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The Scold’s Bridle was a torture device used during medieval times on women accused of talking too much, which was then feared to be the work of the devil
The Scold’s Bridle was a torture device used during medieval times on women accused of talking too much, which was then feared to be the work of the devil. "The origins of the bridle are not clear but it is currently thought to have originated in Europe sometime in the Middle Ages and was used as part of the penal system. It is first heard of in Britain as a punishment for witches in Scotland in the 16th Century and one of the worst examples of it is the so-called ‘Forfar Bridle’. This is particularly horrible, having spikes on the top and bottom of the bitt to pierce the tongue and palate. There is an equally gruesome instrument kept at Stockport and known as the ‘Stockport Bridle’ and this also has spikes on the top and bottom of the bitt. The first recorded use of the bridle for scolds, in England, was in the 17th Century. Use was predominantly in towns in the North of England though there are other examples and styles of bridles preserved further south. Its use was mostly sanc...