The fame of “blue laws,” does not belong to Connecticut alone; nor is her claim to the title of “land of steady habits,” so pre-eminent over her neighbors, as to throw them entirely in the shade. Were the early judicial records of the old Bay State, and even of her daughter, Maine, while she was a young province, duly examined, they would afford ample evidence of enactments as numerous, and as strong, and as rigidly enforced in favor of good order and decorous deportment, as those which have conferred everlasting honor upon the early character of good old Connecticut. We beg leave here to quote a few examples in proof of our position. 1654. “The Court doth order that Jane Berry is to acknowledge that she hath done goodman Abbit wrong, in dealing without witness. And that Sarah Abbit is to acknowledge that she hath done goodwife Berry wrong in evil speeches.” 1655. “The Grand Jury do present Thomas Furson, for swearing ‘by God,’ and cursing his wife, and saying, ‘a pox take her.’ Sentenced to pay ten shillings, and to be bound unto his good behavior in a bond of ten pounds.” “The Grand Jury do present the wife of Matthew Giles for swearing, and reviling the constabell when he came for the rates, and likewise railing on the prudenshall men and their wives. Sentenced to be whipped seven stripes, or to be redeemed with forty shillings, and to be bound to her good behavior.” “The Grand Jury do present Jane Canney, the wife of Thomas Canney, for beating her son-in-law, Jeremy Tibbets, and his wife; and likewise for striking her husband in a canoe, and giving him reviling speeches. Admonished by the Court, and to pay two shillings and sixpence.” “The Grand Jury do present Philip Edgerly for threatening his wife to break her neck if she would not go out of doors; that for fear she came into goodman Beard’s house in the night on the Lord’s day, as she complained to William Beard the next morning. Sentenced to be bound to his good behavior in a bond of forty pounds.” 1657. “Thomas Crowlie is presented for calling constable Alt, constable rogue; is admonished by the Court, and to pay fees two shillings and sixpence.” 1670. “The Grand Jury present Thomas Taylor for abusing Capt. Francis Rayns, being in authority, by _theeing and thouing of him_, and many other abusive speeches.” “The Grand Jury present Mrs. Sarah Morgan for striking of her husband. The delinquent to stand with a gag in her mouth half an hour at Kittery, at a public town-meeting, and the cause of her offence writ and put upon her forehead, or pay fifty shillings to the Treasurer.” “Richard Gibson, for striking Capt. Frost at the head of his company, is appointed to receive twenty-five stripes on the bare back, which were given him this day in presence of this court.”