Whipped from town to town

A little treat for those of you who share our fascination with accounts of historical punishments.

Let us take you back in time to New England. October 1662. Persecution is the order of the day. Three Quaker women – Mary Tomkins, Alice Ambrose and Ann Coleman – have travelled from England “on a gospel mission”, where they are hauled before the magistrate.

This functionary, as a prelude to the sentence he was about to impose, told them of the law that had been passed for whipping Friends out of the Colony.  Mary Tomkins replied, “So there was a law that Daniel should not pray to his God.” “Yes,” rejoined the magistrate, “and Daniel suffered, and so shall you.”

The following warrant, drawn up by the priest, who acted as the magistrate’s clerk on the occasion, was then issued.

To the Constables of Dover, Hampton, Salisbury, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich, Wenham, Lynn, Boston, Roxbury, Dedhara, and until these vagabond Quakers are carried out of this jurisdiction.

You and every of you are required, in the king’s name, to take these vagabond Quakers, Ann Coleman, Mary Tomkins, and Alice Ambrose, and make them fast to the cart’s tail, and driving the cart through your several towns, to whip them on their backs, not exceeding ten stripes each on each of them, in each town, and so convey them from constable to constable, until they come out of this jurisdiction, as you will answer it at your peril; and this shall be your warrant.

At Dover, dated Dec. 22nd, 1662

Per me, RICHARD WALDEN

The account – on a Quaker website – continues:

The women being thus whipped at Dover, were carried to Hampton, and there delivered to the constable, William Fifield….

This constable the next morning would have whipped them before day, but they refused, saying that they were not ashamed of their sufferings. Then he would have whipped them on their clothes when he had them at the cart; but they said, ‘ Set us free, or do according to thy order;’ which was to whip them on their naked backs.

He then spoke to a woman to take off their clothes; but she said she would not do it for all the world. ‘ Why,’ said he, ‘ I profess I will do it myself.’ So he stripped them, and then stood trembling with the whip in his hand, and so he did the execution.

Others were similarly treated. Take one Mrs Hooton:

Passing through Cambridge on her return, she felt called to exhort the inhabitants to repentance… the instance of the magistracy, she was arrested, and for two days and two nights confined in a “noisome dungeon…”

On the third day of her imprisonment, Elizabeth Hooton being brought before the Court, was sentenced to be whipped through three towns and expelled the colony. The sentence was executed with great rigor; at Cambridge she was tied to the whipping-post, and received ten lashes; at Watertown she was beaten with ten strokes from willow rods; and at Dedham ten lashes more “laid on with exceeding cruelty at a cart’s tail.”

Later, she returned to Cambridge – despite having been banished – with her daughter. They were taken before the one of the magistrates, Daniel Goggin:

Of Elizabeth’s daughter he demanded, ‘Do you own your mother’s religion?’ To which she was silent; and yet they were sent to the house of correction, with order to be whipped. Next morning the executioner came before it was light…

He took her down stairs, and whipped her with a tree-stringed whip…. And taking Elizabeth’s daughter he gave the like to her also, who never was there before, nor had said or done anything. They not only received the usual number of ten stripes at Cambridge, but the same number in each of two other towns lying in the direction of Rhode Island.

It strikes me that I’m missing a trick in my roleplaying experience – I’ve never played a scene in which various gentlemen in neighbouring towns stand by, whips in hand, whilst convicted girls are ferried from one to the other to be flogged at each location in turn. It sounds rather fun. Now, who’s in ready driving distance?