The Implements

By Elaine

The tortures an accused witch would bear were far and away from today's domination and sadism. The various tortures would continue on for days, the coerced admission of guilt spilling from the mouth of one that could no longer endure. Doctors would visit the dungeons observing women incoherent from pain and suffering. Daily the "witch" would be dragged from her cell, never knowing what unrelentless torture she would be forced to endure. At this time, in Europe, it would appear that there was an over abundance of sadists.

Unless a witch died during torture she was brought out to the stake. Often her tongue would have been cut out, or perhaps a painful wooden or metal gag filled her mouth to prevent any verbal contact with the waiting crowd. Today, however, in BDSM gags are a wonderful part of our "scene", whether it is a simple cloth or ball gag. The Scold's or Gossips bridle was a painful contraption worn over the entire head. Often a protrusion from the bridle left scarring or maiming inside the victims mouth. A leash was also attached. It was a common punishment that included not only pain....but humiliation. The Gossips Bridle was used more to discipline gossipers, than as a torture for witches.

The anal plug may find its origins from the Medieval Pear. This instrument had several designs... the mouth, the vagina, the anus. It would be inserted into the orifice and slowly opened, ripping apart the insides of the victim. Sometimes it was pain enhanced with varying sized nails or needles. Permanent damage was the result.

Bondage was another popular element of torture. The Judas Cradle was a form of suspension bondage. The victim would be securely tied from the ceiling, a pyramid shaped contraption rising from the floor with a sharp pointed top would be directly underneath him. The victim's anus or vagina were aligned with the point.

The torturers would control how much body weight, and for how long, the victim would rest upon the point, often it depended not on the severity of the crime, but the sexual arousal or excitement of those watching.

Sexual abuse was quite common during the witch hunts. If a torturer became aroused, which was, also, very common, it was blamed on the witch's spells. This created more of a commotion and more reason to punish the "witch". There was no escape for one labeled a "witch". It would seem apparent, due to the sexual arousal of the torturer, and the continued persecution, that "Witch hunts" legalized non-consensual acts of Sadism.

© Elaine 2001, 2002

Medieval Mayhem