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Capital punishment survived in many forms in England for several centuries. The
annals are filled with stories of beheading, hanging, boiling to death, and
various other practices for such crimes as murder, treason, coin clipping, and
theft. According to Foucault, public execution was a necessary political
ritual
, because criminals offended law-abiding persons, and
personally attacked the sovereign since the law represents the will of
the sovereign
(Foucault 47).
Because crime threatened the power dynamic between sovereigns and their people,
execution was viewed as a necessary means to restore the proper dynamic within a
country (Foucault 48).
According to John Laurence,
Hanging was a form of capital punishment that had been practiced for several
thousands of years; it is mentioned once in the Mosaic law (see Deut. 21:22–23).
In London, the main permanent gallows were located at Tyburn. Sometimes, gallows were set up to supplement those at Tyburn, if there were a large number of hangings
that were to occur at the same time. An example of just such an occasion
occurred in
The xij day of February was mad at evere gate in Lundun a newe payre of galaus and set up, ij payre in Chepesyde, ij payr in Fletstrett, one in Smythfyld, one payre in Holborne, on at Ledyn-hall, one at sant Magnus London [-bridge], on at Peper allay gatt, one at Sant Gorgeus, on in Barunsay [Bermondsey] strett, on on Towr hylle, one payre at Charyngcrosse, on payr besyd Hyd parke corner.Machyn 55
Most of these gallows were temporary.
Under the reign of
that the traitor is to be taken from prison and laid on a hurdleand drawn to the gallows, then hanged by the neck until he was nearly dead, then cut down; then his entrails were to be cut out of his body and burnt by the executioner; then his head to be cut off, his body divided into four quarters, and afterwards set up in some open place as directed.
Records of executions show variations on this sentence for treason and other
offenses. For example, in
The26. of February Willi. Constable alias Fetherstone was arraigned in the Guild hall of London, who had caused letters to bee cast abrode, thatking Edward was aliue, and to some he shewed himselfe to beking Edward , so that many persons both menne and women were troubled by him, for the which sedition the said William had bin once whipped and deliuered, as is aforesaid: But now he was condemned, and the13. of March he was drawne, hanged and quartered at Tyborne.
Some men were similarly punished during the reign of
It is unknown when Tyburn Tree, the most famous permanent gallows of London, was
established. Alfred Marks conjectures that Tyburn
dates from the time of The Elms
, and the elm tree was the Norman tree of justice
(Marks 57). The first recorded hanging
at Tyburn was that of
According to a
London’s consciousness of what happened at Tyburn
is evident in the writings of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Executions at
Tyburn were recorded by
Theres one with a lame wit, which will not weare a foure cornerd cap, then let him put on Tiburne, that hath but three corners(qtd. in Marks 64). Another reference to Tyburn appears in
Thou makest the triumviry, the corner-cap of society, / The shape of love’s Tyburn, that hangs up simplicity(4.3.49–50). These references deal mainly with the triangular shape of the gallows at Tyburn.
Taylor 134–35I Haue heard sundry men oft times dispute Of trees, that in one yeere will twice beare fruit. But if a man note Tyburne, ’will appeare, That that’s a tree that beares twelue times a yeere. I muse it should so fruitfull be, for why I vnderstand the root of it is dry, It beares no leafe, no blossome, or no bud, The raine that makes it fructifie is bloud. I further note, the fruit which it produces, Doth seldome serue for profitable vses: Except the skillfull Surgions industry Doe make Desection or Anatomy. It blossomes, buds, and beares, all three together, And in one houre, doth liue, and die, and wither. Like SodomApples, they are in conceit,For touch’d, they turne to dust and ashes streight. Besides I find this tree hath neuer bin Like other fruit trees, wall’d or hedged in, But in the high-way standing many a yeere, It neuer yet was rob’d, as I could heare. The reason is apparent to our eyes, That what it beares, are dead commodities:And yet sometimes (such grace to it is giuen) The dying fruit is well prepar’d for heauen, And many times a man may gather thence Remorse, deuotion, and true penitence. And from that tree, I thinke more soules ascend To that Coelestiall ioy, which ne’r shall end : I say, more soules from thence to heau’n doe come, Than from all Church-Yards throughout Christendome. The reason is, the bodies are all dead, And all the soules to ioy or woe are fled. Perhaps a weeke, a day, or two, or three, Before they in the Church-yards buried bee. But at this Tree, in twinkling of an eye, The soule and body part immediatly, There death the fatall parting blow doth strike, And in Church-yards is seldome seene the like. Besides, they are assisted with the almes Of peoples charitable prayers, and Psalmes,Which are the wings that lift the hou’ring spirit, By faith, through grace, true glory to inherit. Concerning this dead fruit, I noted it, In stead of paste it’s put into a pit, And laid vp carefully in any place, Yet worme-eatenit growes in little space.My vnderstanding can by no meanes frame, To giue this Tyburnefruit a fitter name, Than Medlers, for I find that great and small,(To my capacity) are Medlersall.Some say they are Choak’d peares, and some againeDoe call them Hartie Choakes, but ’tis most plain,It is a kinde of Medlerit doth beare,Or else I thinke it neuer would come there. Moreouer where it growes, I find it true, It often turnes the Harke of grace to Rue.Amongst all Pot-herbes growing on the ground, Timeis the least respected, I haue found,And most abus’d, and therefore one shall see No branch or bud of it grow neere this Tree:For ’tis occasion of mans greatest crime, To turne the vse, into abuse, of Time.When passions are let loose without a bridle, The precious Timeis turnd toLoue and idle:And that’s the chiefest reason I can show, Why fruit so often doth on Tyburne grow. There are inferiour Gallowseswhich beare(According to the season) twice a yeare: And there’s a kinde of watrish TreeatWapping,Wheras Sea-theeues or Piratsare catch’d napping:But Tyburne doth deserue before them all The title and addition capitall, Of Archor great GrandGallowseof our Land,Whilst all the rest like ragged Laqueyes stand ; Ithath (likeLuna)full, andchange, andquarters,It(like a Merchant) monthly trucks and barters ;But all the other Gallowsesare fit,Like Chapmen, or poore Pedlers vnto it.