Naughty Ladies of Hastings
I thought that would catch your eye, and I hope you will not be disappointed to find that this posting is about the history of punishment in general and in particular extracted notes about the ladies of Hastings.
In good Queen Bess’s time the old Custumal of Hastings contained a special section dealing with cutpurses or anyone caught with money taken from a purse: for a first offence the offender lost one ear, for a second the other ear, and since nature has rationed the number of ears, a third offence merited death.
Youth was no shield against punishment either, for in l663, 13 year old Alice FAUTLIE of Hastings was severely whipped for stealing a handkerchief belonging to Mary PUNTIS.
In 1611, William GAWEN and the wife of John CAPELYN were both whipped having been discovered in "incontinency". However double standards existed in Hastings in dealing with male and female "naughty behaviour" for in 1669 George LABY 'A wealthy miller' was ordered to pay half-acrown a week for the maintenance of his bastard child by his servant Anne PERK. She, however, was sentenced to be whipped for her lewdness (George's fornication was seemingly not lewd!)
The first record from Hastings in 1597 records how Mary VINTON was whipped at the cart's tail for assaulting Elizabeth STUBBERLIED and stealing tenpence halfpenny. At the same court Joan BRECHER was similarly punished for petty larceny.
A good picture of how respectable members of society viewed those neighbours who received such beatings can be judged from a letter written in 1742 by a Hastings man John COLLIER, to his wife which mentioned that Dame Elizabeth ARTHUR, a widow, had "for abowte one a clocke beene whipt at the Carte Tayle round the town - hadde some strokes at every lanes Ende, but I fynde that it is thoughte she hadde nott half enough!"
In l659 the Hastings whipsman, called LUNSFORD, wore a 'whipping-cote' which then cost the sum of five shillings to the town - A 'Catte o' Nine Tayles' was used whenever a carting was decreed and wide streets were invariably specified for the route to accommodate a greater number of spectators.
Hastings 'cartings' included:
1747 - Jane BURCHETT for 'inciting a childe to steal money from hys father'
1754 - Mary and Elizabeth RELFE 'for stealing one fowle call’d a henne'
Elizabeth STEVENS for stealing a hammer
1776 - a widow, Ann COLBRAN 'for stealing two handkerchiefs value tenpence...Two years later Elizabeth SARGENT stole "...29 pieces of silver value 2d, silver scissors value 2d,and after being stripped 'from the waiste upward and ty'd to a cart's tayl was whipped at the Old Market Place, the Fishe Market and 'atte The Sundial...sixe stripes at each places' after which she was released.
The 'Catte' was certainly overworked in Hastings and in 1791 William PAYNE was paid nine shillings for a new one.
Whipping was still much cheaper, and therefore preferred, than hanging which even in l664 cost 34 shillings and fourpence for the hanging of one woman, and in l667, Hastings spent a further 11/6d on sawing a 25 foot 'peece of tymber' to 'make ye gallowes' with a further 3d to Ric. SAUNDERS and Jno. MATHERS for sawing it.
Penance usually took place in the church, and often related to offences actually committed in church, i.e. "On Palm Sunday, 4th April 1574, in Hastings, Jane HAMPTON, a shoemaker's wife 'did open penaunce for fornication in St Clements Church before 100 persons at ye Communion tyme'." A bit over the top, even by todays standards!
Branding on the face, forehead, shoulder and other parts of the body was extended in l623 by the Branding Act to all women for thefts exceeding 12 pence in value. In l635 Anne NICHOLAS, spinster of Hastings was burned in the hand for 'pilfering and petty larcency Anne ADAMS was committed to prison at Hastings in 1800 having been found 'Not guilty ' of stealing a pair of men's boots, but on leaving the court she declared that John ADAMS had perjured himself, and threatened to cut 'the rascal's" ears off, wherupon she was re-arrested and imprisoned!
James WELLARD, the keeper of Hastings Gaol (1842-54) entered the following in his diary; Oct.11 1842, Catherine BANKS, aged 10, ..guilty of purloining several articles in the prison..to be kept on bread and water for 7 days. She was later sentenced to 3 months Hard Labour, the last week in each month in solitary confinement, but on 13 December he recorded the fact that' Sarah GRINLIN, aged 20, rogue and vagabond, had the Itch when she entered prison for 3 months Hard Labour. The Justice ordered that she should have her shoes mended (an unusual sign of concern for the welfare of prisoners at that time!)
Transportations for petty crimes continued until 1852. In 1800 at Hastings Elizabeth AYLESBURY 'wife of a sailor, for stealing one cotton purse -value one halfpenny, 13 gold guinea pieces - value £13.13.Od, a halfGuinea and a four shilling piece, was sentenced to transportation for seven years...'
Thanks to my good friend Barry Wilson for providing the above.
Chris in 1066Land
