Get Your Premium Membership

Dunking Stool

Poet's Notes
(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like I Am Anaya.


Cucking-stools A ballad, dating from about 1615, called "The Cucking of a Scold", illustrates the punishment inflicted to women whose behavior made them be identified as "a Scold" Then was the Scold herself, In a wheelbarrow brought, Stripped naked to the smock, As in that case she ought: Neats tongues about her neck Were hung in open show; And thus unto the cucking stool This famous scold did go Dunking or Cucking Stools were used for women who “gossiped” last used in 1809 Stool of Repentance has a long HISTORY! Will it make a comeback? Bite your tongues

Copyright © | Year Posted 2023




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 4/25/2023 11:59:00 AM
- A barbaric act, Anaya - Well written :) - hugs
Login to Reply
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/25/2023 12:38:00 PM
Thank you, Sunshine! An article I picked up. Hugs back.
Date: 4/24/2023 5:11:00 PM
Wow! Scary the gossip and punishment!
Login to Reply
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/25/2023 12:37:00 PM
Most didn't make it through the dunking's!
Date: 4/24/2023 12:12:00 PM
well done, anaya! it's amazing to me to learn of things like this that were so commonplace once upon a time...
Login to Reply
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/25/2023 12:34:00 PM
Thank you, Ilene! Let's hope it doesn't make a come back.
Date: 4/24/2023 10:31:00 AM
Hmmm did they have one for men? I highly doubt it. Interesting to know about!
Login to Reply
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/24/2023 10:48:00 AM
Lol, yes, why stop at women, men also where punished-- by the Pillory or “stretch-neck” should be made strong enough to hold offenders without peril to their bodies. It was customary in the case of men sentenced.
Date: 4/24/2023 10:16:00 AM
I wouldn't have liked to live in them times, barbaric. It was even worse for those suspected of witchcraft. Tom
Login to Reply
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/24/2023 10:25:00 AM
Glad to see you are back from your travels to Greece, Tom. Let's just pray we don't get back those wretched ways when women had no rights!
Date: 4/24/2023 9:37:00 AM
LOL Anaya. I've known some women who could have used a good cucking. Hopefully, it died out with overly protective men! :)
Login to Reply
Anaya Avatar
I Am Anaya
Date: 4/24/2023 9:42:00 AM
Bits of history one may find interesting, Linda. Let's hope it doesn't make a comeback, with going backwards, woman's rights gone, no more gossiping aloud! lol

Book: Shattered Sighs