344 On the Combuftion of Dead Bodies 
torture, the punifhments muft have been very 
_eruel in thofe days; but we have always underflood 
that our anceftors, the Saxons, were very lenient in 
their punifhment of criminals; death feldom being 
awarded, and indeed moft criminals getting off with 
fines of greater orlefs extent. Moreover, from thefe 
inftruments being found in two parts of this 
country, at only fourteen miles diftance, it would 
indicate, that enormous crimes, and their equally 
dreadful punifhments, had been infinitely more 
frequent than at prefent, or than ever was heard 
of in any other country. 
And alfo from fpades having been found along 
with the iron apparatus, it is clearly indicated, that 
whatever had been fubjeéted to the ufe of thefe 
inftruments was intended to be inhumed; which 
certainly would never have been practifed with crimi- 
nals, or prifoners of war, whofe corpfes were gene- 
rally left to glut the fowls of heaven, and beafts of 
prey. | 
I think at any rate it will be granted, that in 
confequence of the fearcity of wood, as already 
explained, numbers of the common people mutt 
of neceffity have been expofed on fuch fmall and 
low Rogi, as would place the corpfes oppofite to, 
or under the eye of theattendants; and confequently 
in a more indecent pofture, than when fufpended 
in an iron triangle with the brufh-wood placed under, 
over, and every way around them; and it may 
be 
