Status Updates From The Faithful Executioner: L...

I crave violence

Late 1500s and the attitudes and prosecution rates for rapists has barely changed today. "Under reported and underpunished." 1570 or 2026. No difference.

A 15 year old raped an 11 year old and they gave him a flogging 'for mercy of his youth'. What about the mercy of the youth of the 11 year old he raped and the other little girls who were forced to witness the act in the woods?

Men. (Derogatory)

Men as always ruin any kind of good time I'm having

'There were surely few respectable social or work opportunities for women once their nicknames were revealed to be Playbunny, Furry Kathy, Grinder Girl, or, most jarring, Cunt Annie.'

These are all wild but Cunt Annie just decimated me. I think it's good to have this brief moment of me breaking down laughing in a book of disturbing practices and straightforward historical documentation

'In a decidedly less politically correct age, nicknames often focused on an individual’s appearance—Pointy Head-'

I had to take my glasses off to press my palms into my eyes as I laughed until my stomach hurt. I was NOT expecting something so childishly innocent as Pointy Head.

I had just recovered and read more nicknames of criminals only to be met with 'Little Fatty' and I was off again.

I have now learned there are multiple methods of execution by wheel!

Looking and Learning!

'Hanging was a relatively simple, albeit grisly operation: the young executioner mounted a double ladder with the poor sinner, then simply pushed his victim off.'

I'm not saying there's a dignity filled way to be hanged at a public execution but the double ladder shove has to be the least dignity filled way to do it and for some reason I never thought of it being a method.

Chuckle Brothers level of execution.

I can't believe this nonfiction biography of an executioner is bringing me out of my reading slump but here we are!
A peak into a whole other world that is similar but so different to our own.
It's been very fun to see Frantz Schmidt patient, calculated rise in his social world.
I keep wondering how they are going to fill the chapters but somehow it keeps feeling fresh and interesting!