BLUE LAWS OF CONNECTICUT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 205, 4 January 1872, Page 7

BLUE LAWS OF CONNECTICUT.

The following are some of the laws made by the people of New Haven, previous-to their incorporation with Saybrooke and Hartfort Colonies, by their charter. They' were termed Blue laws, and are selected frcm Kendill's Travels, Volume I : —

" No one shall be- a freeman or give a vote, unless he be converted and a member in full communion of one of the Churches' allowed in this dominion. No man shall hold any office who i? not sound in the faith and ' faithful to his dominion ; and whoever gives a vote to such a person, shall pay a fine of £1; for a second offence, he shall be disfranchised. No Quaker or dissenter fro. in the establ shed worship of this dominion, sjhall be allowed to give a vote' for the election of magistrate or an officer.

No food br lodging shall be afforded to a Quaketj Adatirite, 'or otheY 'heretic. ! If any person' iurna Quaker,' he shall be banished, and'not suffered to return, upon^pain ofdeiafti. - , No priest shall abide in' theP'dorhih-'' ipn; he shall be 'banished Snd "suffer death on his return.' Priests may be seized by any one with oiit warrant. No ou'e shalhcross a. river Dilt, with an authorizid Ferryhfan. ' No ones' shall run, on the Sabbkfh day, or "walk- in ~his- garden- or -Bfaef" whore,- except reverently to and : fr6m

meeting.- .' ' * , ' , No one shall travel; cOok victuals ltia^se Beds, sweep- h^quseSt cut hair, Pf shave the Sabbatlj day, „ i 1 ' No woman shall fri'ss hor cKitoTon

the Sabbath- or fasting day. - 4 No one shall buy or sell lands without permission of the 'Selectmen'. ; A drunkard shall .have a master 1 "at)-' pointed' by the Selectmen, who are to

•debar-Kim from the liberty of buying and. selling, • Whoever publishes a lie to the prejudice of his neighbour, shill sit in 'fhe stocks, or be whipped fifteen stripes. • ;N,o minister shall keep a school. Every rateable person who refuses to pay his proportion -to support of 'the minister of the town or pariah, shall be. fined by the Court £2 and £4 every quarter until he or she shall pay the. rate to tke minister,

Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold, silver, or bone lace above two shillings by the yard, shall be presented by the G-rand Jurors, and Selectmen shall tax the offender at 300 dollars estate.

. A debtor in prison, swearing he has no estate shall be let out and sold to make satisfaction.

Whoever shall set lire in a woods, and ifc burns a house, shall suffer death ; and persons suspected of this crime, shall be imprisoned without benefit of bail.

Whoever brings cards or dice into this dominion, shall pay a fine of £5. No one shall read Common Prayer, keep Christmas or Saint days, make minced meat, dance, play cards, or any instrument, except the drum, trumpet, and jewsharp.

No Gospel minister shall join people in marriage ; the magistrate only, shall join in marriage, as they do it with less scandal to Christ's Church.

Fornications shall be punished by compelling marriage, or as the Court may think proper. - Adultery must be punished with death.

'A man that strikes bis wife shall pay a fine of £10 ; a woman that strikes her husband shall be punished as the Court directs.

No man shall court a maid, in person or, by letter, without first obtaining the consent of her parents. £5 penalty for the first offence, £10 for the second, and for the third imprisonment during the pleasure of the Court.

Married persons must live together or be imprisoned. Every person shall have his hair cut round according to a cap.