The Puritan Law of 1692

The Massachusetts law that had been on the books since 1648 was sort of a hybrid of the typical laws of the time, mixed with Puritan biblical rules. Whipping and branding were common, but the authorities also engaged in ear-cropping and no slitting,. There's a bit of nuance there, according to historian Marilyn Roach. Not every sin is a crime, but all crimes involve some kind of sin.