During the 17th century, good Puritans labored hard six days a week, carving a life from the savage wildernessof the New World to forge a community in which they could freely worship and maintain their religious beliefs without fear of persecution. They spent the entire seventh day worshipping at the town meeting house, the highlight being a feiry sermon lasting up to six hours. On that one day of rest, it's no wonder some people's minds wander, their conciousness fades, and they nod off to catch a few precious winks of sleep before another week of grueling work. In Puritan churches, the "bobber" was an unfortunate soul charged with slowly patrolling the congregation, poking anyone who had obviously dozed off with a long pole with a cloth-padded end. Sometimes the offender switched places with the bobber, redeeming himself by shuffling endlessly around the meeting house in search of other lax Puritans.

We may earn a small commission when you buy through these links.