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Throughout history, societies have faced their share of criminals, ranging from petty thieves to cold-blooded murderers. While many punitive measures are widely recognized, some lesser-known methods of delivering justice have remained hidden from public knowledge.
10. Grampussing
Military forces have always been strict with individuals who fail to fulfill their responsibilities. The success of repelling an enemy assault can hinge on a single sentry’s vigilance, so those who neglect their duties must be disciplined to value their roles. A notable example of such harsh discipline dates back to the navy under King Henry VIII’s rule.
Sailors caught sleeping on watch were given three warnings, with each subsequent offense escalating the penalty. If a guard was found asleep a fourth time, he was placed in a basket at the ship’s bow, provided with food and a knife. His options were stark: either perish from starvation or cut himself loose and face the perilous open waters.
For repeat offenders, a method called grampussing was employed. While historical details are limited, King Henry VIII’s directive to his navy was clear: “For the second offense, the offender shall be restrained, his hands raised by a rope, and two buckets of water poured into his sleeves.
As the water flowed down the man’s sleeves, it elicited a sharp, gasping reaction. This sound resembled the noise made by a grampus (a type of dolphin), lending the punishment its distinctive name.
9. Drunkard’s Cloak
While some penalties were designed to inflict physical pain, others were created solely to humiliate the wrongdoer. This was the purpose of the drunkard’s cloak, a method employed to shame individuals guilty of public intoxication during the 16th and 17th centuries.
The guilty party was required to don the drunkard’s cloak, a barrel featuring openings for the head and arms. This contraption was not intended to cause injury or restrict mobility.
However, parading through the town clad in a barrel served as a stark reminder of the consequences of excessive drinking. Additionally, the offender was obligated to donate five shillings to the less fortunate.
This method gained such popularity that it quickly became a common form of punishment in England. It also began to spread throughout Europe. When Germany embraced it, they referred to it as the schandmantel (“coat of shame“).
A more severe version, known as the Spanish mantle, functioned more like a pillory than a cloak. While confined within the barrel, the offender was forced to kneel in his own waste and rely on others for food—if anyone was willing to provide it.
8. Cangue
In China, the cangue punishment was first documented around the 17th century. While there were various forms of cangue, they all followed the same principle: the offender was confined within a wooden frame that immobilized their neck, leaving only their head exposed.
The bulky frame made it impossible for the offender to use their hands to eat, forcing them to rely on the kindness of others in their community for food and assistance with basic needs.
Certain versions of the cangue featured only a neck collar, permitting some movement while wearing the device. The weight of the cangue was adjusted based on the severity of the crime, with some reportedly weighing up to 90 kilograms (200 lb), often leading to the criminal’s death from exhaustion.
Another variation included a cage surrounding the frame, completely immobilizing the offender. These cangue were frequently displayed in public areas, and some portable cangue could accommodate multiple criminals simultaneously.
7. Welsh Not
In 1847, a British government publication highlighted the poor state of the Welsh education system. Children were described as undereducated and lacking motivation, often subjected to unfavorable conditions. This report is now known among the Welsh as the Treason of the Blue Books.
Following the report, commissioners concluded that the solution to improving the Welsh situation was to enforce English as the primary language. In schools, Welsh children were restricted to speaking only English. Those caught using their native tongue were punished with the Welsh Not.
The Welsh Not was a wooden block inscribed with “Welsh Not” or “W.N.” If a student was overheard speaking Welsh, they were given the token. If the holder of the token caught another student speaking Welsh, they could pass it on. At the day’s end, the student left with the Welsh Not faced corporal punishment.
The implementation of the Welsh Not was not legally mandated. Each school principal decided independently whether to use this disciplinary method. However, parental consent was required before it could be enforced.
6. Treadmills
The treadmill, a punitive device from the 19th century primarily used in British prisons, resembled a waterwheel more than today’s exercise equipment. Instead of running, prisoners were forced to perform a climbing motion on these machines.
These treadmills were not intended for fitness. Prisoners were required to use them for eight hours daily, with brief rest periods. The grueling and repetitive labor aimed to discourage inmates from reoffending.
Some treadmills were connected to machinery. For example, at Bedford Prison, they were used to grind flour, generating income for the facility and allowing prisoners to “earn their keep.” Over time, the mechanical linkage was abandoned, and the treadmill became purely a tool for punitive walking.
5. Trial By Ordeal
Trial by ordeal, also referred to as judicium Dei (“judgment by God”), was a judicial practice used when conclusive evidence was hard to obtain. People relied on divine intervention to ascertain whether a suspect was guilty or innocent.
The court would select a specific ordeal to test the accused. It was believed that only a divine miracle could allow someone to pass the ordeal. Success meant God had deemed the accused innocent, while failure indicated guilt, as it was seen as a sign of divine abandonment.
Harsh examples of this punishment included the ordeal of the duel, where the accused had to survive a physical fight. Another was the ordeal of hot water, which required dipping one’s arms into boiling water to retrieve a stone. If scars remained after three days, guilt was assumed.
Some ordeals, however, were less reliant on divine intervention. In the ordeal of the cross, both the accuser and the accused stood before a cross with arms extended. The first to lower their arms lost the case.
The ordeal of bleeding involved a murder suspect gazing at the victim’s corpse. If the corpse bled anew, the observer was deemed the killer. In the ordeal of the blessed morsel, the accused had to consume consecrated bread and cheese. Choking during the act signaled guilt.
4. Pitchcapping
Pitchcaps were primarily used on individuals suspected of rebellion during the 1798 Irish Rebellion. These conical caps were fashioned from readily available materials, such as stiff linen.
Boiling pitch was poured into the cone, which was then forced onto the suspect’s head. Removing the cap often tore off the hair and scalp. In some cases, gunpowder was added to the cap and ignited after the pitch had cooled.
While men traditionally went bareheaded in church, Irish priests reportedly allowed pitchcap survivors to cover their disfigured scalps with a handkerchief.
3. Field Punishment Number One
After flogging was banned in the British army in 1881, authorities needed alternative methods to discipline soldiers for minor infractions like drunkenness. One such method was the oddly titled Field Punishment Number One, which remained in use until 1920.
The offender was bound for several hours daily—often to a wheel or post—with a military officer periodically checking their posture. During World War I, however, Field Punishment Number One went beyond mere embarrassment. As Private Frank Bastable’s account reveals, this punishment could be deadly:
During rifle inspection, after opening and closing the bolts twice because the officer wasn’t satisfied the first time, I accidentally discharged a round. I was brought before the CO and sentenced to No. 1 Field Punishment. I was tied to a wagon by my wrists and ankles for two hours each day—one hour in the morning and one in the afternoon—in the dead of winter and under enemy shellfire.
2. Picket
The picket (or picquet) was a common punitive method in late medieval Europe, particularly within the military. A stake was driven into the ground, with its flat end sharpened to a blunt point. The offender was then suspended above the stake, though historical accounts differ on whether they hung by their thumb or their wrist.
The height of suspension allowed the criminal to balance on the stake with one foot. The stake was designed to cause pain without breaking the skin.
The prisoner was expected to balance on the stake until the discomfort became unbearable. To alleviate the pain, they could lift themselves up, but this shifted the agony to their wrist or thumb. This created a “pick your poison” scenario, ensuring that pain was felt throughout the body.
1. Oakum Picking
Oakum picking was a punitive task that turned prisoners into productive laborers during the 18th and 19th centuries. Old ropes from ships, referred to as “junk,” were repurposed to create oakum.
The old ropes were chopped into sections and unraveled to produce fibers known as oakum. These fibers were then combined with tar to create a sealing compound used to fill gaps in wooden ships, ensuring they remained watertight.
Naturally, the monotonous task of cutting ropes and extracting their fibers was tedious for prisoners. While it served as a practical punishment, some critics argued that it was too lenient.
In 1824, officials at a particular prison insisted that inmates operate a treadmill rather than sit and pick apart ropes. However, some institutions continued using this method until iron ships replaced wooden ones, rendering oakum obsolete.
