Execution of the sentence Hanged, drawn and quartered

once sentenced, malefactors held in prison few days before being taken place of execution. during middle ages journey may have been made tied directly of horse, subsequently became customary fastened instead wicker hurdle, or wooden panel, tied horse. historian frederic william maitland thought [secure] hangman yet living body . use of word drawn, in draw , has caused degree of confusion. 1 of oxford english dictionary s definitions of draw draw out viscera or intestines of; disembowel (a fowl, etc. before cooking, traitor or other criminal after hanging) , followed in many cases of executions uncertain whether this, or [to drag (a criminal) @ horse s tail, or on hurdle or like, place of execution; formerly legal punishment of high treason], meant. presumption drawn mentioned after hanged, sense here. historian ram sharan sharma arrived @ same conclusion: where, in popular hung, drawn , quartered [use] (meaning facetiously, of person, disposed of), drawn follows hanged or hung, referred disembowelling of traitor. historian , author ian mortimer disagrees. in essay published on website, writes separate mention of evisceration relatively modern device, , while took place on many occasions, presumption drawing means disembowel spurious. instead, drawing (as method of transportation) may mentioned after hanging because supplementary part of execution.

the spiked heads of executed criminals once adorned gatehouse of medieval london bridge.



a liuely representation of manner how late majesty beheaded uppon scaffold ian 30: 1648; representation of execution of king s judges. in top pane, charles shown awaiting execution. in bottom pane, 1 regicide hanged , quartered, while latter s head shown crowd.

some reports indicate during queen mary s reign bystanders vocal in support: while in transit convicts suffered directly @ hands of crowd. william wallace whipped, attacked , had rotten food , waste thrown @ him, , priest thomas pilchard reportedly barely alive time reached gallows in 1587. others found admonished zealous , godly men ; became customary preacher follow condemned, asking them repent. according samuel clarke, puritan clergyman william perkins (1558–1602) once managed convince young man @ gallows had been forgiven, enabling youth go death tears of joy in eyes ... if saw himself delivered hell feared before, , heaven opened receiving soul .

after king s commission had been read aloud, crowd asked move scaffold before being addressed convict. while these speeches admission of guilt (although few admitted treason), still monitored sheriff , chaplain, forced act; in 1588, catholic priest william dean s address crowd considered inappropriate gagged point of suffocation. questions on matters of allegiance , politics put prisoner, happened edmund gennings in 1591. asked priest hunter richard topcliffe confess treason , when gennings responded if mass treason, confess have done , glory in , topcliffe ordered him quiet , instructed hangman push him off ladder. witness responsible condemned man s execution present. government spy, john munday, in 1582 present execution of thomas ford. munday supported sheriff, had reminded priest of confession when protested innocence. sentiments expressed in such speeches may related conditions encountered during imprisonment. many jesuit priests suffered badly @ hands of captors defiant; conversely, of higher station apologetic. such contrition may have arisen sheer terror felt thought might disembowelled rather beheaded expect, , apparent acceptance of fate may have stemmed belief serious, not treasonable act, had been committed. behaviour @ gallows may have been due convict s desire heirs not disinherited.

the condemned forced watch other traitors, confederates, executed before them. priest james bell in 1584 made watch companion, john finch, a-quarter-inge . edward james , francis edwardes made witness ralph crockett s execution in 1588, in effort elicit co-operation , acceptance of elizabeth s religious supremacy before executed. stripped shirt arms bound in front of them, prisoners hanged short period, either ladder or cart. on sheriff s orders cart taken away (or if ladder, turned), leaving man suspended in mid-air. aim cause strangulation , near-death, although victims killed prematurely, priest john payne s death in 1582 being hastened group of men pulling on legs. conversely, some, such unpopular william hacket (d. 1591), cut down instantly , taken disembowelled , emasculated—the latter, according sir edward coke, show issue disinherited corruption of blood. .

those still conscious @ point might have seen entrails burned, before heart removed , body decapitated , quartered (chopped 4 pieces). regicide major-general thomas harrison, after being hanged several minutes , cut open in october 1660, reported have leaned across , hit executioner—resulting in swift removal of head. entrails thrown onto nearby fire. john houghton reported have prayed while being disembowelled in 1535, , in final moments have cried jesu, heart? executioners inexperienced , proceedings did not run smoothly. in 1584 richard white s executioner removed bowels piece piece, through small hole in belly, device taking no success, mangled breast butcher s axe chine pitifully . @ execution in january 1606 involvement in gunpowder plot, guy fawkes managed break neck jumping gallows, cheating executioner.

engraving depicting execution of sir thomas armstrong in 1684

no records exist demonstrate how corpse quartered, although engraving of quartering of sir thomas armstrong in 1684 shows executioner making vertical cuts through spine , removing legs @ hip. distribution of dafydd ap gruffydd s remains described herbert maxwell: right arm ring on finger in york; left arm in bristol; right leg , hip @ northampton; left [leg] @ hereford. villain s head bound iron, lest should fall pieces putrefaction, , set conspicuously upon long spear-shaft mockery of london. after execution in 1660 of several of regicides involved in death of king charles eleven years earlier, diarist john evelyn remarked: saw not execution, met quarters, mangled, , cut, , reeking, brought gallows in baskets on hurdle. such remains typically parboiled , displayed gruesome reminder of penalty high treason, wherever traitor had conspired or found support. salt , cumin seed added during boiling process: salt prevent putrefaction, , cumin seed prevent birds pecking @ flesh.

the head displayed on london bridge, centuries route many travellers south entered city. several eminent commentators remarked on displays. in 1566 joseph justus scaliger wrote in london there many heads on bridge ... have seen there, if masts of ships, , @ top of them, quarters of men s corpses . in 1602 duke of pommerania-stettin emphasised ominous nature of presence when wrote near end of bridge, on suburb side, stuck heads of thirty gentlemen of high standing had been beheaded on account of treason , secret practices against queen . practice of using london bridge in manner ended following hanging, drawing , quartering in 1678 of william staley, victim of fictitious popish plot. quarters given relatives, promptly arranged grand funeral; incensed coroner ordered body dug , set upon city gates. staley s last head placed on london bridge.

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