Further to an earlier question on public executions (not mine) doesn't this sound awful?

Question

This is how England used to do some public executions, on men. Hanging, drawing and quartering:

"The condemned shall be tied to a hurdle (a frame with no wheels) and dragged by a carriage to the execution place and there be hanged by the neck and cut down while still living. His bowels shall be cut out and his privvy member cut off and these parts burned before his face, and the body be cut into four pieces." - Gross

Women were spared the horror of this, and given the more pleasant burning at the stake.

Not really family viewing eh?

Answer 1

Burning at the stake is far better actually, (not speaking from personal experience of course) because you would have died from smoke inhalation long before you got burned!

The earlier question was mine - was really looking for a definitive answer on whether the 'drawing' was mode of transport or method of torture...  

Answer 2

Yeah - ever seen Braveheart?  But I think being burned at the stake is pretty awful too, I mean, your toes burning, then your legs... you can smell your own burning flesh and it would go on for hours!

But with the men they were stretched first, so they'd have to have their arms and legs broken!

Thats a pretty good incentive to behave!

Answer 3

can we bring it back then just for GARY GLITTER.then we will stop it again for three hundred years.

Answer 4

I hate to say this, but in most cases the prisoner was usually strangled first as a favour.  Similarly in the cases of people burnt at the stake.  In the case of our local martyr, there were two bags of gunpowder either side of his head, and the idea was that when the flames leapt up, they would ignite the powder, and put him out of his misery.  But the firewood was damp and in fact he slowly roasted to death.

Hanging, drawing and quartering was the penalty for treason for ordinary folks.  Noblemen were beheaded.

Answer 5

Homosexuals were hung by their feet,between two hungry dogs,also hanging by their feet.Also they were hung upside down,legs apart,then be sawn from the crotch down.

Witches were tied into sacks,containing cats and thrown into the river.

Amnesty international published a book some years ago,covering all types of torture,including the above which were used in Germany.  

Answer 6

Brutal times bring about brutal methods of punishment , That is why to have an Islamic population with its brutal methods of punishment in a civilised society is a total recipe for disaster .Are you listening Mr Brown I doubt it.

Answer 7

Public executions used to draw very large crowds, so what does that suggest about their society? One of my ancestors was sentenced to be hanged drawn and quartered, and I would agree that the drawing was the removal of the internal organs. I'd like to see a return to similar practises, it would be a cheap and effective way of remedying the current prison overcrowding. Although hanging drawing and quartering was usually reserved for the nastier or more dangerous crimes, so usually it was just hanging. The whole crime and punishment thing quite interests me.