The Olden Time Series, Vol. 3: New-England Sunday - Gleanings Chiefly From Old Newspapers Of Boston And Salem, Massachusetts by Henry M. (Henry Mason) Brooks
page 21 of 113 (18%)
page 21 of 113 (18%)
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Part thereof, every Person so offending shall forfeit and pay
the sum of five shillings and upon a second Conviction bound for good behaviour,... If any Persons being able of Body and not otherwise necessarily prevented shall for the space of one Month together absent themselves from the Publick Worship of God on the Lord's Day, they shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten shillings. "And whereas many Persons are of opinion that the Sabbath or Time of religious Rest, begins on Saturday evening, therefore to prevent all unnecessary Disturbance of Persons of such Opinion, as well as to encourage in all others a due and seasonable Preparation for the religious Duties of the Lord's Day: Be it further enacted, That no Person shall keep open any Shop, Ware-House or Work-House or hawk or sell any Provisions or Wares in Streets or Lanes of any Town or District, or be present at any Concert of Musick, Dancing or other Publick Diversion on the Evening next preceding the Lord's-Day, on Pain of forfeiting ten Shillings for each Offence, &c." Wardens were to be appointed in all the towns and districts to see that these laws were duly enforced. All existing laws on the Sabbath were at that time repealed, but some of the laws then passed are still in force. The following is from Felt's "Annals of Salem:"-- 1676. April 20th. "Ordered by ye Selectmen yt the three Constables doe attend att ye three great doores of ye meeting house every Lord's day att ye end of sermon, boath forenoone and afternoone and to |
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