Curious Punishments of Bygone Days

								

town, that there might be no wife Number Three. Then a watchman of the
town, "for drinking several times of strong waters," took his turn. Soon
a man for "uncivil carriages" was "stocked." Every town was enjoined to
build stocks. In 1655 Medfield had stocks, and in 1638 Newbury and
Concord were fined for "the want of stocks," and Newbury was given time
till the next court session to build them. The town obeyed the order,
and soon John Perry was set in them for his "abusive carriage to his
wife and child." Dedham and Watertown were "psent'd" in 1639 for "the
want of stocks." Ipswich already had them, for John Wedgwood that same
year was set in the stocks simply for being in the company of drunkards.
In Yarmouth, a thief who stole flax and yarn, and in Rehoboth, one who
stole an Indian child, were "stocked." Portsmouth, New Hampshire, built
stocks and a cage. Plymouth had a constant relay of Quakers to keep her
stocks from ever lying idle, as well as other offenders, such as Ann
Savory, of unsavory memory. Rhode Island ordered "good sufficient
stocks" in every town. In the southern and central colonies the stocks
were a constant force. The Dutch favored the pillory and whipping-post,
but a few towns had stocks. We find the Heer officer in Beverwyck
(Albany) dispensing justice in a most summary manner. When Martin de
Metslaer wounded another in a drunken brawl, the authorities hunted
Martin up, "early hauled him out of bed and set him in the stocks."
Connecticut was a firm advocate of the stocks, and plentiful examples
might be given under New Haven and Connecticut laws.
Web Adey, who was evidently a "single-man," for "two breaches of the
Saboth" was ordered to be set in the stocks, then to find a master, and
if not complying with this second order the town would find one for him
and sell him for a term of service. This was the arbitrary and not
unusual method of disposing of lazy, lawless and even lonely men, as
well as of more hardened criminals, who, when sold for a term of
service, usually got into fresh disgrace and punishment through
disobedience, idleness and running away.
I do not find many sentences of women to be set in the stocks. Jane
Boulton of Plymouth was stocked for reviling the magistrates; one of her
neighbors sat in the stocks and watched her husband take a flogging.
Goody Gregory of Springfield in 1640, being grievously angered by a
neighbor, profanely abused her, saying "Before God I could break thy
head." She acknowledged her "great sine and fault" like a woman, but she
paid her fine and sat in the stocks like a man, since she swore like
one.
And it should be noted that the stocks were not for the punishment of
gentlemen, they were thoroughly plebeian. The pillory was aristocratic
in comparison, as was also branding with a hot iron.
Fiercely hedged around was divine worship. The stocks added their
restraint by threatened use. "All persons who stand out of the
meeting-house during time of service, to be set in the stocks."