Bilboe

Bilboe

A bilboe (usually plural: bilboes) is a tool of corporal punishment for men and women alike. The bilboes combine physical discomfort with social humiliation; they were popular in England and America in the colonial and early Revolutionary periods (such as in the Boston Bay colony) until they were superseded by the use of stocks. The device consisted of a heavy bar of iron with two loops of iron attached such that they could slide up and down and be tightened; the malefactor's two legs would be slipped into the two loops, and the loops would be tightened such that the malefactor's movement would be considerably impaired and they would be otherwise discomfited.

It was used in England to "punyssche transgressours ageynste ye Kindes Maiesties lawes". According to legend, the device was invented in Bilbao, Spain, and was imported into England by the ships of the Spanish Armada for use on prospective English prisoners. Bilboes appear occasionally in literature, including "Hamlet" (Act V, Scene 2: "Methought I lay worse than the mutinies in the bilboes") and the journals of Captain Cook.

References

*"Curious Punishments of Bygone Days", by Alice Morse Earle. ISBN 0-8103-3504-2


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • bilboe — noun Alternative spelling of bilbo …   Wiktionary

  • Bilbo — can refer to:*Bilbo Baggins, protagonist of The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien. * Bilbo is the Basque name for Bilbao, the major city in the Basque Country of northern Spain. *Bilboes, tools of judicial punishment. *Bilbo (sword), a type of sword,… …   Wikipedia

  • Spreader bar — A spreader bar is a physical restraint used in bondage play. It is a stiff bar typically two to three feet (sixty to ninety cm) long, though some can to varying lengths, with attachment points for restraints at each end. They may include extra… …   Wikipedia

  • Alnwick Council election, 2007 — Elections to Alnwick Council were held on 3 May, 2007. The whole council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.Election resultElection Summary Party party = Liberal Democrats (UK) seats = 11 gain = 2 loss = 2 net = 0 …   Wikipedia

  • cuff — I n 1. handcuff, manacle, hand fetter, fetter, shackle, chain, bond, trammel, gyve, bilboe, Sl. bracelet. 2. off the cuff Slang. a. extemporaneously, impromptu, ad lib, offhand, on the spur of the moment.b. informally, unofficially, off the… …   A Note on the Style of the synonym finder

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”