It is said that the ducking-stool was used in Virginia at one time.
Thomas Hartley writes from there to Governor Endicott of Massachusetts
in 1634, giving an account of the punishing a woman "who by the
violence of her tongue had made her house and neighborhood
uncomfortable." She was ducked five times before she repented; "then
cried piteously, 'Let me go! let me go! by God's help I'll sin so no
more.' They then drew back y^e Machine, untied y^e Ropes, and let her
walk home in her wetted Clothes a hopefully penitent woman." In the
"American Historical Record," vol. i., will be found a very
interesting account of this singular affair, with an engraving of the
"ducking-stool." Bishop Meade, in his "Old Churches," etc., says there
was a law in Virginia against scolds and slanderers, and gives an
instance of a woman ordered to be ducked three times from a vessel
lying in James River. There must have been very severe practices in
Virginia in the early days, according to Bishop Meade. We refer
persons especially interested in this subject to Hone's "Day Book and
Table Book," or Chambers's "Book of Days," both English publications,
for a full account of the ducking-stool and scold's bridle, formerly
used in England for the punishment of scolding women. It is not
pleasant to think that such a shameful practice was ever resorted to,
but it appears to be well authenticated. We cannot, however, read
English history, or any other history, without finding a vast number
of disagreeable facts which we are obliged to believe. Some things,
too, have occurred in our own country that we should like to forget.

All over the country we are nowadays troubled with "strikes." Such
"irregularities" must have been treated in a different spirit half a
century ago from what they are now. In these days the "strikers"
attempt to dictate terms, and in some cases succeed; although as a