Difference between revisions of "Sodomy law proposed: Massachusetts Bay, October 1636"
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| − | [[Image:JCotton2.jpg| | + | [[Image:JCotton2.jpg|thumb|upright|300px|Rev. John Cotton (1585–1652).<ref>Image source: Wikipedia. This engraving by a H. W. Smith, which was a copy of an original painting in the possession of John R. Thayer, was published in Samuel G. Drake ''The History and Antiquities of Boston, 1630–1770'' (1856), opposite pg. 157.</ref>]] The Reverend John Cotton, who had been asked to draw up a legal code for Massachusetts Bay, submitted his proposal to the General Court.<ref>Jonathan Ned Katz, ''Gay/Lesbian Almanac'' (NY: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 74, citing William R. Staples, ed., ''The Colonial Laws of Massachusetts Reprinted from the Edition o f 1672 . . .'' (Boston: Rockwell &. Churchill, 1890), p. 35 n. and Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay American History (NY: Crowell, 1976), p. 20. For Cotton's sixteen capital crimes see: George L. Haskins, ''Law and Authority in Early Massachusetts ...'' (NY: Macmillan, 1960), pp. 124-25.</ref> Cotton proposed the death penalty for sixteen crimes: false worship, sabbath breaking, reviling the magistrates, cursing or smiting parents, blasphemy, idolatry, witchcraft, murder, adultery, incest , sodomy, bestiality, manstealing, false witness, wilful per jury, and treason. |
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<blockquote>Unnatural filthiness, to be punished with death, whether sodomy, which is carnal fellowship of man with man, or woman with woman, or buggery, which is carnal fellowship of man or woman with beasts or fowls.</blockquote> | <blockquote>Unnatural filthiness, to be punished with death, whether sodomy, which is carnal fellowship of man with man, or woman with woman, or buggery, which is carnal fellowship of man or woman with beasts or fowls.</blockquote> | ||
| − | Cotton's code was not adopted in Massachusetts. Instead, Nathaniel Ward's code was enacted in 1641 | + | Cotton's code was not adopted in Massachusetts. Instead, Nathaniel Ward's code was enacted in [[Sodomy law: Massachusetts Bay, November, 1641|1641]]. But in [[Sodomy law: New Haven, March 1, 1656|1656]] Cotton' s sodomy law was adopted in the New Haven Colony, with a significant amendation: the explicit reference to "woman with woman" was replaced by the more ambiguous prohibition against women changing the "natural use" into that which "is against nature." |
| + | <div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;"> | ||
| + | Return to [[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Age of Sodomitical Sin]] index • Go to [[Sodomy law: Plymouth, November 15, 1636|next article]] | ||
| + | </div> | ||
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| − | + | == References == | |
| − | |||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
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| + | {{Curated Exhibit|exhibit name and link=[[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin]]|firstname=Jonathan Ned|lastname=Katz}} | ||
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| + | ==Categories== | ||
[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | [[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Colonizing and Settling, 1585-1763]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Cotton, John (1585-1652)]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Law]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Massachusetts Bay Colony]] | ||
[[Category:Sodomy]] | [[Category:Sodomy]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Sodomy Law]] | ||
| + | [[Category:1630-1639]] | ||
| + | [[Category:17th century]] | ||
Latest revision as of 18:55, 14 April 2009
Women, as well as men, should be put to death for "sodomy"
Rev. John Cotton (1585–1652).[1]
The Reverend John Cotton, who had been asked to draw up a legal code for Massachusetts Bay, submitted his proposal to the General Court.[2] Cotton proposed the death penalty for sixteen crimes: false worship, sabbath breaking, reviling the magistrates, cursing or smiting parents, blasphemy, idolatry, witchcraft, murder, adultery, incest , sodomy, bestiality, manstealing, false witness, wilful per jury, and treason.
The famous minister innovatively suggested that women, as well as men, be put to death for "sodomy," proposing:
Unnatural filthiness, to be punished with death, whether sodomy, which is carnal fellowship of man with man, or woman with woman, or buggery, which is carnal fellowship of man or woman with beasts or fowls.
Cotton's code was not adopted in Massachusetts. Instead, Nathaniel Ward's code was enacted in 1641. But in 1656 Cotton' s sodomy law was adopted in the New Haven Colony, with a significant amendation: the explicit reference to "woman with woman" was replaced by the more ambiguous prohibition against women changing the "natural use" into that which "is against nature."
Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article
References
- ↑ Image source: Wikipedia. This engraving by a H. W. Smith, which was a copy of an original painting in the possession of John R. Thayer, was published in Samuel G. Drake The History and Antiquities of Boston, 1630–1770 (1856), opposite pg. 157.
- ↑ Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 74, citing William R. Staples, ed., The Colonial Laws of Massachusetts Reprinted from the Edition o f 1672 . . . (Boston: Rockwell &. Churchill, 1890), p. 35 n. and Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay American History (NY: Crowell, 1976), p. 20. For Cotton's sixteen capital crimes see: George L. Haskins, Law and Authority in Early Massachusetts ... (NY: Macmillan, 1960), pp. 124-25.
This entry is part of the featured exhibit Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin curated by Jonathan Ned Katz. As it is content created by a named author, editor, or curator, it is not open to editing by the general public. But we strongly encourage you to discuss the content or propose edits on the discussion page, and the author, editor, or curator will make any changes that improve the entry or its content. Thanks.
