Online Encyclopedia

Search over 40,000 articles from the original, classic Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Edition.

THE SCOTTISH MAIDEN

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V17, Page 428 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
» Make a correction to this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Spread the word: del.icio.us del.icio.us it!

THE SCOTTISH See also:

MAIDEN was an See also:instrument of See also:capital See also:punishment formerly in use in See also:Scotland. It is said to have been invented by the See also:earl of See also:Morton, who is also said to have been its first victim. This, however, could not have been the See also:case, as the maiden was first used at the See also:execution of the inferior agents in the assassination of See also:Rizzio (1561) and Morton was not beheaded till 1581. The maiden was practically an See also:early See also:form of See also:guillotine. A loaded blade or See also:axe moving in grooves was fixed in a See also:frame about ten feet high. The axe was raised to the full height of the frame and then released, severing the victim's See also:head from his See also:body. At least 120, suffered See also:death by the maiden, including the See also:regent Morton, See also:Sir See also:John See also:Gordon of Haddo, See also:President Spottiswood, the See also:marquis and earl of See also:Argyll. In 1710 it ceased to be used; it is now preserved in the museum of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, in See also:Edinburgh.

End of Article: THE SCOTTISH MAIDEN

Additional information and Comments

There are no comments yet for this article.
» Add information or comments to this article.
Please link directly to this article:
Highlight the code below, right click, and select "copy." Then paste it into your website, email, or other HTML.
Site content, images, and layout Copyright © 2006 - Net Industries, worldwide.
Do not copy, download, transfer, or otherwise replicate the site content in whole or in part.

Links to articles and home page are always encouraged.

[back]
THE SANCTUARY OF 		[next]
THE SKULL FROM BEHIND (norma occipitalis) (fig. 3)

Site © 2006 - Net Industries