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The Pilgrims had Shortcomings

Old records show that the Pilgrims were no better or no worse than other people. At nearly every court session, fines were imposed for drunkenness and idleness. (Yes, it was a sin to be idle in those days.)

One Daniel Clark had to pay forty shillings for being drunk; and John Wedgewood was placed in stocks because he kept company with drunkards. (Maybe he enjoyed their company, or perhaps his sobriety was due to lack of funds. Who knows?) Anyhow, he had to pay the piper for being “one of the boys,” Then there was Thomas Petit â€” three charges against him; drunkenness, idleness and slander! He was kept in the “hold” and flogged in front of all his friends.

Captain Stone abused a Mr. Ludlow and called him “Justass.” He was exiled and fined a hundred pounds. Edward Palmer was a grafter. He over-charged for woodworking on the stocks, and as a punishment, served time in those same stocks, besides having to pay a fine.

As for Josias Plaistowe, he stole four baskets of corn from the Indians. The penalty imposed upon him was to give them back eight baskets of corn, (four more than he stole) and pay a five-pound fine.

I guess alcoholism and Cape Cod go way back… Someone once described Cape Cod as “a sand spit held together by package stores”. Maybe it was a Pilgrim.

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