Elizabethan England Crime and Punishment Introduction
Elizabethan England was not a very happy time period it was a very violent time. Lots of crime had occurred in all social classes from Nobles to commoners. For each crime in this time period there was a cruel punishment and the punishments were public . Many people in Elizabethan England thought of punishments very humiliating and much of pleasure to spectate especially the commoners. The best thing to do in this time is follow the law to prevent punishment and humiliation , no matter what Social Class you were in you can't prevent yourself from cruel punishments.
Elizabethan England was not a very happy time period it was a very violent time. Lots of crime had occurred in all social classes from Nobles to commoners. For each crime in this time period there was a cruel punishment and the punishments were public . Many people in Elizabethan England thought of punishments very humiliating and much of pleasure to spectate especially the commoners. The best thing to do in this time is follow the law to prevent punishment and humiliation , no matter what Social Class you were in you can't prevent yourself from cruel punishments.
Crimes of the Noble and Upper Class.
The Nobles were very well educated and were involved in a lot of political and religious matters . Therefore being involved in politics and religion the nobles could commit crimes on a different level compared to commoners. The crimes Nobles did commoners thought that those crimes are useless and not worth for them to do.
High Treason: Treason against one's country or sovereign “ betraying countries trust, or harming government”
Blasphemy: 1a the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
Sedition: 1. Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state
Spying : To engage in espionage “spying or using other spies to obtain information about other governments and etc. “
Murder: The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditate
Witchcraft : it’s basically name for activity of witches in the Elizabethan England era. Witches were feared in this time period and when any illness or drastic event took place witches got blamed for it. The witches were blamed manly for the bubonic plaque. Also many people in this time considered witches to be poor, wise and old.
Alchemy: any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.
The Nobles were very well educated and were involved in a lot of political and religious matters . Therefore being involved in politics and religion the nobles could commit crimes on a different level compared to commoners. The crimes Nobles did commoners thought that those crimes are useless and not worth for them to do.
High Treason: Treason against one's country or sovereign “ betraying countries trust, or harming government”
Blasphemy: 1a the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God
Sedition: 1. Conduct or language inciting rebellion against the authority of a state
Spying : To engage in espionage “spying or using other spies to obtain information about other governments and etc. “
Murder: The unlawful killing of one human by another, especially with premeditate
Witchcraft : it’s basically name for activity of witches in the Elizabethan England era. Witches were feared in this time period and when any illness or drastic event took place witches got blamed for it. The witches were blamed manly for the bubonic plaque. Also many people in this time considered witches to be poor, wise and old.
Alchemy: any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.
Crimes of the commoners
Commoners in Elizabethan England had committed crime to satisfy their desperation and poverty.
Theft : the act of stealing; the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal goods or property of another; larceny.
Cut purses : a person who steals by cutting purses from the belt.
Begging : to ask alms or charity; live by asking alms.
Poaching : the illegal practice of trespassing on another's property to hunt or steal game without the landowner's permission.
Adultery : cheating on your husband or wife “mainly husband”
Debtors : a person who is in debt or under financial obligation to another
Fraud: deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.
Commoners in Elizabethan England had committed crime to satisfy their desperation and poverty.
Theft : the act of stealing; the wrongful taking and carrying away of the personal goods or property of another; larceny.
Cut purses : a person who steals by cutting purses from the belt.
Begging : to ask alms or charity; live by asking alms.
Poaching : the illegal practice of trespassing on another's property to hunt or steal game without the landowner's permission.
Adultery : cheating on your husband or wife “mainly husband”
Debtors : a person who is in debt or under financial obligation to another
Fraud: deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.
Punishments
Punishment today in the modern world is nothing compared to punishment in Elizabethan England. Punishment in this era was meant to put you to shame and humiliate you for your crimes. Here is a quote by William Harrison on his overview of punishments
"The greatest and most grievous punishment used in England for such as offend against the State is drawing from the prison to the place of execution upon an hurdle or sled, where they are hanged till they be half dead, and then taken down, and quartered alive; after that, their members and bowels are cut from their bodies, and thrown into a fire, provided near hand and within their own sight, even for the same purpose."
Punishments for the upper class
Burning : burning was a very painful and terrible death. The people being burned would be usually burned by a stake and to make the death less painful the executioner would put gun powder on the bottom of the stake which helps a swifter and less painful death.
Beheading : hold person being punished by the hair, take a few swings and then slice head. After head is sliced put head in public place for all to see.
Punishment for commoners
Hanging
The Pillory and the Stocks : your hands and head go through a 1 or 2 inch hole, then you hang there for a couple of weeks for the town to see you.
Whipping : tied to a whipping post and are whipped. Sometimes you can be whipped while being in the Pillory and the Stocks
Branding: Words , symbols , marks and etc are imprinted on to your skin by iron rods.
Ducking stools: Women that spoke out of manner got put onto stool and the stool was attached to lever which took the stool under water in well and out.
The Wheel: Before being tied to wheel your anatomy parts are cut, then you get tied to wheel and you are spun for hours.
Boiling in oil water or lead (usually reserved for poisoners )
Starvation in a public place
Cutting off various items of the anatomy - hands, ears etc
The Gossip's Bridle or the Brank : you wear a mask on your face
The Drunkards Cloak : you basically wear a barrel for long period of time as a shirt.
Punishment today in the modern world is nothing compared to punishment in Elizabethan England. Punishment in this era was meant to put you to shame and humiliate you for your crimes. Here is a quote by William Harrison on his overview of punishments
"The greatest and most grievous punishment used in England for such as offend against the State is drawing from the prison to the place of execution upon an hurdle or sled, where they are hanged till they be half dead, and then taken down, and quartered alive; after that, their members and bowels are cut from their bodies, and thrown into a fire, provided near hand and within their own sight, even for the same purpose."
Punishments for the upper class
Burning : burning was a very painful and terrible death. The people being burned would be usually burned by a stake and to make the death less painful the executioner would put gun powder on the bottom of the stake which helps a swifter and less painful death.
Beheading : hold person being punished by the hair, take a few swings and then slice head. After head is sliced put head in public place for all to see.
Punishment for commoners
Hanging
The Pillory and the Stocks : your hands and head go through a 1 or 2 inch hole, then you hang there for a couple of weeks for the town to see you.
Whipping : tied to a whipping post and are whipped. Sometimes you can be whipped while being in the Pillory and the Stocks
Branding: Words , symbols , marks and etc are imprinted on to your skin by iron rods.
Ducking stools: Women that spoke out of manner got put onto stool and the stool was attached to lever which took the stool under water in well and out.
The Wheel: Before being tied to wheel your anatomy parts are cut, then you get tied to wheel and you are spun for hours.
Boiling in oil water or lead (usually reserved for poisoners )
Starvation in a public place
Cutting off various items of the anatomy - hands, ears etc
The Gossip's Bridle or the Brank : you wear a mask on your face
The Drunkards Cloak : you basically wear a barrel for long period of time as a shirt.
Here is a couple of torture devices used in Elizabethan England.