Tonight is Guy Fawkes Night!
We don't have 4th July or Thanks Giving, but this is our big night for fireworks and jolly good it is too.
Guy Fawkes was a member of a gang of traitors who attempted to blow up the King and Parliament but was foiled at the last minute.
His fate was the usual for this sort of crime...
First off he was tortured - I mean REAL torture, the sort of torture that inspired men to smash their own heads in against their cell walls so they would not have to face it. This persuaded him to give the names of his accomplices.
Then he was executed. Again, we are talking nasty - he was hung, drawn and quartered.
Hung: not dropped so the neck broke for a quick death, but raised up so he choked, but did not die.
Drawn: the stomach was slit open and the insides slowly pulled out. If done properly the victim would remain conscious the whole time.
Quartered: finally, he was beheaded and dismembered.
Mel Gibson recreates this really well at the end of Braveheart...
Guy Fawkes night - the day we celebrate a time when the punishment really did fit the crime.
Have a good one!
10 comments:
I think I'm glad I never watched Braveheart all the way through to the end. I can do without the visual! But have a great time celebrating!
Terri - I have only watched the execution scene once, even though I have watched the rest many times. A previous secretary of ours actually threw up in the cinema! As I said, he did it well!
Ummm...WOW!! That's aweful! I agree that it would deter crime finally though. Seriously, how many people would steal or kill knowing that was coming their way?
You sound a little too excited about the whole torture and drawn and quartered thing. I might be a little worried about you:)
I did see Braveheart, but covered my eyes for that part.
Happy Guy Fawkes Day!
Ahhhh . . . No wonder my blog friends "guy" they built for November 5th , actually looked like the guy from "V for Vendetta". duh.
Happy November 5th!
Happy Guy Fawkes Day!!! I like any hoilday that encompasses fireworks, I was married as close to Fourth of Julyas I could, just so I could have fireworks at my wedding. As for punishment fitting the crime, I say the English were on to something...maybe it would deter criminals if they knew this is what was coming!!!
I wouldn't even know anything about this if it weren't for "V for Vendetta"
Good movie.
Ok, wait-
I am still unclear what exactly there is to celebrate...did he cheat on his wife? Did he go out on lots of dates and not call the women even though he said he would? Because then I'm totally behind this.
ewwww. That's all I have to say on that.
Have a great time today! Fireworks are always fun!
I remember that scene.
Hope you had a great Guy Fawkes Night!
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