John Calvin thought that a well-disciplined city, like a well-disciplined individual, might be seen as evidence of God’s election. He put his ideas into action in Geneva, encouraging city leaders to issue ordinances that regulated many aspects of life, and establishing the Consistory to enforce them. The following ordinances also applied to the villages that the city controlled in the surrounding territory.

Concerning the Times of Assembling at Church

That the temples [the churches] be closed for the rest of the time [when services are not in session], in order that no one shall enter therein out of hours, impelled thereto by superstition; and if anyone be found engaged in any special act of devotion therein or near by he shall be admonished for it: if it be found to be of a superstitious nature for which simple correction is inadequate then he shall be chastised.

Blasphemy

Whoever shall have blasphemed, swearing by the body or by the blood of our Lord, or in similar manner, he shall be made to kiss the earth for the first offence; for the second to pay 5 sous, and for the third 6 sous, and for the last offence be put in the pillory [a wooden frame set up in a public place, in which a person’s head and hands could be locked] for one hour.

Drunkenness

1. That no one shall invite another to drink under penalty of 3 sous.

2. That taverns shall be closed during the sermon, under penalty that the tavern-keeper shall pay 3 sous, and whoever may be found therein shall pay the same amount.

3. If anyone be found intoxicated he shall pay for the first offence 3 sous and shall be remanded to the consistory; for the second offence he shall be held to pay the sum of 6 sous, and for the third 10 sous and be put in prison.

Songs and Dances

If anyone sing immoral, dissolute or outrageous songs, or dance the virollet or other dance, he shall be put in prison for three days and then sent to the consistory.

Usury

That no one shall take upon interest or profit [on a loan] more than five percent, upon penalty of confiscation of the principal and of being condemned to make restitution as the case may demand.

Games

That no one shall play at any dissolute game or at any game whatsoever it may be, neither for gold nor silver nor for any excessive stake, upon penalty of 5 sous and forfeiture of stake played for.

Source: Merrick Whitcomb, ed., Translations and Reprints from the Original Sources of European History, vol. 3 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, 1897), no. 3, pp. 10–11.

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