Superior Court Judge Jon C. Blue has just published a gem of a book summarizing and commenting on cases before the General Court of the New Haven Colony from 1639-63. “The Case of the Piglet’s Paternity” (Wesleyan Press) is well written and makes for an interesting summer read. (Full disclosure: My wife works for Wesleyan Press and I had the chance to read the book before its publication. I even blurbed it for the company. Neither she nor I personally benefit from its sale.)
The New Haven Colony had been settled in 1638 by Puritans who had come from England to Boston in 1637 but who soon left for less restrictive environs. It existed as a stand-alone entity until 1665 when it merged with the Connecticut Colony. Like all English colonies of the time, it was run by elders of the church, and initially followed the “judicial laws of God,” which were later leavened by more secular codes, first from Massachusetts Colony and then of local origin. Yet even after the secular laws were adopted, gaps were filled by “the word of God.” As you might expect, this made court proceedings an interesting mix of law and religion.
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