" By the Connecticut code
ten shillings was the fine, and the law was not suspended until the year
1770. By the New Haven code five shillings was the fine for non-attendance
at church, and the offender was often punished as well. Captain Dennison,
one of New Haven's most popular and respected citizens, was fined fifteen
shillings for absence from church. William Blagden, who lived in New Haven
in 1647, was "brought up" for absence from meeting. He pleaded that he had
fallen into the water late on Saturday, could light no fire on Sunday to
dry his clothes, and so had lain in bed to keep warm while his only suit of
garments was drying. In spite of this seemingly fair excuse, Blagden was
found guilty of "sloathefuluess" and sentenced to be "publiquely whipped."
Of course the Quakers contributed liberally to the support of the Court,
and were fined in great numbers for refusing to attend the church which
they hated, and which also warmly abhorred them; and they were zealously
set in the stocks, and whipped and caged and pilloried as well,--whipped
if they came and expressed any dissatisfaction, and whipped if they stayed
away.
Severe and explicit were the orders with regard to the use of the "Creature
called Tobacko" on the Sabbath. In the very earliest days of the colony
means had been taken to present the planting of the pernicious weed
except in very small quantities "for meere necessitie, for phisick, for
preseruaceon of health, and that the same be taken privatly by auncient
men.
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