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Repository of Historical Gun Laws

Year: 1650-1699

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Order p[ro]hibbiting retayling strong drinckes at traynings, Boston, May 28th, 1679

| | 1679

"... it is ordered by this Court and the authority thereof, that henceforth no person whatsoeuer shall presume to bring into the feild and sell by retayle vpon such occasions [i.e., militia training days] any wine, strong liquor, cider, or any other in...

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A Copy of the Laws of Harvard College, 1655, at 10

| , | 1655

Thirdly concerneing penall lawes. . . .

8. No undergraduate shall buy, sell, barter, or exchange books, apparrell or any thing of considerable value ; but by the leave of the President or his Tutor, Guardian or Parent, or If he shall sell or pa...

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The Acts And Resolves, Public And Private, Of The Province Of The Massachusetts Bay Page 268, Image 298 (1869) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1697

[Acts of the Province of Massachusetts Bay] (1697) § 3. That no person or persons whatsoever, in any town or garrison, shall presume to discharge or shoot off any gun or guns after the shutting in of the daylight in the evening, or before daylight...

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The Grants, Concessions, And Original Constitutions Of The Province Of New Jersey Page 341, Image 345 (1881) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1694

[An Act Concerning Slaves, Etc. Whereas complaint is made by the inhabitants of this Province, that they are greatly injured by slaves having liberty to carry guns and dogs into the woods and plantations, under the pretense of gunning, do kill swine. B...

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1694 Mass. Laws 12, no. 6, An Act for the Punishing of Criminal Offenders.

| | 1694

Further it is Enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every Justice of the Peace in the County where the Offence is committed , may cause to be staid and arrested all Affrayers, Rioters, Disturbers, or Breakers of the Peace, and such as shall ride or ...

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1693 Mass. Acts 48, An Act for Regulating of the Militia, ch. 3, §§ 1, 5

| | 1693

§ 1. That all male persons from sixteen years of age to sixty, (other than such as are herein after excepted), shall bear arms, and duly attend all musters and military exercises of the respective troops and companies where they are listed . . . &...

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The Documentary History Of The State Of New – York Page 222-223, Image 228-229 (1849) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1690

[By the Court of Albany, etc. (1690) Whereas diverse persons daily waste powder which is of such necessary use for defense of this City and County of Albany, and although many have been advertised thereof yet persist in the same: These are in his majes...

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An Act for the better secureing the Government by disarming Papists and reputed Papists, 1 W. & M. ch. 15 (1689).

| | 1689

For the better secureing of the Government against Papists and reputed Papists bee it enacted by the King and Queens most excellent Majestyes by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and Commons in this present Parlyamen...

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The Grants, Concessions, And Original Constitutions Of The Province Of New Jersey Page 289-290; Image 293-294 (1881) available at The Making Of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1686

An Act Against Wearing Swords, Etc. Whereas there hath been great complaint by the inhabitants of this Province, that several persons wearing swords, daggers, pistols, dirks, stilettoes, skeines, or any other unusual or unlawful weapons, by reason of w...

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Charter To William Penn, And Laws Of The Province Of Pennsylvania, Passed Between The Years 1682 And 1700 Page 32, Image 37 (1879) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

, | | 1676

Laws of the Duke of York, Indians (1676). No person shall sell give or barter directly or indirectly any gun or guns powder, bullet, shot, lead nor any vessel of burthen, or row boat canoes only excepted without license first had and obtained under the...

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Records Of The Colony Of Rhode Island And Providence Plantations, In New England Page 561, Image 563 (1857) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1677

Laws from a meeting of the Governor and Council of Rhode Island January 22, 1676-77. Ordered, the Council taking in their serious considerations not only the inconveniencies, but the discontent which arises in several inhabitants of this Island, by rea...

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The Fundamental Constitutions for the Province of East New Jersey in America, (1683) art. VII

| | 1683

. . . the great Assembly should have power, by act confirmed as there expressed, to erect, raise and build within the said Province, or any part thereof, such and so many forts, castles, cities and other places of defense, and the same, or any of them,...

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Records Of The Colony Of New Plymouth In New England. Boston Page 230, Image 241 (1861) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1671

Laws of Plymouth Colony (1671). Whereas several persons have been greatly endangered by setting of guns, it is enacted by the Court and the authority thereof that none shall sett any guns except in enclosures and that the gun be sufficiently enclosed s...

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Records Of The Colony Of New Plymouth In New England Page 177, Image 183 (1856) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1675

[Laws of the Colony of Plymouth] (1675). It is ordered by the Court, that whoever shall shoot of any gun on any necessary occasion, or at any game whatsoever, except at an Indian or a wolf, shall forfeit five shillings for every such shot, till further...

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Records Of The Colony Of New Plymouth In New England Page 173, Image 179 (1856) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1676

Laws of the Colony of New Plymouth (1675). Forasmuch as by frequent and sad experience it is found, that selling etc., of arms and ammunition to the Indians is very poisonous and destructive to the English, it is therefore ordered, decreed, and enacted...

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1665 N.Y. Laws 205, Ordinance Of The Director General And Council Of New Netherland To Prevent Firing Of Guns, Planting May Poles And Other Irregularities Within This Province

| | 1665

Whereas experience hath demonstrated and taught that, besides an unnecessary waste of powder, much Drunkenness and other insolence prevail on New Year’s and May Days, by firing of guns, planting May poles and carousing; also other deplorable acci...

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The Public Records Of The Colony Of Connecticut, Prior To The Union With New Haven Colony, May, 1665 Page 113-114, Image 125-126 (1850) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1665

Whereas it is observed that the Dutch and French do sell and trade to the Indians guns, pistols, and warlike instruments. It is now ordered, that no person within these liberties shall at any time sell nether gun nor pistol, nor any instrument of war, ...

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The Public Records Of The Colony Of Connecticut, Prior To The Union With New Haven Colony, May, 1665 Page 79, Image 91 (1850) available atThe Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

, | | 1665

It is ordered, that no man within this Jurisdiction shall directly or indirectly amend, repair, or cause to be amended or repaired, any gun small or great belonging to any Indian, nor shall endure the same, nor shall sell or give to any Indian, directl...

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The Charters And General Laws Of The Colony And Province Of Massachusetts Bay Page 190, Image 197 (1814) available at The Making of Modern Law: Primary Sources.

| | 1663

Colony Laws. § 4. Be it also enacted by the authority of this court, that no masters of ships, or seamen, having their vessels riding within any of our harbors in this jurisdiction, shall presume to drink healths, or suffer any healths to be drunk...

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Militia Act of 1662, 13 & 14 Car. 2, c. 3, § 13 (1662)

| | 1662

XIII. and for the better securing the Peace of the Kingdom be it further enacted and ordained and the respective Lieutenants or any two or more of their deputies are hereby enabled and authorized from time to time by Warrant under their Hands and Seals...

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1657, Va. Acts 437, Acts of March 13th 1657-8, Against Shooting On Other Men’s Lands, Act XIII

| | 1657

If any planter or person shall hunt or shoot upon or within the limits or precincts of his neighbor or others’ dividends without leave first obtained for his so doing and having been warned by the owner of the land, to forbear hunting and shooting as...

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