Difference between revisions of "Sodomy law: Rhode Island, 1663"

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(New page: {{GLA}} p.105. The Rhode Island Colony revised its sodomy law of 1647. <ref> 1663: Rhode Island "sodomy" law; Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode Island. . . (Boston: Nicholas...)
 
 
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{{GLA}} p.105.
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==death for "sodomy" or "buggery"==
  
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The Rhode Island Colony revised its [[Sodomy law: Rhode Island, May 19, 1647|sodomy law of 1647]]. The new statute dropped the earlier law's New Testament citations, adopting a wording more like that of the English buggery law.<ref>{{GLA}}, p. 105, citing ''Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode Island. . .'' (Boston: Nicholas Boone, 1719), p. 6. This law, as first published in 1719, provided that those convicted of sodomy be punished by death "with benefit of Clergy." This was probably a printer's error for "without" benefit of clergy -- an error which might theoretically have removed the mandatory death penalty for sodomy. "Benefit of Clergy" provided an exemption of the death penalty for the clergy and some others.</ref>
  
The Rhode Island Colony revised its sodomy law of 1647. <ref> 1663: Rhode Island "sodomy" law; Acts
 
and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode
 
Island. . . (Boston: Nicholas Boone,
 
1719), p. 6. This law, as first published
 
in 1719, provided that those convicted
 
of sodomy be punished by death "with
 
benefit of Clergy." This was probably a
 
printer's error for "without" benefit of
 
dergy-an error which might theoretically
 
have removed the mandatory
 
death penalty for sodomy. "Benefit of
 
Clergy" provided an exemption of the
 
death penalty for the clergy and some
 
others.</ref>The new statute
 
dropped the earlier law's New Testament citations, adopting a wording more like
 
that of the English buggery law.
 
  
 
The law of 1663 read:
 
The law of 1663 read:
<blockquote>... whosoever shall perpetuate and commit the Detestable and Abominable
 
Crimes of Sodomy, or Buggery, and be thereof Lawfully Convicted, shall
 
suffer the Pains of Death, as in Cases of Felony, with benefit of Clergy.</blockquote>
 
  
This Rhode Island law was next revised in 1798 when the death penalty for
+
<blockquote>... whosoever shall perpetuate and commit the Detestable and Abominable Crimes of Sodomy, or Buggery, and be thereof Lawfully Convicted, shall suffer the Pains of Death, as in Cases of Felony, with benefit of Clergy.</blockquote>
sodomy was abolished.
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 +
 
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This Rhode Island law was next revised in 1798 when the death penalty for sodomy was abolished.<ref>{RR} Will someone research and email this text and the citation?</ref>
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<div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;">
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Return to [[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Age of Sodomitical Sin]] index • Go to [[Buggery case: Mathew Giles; New Hampshire, July 4, 1663|next article]]
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</div>
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==
  
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
  
 
{{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]]
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[[Category:Colonizing and Settling, 1585-1763]]
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[[Category: Buggery Law]]
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[[Category:Law]]
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[[Category:Rhode Island Colony]]
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[[Category:Rhode Island]]
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[[Category:Sodomy]]
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[[Category:Sodomy Law]]
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[[Category:1660-1669]]
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[[Category:17th century]]

Latest revision as of 11:59, 15 July 2008

death for "sodomy" or "buggery"

PROTECTED ENTRY: This entry by a named creator or site administrator can be changed only by that creator and site administrators, so they are responsible for its accuracy, coverage, evidence, and clarity. Please do use this entry's Comment section at the bottom of the page to suggest improvements. Thanks.

The Rhode Island Colony revised its sodomy law of 1647. The new statute dropped the earlier law's New Testament citations, adopting a wording more like that of the English buggery law.[1]


The law of 1663 read:

... whosoever shall perpetuate and commit the Detestable and Abominable Crimes of Sodomy, or Buggery, and be thereof Lawfully Convicted, shall suffer the Pains of Death, as in Cases of Felony, with benefit of Clergy.


This Rhode Island law was next revised in 1798 when the death penalty for sodomy was abolished.[2]


Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article

References

  1. Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 105, citing Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode Island. . . (Boston: Nicholas Boone, 1719), p. 6. This law, as first published in 1719, provided that those convicted of sodomy be punished by death "with benefit of Clergy." This was probably a printer's error for "without" benefit of clergy -- an error which might theoretically have removed the mandatory death penalty for sodomy. "Benefit of Clergy" provided an exemption of the death penalty for the clergy and some others.
  2. {RR} Will someone research and email this text and the citation?
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.