Whilst watching ths BBC drama, and as you can guess, it is about the Gunpowder Plot aganst James the 1st.
During this drama, and excution was performed by using heavy weights, in which the person was laid down on the back, a stone was placed under the small of the back, arms were placed to each side, and the hands restrained. A board was placed on the front of the outstretched body, and one by one, heavy iron wieghts placed upon it.
This was primarily used for a confession, but one by one the weights were added to get a confession. The person dies due to these heavy wieghts pushing down on the chest, and also putting presuure on the back, due to the stone underneath.
Some time ago, when looking at burials in my Bucks Parish regioster Cd's, I came upon a burial, where it was mentioend that he'd died of 'the 40 stone weights'.
Now I understand the meaning of this practice of torture and punishment.
I had researched this type of torture, and at that time in history it was reasonably common.....but seeing it performed in a drama was quite harrowing.
I now wonder why the person I'd found, was to die in such a way. I'll have to try and find who it was, and see what year this happened. I cannot remember which relative of mine it was, or even if it was a relative at all. Time has marched on, and I never made a note of it.
I think it was Princes Risborough, so that's where I'll start.
Are any of you watching this 3 part drama at all.
Steve.
During this drama, and excution was performed by using heavy weights, in which the person was laid down on the back, a stone was placed under the small of the back, arms were placed to each side, and the hands restrained. A board was placed on the front of the outstretched body, and one by one, heavy iron wieghts placed upon it.
This was primarily used for a confession, but one by one the weights were added to get a confession. The person dies due to these heavy wieghts pushing down on the chest, and also putting presuure on the back, due to the stone underneath.
Some time ago, when looking at burials in my Bucks Parish regioster Cd's, I came upon a burial, where it was mentioend that he'd died of 'the 40 stone weights'.
Now I understand the meaning of this practice of torture and punishment.
I had researched this type of torture, and at that time in history it was reasonably common.....but seeing it performed in a drama was quite harrowing.
I now wonder why the person I'd found, was to die in such a way. I'll have to try and find who it was, and see what year this happened. I cannot remember which relative of mine it was, or even if it was a relative at all. Time has marched on, and I never made a note of it.
I think it was Princes Risborough, so that's where I'll start.
Are any of you watching this 3 part drama at all.
Steve.