By F. A. Carrington, Esq. 



35 



In the year 1856, a paper appeared in the Archaeological Journal 

 from the pen of one of our best and most accurate antiquaries 

 Mr. Albert Way, on the subject of branks. 



The valuable and interesting information contained in it is to be 

 found no where else, and I have his kind permission to avail my- 

 self of it for the benefit of our Society ; and the Committee of the 

 Archaeological Institute have also favored me with the loan of their 

 wood blocks to illustrate my paper. 



Mr. Noake adds — " A curious instrument of punishment, pro- 

 bably used for a similar purpose, may still be seen hung up with 

 some armour in the Worcester Guildhall. The following is from 

 a sketch taken by me a few months ago. The head was inserted 

 in this helmet, and the visor, which is here represented as hanging 

 down, being connected with the toothed uprights, was drawn up 

 and down by means of a key winding up the end of the rod which 

 passes immediately across the top of the helmet, and which rod is 

 furnished with cogs at the end, to fit into the teeth of the uprights. 

 The visor was thus drawn up so as to completely darken the eyes 

 and cover the nose. The little square box with a hole, to which 

 a screw is aflEixed at the side, was probably intended to receive the 

 end of a pole fixed in a wall, from which the patient was thus made 

 to stand out, though certainly not 

 ' in relief.' 



"These instruments [branks], 

 as well as cucking-stools, were in 

 use in nearly all towns. The 

 present specimen is probably temp. 

 Henry VII." 



In the museum at Ludlow, 

 according to information for which 

 I am indebted to Mr, W. J. 

 Bernhard Smith, another example 

 is preserved of an iron cap, pro- 

 bably for branding ofienders, much 

 resembling that at Worcester, but perhaps more complicated. It 

 is furnished with a similar rack and side wheels for compression. 



d2 



