for sports read, went immediately, and having 3. pence in her
purse, hired a fellow to goe to the next towne to fetch a
Minstrell, who coming, she with others fell a dauncing, which
continued within night; at which time shee was got with child,
which at the birth shee murthering, was detected and apprehended,
and being converted before the justice, shee confessed it, and
withal told the occasion of it, saying it was her falling to sport
on the Sabbath, upon the reading of the Booke, so as for this
treble sinfull act, her presumptuous profaning of the Sabbath, wh.
brought her adultory and that murther. Shee was according to the
Law both of God and man, put to death. Much sinne and misery
followeth upon Sabbath-breaking.'

It is needless to say, that if the young lady near Northampton had
'fallen to sport' of such a dangerous description, on any other day
but Sunday, the first result would probably have been the same: it
never having been distinctly shown that Sunday is more favourable
to the propagation of the human race than any other day in the
week. The second result--the murder of the child--does not speak
very highly for the amiability of her natural disposition; and the
whole story, supposing it to have had any foundation at all, is
about as much chargeable upon the Book of Sports, as upon the Book
of Kings. Such 'sports' have taken place in Dissenting Chapels
before now; but religion has never been blamed in consequence; nor
has it been proposed to shut up the chapels on that account.

The question, then, very fairly arises, whether we have any reason
to suppose that allowing games in the open air on Sundays, or even
providing the means of amusement for the humbler classes of society
on that day, would be hurtful and injurious to the character and