Essays on the punishment of death / [Charles Spear].

  • Charles Spear
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Essays on the punishment of death / [Charles Spear]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    c for no other reason than this, that they would not be slaves.’ Under this head, all the reformers and the patriots in our land would be considered traitors! How evanescent is all human applause ! To-day, a king; to-morrow, a malefactor! To-day, the shouts of the multitude; to-morrow, the reproaches of the world ! The history of all reformers, even Jesus him¬ self, shows that no depen dance can be placed upon popular favor. It is fickle as the wind ; evanescent as the passing cloud; fading as a rose, and empty as a bubble. In the time of Henry VIII., clipping an English shilling, or believing that the king was laivfully mar¬ ried to one of his wives, was no less than high treason. The heart of the offender was torn out from his living body, dashed in his face, and then burnt! It was inflicted upon prince David, a Welsh patriot, in the reign of Edward First, in 1283.^ It was the law for about five hundred years afterward ! By referring to the appendix, it will be seen that # A very affecting account is given of this mode of punishment in Shenstone’s ballad. Eighteen persons were convicted for treason. Colonel Townly was the first that was laid on the block, but the execu¬ tioner, observing the body to retain some signs of life, struck it vio¬ lently on the breast, for the humane purpose of rendering it quite insen¬ sible to the remaining part of the punishment. This not having the desired effect, he cut the unfortunate gentleman’s throat. The shocking ceremon}r of taking out the heart and throwing the bowels into the fire, was then gone through, after which the head was separated from the body with the cleaver, and both were put into a coffin. The rest of the bodies were thus treated in succession ; and, on throwing the last heart into the fire, which was that of young Dawson, the executioner cried, ‘God save King George!’ and the spectators responded with a shout. A young lady of good family and handsome fortune had, for some time, extremely loved, and been equally beloved by, Mr. James Daw¬ son. one of those unfortunate gentlemen who suffered at Kennington
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