A case of incest in Deerfield: "the man was set upon the Gallows with a Rope about his Neck for the space of one Hour, to be whipped in his Way from thence to the Goal 30 stripes, and to wear a Capital I of two Inches long, and proportionable Bigness on his upper Garment for ever. Sentence against the Woman, for special Reasons, we hear, is respited for the present."—Boston Evening-Post, Oct. 7, 1754.
At the Superior Court held in Cambridge last week, one Hannah Dudley of Lincoln was convicted of repeatedly commiting Adultery and Fornication with her own Mother's husband, an old Man of 76 years of age. She was sentenced to be set upon the Gallows for the space of one Hour, with a Rope about her Neck, and the other end cast over the Gallows, and in the way from thence to the Common Goal, that she be severely whipped 30 stripes, and that she for ever after wear a Capital I of two inches long and proportionable bigness cut out in Cloth of a different Colour to her Cloaths, and sewed upon her upper Garment on the outside of her arm, or on her Back, in Open View. [No further mention is made of the step-father.]—Boston News-Letter, Aug. 16, 1759.
[94] On Tuesday the 12th Instant, about 3 p.m. were executed for Piracy, Murder, etc., three of the Condemned Persons mentioned in our Last viz. William Fly, Capt., Samuel Cole, Quarter-Master, and Henry Greenville.... Fly behaved himself very unbecoming even to the last; ... Their Bodies were carried in a Boat to a small Island call'd Nicks's-Mate, about 2 Leagues from the Town, where the above said Fly was hung up in Irons, as a spectacle for the warning of others, especially sea-faring men; the other Two were buried there.—Boston News-Letter, July 7-14, 1726.
[95] Suffolk County Court Files, Vol. I.
[96] The list here printed, is in abstracted form in the order as printed and does not include the rates imposed, deemed immaterial for the present purpose. For complete data consult The Statutes of the Realm, London, 1819, Vol. V, pp. 184-202.
[97] Quantity.
[98] Quintal.
Transcriber's note:
Minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. Irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed.