on as q dismal spectacle
He adds that unmarried women were caned
"thornbacks." The state Of oldmaidism was
reached at an carly date. Higginson wrote Of
an "ancient maid" Of 25. Tho letters Of Mary
Doning. daughter OF Emanuel Doning, John
winthrop's brother-in-law. show how bitterly
her parents resented her remaining unmarried
till about 25 years Of age. And letters Of her
father show his modification at not "early
matching" his children. The evidences Of fam
lily records, Of gravestones, Of church lists show
that unmarried women were few.
Lone mon, as Shakespeare called them, were
Of course equally discouraged Bachelors were
eyed askance and with much suspicion. They
W0T0 WhLCnOu Oy mlulbUoTu 0iUeEbp uOhCOnhp
magistrates, heads Of families; tho tithingmnn
was ordered to have a "spetial eyeout" On
them. They were not permitted TO live alone.
nor to choose their place OF residence but had to
20 with whom and where tho court assigned,
and, II they resented this treatment. were sold
for term Of service. In many Of tho colonies
they had to pay tax II they remained unmap.
ried after q certain age.
All was not smooth sailing when the restricted
gain freedom. He could not make o motion Of
marriage" to any young woman In tho com.
munity without obtaining tho consent Of heP
parents, guardians, or noar kinsfolk. The whip.
ping post and cato o'-ninetails awaited him II he
"inveaeled tho affections Of any maid or maid.
servant by making love to her without proper
permission. have often wondered whether tho
Colonial days were not somewhat due to the fact
that o man could court them without being
watched or being given permission or rendering
Many laws restricting unlicensed lovemaking
can can 6e found % ~ court records OF Colonial days
ned tho "inveagling." as "by speech, writing.
insssaEs company @ @kssPing Inneoes:sry fs%|: %
enoe, ,gifts, or las . final blow to inventive
loyersl In any other way"
the whipping post and stocks . bold sweetheare
Tnso of assEes
found that Jacob Murlin had been kissing Sarah
he snSl9 broaaSt suit against sA! Jaeob for IN:
weighing Sarah . aHections Affairs were look.
seemed to trem6ie near him In the air, when VIII ihe
Court asked Sarah whether JACOB inyeigled her.
srate % Called her Souid Virgin. but be Mes coad
EiIl. 60 Jacob went soot-free. to Goodman Tut
These M laws a. to the restraint . Of lovers were
NJ n mas 0f nd
to all classes in the community. and were taken
Thomas Prence, did not hesitate to drag his;
proseeuted Arthur HoWland o for i aisopdery % and 5
.anrieh.eSpsly .e y endssvoring 70 gain. the affec-
been "bould virgin" she might have truth.
her. not unrighteously stolen. Loyer Rowland
was ordered to refrain and desist, - and he paid
Of rssn as siysG sSs 81
beth and evidently succeeding very well in his
But love laughs at law, sd and nH In 'aS few monshs
Mistress Prence became Nine. Arthur Rowland.
s Of 5s Ss
aSS as he souS nSI OF
intermeddling in sanctioned lovemakipg. and
breach-of-prom1se cases wero brought by men
In some communities in both Plymouth and
very favorable influence on morals, a. Coionial
ments Was not encouraged. enc I q Cotton Ma Gsther 81.
pressed himself with some force upon the subject.
aof of
times through the eagerness of both the father
SsIssiD the eoneraet ss possB.
The tender passion was reckoned in many case.
judge Sawnll'O diary give amnl0 pronf of hin
ehreyd calculations In courtships. both his own
ts Ss. very ARs Esad ss 's s y
the sharpness Of his barFaininR. A marriage
sstsle%e1t settle was very ys5S l@portsqt matter II
match with any Of very high standing uniesS
There was some sentiment in love-making,
albeit Of a rather broadly outlined kind. <
love at frst sight and % speedy @arriSse. MI r''
am constrained TO note that the hero Of this
bstSeor
has ever fallen in love at sight of a fair maid
once, and married her as soon as published. Il
has always been widower who did this, and I
Parenty nasty Choice that tSs spesdg @ hi' won Sn
9rdS ~ hs. alwHyS proved n9tSSo hoasekeepe,
den to mans door and said. boldly. II
i,s near you have young daughter; should
march into matrimony. 1t is always widower
who 70 such hardy wooer, often Net II not dim
the glory OF the romance) widower with cbil-
dren who need immediate care. We do not
however, find a father who will make such an
offer as to entice a favorable answer as did the
Rev. Michael Wigglesworth. the popular poet
the author OF the terrible Day o. DOOM, He
evidently feared that his sought for bride would
object to so many incumbrances; hence he offers
darkly to dispose OF some OF them. We are left
to surmise the me thod OF disposal
II has seemed to me, in studying domestic re-
lations In the colonies, that widows and widow
0rb were both much sought for AS mn arra aryA
partners, were so evidently preferred to unmay~
rted men and women that ! have wondered how
the supply OF first husbands and wives held out;
| how any one was willing to DO the first partner
the sacrifice as II were. Old age did not deter
them from marrying, nor ruin their opportuni.
| ties Marriages OF widows over 60 years OF age
were frequent, aud seem to have heen regarded
| as not void OF interest and even sentiment. The
pages Of Judge Sewals diary tell us OF his "huc-
| tuations." as he termed his various attempts at
matrimony, in his successive widowerhoods and
show that, while nc never lost sight Of The insi.
ness aspect OF the PROPOSED contract. he still