BDSM 101 History - RELIGIOUS

by Lady Hugs

Entire contents are hereby Copyrighted © 2004

A Bishop wearing an Episcopal ring may offer his hand so that the ring is to be kissed. If the ring is offered for the kiss, the Bishop offers his hand with the back up and the ring facing up. Use your right hand to take the Bishop's hand at the fingers, bow slightly while raising his hand and kiss lightly and dryly the stone of the ring (it's always an amethyst); then, still holding his hand, gracefully bring it back down until the Bishop withdraws the hand. This action is done quickly and smoothly, and only if the hand is offered as described. If you wish to kiss the Bishop's ring, you signal this by bowing slightly and holding your right hand out as though to receive something. The Bishop will place his hand in yours, and you proceed as described. If the Bishop "misses his cue," do not become flustered. Simply straighten up and carry on as usual. Should the Episcopal ring be offered to you, do not refuse, no matter what your private thoughts on ring kissing might be. The Episcopal ring kiss, while religious, is also social. These were the "rules" of the circa 1861 Civil War soldier. The same rules exist today.

Wearing their robes and insignias of their religious order, as if knights are dressed with significance in which each piece of their garments has meaning.

The underlying common theme is the submission to a greater power and authority, based upon faith and the "canons" of that faith. A code of conduct is also present.

In most Protestant church structures are Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Laypersons. The Bishop who was head of all the churches was then Arch Bishop.

Another structure, which is followed after the Medieval Church and Counter Reformation. This was Catholic churches of Europe. Throughout the history of the Catholic Church, it fought most zealously to be anti-Protestant. The "Commission of Cardinals" was already starting to act upon the inner church corruption long before Martin Luther posted his ninety-five theses. Not until the "Council of Constance" of 1414-1417, had there been any real recognition that there was great abuse in the church, which lead to corruption, and abuses. This is when the "Council of Constance" put a stop to appointments of Bishops for political reasons. Because of the large amounts of property in the previous years of the Catholic Church as a whole, it was found that more Bishops studied law and not theology. They became administers of vast wealth in treasures, art, and property and influence due to the political appointments. The "Secular Renaissance" under the Reformation under Pope Leo-X (1513-1522) did the excesses became an explosion of issues. The "Commission of Cardinals" in 1545 and 1563, did the true corruption of Bishops, priests, the traffic of indulgences and other financial abuses were placed before the "Council of Trent." The "Counter Reformation" under Pope Paul IV, (1555-1559) is when the Inquisitions and censorship by the Catholic Church began full thrust.

With the Inquisitions in Europe, which are identified and the creator of all the means to torture, put on trial and execute all individuals that were suspected being anything less that faithful Catholics.

Previously, the "Flail" was an Egyptian sign of royalty, carries along with a crook. Now, it became a scourge or whip for torture.

The following "tools" of torture were invented and freely applied to the victims of the Inquisition. There is no true number of how many innocent victims were killed in the Inquisition period. However, the source of sadism and horrific treatment was more than, perhaps Marquis DeSade ever dreamed on his own, as they were already used by the executioners and the torturers under the authority of the "Church."

Cat’s Claw - a device that looks like metal fingers, thin, spiked, curved, as a crescent, used to tear the flesh right of a human. Tearing off genitals was a favorite method of slow death. It is also known as a "Spanish Tickler."

Iron Maiden that was documented on or about 1514-1515, it was a closed case, with spikes that would impale the person as they were closed into the iron mechanical hugging workings. The impalement was slow and the spikes were adjustable. As it slowly closed, so did the tines impale into specific areas of the body. The very sharp points penetrated his arms, his legs in several places, his belly, chest, his bladder, the root of his member, his eyes, his shoulders, and his buttocks, but not enough to kill him; and so he remained making it most painful and a slow death.

Saint Elmo’s Belt. This was an iron belt with spikes inside to puncture and impale the victim, with a chain attached, to post to a mast, a tree and would attract shock if proper atmospheric conditions happen to strike. This in turn would cause sparks and fire. Frying the wearer around the area of the belt. There was no relief.

Bootikens, also known as Cashielaws in Scotland. Wedges would be fastened from knees to ankle. There were spikes inside. The torturer would then take a heavy hammer and strike these wedges around his legs. Crushing bones and lacerating the skin, each strike with the hammer was extreme pain. One blow for each question and no answer. Most times the bones were crushed so much that marrow oozed from their crushed legs. Unable to stand, these poor victims often had to be dragged to their executions.

The "Shin Vice" is a device that was applied to the legs as well but, worked a bit differently. Placed vices, with channels over the shin bones, these were screwed, causing the sharp edges of these channels onto the legs, squeezing them as a cake per se. These channels look very much like big tooth files.

Brank’s or Scolding Bridles. These devices we see as face cages, often worn by women who nagged their husbands or became in oral fights with others. Mainly, as a means to punish women for their arrogance against men. Often these bridles or "Brank’s" had spikes or other devices in them which mutilated their mouth, tongue and throat. In addition to these masks, they were staked in a public square only to be tortured and suffer great humiliation, physical abuse and injuries. Even fatal wounds around the breasts and pubic genital areas.

Hanging Cages were also used. Either iron or wood, they remained in practice and some survive today to be seen. Hung nearly naked, they died from hunger, thirst, temperatures, tortures, exposures and birds pecking at their flesh. Most times place into the cage after being tortured and mutilated, they hung there until the bones crumbled away.

Chastity belts were also applied, mainly to women. However, due to their primitive construction, women often perished from infection. It was a form of torture as men placed them on women as a form of humiliation rather than keeping them "pure."

Judas Cradle was another cruel torturing device, with adjustments. A pyramid approximately six feet off the ground, on a stand. The victim bound was hoisted up and lowered onto the point of the pyramid, to the area of the vagina, the anus or behind the scrotum. At the pleasure of the executioner, he could lower the victim down and put little pressure on them or the executioner could apply full weight of their own body on the point. Then the victim was rocked or was forced to fall as to hurt them more, repeatedly. This form of torture remains today, mainly unchanged since Medieval times.

Head crushers were also an instrument of torture, which still exists today. Placing the chin on a bar, then a cap of metal on top of the skull, the executioner screws the cap down, first driving the teeth together crushing them in their sockets. Then the surrounding bones are crushed. The eyes are forced out of their sockets the now crushed skull collapses and the brain squirts through the fragmented skull.

The "Heretic’s Fork." This is described as two prong tines that are shaped into a spear sharp point as to impale the person, that is joined to another identical fork. A collar is placed around the victim’s neck, to which the length of the fork forces the forks to jab and sink into the skin, under the chin, and into the bone of the sternum. The victim couldn’t but mumble as his chin was impaled and held up and unable to move.

The "Garotte" which was used to end the suffering of the victim, by strangulation and was then in a semiconscious state was affixed to the stake to be burned alive or burned on a skewer, which rotated around like a rotisserie. Described as a simple post, to be bound to, as the executioner pulled back on a rope, strap or other device. Later models had a spike to cut the spine.

Impalement was described as having a sharp pointed stake, driven into the posterior of the victim. Driven into the anus of a man, the vagina of a woman, and driven through the body, often exiting in the throat and out of the mouth and sometimes the head. Then the person was inverted as to face upwards and displayed. This was described in King Charles V’s the manual of, "Punishment of Life and Limb." They lingered on the stake for several days before dying. In some instances, a shorter stake was driven up into their anus to lodge there or the vagina and perhaps in addition to the vagina, it was in the anus as well. The death was even slower, as these victims could have no relief or expel these impaled stakes. It was rare to have women impaled as such, however men were often treated to such.

The Oral, The Rectal and The Vaginal Pear. Described as a "pear" shape with wedges that opened as it was screwed, had spikes on the bottom of these wedges that open, as to rip the internal genitals or the mouth, which by the time the full extended metal pear was reached, these tortured internal organs were ripped and shredded beyond repair, making them fatal wounds.

Racks of a great variety were used. These often stretched and dislocated bones, pulling their joints apart. At times the joints were crushed under heavy hammer blows to all the joints, making it excruciating and pulling the limbs apart.

The Breast Ripper. Like tongs, with two tine claws, were adjustable as to encircle the woman’s breast and rip into the flesh and at times were heated to branding iron red and applied to a woman’s breast, mutilating it. A unwed mother could expect that her bastard child would be at her feet as the executioner would take the breast ripper and tear off her breast, then stuff the child’s mouth with the torn breast, the blood dripping on the baby, which often struggled at the mother’s feet.

The "Saw." This two man saw often to be associated with lumberjacks, would be used to saw people in half. The victim would be hung upside down with thighs parted and the saw would rest in the crotch of the victim and they would slowly saw the victim in half. The Medieval saw was described as a large tooth saw, with a four handed woodsman saw. Most homosexuals were subjected to this torture. This was considered worse than being burned at the stake or boiled in a vat of oil. It is also noted that being hung upside down, there is plenty of blood and oxygen to the brain, as to allow the victim to feel every stroke of the saw. The navel area is usually where the victims lost consciousness and at times remained conscious at the point of the breasts.

The "Stocks" or "Pillory." We have fine examples of them in our dungeons. Placed in the many variety of stocks or pillories, the victim was often tortured and suffered fatal injuries, stoned, burned and subjected to human waste being forced on and in them. The "Headman’s Sword." Beheading by axe or sword was applied much in the public’s view and a source of entertainment. Up to one-hundred and fifty years ago it was a Northern and Central European normal sight to behold. Most executioners swung their sword or axe horizontally. In the Mediterranean Europe and Gallic areas, the axe is preferred and used even in current times. Beheading is considered an easy death, if it is carried out with skill. With this form of death, it was considered exclusive for nobles and people of importance. Once the head is cut off from the body, the head still has perception and awareness, seeing and aware how their head rolls or lands into a basket, for a few seconds.

Hanging was also used by executioners. If requiring more agony, prescribed by the church or by law, the executioner added extra torments to the hanging, as to cause a long and suffering hanging. Or, as a kind way to hang a victim, the executioner used the "English Drop." Which the slack of rope was enough, so that the victim’s body weight would yank the body, to ideally snap the neck and spinal cord.

Thumbscrews were also used. In a variety of configurations, these thumbscrews were painful to mutilating.

Mastectomy was another form of torture was popular in Bavaria in 1599. Along with the forms of claws and tearing off the breasts, this was a form of humiliating and torture. At times sons were to watch as their mother was tortured.

The "Strappado" is another form of torture, where a victim was hung from a hoist. Also known as the pendulum, it was the easiest way to torture a person. Having the victim’s wrists tied behind their back, then the hoist pulled them up to the highest point, were then released to drop at a free fall till the end of the rope, jerking and dislocating arms and shoulders from their sockets.

The "Spiders" or "Rippers" are much like the previous mentioned devices, designed to rip off the breasts. Tongs which were sharp, that could be cold or heated, as to torture a woman. However, there are occasions these devices were used to tear off men’s cocks and scrotum.

Knotting, is another torture applied mainly to women. Taking the woman’s hair, gathering it and tying it into a knot, then taking a stake and twisting the hair till it pulled the scalp cap flesh apart, pulling it open and exposing the skull bone, as well as ripping her hair out. This form of torture was used as late as in the 1918 period of the Bolshevik Revolution.

Stoning has been a form of torture and execution since biblical times to the present time.

The whip. Often children were given whips to whip victims, as to learn how to be good executioners one day, in the Netherlands. The chain flails and other whips have been used since ages past and present.

Ovens. The forerunner of the ovens used by the Nazi concentration camps, the famous oven at Neisse in Silesia, in the mid 17th century, were roasted alive, having approximately two thousand women, girls and babies slow roasted to death. In Nazi ovens, the victims were already dead.

The Netherlands Collar. A spike lined collar was applied to the neck of a victim. Then four cords were stretched out to the four corners of the room. At times these cords would be made taunt lifting the victim by the spiked collar off the floor with weight resting on the collar. Any resistance or fighting would just cause the spikes to impale deeper into the neck.

The "Wheel." Often referred to as "Breaking with the Wheel," was used in many forms as to torture and hold in bondage the victim, for display. Second, after hanging the "breaking" of the body was the common form of execution. Through the Middle Ages and Germanic Europe, the popular form was to "Break" a victim’s body with heavy iron bars and with maces. First, having the victim supine on the ground or on the execution dock, legs and arms spread apart in a "spread eagle" and fastened to iron rings or stakes. Then taking a metal iron tired rimmed wheel, at times having cleats or ridges on them, the executioner would go to each ankle joint, each knee joint, each hip joint, each wrist joint, each elbow joint, each shoulder joint and crush them. Keeping the victim alive was important at this point, so no fatal blows were given. The victim’s body now having their joints crushed was transformed into a huge, screaming puppet, bloody and like a raw and shapeless flesh, the limbs were then threaded into the spokes of the "Wheel" and bound, then hoisted up onto a pole, where birds ripped away at the bits of flesh and feed off the suffering body, still alive and birds would peck at the eyes as well. This torture was the most prolonged and tortured form of death. Some executioners ended the victim’s suffering by blows to the chest killing them. Some would hang the victim up vertically, where they hung and suffered. Some would hang the victim, suspending them over a fire to prolong the suffering. Or, the executioner could suspend the victim over a bed of nails then drop the wheel as to allow the weight of the wheel and body to impale the body.

The "Drawing and Quartering," which was the victim tied at wrists and ankles, was pulled apart alive, at the same time, to which it could be done by slow cranks, by ox, by horse. However, most common forms of "Drawing and Quartering," was the drawing of the victim to the execution site, usually in a public square, then staking them out in a spread eagle. Already tortured, most were in poor shape. The executioner would then behead the victim, then cut the trunk of the body and creating four pieces, would then be drawn by cart and horse or horse and sleds to the four areas the judgment wished the body parts to be displayed.

So, as you can see that the cruelty of men during the Inquisition was mainly geared towards women and homosexuals of both genders and least likely, to men.

With the exhibitions of these "instruments," of torture in the European countries that were made public, it gave a lot of education and modernized ideas to the BDSM culture. Starting in Italy in 1983 and ending in Spain in 1986, It no doubt assisted the Nazi interrogators and executioners, which had a similar exhibition in Berlin from 1908 - 1909. Die Heilige Inquisition (The Holy Inquisition) -- Wesen, Method und Wirkung (Essence, Methods and Effects)

Thus, you will find in some photographs of heterosexual dominant men, wearing robes of priests and acting in the role of "executioner." Many of these robed individuals were considered, "Old School." [Note: Screw the Roses, Give me the Thorns, you will see the photograph of the late author Master Phil Miller wearing the priest robe as he administers the whip.]