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I was reading a local history book yesterday and found this letter. It gives a taste of Somersetshire's troubles after the Duke of Monmouth failed to overthrow the government. The heads have since been taken down.

Attached files

That's quite a sentence. It's an odd perception that despite being hanged by the neck until dead, a body must be subjected to all sorts of atrocities to persuade a public that rebellion probably isn't a good thing. Being dead isn't enough. Their bowells must be burnt and their heads must be boiled just to push the point home

The principle is still employed by the courts today, it was invoked after last year's riots. Deterrent sentencing. Mind you, back then when they set out to deter they didn't mince around.

Gruesome!

I wonder what it means by " A sufficient number of faggotts"

abbey;1409280 wrote: I wonder what it means by " A sufficient number of faggotts"
I would fall foul of modern-day sensibilities were I to attempt the obvious joke which sprang to mind.

Wotcher our lass, it's pleasing to see your name again.

abbey;1409280 wrote: Gruesome!

I wonder what it means by " A sufficient number of faggotts"


Peace pudding and faggots. It was a popular street food while watching pubic executions

Snowfire;1409282 wrote: Peace pudding and faggots. It was a popular street food while watching pubic executions


Ouch, that's not kind befuddling the poor lass like that :wah:

Bryn Mawr;1409283 wrote: Ouch, that's not kind befuddling the poor lass like that :wah:


I'm sure a seasoned Red is not so easily befuddled.

I suppose it does beg the question of how many is sufficient to burn bowels. Or does that include enough to boil the heads afterwards. I'd like to think it was enough to keep the peace pudding and faggots warm

I'm going to swear off searching Google Books when questions like that come along - I was just presented with an article entitled "Gay Discharges Soar to Highest Level in a Decade" and I utterly refuse to study the small print to find out the relevance.

Týr;1409288 wrote: I'm going to swear off searching Google Books when questions like that come along - I was just presented with an article entitled "Gay Discharges Soar to Highest Level in a Decade" and I utterly refuse to study the small print to find out the relevance.


As a headline that's hard to beat

Deterrent sentencing was rife back then, it wasn't just for treason. I'm sat 300 yards from where Bristol's west gibbet stood until the early 19th century... Despite a few scattered farms, the area was best avoided after dark as footpads often roamed about, looking for unwary travellers to rob. Convicted criminals like the dwarf Jenkins Protheroe, whose ghost is said to still haunt the area, were hung from a gibbet at desolate Gallows Acre Lane, where affluent Pembroke Road now runs.

May 24, 2011 Western Daily Press

Týr;1409281 wrote: I would fall foul of modern-day sensibilities were I to attempt the obvious joke which sprang to mind.

Wotcher our lass, it's pleasing to see your name again.oiy oiy Savaloy

Snowfire;1409282 wrote: Peace pudding and faggots. It was a popular street food while watching pubic executionsmmm....sounds lovely! :-3