"Rood, Thomas, Norwich, had sev. childr. bef. liv. there; Sarah , b. Oct. 1649; Thomas, Mar. 1651; Micah, Feb. 1653; Rachel, Feb. 1655; John, Sept. 1658; Joseph, Mar. 1661; Benjamin, Feb. 1633; Mary, Mar. 1664, d. soon; and Samuel, June 1666. His w. d. happi. Mar. 1668, for his d. Sarah was whip. and he execut. 18 Oct. 1672, as in Trumbull. Col. rec. II. 184, is detail."
"Thomas and Sarah Rood were tried at the Court of Assistants at Hartford, October 8th, 1672, on a charge of incest. Both plead guilty to the indictment. Thomas Rood was sentenced to be executed on the 18th inst; his daughter, to be severely whipt, 'that others may heare an feare.' The Colony Laws made no special provision for the punishment of incest; and this appears to have been the first instance of a prosecution for that crime, within the Colony. The Court of Assistant! in June, 1672, submitted to several of the neighboring ministers, the query whether a person guilty of the crime charged against the prisoner ought to he put to death? The reply, signed by Rev. Messrs. Whiting, Bulkeley, Haynes and Collins, was in the affirmative; and doubtless served to remove any scruples the Court may have previously entertained. [Rec. of Court of Assist's, I. 11-13, 15; Ecclesiastical Papers, I. 39.]"
