The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-01-28
THOSE BLUE LAWS"
(Pathfinder)

Now that everyone is talking about
"blue laws" there is a great deal OF
interest in the original blue laws
of Connecticut of nearly 800 years
ago. Many perhaps are under mis-
taken impressions as to the origin OF
the name since the word blue" has
come to be associated with rigorous
measures of any kind.
The fact is that the term was deriv-
ed from the blue paper covers in
which the first collection of the laws
was bound, in 1850. The term was
first used in England, where copies of
the book made their way and caused
much sarcastic merriment.
Here are some of the laws 1t meant
death to break:
"If any man, after due conviction,
shall have, or worship any other God
but the Lord God, he shall be put to
death"
"Whosoever shall profane the
Lords day or any part of it, by work
or sport, shall be punished by fine,
or corporally. But if the court by
clear evidence, find that the sin was
proudly, presumptuously, and with
a high hand committed against the
command and the authority of the
blessed God, such person therein de-
spising and reproaching the Lord
shall be put to death"
eff any man have stubborn, re-
bellious son of 16 years old who will
not obey the voice of his father or
mother, and being chastened will not
hearken unto them, then shall his
father and mother lay hold on him
and bring him to the magistrates as
sembled in court, and testify unto
them that their son is stubborn and
rebellious, and will not obey their
voice, but lives in sundry crimes;
such son shall be put to DEATH"
If any man turned Quaker he was
first banished but if he did not stay
banished he was put to death. 1t was
also against the law to furnish food
or lodging to Quaker, Adamite, or
other hereto" Now the Quakers are
highly esteemed everywhere
Every person who was absent from
public worship on Lords day, or who
should withdraw therefrom was
fined five shillings for every such
sinful miscarriage" Some further |
Sabbath laws were as follows: mo |
one shall run on the Sabbath day, or |
walk in the garden, or elsewhere, ex-
cept reverently to and from meeting. |
NO7one shall travel, cook victuals, |
make beds sweep house, cut hair
shave on the Sabbath or fasting day. |
No woman shall kiss her child on the |
Sabbath or fasting day. If any man
shall kiss his wife or wife kiss her
husband on the Lords day, the party |
in fault shall be punished at the dis
erection of the court of magistrates.
Though the Sabbath day was kept
oIAiOliy lHSAS was HO great lAtGuOlu
on other days of the week, as may be
seen from the following law which
applied to every day: "No-one shall
read common prayer (Episcopalian)
keep Christmas or stints day, make
minced pies, dance, play cards, or
play on an instrument except the
lrum, trumpet or jew's-harp." Who
ever brought cards or dice into the
domain was condemned to pay a fine
Of five pounds.
Women's clothes were not over
looked by these stern lawmakers,
who evidently saw a tendency to too
much display 1t was decreed tn t
aides dresses should be made long
enough to hide their shoe-buckles,
md that their sleeves should cover
he arms to the wrists. Both sexes
we're forbidden to wear clothes trim
ned with gold, silver, or bone lace
above two shillings by the yard"
Here are some of the laws govern
ng the relations between the sexes:
mo man shall court a maid in per-
on or by letter without first obtain
ng the consent of her parents.
when parents refuse their chill t
lren convenient marriages the magis-
rates shall determine the point"
Married persons must live togeth-
r or be imprisoned"
"A man that strikes his wife shall
re fined 10 pounds. A woman that
trikes her husband shall be pun
shed.