★ Keep up to date with the latest news - subscribe to the Transcribe Bentham newsletter; Find a new page to transcribe in our list of Untranscribed Manuscripts
and the streets were as much crowded as full
as those of London at a Ld Mayor's shew but there
were no disturbances All seemed very orderly.
The woman wal was supported by a man on each
side, but as She passed me She seemed to walk
very well and were it not that She was the only
woman I should not have known by her countenance
that She was the criminal. She was dressed
in a dark brown or black gown and clean
linnen. She and the Parson and I believe some
of the rest sung as they walked along.
As seen as She got upon the Mount. She appeared
to be lower for a few minutes. I believe She was
kneeling: but that I could not see. She then stood
very patiently while her handkerchief was taken
off and a kind of bandage was put over her eyes.
Her shoes were then pulled off which is what the
Executioner always insists upon: alledging that
he cant perform his business so well without, and
when he has been asked why? answers that is
a secret of his business.
SThe was usual mode is for the criminal
to stand down in a little kind of pit sunk about
a foot or two so as that the head may be at a
convenient height for the Executioner: but this
woman on account of her sickness had a chair
prepared in which She was set and tied down
by 2 cords which passed over her Shoulders.
The Parson stood before her giving her his
blessing while the executioner behind her was
taking off his coat and drawing the Sword.
This instrument is not shaped like an ordinary
broad sword, but is longer and of a parallel breadth
of about 4 inches. The assistant was in the mean
time taking up her hair all around, and tying
it together at top. When all was thus prepared,
the Executioner standing behind and the assistant
holding the hair in his hand, The blow was
given in an horizontal direction, as the woman
sat upright in the chair. One blow usually does
the business: but probably, owing to the embarassment
of the chair, the first blow did not quite cut through:
but it was instantly repeated, and thereby the head
was perfectly separated. The blood gushed out to the
height of 5 or 6 feet: and the assistant, holding the
head in his hand, and pulling off his hat with
the other, turned swung the head round him
2 or 3 times. The Parson then came and
shook hands with the Executioner; which I understand
is the custom. The body remained about 10 minutes
in the chair, and was then put in a coffin and
carried to a burying ground d near, appropriated
to the burying of malefactors. There it was to stay
till night, and then to be taken to the Anatomical
Theatre. The Executioner, as soon as his business
was done, wiped the blood off his sword and put it
up into the Sheath; he gave it then to the assistant
who carried it back as he had brought it,
under his cloak, I believe, for I could not
see it. I cannot but think it would have been
better if the Sword had been carried back
exposed to full view, bloody as it was.
There was a perfect silence duri just before
and during the execution: so that I could hear
the blows very perfectly.
At the instant the head is off a Messenger
is dispatched ahorseback to the Senators,
who are waiting in or before the Senate haus,
to acquaint them of it. and they are not
supposed to depart till the message arrives.
If it had not been for the sake of giving
you some account of it, I should have been
far from being disposed to be present at such
a sight. That I might not be in the crowd
I walked into Town at the side of the commanding
Officer between the Horse & foot guards.
I hope you have by this time received some things
from Mr Strachan at Rotterdam. amongst others
the book on Sodomy which I believe I told you of.
I have inquired if there was any publication on that
subject here or in Germany, but cannot learn
of any. It is frequently known to be committed
here, and there seem to have been no instances
of any prosecutions for it: but the punishment
annexed to it by the law is burning alive.
|
Identifier: | JB/538/396/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 538.
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
1779-10-19 |
|||
|
538 |
|||
|
396 |
|||
|
002 |
|||
|
Correspondence |
|||
|
Samuel Bentham |
|||