GODLY BUTCHERY

In medieval England, the crime of treason was so heinous that it required a punishment that would horrify as much as it would deter. Dr Rebecca Simon discusses a method of execution reserved only for the worst of the worst

- DR REBECCA SIMON

In 1241, a man named William Marise, the son of an English nobleman, was convicted of piracy. His punishment was to be publicly ripped apart into four pieces.

It was known then as 'godly butchery' or 'three deaths'. Today, we recognize this gruesome method of execution - one that was unique to England and is synonymous with the medieval period as being hanged, drawn, and quartered.

But why was Marise forced to meet such a gruesome end? Committing piracy was considered an attack on the sovereign and therefore classed as treason. Treason was worse than murder, since it was said to challenge the God-given order of the kingdom and society, and as such, had to be punished in the most severe way possible. When Marise suffered the fate in 1242 - the first person in recorded history to do so he was considered the worst of all criminals: a traitor.

But more than a punishment, the purpose of hanging, drawing, and quartering was to establish the boundaries of normal behavior. The people who deserved such an end were not meant to be seen as human, and the pain, humiliation, and brutality were intended to create a separation between the audience and the condemned. The message was that 'normal' men would not suffer the 'three deaths'.