The Exeter and Plymouth Gazette for 16th November 1833 reported that:
"Mr. Humphrey Lee, of St. Sidwell's, was charged by the Rev, Prebendary Dennis, with profanely swearing on Saturday se'nnight.
The Rev. Gentleman deposed as to the words made use of by the defendant which were scarcely fit, he said, to be repeated, namely - "Go to h---, d--------n seize you."
The Court said that the Legislature had wisely enacted that if any poor man should be convicted of profanely cursing or swearing, he should be fined one shilling; a person of better circumstances, such as the defendant, but below the degree of a gentleman, two shillings; and a gentleman, five shillings. The defendant was fined according to the Act, two shillings, and one shilling the expense of the summons."
I don't hear too much of "Go to hell, damnation seize you!" on the streets of Exeter these days but I hear an amazing amount of "F---- off you c----! &c. which I suppose to be the functional equivalent. I imagine these would not have come under the Act, not being profane, merely vulgar, but certainly plenty of ear-splitting OMG!s, J---s C----t!s and the like are still to be heard, enough to shock all the canons, major and minor, precentors and prebendaries &c. of Exeter Cathedral as well as shocking the few 'respectable' citizens and visitors who choose to come into our city centre.
I rejoice that the theocratic element has largely left the law books but every day and night there is an amazing amount of roaring-loud and aggressive swearing on the High Street. Such offensive swearing is still a crime but there seem never to be any policemen on the street to confront the swearers and profaners and nobody, not even a reverend prebendary, feels that he has the authority to do anything about it.
Se'nnight is a beautiful contraction. I have said so before. Bring back se'nnight!
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