Scold's bridle
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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A scold's bridle, sometimes called "the branks", as well as "brank's bridle" was a punishment device used primarily on women, as a form of torture and public humiliation. It was an iron muzzle in an iron framework that enclosed the head. The bridle-bit (or curb-plate) was about 2 inches long and 1 inch broad, projected into the mouth and pressed down on top of the tongue Wives who were seen as witches, shrews and scolds, were forced to wear a brank's bridle, which had been locked on the head of the woman and sometimes had a ring and chain attached to it so her husband could parade her around town and the town's people could scold her and treat her with contempt; at times smearing excrement on her and beating her, sometimes to death.
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Historical examples
In 1567 Bessie Tailiefeir slandered Baillie Thomas Hunter in Edinburgh, saying that he was using false measures. She was sentenced to the brankit and set on the cross for one hour.
Two of the bridles were purchased for use by the Walsall town authorities during the 17th century, but it is not clear what later happened to either of them or even if they were ever used.
In Walton on Thames, in England, a scold's bridle is displayed in the vestry of the church, dated 1633, with the inscription "Chester presents Walton with a bridle, To curb women's tongues that talk too idle." The story is that one Chester lost a fortune due to a woman's gossip, and presented the town with the instrument of torture out of anger and spite.
As late as 1856 it was in use at Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire.
Variants
The tongue's curb could be a flat iron plate that prevented the tongue's movement or a spike-studded iron bit that punished its victim rather more painfully. Other variants are shaped like an animal's head, such as a cow for a lazy bones, a shrew for a scold, a donkey for a fool, a hare for an eavesdropper or a pig for a glutton.
In literature
The Scold's Bridle is the title of a novel by Minette Walters, where a scold's bridle is a key element in the plot.
See also
