PILLORY, an engine for the public punishment of criminals, disused in Britain since 1837; but previous to that time commonly employed, as it also was in France and Gei many. It consisted of a stout plank fixed like a signboard on the top of a pole, the pole being supported on a wooden platform elevated alive the ground. Above, arid parallel to this plank another of similar dimensions was placed in a similar position with respect to the pole, mid fixed to the former by a binge, being thus capable of being moved upwards from it, or closed upon it, when necessary. A large circular hole is cut, with its center in the line of junction of the two planks, and two holes of smaller size arc formed, one on each side of it; the large hole is fair receiving theneck, and the smaller the wrists. When a criminal is lobe placed in the pillory, he is made to mount and stand upon the platform; the upper of the two hinged planks is raised to allow the culprit's neck and wrists to be inserted in their proper grooves, and then brought down into its place, and fastened by a padlock, or in some other way. The pillory seems to have existed in England before the Conquest, in the form stretch-neck (an in by which the neck only was confined), and was originally intended, according to the " statute of the pillory" (51 Hen. III. c. 6), for " forestallers, users of deceitful weights, perjury, forgery, etc.," and all such dishonorable offenses. Its use was exclusively con fined to this class of offenders till 1637, when restrictions were put upon the press, and all who printed books without a license were put in the pillory. From this tunic it became the favorite mode of punishing libelers (or those who were considered to be such by the government), authors and of seditious pamphlets, or of strictures on the government; and many eminent men were accordingly from this time put " in and on the pillory," among whom may be mentioned Leighton, Lilburn and Warton the printers. Prynne, Dr. Bostwick, Daniel Defoe, etc. The insufficiency of the pillory as a
means of inflicting a definite amount of punishment was now apparent, for to those who were popular favorites it was no punishment at all, while those who were objects o. pip ular dislike were ill-used to such an extent as occasionally to cause death. The sufferers above mentioned being popular favorites, or having at least a numerous class of support ers, were shaded from the sun, fed, and otherwise carefully attended to; while the encouragement, applause, and sympathy of the crowd around converted the intended punishment into a triumph; but such men as Titus Oates, and the class of offenders including perjurers, swindlers, polygamists, etc., who were objects of popular hatred and disgust, were pelted with rotten eggs (the favorite missile), garbage, mod, sometimes even with more dangerous missiles. In 1814 the celebrated naval hero lord Cochrane (see DUNDONALD, EARL OF) was sentenced to the pillory, but the government of the day was not prepared to brave the consequences of such an act, and the sentence was not car ried into effect. In France the pillory was anciently called pilori, and in recent times co r eam, from the iron collar by which the criminal's neck was attached to the post; but punishment by this mode was abolished in that country in 1832.