Difference between revisions of "Sodomy law: Plymouth, June 6, 1671"
(New page: {{GLA}} p.106-7. The General Court of Plymouth added several capital crimes to those specified in 1636.<ref>1671,June 6: Plymouth "sodomy" law; The Book of the General Laws of the Inhabit...) |
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| − | + | The General Court of Plymouth added several capital crimes to those [[Sodomy law: Plymouth, November 15, 1636|specified in 1636]].<ref>1671, June 6: Plymouth "sodomy" law; | |
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| − | The General Court of Plymouth added several capital crimes to those specified | ||
| − | in 1636.<ref>1671,June 6: Plymouth "sodomy" law; | ||
The Book of the General Laws of the Inhabitants | The Book of the General Laws of the Inhabitants | ||
of the Jurisdiction of New Plimouth, | of the Jurisdiction of New Plimouth, | ||
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qualification, that "all other sodomitical filthiness" shall be punished according to its nature, may have meant that anal penetration was necessary for the death penalty, and that other types of non-penetrative, "sodomitical" (sodomy-like) | qualification, that "all other sodomitical filthiness" shall be punished according to its nature, may have meant that anal penetration was necessary for the death penalty, and that other types of non-penetrative, "sodomitical" (sodomy-like) | ||
acts, such as mutual or public masturbation, were not to be punished so severely. | acts, such as mutual or public masturbation, were not to be punished so severely. | ||
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The sixteen crimes punishable by death in the Plymouth law of 1671 were | The sixteen crimes punishable by death in the Plymouth law of 1671 were | ||
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"Man-stealing," (13) "Cursing or Smiting Father or Mother," (14) "The Rebellious | "Man-stealing," (13) "Cursing or Smiting Father or Mother," (14) "The Rebellious | ||
Son," (15) "Rape," (16) "Willful burning of Houses, Ships, etc." | Son," (15) "Rape," (16) "Willful burning of Houses, Ships, etc." | ||
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The provision, whose margin referred to "sodomy:” reads: | The provision, whose margin referred to "sodomy:” reads: | ||
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it.</blockquote> | it.</blockquote> | ||
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| − | + | This Plymouth law was revised when Plymouth was united with Massachusetts [[Buggery law: Massachusetts, May 26, 1697| | |
| + | in 1697]]. | ||
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| + | <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: Connecticut, October, 1672|next article]] | ||
| + | </div> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{GLA}} p. 106-7. | ||
<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}} | {{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}} | ||
[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | [[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | ||
| + | [[Category:American Colonial Era (1607-1776)]] | ||
| + | [[Category:1670-1679]] | ||
| + | [[Category:17th century]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Sodomy]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Law]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Plymouth Colony]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Massachusetts]] | ||
Revision as of 11:47, 23 April 2008
The General Court of Plymouth added several capital crimes to those specified in 1636.[1] The new laws also qualified the "sodomy" statute, making persons under fourteen and the party to forcible sodomy exempt from death. The further qualification, that "all other sodomitical filthiness" shall be punished according to its nature, may have meant that anal penetration was necessary for the death penalty, and that other types of non-penetrative, "sodomitical" (sodomy-like) acts, such as mutual or public masturbation, were not to be punished so severely.
The sixteen crimes punishable by death in the Plymouth law of 1671 were
listed as: (1) "Idolatry," (2) "Blasphemy," (3) "Treason," (4) "Conspiring against
this Juristiction" (attempted invasion, insurrection, or rebellion), (5) "Willful
murder," (6) "Sudden Murder in Passion," (7) "Murder by Guile or Poisoning,"
(8) "Witchcraft," (9) "Bestiality," (10) "Sodomy," (11) "False-witness," (12)
"Man-stealing," (13) "Cursing or Smiting Father or Mother," (14) "The Rebellious
Son," (15) "Rape," (16) "Willful burning of Houses, Ships, etc."
The provision, whose margin referred to "sodomy:” reads:
If any Man lyeth with Mankind, as he lyeth with a Woman, both of them have
committed Abomination; they both shall surely be put to Death, unless the one party were forced, or be under fourteen years of Age: And all other Sodomitical filthiness, shall be surely punished according to the nature of
it.
This Plymouth law was revised when Plymouth was united with Massachusetts
in 1697.
Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article
References
Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983) p. 106-7.
- ↑ 1671, June 6: Plymouth "sodomy" law; The Book of the General Laws of the Inhabitants of the Jurisdiction of New Plimouth, Collected Out of the Records of the General Court, ... Held at Plimouth the Sixth of June Anno Dom. 1671 (Cambridge, Mass.: Samuel Green, 1672), pp. 3-5.
