Tythingmen

The Power and Duty of
Tythingmen

1. Tythingmen have power and it's their duty to carefully inspect all licensed houses, and to inform of all disorders or misdemeanors which they shall discover or know to be committed in them, to a justice of the peace or to the General Sessions of the county; and also of all such as shall sell spirituous liquours without license."

2. They shall also inform of all idle and disorderly persons, profance swearers, and the like offenders, to the end they may be punished"

3. They may enter into any of the rooms or other parts of an inn or pubic house of entertainment, on the Lord's Day, and the evening preceding and succeeding. [ if any landlord or licensed pershon refuse such enterance he forfeits 40s ]

4. They may examine all persons whom they shall have good cause, from the circumstance thereof, to suspect of unnecessary traveling on said day and to demand of all such persons the cause thereof, together with their names and place of abode"

5. They are held and obliged by law to enquire into, and inform of all offences against the act providing for the due observation of the Lord's Day, passed March 8,1792. The substance of which act is as follows, viz.

a) That no person shall keep open his shop. warehouse, or workhouse, nor shall upon the land or water do any manner of labour, business, or work .[works of necessity and charity only excepted] nor be present at any concert of music, dancing, or any public diversion, shew, or entertainment, nor use any sport, game, play or recreation.

b) That no traveller, drover, waggoner, teamster, or any of their servants, shall travel on the Lord's Day

c) That no vinter, retailer of strong liquors, or innholder or other person keeping a house of public entertainement shall entertain, or suffer any of the inhabitants of the town...not being travellors[sic] , strangers, or lodgers in such houses, to abide and remain in their houses, yards, orchards, or fields, drinking or spending their time either idly or at play, or doing any secular business on the Lord's Day.

 
d) That no person shall be present at any concert of music, dancing, or other public diversion, nor shall any person or persons use any game, sport, play, or recreation, on the land or water, on the evening preceding or succeeding the Lord's day.

e) That any person being of able body, and not otherwise necessarly prevented, who shall, for the space of 3 months together, absent him or herself from the public worship of God on the Lord's Day, providing there be any place of worship at which he or she can conscientiously and conveniently attend, shall pay a fine of 10s.

 f)That if any person shall on the Lords Day, within the walls of any house of public worship, behave rudely or indecently, he or she shall pay a fine not more than 40s, nor less than 5s.

g) That if any person either on the Lord's Day, or at any other time, shall wilfully interrrupt or disturb, any assembly of people met for the public worship of God, within their place of their assembly or out of it, he or they shall severally pay a fine not exveeding 10 pounds, no less than 20s

h)
That no person shall execute any civil process from midnight preceding to midnight following the Lord's Day"

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Source:
Digging for Genealogical Treasure in New England town records; Ann S.Lainhart
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/VTWINDSO/2000-02/0951892908

 

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