Notwithstanding our forefathers have the name of being very strict in their religious observances and in their punishments of crime, they were mild and liberal in comparison to some of their neighboring colonies here and in other states.   Massachusetts Bay (Gov. Winthrop's) Colony, around Boston and vicinity, made thirteen crimes punishable by death, Virginia Colony, seventeen—and in the latter Colony, a man for believing and advocating Unitarianism was punishable by death, and the same penalty was enforced upon Unitarians in England in King James's time; and even later in the days of Queen Elizabeth, pious men were hanged for advocating Congregationalism (Orthodoxy).   Maryland punished believers and advocates in Unitarianism with death.   Though our Forefathers' faith was good and strong, they laid down no formal creed to guide them.   The Old Colony had but five classes of crime to be punished by death, and only two were ever enforced.   Our Forefathers, unlike the Puritans of Boston, Salem, etc., never hung a witch.   The Quakers, if non-residents, were treated rather harshly.   Arthur Howland, a resident of Marshfield, was liberal in his views, and sympathized with the Quakers.   About the year, 1657, according to Goodwin, author of the Pilgrim Republic, "John Philips, the constable going to Arthur Howland's house in Marshfield to leave a summons, saw a non-resident Quaker preacher, Robert Tuchin, and arrested him.   Howland interferred and ejected the constable from his house declaring, as the latter certified, that he would have 'a sword or gun in the belly of him.'   Two sons of John Rogers (of the Mayflower) refused to aid the constable.   When the official re-