Carious Laws.

Northland Age, Volume 27, Issue 44, 4 November 1927, Page 7

Carious Laws.

When • Wife- Beating Was Declared Illegal.’ In the days of Good Queen Bess an Englishman might beat bis Wife at any time without let or hindrance; but when Oliver Cromwell became Protector, a law was passed introducing what may be described as a very close time tor molt wives. * yjrs This law was not made for the b*tjltit of tha wives, and It'did not restriet Ahe liberty of Englishmen who lived in the provinces.!® Was called “An Act-Of Common C&incil. Far the better avoiding and preventing of annoyances within the City of London,” and it declared that. No man shall after the hour of nine at night keep any rule whereby any sadden out cry be made in the still of the night, as making any affray, or beating his Wife, or Servant or singing—under pain of 3s gd. Traditional Freedom The citizens of London wer* inclined to resent this innovation, many of them maintaining, with a certain siioW of reason, ihat it was more convenient to beat wives and servants after nine at night, because business prevented them from attending to domestic affairs during the day; They protested that the law was an unwarrantable inteference with the traditional freedom of Englishmen. But their protests were ignored and it may be suggested that the many provincial migrations to the capital, which occurred in the 17th century, were to some extent due to the persuasion of wives who wished te enjoy tha advantages of such a law. Tfa>s same Act of Common Council throws a Vivid light upon the life of those times. It tells us, more clearly than any historian does, that Londoners were less peaseable than they are to-day. Being passed to prevent particular offences, it rhows what.those offences were, Wherelore we note with interest that it states: No man shall shoot ill the street for rager or otherwise. No man shall digge any hols in the street for any matter except he stop it up again. No man shall blow any. horn in 1 the night within The City, or whistle after nine of the clock in the night tinder pain of imprisonment. No hammerman, as a - Smith, a - Pewterer, a Founder, and all other Artificers making a great sound, shall work after the hour ot nine in the night or afort die hour of four in the morning, No mbit shall go into the streets by night or by day with bow bent or arrows under 'his girdle, nor with sword unscabberel finder pain of imprisonment: or with hand-gun having therewith powder and match, except it be for an usual May game or tight. From which we can see that the peace ful eitkeen waaapt to meet a man with a bent bow, or a drawn sword.or a loaded pistol 'in Cbeapside. Gunmen ot the Wild West, film stars,«and Rodeo erperts could alb have been accommodated by the iLbndon of those daysi