Difference between revisions of "Sodomy law: Rhode Island, 1663"
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| − | + | The Rhode Island Colony revised its [[Sodomy law: Rhode Island, May 19, 1647|sodomy law of 1647]].<ref>1663: Rhode Island "sodomy" law; Acts | |
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| − | 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 | and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode | ||
Island. . . (Boston: Nicholas Boone, | Island. . . (Boston: Nicholas Boone, | ||
| Line 10: | Line 7: | ||
benefit of Clergy." This was probably a | benefit of Clergy." This was probably a | ||
printer's error for "without" benefit of | printer's error for "without" benefit of | ||
| − | + | clergy-an error which might theoretically | |
have removed the mandatory | have removed the mandatory | ||
death penalty for sodomy. "Benefit of | death penalty for sodomy. "Benefit of | ||
Clergy" provided an exemption of the | Clergy" provided an exemption of the | ||
death penalty for the clergy and some | death penalty for the clergy and some | ||
| − | others.</ref>The new statute | + | others.</ref> The new statute dropped the earlier law's New Testament citations, adopting a wording more like |
| − | dropped the earlier law's New Testament citations, adopting a wording more like | ||
that of the English buggery law. | that of the English buggery law. | ||
| + | |||
The law of 1663 read: | The law of 1663 read: | ||
| Line 23: | Line 20: | ||
Crimes of Sodomy, or Buggery, and be thereof Lawfully Convicted, shall | 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> | 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 | This Rhode Island law was next revised in 1798 when the death penalty for | ||
sodomy was abolished. | sodomy was abolished. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | <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 [[Mathew Giles: New Hampshire, July 4, 1663|next article]] | ||
| + | </div> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{GLA}} p. 105. | ||
<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:1660-1669]] | ||
| + | [[Category:17th century]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Sodomy]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Rhode Island Colony]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Rhode Island]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Law]] | ||
Revision as of 11:54, 23 April 2008
The Rhode Island Colony revised its sodomy law of 1647.[1] 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:
... 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.
Return to Age of Sodomitical Sin index • Go to next article
References
Jonathan Ned Katz, Gay/Lesbian Almanac (NY: Harper & Row, 1983) p. 105.
- ↑ 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 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.
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.
