Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
History
Ten Thousand Wonderful Things: Comprising whatever is marvellous and rare, curious, eccentric and extraordinary in all ages and nations
Curiosities and wonders; Encyclopedias and dictionaries; Folklore
Ante page 60, we gave representations of some ancient instruments of
punishment and torture, all more or less terrible in their character,
the use of which, for many a long year, has been happily abandoned. As
a companion to this group, we have engraved a few of the instruments
of punishment by which criminals of a vulgar character were sought
to be reformed. The first of these is the felon's brand, the mark of
which rendered a man infamous for life. Figure 1, p. 90 represents the
instrument itself. Figure 2, the mark branded in, which latter has
been engraved the exact size. The device, which is deeply cut into the
metal, is a gallows, such as was used before the invention of the Drop
and the Wheel for Execution and torture.
The Stocks and Whipping-post, although long since removed from London
Bridge, may be met with in retired country places. We have noticed
some characteristic examples in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire,
where some of the may-poles, day-wheels, and other curious relics, may
still be seen.[2] In some instances the Stocks and Whipping-posts were
richly carved, and clamped with iron work of an ornamental character.
We remember seeing the stocks used within the last thirty years, once
at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and once at Gateshead, the adjoining town. The
culprit in the one instance was an elector, who, in the excess of zeal
and beer, during an old-fashioned contested election, rushed into one
of the churches during the Sunday's service, and shouted out, "Bell
(one of the candidates) for ever." He was speedily taken hold of,
and placed for several hours in the stocks in the churchyard; and,
as the stimulating effect of the strong drink passed away, he looked
a deplorable object, decked as he was with numerous cockades, the
"favours" of the candidate, whose cause he so indiscreetly supported.
[2] A good specimen was demolished at Tottenham not long ago.
The punishment of the barrel we should think to have been adapted for
drunkards who could preserve a perpendicular position.
In the histories of London, it is mentioned that bakers and other
dealers caught giving false weight, or in any other ways cheating the
poor, were exhibited occasionally in this manner; but more frequently
they were placed in the parish dung-cart, and slowly drawn through the
streets of the district.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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