What were the punishments in England in the middle ages?

Answer 1

Originally, ecclesiastical courts were intended to try people for heresy and other religious crimes and to try clergy for any crime they were accused of, since the clergy were not generally subject to secular authorities but did have to obey secular law.

In theory, an ecclesiastical court could punish anyone brought before it for any crime, and it was possible for people to appeal to ecclesiastical court to avoid secular court. There were advantages in appearing before an ecclesiastical court because they were intended to instruct the criminal rather than get revenge, and because they were more merciful and did in many times when torture was used, they did not use torture. Ecclesiastical courts were intended to be the mechanism for trying clergy, but since it was unclear exactly who the clergy were, they could be appealed to by anyone who was literate, the standard being that they could at least read the 51st psalm.

Answer 2

In the medieval times, if people are being punished, they will recieve the following punishments:

1. they will be WHIPPED like cream

2. They will have different kinds of mushroom stuffed in their mouths and be WHIPPED like cream once again

3. they will being tied to a tree and WHIPPED like cream

4. they will become cream

Answer 3

The answer depends on the precise location and time period, since the law (like every aspect of life) changed considerably over the very long medieval era.

In general terms, by far the most widespread penalty was a cash fine. This derives from the Latin word for "an end", since the payment of a fine legally put an end to the matter. An example from Domesday Book of 1086 states that in Chichester, anyone making and selling bad ale was either set in the "ducking-stool" or fined 48 silver pennies by the reeve. Similarly, anyone giving short measure of food or goods was fined 48 silver pennies. Fines also covered crimes such as wounding, robbery, breaking and entering, violence in the street and assault.

Murder was always treated as a more serious crime, often resulting in the accused being declared outlaw and having all his possessions confiscated - hanging was the usual penalty in such cases.

Treason against the king was the most serious offence, when the guilty man was often sentenced to be "hung, drawn and quartered". Being hung was not the same as being hanged - the victim was only briefly hung by the neck so he choked, but was cut down before he died. His intestines were then ripped from his stomach (drawn) while alive; finally his head was cut off and his body was cut in four pieces (quartered) which were exhibited on poles to warn others.

Prison was extremely rarely used, since prison cells were not common. Anyone "thrown into a dungeon" was simply confined within a castle donjon or keep, but they were free to move from room to room.

Answer 4

It was dependant on the crime. Usually you were thrown in prison, but you could have been beheaded, stoned to death or straight up executed.