Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1913-09-05
WHY IS THE MCON2|0DD ENGLISH LAWS
Every Act Of British Subject c.,
Be Regulated.
statuts Books Of the Realm CONF,
Much That 10 Of Interest, sbou.
Ing How Parliament REGULATE
Life Of the People.

It.ES 49,, NeHuiatG
Life Of the People.
The .ponderous statute books of u.
realm are vast storehouse of n
formation for the historian and -
tiquarian, and even for the ms,s,r
curious they contain much that is :,
interest as showing how, in the lora
ago, parliament carefully regulates
the daily life, the food, the clotbinS
the amusements. the business, the 20
ligious worship. and even the bnris,
of the people Of this country gov.
London Tit-Bits.
Most Of the regulations are ~
course. now obsolete, and mauy com,
prehensive repeating acts have be0n
passed in recent years. but there attn
remain some little known restriction,
which would cause great consten,.
ton II they were suddenly enforced
The proper observance of Sunday I,
insisted on in many old and unra.
pealed statutes. No one can lawfully
be present at any meeting or assembly
Of people out of his own parish on
Sunday for the purpose of INDUCING
in any sport or pastime Whatsoever
a prohibition which would tend mate.
rally to the reduction of the DOOR
rate If 1t were universally enforced
today, for the penalty, IS 4d, is to be
devoted to the relief of the poor. II
is hardly necessary to add that only
lawful games may be INDUCED In
within the parish.
Thus, the members Of the village
cricket club may legally play a game
Of cricket among themselves on
Sunday, but they canont play match
with the team from a neighboring vii,
lage, for one of the contesting eley.
ems would necessarily be out Of their
own parish. A
Members of the numerous play pro-
ducing societies may be interested to
know that the act of Charles l. forbid
ding the performance of plays on
Sunday is still unrepealed.
Exposing or offering goods for sale
on Sunday may still entail forfeiture
of the wares; no drover, horse cours.
er, wagner, butcher, or higgler may
travel or go to an inn on the Lords
day, and any tradesman, workman,
laborer, or person of like degree who
on Sunday follows his ordinary call.
ing works of necessity and charity
excepted), is liable to penalty Of IS.
The game of bowls is very popu-
lar pastime, but how many OF the
thousands who indulge in it are aware
that it is still enacted that mo man
ner Of person shall at any time play
at any bowl or bowles in other places
out of his garden or orchard" under
penalty of IS Sd for each offense. Il
Again, 1t is unlawful for workmen.
laborers or servants, or for seamen
or fishermen, to play at tennis, dice
cards. or quofts, except at Christmas
time, and even at that festive season 4
they must not play in their masters
houses or in their masters presence. y
Indeed, any one at all who takes
part In such games as faro, basset
hazard or roulette. or in any game
played with dice, except backgam
man, does so at his peril, for oil these
and few others are unlawful games 8,
Statutes Of 200 years ago still or +
bid US to indulge in lotteries, ra'les'
sweepstakes, or any scheme Vaere
by prizes are distributed by lot OF
chance. Horse races within ten miles
of Charing Cross can only be held al
properly licensed places, and any one
taking part in an unlicensed race
may be fined s1O or be sent to PRISON
for two months. =
Such exhibitions as the batting OF
lions, bears, bulls and badgers COCK
fighting and dog fights are prohlol1ee
by old acts of parliament, and curl
GUS side light on ancient haol's Is
found in the still existing enactment
of Edward /. that fairs and markets
must not be held in the church yafos'
The old sumptuary laws, when pre-
scribed the clothes that might be worn
by various classes, have been IT.
pealed. but still members OF parlia.
ment are forbidden to wear armour =,
carry arms within the preclncts "
parliament, and no one Is 10 g.
armed to any market or fa'r' IVY
subjects that are protestants may
have arms suitable for their de1ense.
A gentleman who INDUCES IN Ply
fame swearing or cursing Is llaole -
pay FIVE shillings for each oatn; W.
Iaborers. sailors and private soio'er'
NAV give vent to their feelings az ~.
shilling a time. Women. 1t wou'u
seem. may swear without incurr'ne
any legal penalty at all, so lons q \
they do not swear in the stree''
Under acts of the early EdWarus
the king is still entitled to TAKE pv
session OF any whale or sturseoD
caught in British waters or cas-. ~. ~
our coasts. The old lawyers sa'u ' .hs
the head of the whale belongs ~ 49,. ~
king, the body to the finder anu ,s s
tail to the queen. The reason glv ,,,
for her majesty's perquisite-name..o',,
that the tail contains whaleoon1 !, !,
the queens wardrobe-is sns ,naus
inconclusive, as every child knoI N
nowadays that the whaleoone !. ,,sc
the head. The sovereign Is ' siSs
deemed to be the owner OF nan :s
u 80 s,,sus ,ound swimming in opep