The History of London by Walter Besant

Author:Walter Besant
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: london, tourist, big ben, buckingham, gherkin, bridge, dome, london eye, holiday, europe, britain, queen, king, UK, beefeater, roman, norman, saxon, plague, fire of london, 1666, tussauds, jellied eels, pie and mash, fish and chips, apples and pears, cockney, england, british, english
ISBN: 9781849891844
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2010
Published: 2010-08-01T00:00:00+00:00

Justice and Punishments

In the time of the Plantagenets the punishments inflicted on wrongdoers were much more lenient than those which followed in later years. There is none of that brutal flogging which grew up in the last century, the worst time in the whole history of the country, for the people. This flogging not only in the army and navy but also for such offences as vagrancy, lasted even into the present century. In the year 1804 six women were publicly flogged at Gloucester for this offence. Under Whittington this barbarous cruelty would not have been done. There were, it is true, certain punishments which seem excessively cruel. If a man struck a sheriff or an alderman he was sentenced to have his right hand chopped off. That is, indeed, worse than hanging. But, consider, the whole strength of London lay in its power to act and its resolution always to act, as one man. This could only be effected by habitual obedience to law and the most profound respect to the executive officers. Therefore the worst penalty possible - that which deprived a man of his power to work and his power to fight - which reduced him to ruin - which made his innocent children beggars - which branded him till death as a malefactor of the most dangerous kind - was inflicted for such an offence. Here, again, mercy stepped in; for, when the criminal was brought out for execution, if he expressed contrition the offended officer, represented by the Alderman of the Ward - begged that he might be pardoned.

For burglary criminals were ruthlessly hanged. This crime is bad enough now; it is a crime which ought at all times to be punished with the utmost rigour. But in these days what is it that a burglar can carry away from an ordinary house? A clock or two: a silver ring: a lady’s watch and chain: a few trinkets: if any money, then only a purse with two or three pounds. The wealth of the family is invested in various securities: if the burglar takes the papers they are of no use to him: there is a current account at the bank; but that cannot be touched. Books, engravings, candlesticks, plated spoons - these are of little real value. Formerly, however, every man kept all his money - all his wealth - in his own house; if he was a rich merchant he had a stone safe or strong box constructed in the wall of his cellar or basement - I have seen such a safe in an old house pulled down about seven years ago. If he was only a small trader or craftsman he kept his money in a box: this he hid: there were various hiding places: behind the bed, under the hearthstone - but they were all known. A burglar, therefore, might, and very often did, take away the whole of a man’s property and reduce him to ruin. For this reason it was very wisely ordered that a burglar should be hanged.

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