An abstract of some of the printed laws of New-England Which are either contrary, or not agreeable to the laws of England, which laws will immediately come in force, in case the bill in Parliament for the restoring the charters of the plantations doth pass, and are not controllable by any authority in England, as they pretend by their charters.

AN ABSTRACT Of some of the Printed LAWS OF New-England.

Which are either contrary, or not agreeable to the Laws of England, which Laws will imme∣diately come in Force, in Case the Bill in Par∣liament for the Restoring the CHARTERS of the Plantations doth pass, and are not Controllable by any Authority in England, as they pretend by their CHARTERS.

NO Law to be submitted to, but what is made in their General Court (the Parliament of England not Excepted.)

Adultery made Capital.

If any Man Conspire and Attempt any Invasion, Insurre∣ction, or Publique Rebellion against our Common-Wealth, or shall endeavour to surprize any Town, Fort, or Forts therein, or shall Treacherously and Perfidiously Attempt the Alteration and Subversion of our Frame of Polity, or Go∣vernment fundamentally, he shall be put to death.

If any Man have a Stubborn, or Rebellious Son of suffici∣ent Years of Understanding (viz.) Sixteen Years of Age which will not obey the Voice of his Father, or the Voice of his other, and that when they had Chastened him, will not

hearken unto them, then shall his Father and Mother, being his Natural Parents, lay hold on him, and bring him to the Magistrates Assembled in Court, and Testifie unto them, that their Son is Stubborn, and Rebellious, and will not obey their Voice and Chastisement, but lives in sundry and notorious Crimes: Such a Son shall be put to Death.

Ravishment left to be punished by Discretion of Judges.

It is hereby Declared, That the General Court consisting of Magistrates and Deputies is the Chief Civil Power of this Common-wealth, which only hath Power to raise Mony and Taxes upon the whole Country, and dispose of Lands, (viz.) to give and confirm Proprieties, appertaining to, and immediately derived from the Country, and may Act in all Affairs of this Common-Wealth according to such Power, both in matters of Counsel, making of Laws, and matters of Judicature, by Impeaching and Sentencing any Person or Per∣sons according to Law, and by Receiving and Hearing any Complaints, orderly presented against any Person or Court.

None to be admitted to the Freedom of their Common-Wealth, unless of their Church and in full Communion, and Members of their Church.

Penalty of not coming to their Meetings Five Shillings.

None suffered to Vote in an Assembly, unless they come to their Worship.

Whosoever, shall be found observing any such day as Christ∣mass, or the like; either by forbearing Labour, Feasting, or any other way upon any such Accompt as aforesaid, every such Per∣son so Offending shall pay for every such Offence, Five Shil∣lings as a Fine to the County.

Doth hereby Order, and by the Authority of this Court be it Ordered and Enacted, That no Master or Commander of any Ship, Barque, Pinnace, Ketch, or other Vessel shall hence∣forth bring into any Harbour, Creek or Cove within this Ju∣risdiction any known Quaker or Quakers, or any Blasphemous Hereticks as aforesaid, upon the penalty of the Forfeiture of one hundred Pounds.

Quakers Banished on pain of Death.

Several Laws to encourage the MANUFACTURE of LEATHER in that Country.

Nor shall any Man be compelled to go out of this Jurisdicti∣on upon any offensive Wars, which this Common-Wealth, or any of our Frinds or Consederates as shall voluntary undertake, but only upon such Vindictive and Defensive Wars in our own behalf, or the behalf of our Friends and Confederates, as shall be enterprized by the Council and Consent of a General Court, or by Authority derived from the same.

It is therefore Ordered by this Court and Authority there∣of, That no Person whatsoever in this Jurisdiction shall joyn any Persons together in Marriage, but the Magistrate, or such other as the General Court, or Court of Assistants shall Authorise in such place where no Magistrate is near.

This Court taking into serious Consideration the great ne∣cessity of upholding the Staple Commodities of this Country for the supply and support of the Inhabitants thereof, and finding by experience, the bringing in of Malt, Wheat, Barly, Bisket, Beef, Meal and Flower, (which are the Principal Commodities of this Country) from Forreign parts, to be exceeding pre∣judicial to the Subsistance of this Place and People here; Have therefore Ordered, That no Person whatsoever either Inhabitant or Stranger, shall directly or indirectly after the first of March next, import into this Jurisdiction from any part of Europe, any of the aforesaid Provisions, under the Penalty of Confiscation of the same (except it be for the Ships Provi∣sions) that shall be so Imported, Landed, set to Sale, or other∣wise disposed contrary to the intent of this Order.

A Mint for Coines of all values, set up with all its apper∣tenances. No notice being taken of the KING in the Stamp or allay.

It is Ordered, And by this Court Declared, That no man shall be urged to take any Oath, or Subscribe to any Articles, Covenants, or Remonstrances of Publick and Civil Nature, but such as the General Court hath considered, allowed and required. And no others to be taken, but such as are allowed

by the General Court. The Oaths of Allegiance and Supre∣macy not excepted.

Whereas, The keeping of Sheep tends much to the benefit of the Country, and may in short time make good supply towards the Cloathing of the Inhabitants if carefully preserved. And forasmuch as all places are not sit and convenient for that end &c.

All Ships Prohibited to unload till they have acknowledged their Government, and greater Impositions upon Shipping of England than others of New-England.

The Execution of the Acts for Trade and Navigation made impracticable—

By which Laws, and their Power, and Practice of making others of like Nature. It appears, how necessary it is, that by Authority residing in England these Nothern Colo∣nies, which are endeavouring to improve, and have already set up the Principal Manufactures, and Staple Commodities of Old-England, ought to be restrained in the Point of Go∣vernment, and remain Subject to, and immediately depending on the Crown.

Notes

• ☜Page 1.
• p. 15. §. 9.
• §. 12.
• ☜§. 14.
• §. 15.
• p. 34.
• p. 43, 55, 56. By which it appears, that that part of the Bill for Restoring Charters set forth in the preamble, (viz.) the Encouragement of the Established Re∣ligion, will not be Answered, but on the contrary, by Restoring the Charters of New-England these Penal and Prohibitary Laws in Ecclesiastical matters will be revived, and the Established Religion thereby dis∣courag'd, or wholly suppressed, whereas by the vacating and Dissolution of those Charters and Laws the E∣stablished Religion was promoted.
• p. 45. §. 15.
• p. 48. §. 4.
• ☞ p. 58.
• p. 60.
• P. 61.
• ☜P. 63. P. 88. P. 89.
• P. 73.
• P. 102. Memorandum. By this Law many Thousands not agreeing to the reasonableness of it, live together unmarried, and great numbers of Children unbaptized by reason of the like Restraints.
• ☜P. 106.
• P. 117.
• P. 119:
• ☜ P 137 Vide the Laws at large. ••
• P. 141.
• ☞ Vide the Laws made to regu∣late the Navi∣gation and Trade.