Bridewell, My Penance, My Pain. Part 25
There are only two of us left to receive our punishments, just Alice Baxter and myself. The governor calls for a brief respite as the cart and oxen are led into the prison courtyard. The people on the platform start milling about as refreshments are brought forth. Two finely dressed older ladies sidle over to me and look down at me through my spread legs. “ I just wanted to see up close what keeps bringing my Jonathon and your Malcolm to punishment day. I imagine even the older gents love to see a young comely lass like her caper under the lash, getting her just desserts.” The other replied “ She do be comely, with her young breasts and skinny ass. She be the reason they all come alright. Look at that big crowd wanting to get a peak at her lying there without a stitch of clothing, displaying her wares for all to see. It is so very shameful, even too shameful for a common convict whore.” They walk away so quickly they probably didn’t see me in full blush nor did they hear me cry out pitifully , “No.No.No I am no a whore!”
The old women are no sooner gone than three familiar faces take their place. Non other than my nemesis Livia Coward and two of her friends that “visited me” that night in the capstan room, Prudence and Agnes. It is Agnes who reaches out and traces her forefinger along the bare sole of my left foot. “ So soft and tender.” She says. “I just can’t imagine what it will do to such tender flesh” Prudence adds her insight “ Wouldn’t wish this on anyone Pennyworth, but since it’s you, you will put on a good show for us. Won’t you?”
I realize that they are referring to my feet and I shudder to think of what is going to happen to them. I still do not know what this thing called “Bastinado” is but thaks to Livia and her heinous friends I know it involves my feet. Before I can reply, Livia has to have her pound of flesh once again. “I’m disappointed , Miles asked if he could wield the cane but Governor Abbott insists on delivering the blows himself. He says it takes much expertise to be able to deliver maximum pain to such tender flesh while minimizing the damage to the delicate area.” Oh my god, they are gong to beat the bare soles of my feet. Livia continues, “ I have read that when delivered properly, the bastinado causes excruciating pain that can almost drive the victim to a state of madness. I understand that the pain lingers for weeks and often times the victim can not walk for many days and must crawl around to get about.” I begin to feel so anxious. Livia’s description of my punishment has shaken me to my core.
I will survive this ordeal, I tell myself over and over again. But this time there is a shadow of doubt lingering over me. Will I be able to take the pain, will I lose my mind? Will I be able to walk or will I have to crawl off this platform in front of the jeering crowd. In front of the insufferable Miles and Livia Cowerd. I finally snap out of it. I will not let them break me! They can take my freedom. They can shame me. They can beat my body but I will never let them take my pride, my self worth.
The respite is over and Alice Baxter is bared to the waist at the front of the platform and led down the steps to the cheers and jeers of the crowd. As her wrists are tied in front of her and she is secured to the back of the ox cart the governor reads a change toher sentence.
“ Alice Baxter the magistrate has rescinded your farewell due to your escape attempt. Instead you will receive the same punishment , but an additional three years have been added to your sentence at Bridewell”
Alice Baxter cried out in anguish as the reality of her extended sentence struck home. The Governor called out to the guard to ply his whip and to the cart driver to begin his circuit. I hadn’t noticed before but
the back of Alice Baxter is still not completely healed from the brutal flogging delivered by the governor after her escape attempt.
As the first lash of the cat strikes home, it tears away scabs from the previous flogging and blood begins to flow. By the time she reaches the first corner of the courtyard, her back is bloody and she is crying out in pain. By the second corner her screams have increased in volume, her body jerking violently with each strike. When she reaches the third corner she begins to stumble and the volume of her screams begins to wane. Alice Baxter is barely still afoot after the last stroke tears into her bloody back. She collapses as the cart returns to the place she started her journey. There is much blood and I can tell that her back will be scarred and never look the same. I feel sorry for her but suddenly a chill comes over me as I realize that I am next.
The crowd cheers and applauds the guard who has just finished flogging Alice Baxter. Then suddenly without any prompting I feel all eyes turn to me. I am not yet mentally prepared, I am not yet ready is the thought racing through my mind. But it is time…the governor walks up to me tapping my left sole with a whippy looking cane as he addressed the crowd. “ Do not be fooled by her comely face or her penitent demeanor. What we have here is a prisoner who continually refuses to follow the rules or obey the orders of her overseers, even when it benefits her and her fellow prisoners.” I could hear gasps of disgust come from the surrounding crowd. “ For this reason” he continues “ I have sentenced her to the bastinado. A brutal punishment used in the Orient and by the Moors. I will not set a number of strokes beforehand but I will beat this disrespectful prisoner until I have beaten the obstinance from her.”
The gathered crowd screams out their approval. Maybe the old lady was right, I am the reason they have gathered here.My reputation precedes me. They have heard that there is a prisoner at Bridewell who shows up every punishment day but refuses to be broken. All of them are here to see me punished. Most are here to see me broken but there are a few who want to see me beat this place. I won’t be broken, I assure myself. Not today.
I do not see the first stroke coming as the middle of my left sole explodes in fiery pain. My body bucks at the bonds that hold me. I scream . It hurts worse than anything I have ever experienced and it is only the first stroke. Suddenly doubt again creep over me. The second strike to the same sole expels any and all thoughts from my mind. Pain, only blistering searing pain, is all I can think about.
Four more strokes to the same sole has me writhing and I scream at the top of my lungs. The crowd is raucous, I can hear them cheering on the Governor as he moves to my right foot. No, no, no my mind screams as I see another half dozen stroke’s descend. I bite my lip, I taste blood, as the pain surges through my whole body. I scream continuously in response. I am straining, tearing at my bonds. I have to get away from here. I have to. I look up and I see him smile at me as the cane descends again. Everything turns a hazy red. I can barely hear the crowd now. I float into unconsciousness only to be returned to my pain filled world by the next stroke. Then miraculously I pass out completely. (To be continued)