[Savage Beast]

If the man had done it in private, with a consenting pig, would anybody have cared? Anyway, maybe the pigs liked it.

BTW, bestiality was a serious offense in 17th century New England. Not only was it considered a dreadful sin, but the people had so little understanding of biology that they thought it possible that such unions could produce transspecies offspring.

[Enterprise]

"but the people had so little understanding of biology that they thought it possible that such unions could produce transspecies offspring."

Imagine that! And all this time I thought Democrats resulted from a union between snakes and weasels.

[Rodney King]

BTW, bestiality was a serious offense in 17th century New England. Not only was it considered a dreadful sin, but the people had so little understanding of biology that they thought it possible that such unions could produce transspecies offspring.

Are you suggesting that they can't?

[franksolich]

Also, in England during the 1440s, Parliament passed a law specifically forbidding shepherds (and witches) to be present at the birth of an infant, or to serve as "midwife" in some capacity.

From anecdotal evidence, it appears that many infants delivered by shepherds turned up ill, or dead (no mention about infants delivered by witches).

Some years ago, I asked a physician about this; he speculated that since some sexually-transmitted diseases originated with shepherds and sheep, these diseases might have been responsible for the sick or dead infants.

Of course, during the 15th century, no one connected the dots, disease with sick or dead children.....all they knew was that, if the "midwife" was a shepherd (or witch), there was a very good chance something might go wrong with the infant, and so it was best to keep shepherds (and witches) away from the birthing-bed just in case.