Colony Laws, Chap. 66.
October 1650. “It is ordered by the Court and authority thereof, that
no man shall strike his wife, nor any woman her husband, on penalty of
such fine not exceeding ten pounds for one offence, or such corporall
punishment as the County Court shall determine.”
The Colony laws regarding the OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH were quite
numerous and strictly enforced by various penalties.
At a court before the Commissioners John Pynehon, Eliziar Holyoke and
Samuel Chapin. May 8th, 1654.
“Daniel, a Scotchman servant to Thomas Merick being found to profhane
the Sabbath in idle walkinge about, and not cominge to ye ordinances
of ye Lord, yea though he had warninge to ye contrary; and being also
complayned of by his said master for his grevious idleness in neglecting
his busyness for severall dayes, yea synce he was called before authority
for the like misbehaviour formerly at wh tyme he promised amendment;
but he grew worse and worse and therefore was adjudged to be whipped
on ye bare back wth five lashes well laid on, and execution was done
accordingly.”
Another case in which four young men were charged with violation of the
Sabbath was attended with this peculiarity—that two of the culprits were
sons of Holyoke, one of the two Magistrates before whom the trial was had.
This trial was in 1664, and was thus recorded in the handwriting of
Holyoke.
“Thomas Noble, Constable, presenting Thomas Thomson and John Horton for
that last Sabb., was fortnight, June ye 7, they made a fray in ye street
in ye evening about ½ an hour after sunsett. Samuel & Elizar Holyoke
being accessory in ye said fray.
The Commissioners uppon examination of ye case doe fynd that the said
foure persons did profane the Lord’s day, and therefor doe determine
that they all shall be admonished thereof & that Thomas Thomson, John
Horton, and Samuel Holyoke shall pay a fyne of five shillings apeece to
the County, or be whipped by the Constable on ye naked body with three
stripes apeece; whereuppon they were all admonished & the 3 former
desiring to pay ye fynes, then otherwise were ordered to pay them to ye
County Treasurer.”
Samuel Holyoke upon whom this sentence was passed by his own father, was
then a boy of seventeen years. Twelve years afterwards in 1676, he was
the Capt. Holyoke who so greatly distinguished himself in the celebrated
Falls fight with the Indians.