Philadelphia in 1734 took a robust approach to correcting its female miscreants. Take the following extracts from the “Weekly Mercury”, describing sentences passed down at the Court of Record on 1st January:

Abigail Taylor, was indicted and convicted of Stealing Fifteen Pound and a half of Tallow from Richard Clymer, and Sentanced to receive on her bare Back, at the common Whipping-Post of this City, Five Lashes.

Martha Cash, was convicted of Stealing Six Yards of kersey from John Goodwin, Sentenced to receive forty lashes.

Margaret Mason, was convicted of Stealing Six Moidors, Ten English Guineas and two half Guineas from Robert Abbot, Sentanced to receive Twenty one Lashes.

Elizabeth Cosgrove, Elizabeth Gower, and Elinor Doyle, were convicted of Stealing Thenty eight Drest Dear-Skins from Isaac Bolton, Sentanced to receive, Elizabeth Cosgrove and Elinor Doyle, Twenty one Lashes each, and Elizabeth Gower Fifteen Lashes.

Jane McClain, was convicted of Picking the Pocket of James Morris, and Stealing one Pocket-Book and Five Pound Sixteen Shillings in Paper Money, Sentanced to receive Twenty one Lashes.

Why twenty-one lashes? Seems a strange number. I wonder why Elizabeth received fewer than her friends? And were they inflicted as each individual left the courtroom – or were the convicts kept together to be whipped en masse at the end of the day’s proceedings?

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