United Kingdom limits use of the pillory to punishment for perjury (1815)

In 1815, the United Kingdom Parliament debated legislation to restrict the use of the pillory. The resulting act limited this punishment specifically to perjury and subornation. This legislative change marked a significant narrowing of the device's application, which had previously been used for various offenses involving public humiliation and physical abuse.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The pillory was a wooden or metal framework used for public humiliation and physical abuse during the medieval and renaissance periods. It involved securing the head and hands, often accompanied by further punishments like flagellation or mutilation. By the early 19th century, its use was considered excessive, prompting legislative debate in the House of Commons and House of Lords in 1815.

Legislative Process. Parliament debated the Pillory Abolition Bill during 1815. The House of Commons discussed the bill on 6 April 1815, and the House of Lords debated it on 5 July and 10 July 1815. The Pillory Abolition Act 1816 (56 Geo. 3. c. 138) restricted the pillory's use to punishment for perjury or subornation rather than abolishing the device entirely; the supplied passages do not state the act's enactment date.

Legal Scope. The act restricted the pillory to punishment for perjury or subornation. Perjury is defined as the intentional act of swearing a false oath concerning matters material to an official proceeding. Subornation involves inducing another person to commit perjury. This legal definition narrowed the scope of the punishment significantly.

People involved

Sources

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