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declairit the said Robert Weir to be ffylit； culpable and convict of the
crymes above specifiet； mentionat in the said Dittay； and that in respect of
his Confessioun maid thairof； in Judgement。
Sentence。 The said Justice…depute； be the mouth of James Sterling；
dempster of the Court； decernit and ordainit the said Robert Weir to be
tane to ane skaffold to be fixt beside the Croce of Edinburgh； and there to
be brokin upoune ane Row；＇6＇ quhill he be deid； and to ly thairat； during
the space of xxiiij houris。 And thaireftir； his body to be tane upon the
said Row； and set up； in ane publict place； betwix the place of Wariestoune
and the toun of Leyth； and to remain thairupoune； ay and quhill command
be gevin for the buriall thairof。 Quhilk was pronouncet for dome。
＇6＇ A ‘row' is a wheel。 This is one of the very few instances on
which the terrible and vicious punishment of ‘breaking on a wheel' was
employed in Scotland。 Jean Livingstone's accomplice was； according to
Birrell's Diary； broken on a cartwheel； with the coulter of a plough in the
hand of the hangman。 The exotic method of execution suggests
experiment by King Jamie。
％ V
The Memorial before mentioned is； in the original； a manuscript
belonging to the Advocates' Library of Edinburgh。 A printed copy was
made in 1828； under the editorship of J。 Sharpe； in the same city。 This
edition contains； among other more relative matter； a reprint of a
newspaper account of an execution by strangling and burning at the stake。
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
The woman concerned was not the last victim in Britain of this form of
execution。 The honour； I believe； belongs to one Anne Cruttenden。 The
account is full of gruesome and graphic detail； but the observer preserves
quite an air of detachment：
IVELCHESTER： 9th May； 1765。 Yesterday Mary Norwood； for
poisoning her husband； Joseph Norwood； of Axbridge； in this county
＇Somerset＇； was burnt here pursuant to her sentence。 She was brought
out of the prison about three o'clock in the afternoon； barefoot； she was
covered with a tarred cloth； made like a shift； and a tarred bonnet over her
head； and her legs； feet； and arms had likewise tar on them； the heat of the
weather melting the tar； it ran over her face； so that she made a shocking
appearance。 She was put on a hurdle； and drawn on a sledge to the place
of execution； which was very near the gallows。 After spending some
time in prayer； and singing a hymn； the executioner placed her on a tar
barrel； about three feet high； a rope （which was in a pulley through the
stake） was fixed about her neck； she placing it properly with her hands；
this rope being drawn extremely tight with the pulley； the tar barrel was
then pushed away； and three irons were then fastened around her body； to
confine it to the stake； that it might not drop when the rope should be burnt。
As soon as this was done the fire was immediately kindled； but in all
probability she was quite dead before the fire reached her； as the
executioner pulled her body several times whilst the irons were fixing；
which was about five minutes。 There being a good quantity of tar； and
the wood in the pile being quite dry； the fire burnt with amazing fury；
notwithstanding which great part of her could be discerned for near half an
hour。 Nothing could be more affecting than to behold； after her bowels
fell out； the fire flaming between her ribs； issuing out of her ears； mouth；
eyeholes； etc。 In short； it was so terrible a sight that great numbers
turned their backs and screamed out； not being able to look at it。
34
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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
III： THE COUNTESS AND THE
COZENER
It is hardly likely when that comely but penniless young Scot Robert
Carr； of Ferniehurst； fell from his horse and broke his leg that any of the
spectators of the accident foresaw how far…reaching it would be in its
consequences。 It was an accident； none the less； which in its ultimate
results was to put several of the necks craned to see it in peril of the
hangman's noose。
That divinely appointed monarch King James the Sixth of Scotland
and First of England had an eye for manly beauty。 Though he could
contrive the direst of cruelties to be committed out of his sight； the actual
spectacle of physical suffering in the human made him squeamish。 Add
the two facts of the King's nature together and it may be understood how
Robert Carr； in falling from his horse that September day in the tilt…yard of
Whitehall； fell straight into his Majesty's favour。 King James himself
gave orders for the disposition of the sufferer； found lodgings for him； sent
his own surgeon； and was constant in his visits to the convalescent。
Thereafter the rise of Robert Carr was meteoric。 Knighted； he became
Viscount Rochester； a member of the Privy Council； then Earl of Somerset；
Knight of the Garter； all in a very few years。 It was in 1607 that he fell
from his horse； under the King's nose。 In 1613 he was at the height of his
power in England。
Return we for a moment； however； to that day in the Whitehall tilt…
yard。 It is related that one woman whose life and fate were to be bound
with Carr's was in the ladies' gallery。 It is very probable that a second
woman； whose association with the first did much to seal Carr's doom；
was also a spectator。 If Frances Howard； as we read； showed distress
over the painful mishap to the handsome Scots youth it is almost certain
that Anne Turner； with the quick eye she had for male comeliness and her
less need for Court…bred restraint； would exhibit a sympathetic volubility。
Frances Howard was the daughter of that famous Elizabethan seaman
Thomas Howard； Earl of Suffolk。 On that day in September she would