Difference between revisions of "Buggery case: Mathew Giles; New Hampshire, July 4, 1663"
(New page: == "Buggered her servant boy" == The New Hampshire Court, sitting in Dover, gave its verdict in one of the earliest cases involving a certifiably false charge of male-male "buggery." Evi...) |
|||
| (5 intermediate revisions by one other user not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
== "Buggered her servant boy" == | == "Buggered her servant boy" == | ||
| − | + | {{Protected}} | |
| − | The New Hampshire Court, sitting in Dover, gave its verdict in one of the earliest cases involving a certifiably false charge of male-male "buggery." Evidently, this charge followed out of an acrimonious squabble between wife and husband | + | The New Hampshire Court, sitting in Dover, gave its verdict in one of the earliest cases involving a certifiably false charge of male-male "buggery." Evidently, this charge followed out of an acrimonious squabble between a wife and husband.<ref>{{GLA}}, p. 104-5, citing Otis G. Hammond, ed., ''New Hampshire Court Records, 1640-1692; Court Papers, 1652-1668'' (Concord, N. H.: State of New Hampshire, 1943), pp. 182-83; discussed by Kohler, ''Search'', pp. 153-54. The preceeding entry suggests the Giles case was heard on July 4.</ref> |
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
<blockquote>this Court finds to be often broken Since that time by her Cursing & Swearing & abusing her husband . . , in saying he had buggered her Servant boy, & Laen [laid] with her daughter . . . in law, & saying her daughter was her husband's whore, & that she did hope to see her husband hanged ere long & wished she might be damned in hell if she did not."</blockquote> | <blockquote>this Court finds to be often broken Since that time by her Cursing & Swearing & abusing her husband . . , in saying he had buggered her Servant boy, & Laen [laid] with her daughter . . . in law, & saying her daughter was her husband's whore, & that she did hope to see her husband hanged ere long & wished she might be damned in hell if she did not."</blockquote> | ||
| + | |||
The legal record continues: | The legal record continues: | ||
| Line 24: | Line 25: | ||
<div style="text-align: right; direction: ltr; margin-left: 1em;"> | <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 [[The Duke of York's Laws | + | Return to [[Colonial America: The Age of Sodomitical Sin|Age of Sodomitical Sin]] index • Go to [[Sodomy law: The Duke of York's Laws; March 1, 1665|next article]] |
</div> | </div> | ||
| Line 34: | Line 35: | ||
[[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | [[Category:The Age of Sodomitical Sin]] | ||
| − | [[Category: | + | [[Category:Colonizing and Settling, 1585-1763]] |
[[Category:Buggery Law]] | [[Category:Buggery Law]] | ||
[[Category:Giles, Mathew]] | [[Category:Giles, Mathew]] | ||
Latest revision as of 11:15, 15 July 2008
"Buggered her servant boy"
The New Hampshire Court, sitting in Dover, gave its verdict in one of the earliest cases involving a certifiably false charge of male-male "buggery." Evidently, this charge followed out of an acrimonious squabble between a wife and husband.[1]
On an earlier occasion, the record indicates, "The wife of Mathew Giles" (her first name is never stated) had been bound in bond of twenty pounds "to be of good behavior" and had agreed if not able to pay it that she would submit
to "this Court's Censure." The record says that her promise of "good behavior”
this Court finds to be often broken Since that time by her Cursing & Swearing & abusing her husband . . , in saying he had buggered her Servant boy, & Laen [laid] with her daughter . . . in law, & saying her daughter was her husband's whore, & that she did hope to see her husband hanged ere long & wished she might be damned in hell if she did not."
The legal record continues:
This court having Considered the heinousness of these crimes, Sentence her to be forthwith whipped to the number of 20 stripes, & to be Imprisoned during the Court's pleasure, Provided that in case of dangerous sickness or any other Exegent [exigency] as shall be Judged by Captain Wiggin, Captain Waldren & Captain Pendleton she may have such enlargement & Liberty as they shall see meet, & [the] fees [of the] Court [shall be paid by her].
Wm. Penney Servant boy to Mathew Giles for accusing his master of buggering him, & afterwards says his dame had hired him so to say, & confessed in Court that it was not true that his master had done any such thing to him, Sentence him to be whipped to the number of 10 stripes forthwith.
It appearing to this Court that Mathew Giles hath not carried himself so towards his wife as was meet for him to do but hath used uncomly & Provoking speeches . . . in saying he had taken his daughter as his wife which is provoking. This court sentence him to have an admonition, which was forthwith Performed: & fees [of the] Court [to be paid by Giles].
Jno Meader, Constable, is allowed 5 s[hillings] for Whipping Goodwife Giles & her servant boy[;] to be allowed by the treasurer of Dover.
Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article
References
- ↑ Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983), p. 104-5, citing Otis G. Hammond, ed., New Hampshire Court Records, 1640-1692; Court Papers, 1652-1668 (Concord, N. H.: State of New Hampshire, 1943), pp. 182-83; discussed by Kohler, Search, pp. 153-54. The preceeding entry suggests the Giles case was heard on July 4.
