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?
For some reason, 21 just feels like a round number in a way 20 does not. Perhaps it did to the judges as well. Why, however, I can’t say. Or perhaps the whipper counted in weeks “Sunday, whip, Monday, whip, Tuesday, whip…”, thus making the sentence three weeks worth of whipping.
David
21 does seem slightly more round of a number than 20, for whatever reason… but the other ones were things like 40 and 50, so i don’t know. It’s something to ponder whilst I daydream…
I agree, 21 seems a very round number to me… until I think about it too much!
Twenty, plus one for luck? Meaning that “six of the best” in future should comprise seven strokes…?
Three disciplinarians, sharing the workload equally lest any of them tire…?
A dozen for one aspect of the offence, a generous nine for another?
I really am puzzled!
no, I’m pretty sure you don’t need to make “six of the best” into seven. Wouldn’t want to bring back such archaic numbering systems… or something like that.
And as for 3 disciplinarians sharing the workload equally… they could each give 6 just as easilly as 7.
Whoa! I think I just used logic. GO ME!
They were very mean people. They didn’t HAVE to use logic. Whatever they said, went. They probably just made it up as they went along…
Quote Abel – “Meaning that “six of the best” in future should comprise seven strokes…?”
Often does with me, I bring it upon myself though, ‘KEEP STILL YOUNG LADY’ perhaps being the clue that I’m not suppose to move about at such times as I’m being caned!
Sarah: Maybe you move about because it hurts. Has he ever thought of that??
Rob: I certainly hope he has thought of that, seems a little unfair if it’s only me thinking that at the time, I shall ask him about it and blame you if he thinks I’m being cheeky or disrespectful…is that ok?
Ummm..let’s see…do I need another English gentleman thinking that I am cheeky and disrespectful, and responsible for those qualities in other girls??….decisions, decisions…..oh, go ahead….in for a penny, in for a pound…. LOL
PS I believe we are approaching midnight in your neck of the woods. Am I to be responsible for you not going to bed at a reasonable hour as well??????
No Rob, not going to bed at a reasonable hour is all my own doing,as is being cheeky and disrespectful too, I just thought it would be nice of me to share it with you… as you seem to enjoy it soooooooooooooo much!
So it really does show huh??? I’ll try to be more circumspect….no guarantees, mind you……