Instruments of Torture, or Goalers and Marshals Tools. If a Vertuous mind do not induce to a good Occupation, whereby the Life and Being of a Man is supported; but that with the Idle and Slothful he will sit down and Sleep; or with the Vagabond spend his Time in Wandering about, choosing rather to do any thing than Labour: For such fools Solomon hath provided places of Reward, and Tokens of Triumph, that these persons may be distinguished from those of the Industrious sort of people.
Pillory
LXXXII. He beareth a Pillory. This
is the reward of Cheaters, Coseners, Forgers of Deeds,
and Mens Hand Writing, Treasonable and Seditious
Words, with several Misdemeanours not punishable by
Death. And that is by having a Mulct or Fine set upon the Offender, and he to stand on the Pillory for so
many Market days, with Papers of his Offence set on
his Back, there to be mocked, derided, and made a
common Spectacle, that all Beholders may see, and
beware of the like Offences, and do no such Wickedness. Grand Rogues have sometimes their Ears Nailed
to the Pillory, where they are forced to leave them,
being cut off.
Wooden horse
LXXXIII. He beareth a Wooden Horse.
The Riding of
this Horse, whose Back is only two Boards set together
like the Ridge of a House, is a kind of Punishment used
among Soldiers, and Men under Martial Laws; the
sharpness of which ridge doth so gall and cut the Riders
Thighs and Breech, that he shall scarce able to go
or stand for a certain time after; especially if his Offence require his Punishment to have Spurs at his heels,
(that is a Musket or two tied at each Legg) and his
Hands bound behind him.
Related text(s) Military tortures
Torturing wheel
LXXXIV. He beareth a Torturing Wheel ... and a torturing Plank or Wrack, or a rouling Torturing Wheel, fixed on a long plank
with Feet ... the first being a whell called Katherine Wheel...
Wracking plank
The other is a wracking Plank with a Rowling Wheel of so many Spokes fixed to a thick Rowler to turn it about. This Figure
I drewe from the manner of one Tortured upon it, which was this, he was laid all along the Plank, his Arms tyed behind him,
and a Man with a Fulling Dish pouring Liquor into his Belly till it be swelled like a Tun; at the other end of the Plank is set
a Wheel or Winder to the Rowler: at the other end of the Rowler is an Hook to which a Rope was fastned and to the Mans
Feet, and a Man (as it were) turning the Wheel about. Now what Kind of Punishment to the Body, or by what People or
Nation used, I can give no further a description.
Heading axe
LXXXV. He beareth an Heading Axe, fixed on a Block. This in former times and yet is, the way of taking off the Lives of great
and honourable persons, as have been any way accessary to Plots, Rebellions, Treasons and such grand Offences
against their Prince or Sovereign; and that is by a sudden and quick severing of the Head from the Shoulders; a Death
easie and of some counted honourable but never so esteemed by Royalists, till made so by the Death of that Worthy
and Pious Prince, King Charles of Blessed and Happy Memory, who by Rebels and Traytors was made his Peoples Martyr...
Shackle bolt
LXXXVI. He beareth a shackle-Bolt. These are called of some Prison Shackles or Prisoners Bolts; they are
irons fastned about the Legs of Prisoners that are cast in Prison for Theft, Robbery, Petty Larceny,
Burglary, Murther and such like, thereby to keep them the more safe and secure.
Double shackle bolt
LXXXVII. He beareth a double shacke bolt or shackle bolt. The Bolt is the streight Bar of Iron, with a Nut or
round head at one end, and a hole at the other.
The shacke, or shackle, is the round Iron with two eyes or holes through which the Bolt runs; and is made fast by an Iron Feather (as they call it) put through the holes of the Bolt, bent both ways that it cannot fall out.
Shackles
LXXXVIII. He beareth a pair of Shackles chained, and a Whip of three Lashes.
There is a manifest difference between these two sorts of Shackles, the first having a Bolt through them these without [sic], being made fast about the Legs with an Iron Pin revitted in the holes, which keeps them close and firm together, having a Chain at them of such a length, as will only permit the person shackled, liberty to walk. These are also termed Fetters being all made fast together when of right they should be Blazoned Shackles Fettered, or Shackles and Fetters.
Whip
The Whip is an Instrument for the Backs of Fools, to whip and Chastise them for their Folly, as
Solomon tells us [Proverbs 26:3]: It is a Punishment inflicted upon all
Vagabonds, wandering Beggars and Idle Rascals to bring them if possible to some Labour:
Also by our Law all Petty Theft, Pilfering and Purloyning is punished by Whipping such Persons
at the Whipping Stock, or through the Market Place by the Common Goaler, or Master of the House of Correction. ...
Whipping post
LXXXIX. He beareth on a Hill or Mount, a Whipping Post (or Whipping Stock) [with] the Hand Cuffs or Hand Irons.
To this post is Offenders and Petty Rogues and Vagabonds made fast while they are Whipt,
by making fast their Hands in the Irons that are fixt to the Post.
Burning iron
XC. He beareth a Chain between a Burning Iron and a Whisk or Scutch Rod.
First the Burning Iron which is an Instrument by which Thieves and Robbers, that are condemned by Law to dye, yet having the Benefit of Clergy, escapeth with Life, but is marked in the Hand with an Hot Iron, or on his Shoulder for a rogue. See an other Chap 16 numb. 129.
Chain
The Chain is an emblem of Servitude.
Whisk or scutch rod
Image from proof plateThe Whisk Rod is used to correct Rebellious Youths and such as run the Gauntlet, as I have beforesaid.
Stocks
XCI. He beareth a pair of Stocks; in
chief, a Ferrular. The first is a Prison of
security, to keep safe all such as the Constable finds to
be Night Walkers, common Drunkards and Swearers,
that have no Money, and such like; also petty Thieves,
Strippers of Hedges, Robbers of Hen-roosts, and light
Fingered persons, who can let none of their Masters or
Mistresses Goods or Cloaths lye before them; also Wandring Rogues, Gipsies, and such as love Begging better
than Labour.
Like to this, there is another like plate of Punishment in our House of Correction in Chester, (the like to it I have not heard in any other place) it is called the Little Ease, a place cut into a Rock, with a Grate Door before it; into this place are put Renagadoes, Apprentices &c. that disobey their Parents and Master, Robbers of Orchards, and such like Rebellious Youths; in which they can neither Stand, Sit, Kneel, nor lie down, but be all in a ruck, or knit together, so and in such a Lamentable Condition, that half an hour will tame the Soutest and Stubbornest Stomach, and make him have a desire to be freed from the place.
Ferrular
The Ferrular is an Instrument used by School-Masters to correct their Scholars for petty Faults, by giving
them slaps on the Palm of the Hand.
Gibbet
XCII. He beareth a Gibbet and a School-Masters Rod. Here the Gibbet is set as an Instrument of Punishment
being that on which Malefactors for Murther, Rebellion and Treason are Hanged in Chains,
till their Bodies are consumed to nothing, and therefore may be thought to be a Badge of Infamy and disgrace;
but see Chap 18 numb 48. and this Kind of
Gibbet having a Lamp hanging at it (being a Beacon)
is a thing more Honourable and of greater esteem.
Schoolmaster's rod
The School-Masters Rod, or a Birch Rod, is
for the punishing of Scholars for great faults in the School,
as the Gibbet for great enormities in the State.
Gallows
He beareth on a hill a Gallos or Gallows; with a Ladder mounted thereunto.
Heading block
He beareth a Heading Block fixed between two Supporters, with an Axe placed therein, on the sinister side a Maule. ...
This way of Decollation was by laying the Neck of the Malefactor on the Block, and then setting the Axe upon it, which lay in a Rigget in the two side Posts or Supporters; the Executioner with the Violence of a Blow on the head of the Axe with his heavy Maul, forced it through the Mans Neck into the Block.
I have seen the draught of the like heading Instrument, where the weighty Axe (made heavy for that purpose) was raised up, and fell down in such a like rigetted Frame, which being suddenly let to fall, the weight of it was sufficient to cut off a Mans Head at one Blow. [The second drawing, which is not on the plate, appears to illustrate such an instrument.]
Maul
Rock and chain
XCV. He beareth a Rock with a Chain fixed to the top thereof. It is the custom of Goalers that when they meet with sturdy and unruly
Prisoners, to Lock and Chain them to some strong Post, or unsupportable Block, or Timber Log, or Massy stone prepared for
that purpose, that such evil doers shall not exceed their limited bounds. ...
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