This abstract was proposed by John Cotton but never adopted as the law of Massachusetts. Cf. Mass. hist. soc., Collections, 3rd series, v. 8, p. 191-215; Winsor, Nar. & crit. hist., 1885, v. 3, p. 349-350; Whitmore, Bibliographical sketch, 1890, p. 1. "In my opinion the Abstract is nothing more than Moses's Judicialls, and dates from 1636 rather than from 1641"--Ford, W.C. Proceedings Mass. hist. soc., 2nd series, v. 16, p. 280. |