A traitor's death? The identity of a drawn, hanged and quartered man from Hulton Abbey, Staffordshire

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Lewis, M. E. (2008) A traitor's death? The identity of a drawn, hanged and quartered man from Hulton Abbey, Staffordshire. Antiquity, 82 (315). pp. 113-124. ISSN 0003-598X Available at http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/3748/

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Reading’s research outputs online ∗ one,Ewr II Edward Younger, ihsm oe fa dl eae eraps-eivlwl nteCaclae (Wise area Chancel the in well post-medieval along a re-deposited, near was female, 1b). and adult (Figure dissolution, an 1985) the of been after had bones skeleton burial some congregation, the coffin with The that the original seemed II. of it an Edward member However, family. from wealthy and Audley disturbed a I the of to Edward one belonged of to remains potentially, courts and the the that in suggests prominence place to burial rose family whose Heleigh description osteological practice. a new first this quartered; a the with to been and associated led remains, lesions had has for the the This body of of Abbey criminals. identity the of Hulton possible notorious fact, the to most in into the back investigation that for the reserved transportation suggests when execution its remains of added form were the for brutal marks of allow cut re-analysis to additional A boiled that burial. and suggested and ‘divided’ injuries has was battle (2004) are Browne body marks throughout. cut marks the cut that perimortem because numerous remarkable are display individual this they of of monastery bones Cistercian The in the 1a). inches (Figure of Staffordshire 8 Abbey, excavation Hulton feet 1970s 5 the around during male, uncovered were adult mature (178cm), height a of (HA16) remains skeletal disarticulated The Introduction II. Edward King of lover the Despenser, Hugh be to Keywords: him gruesome proposes attempts more and England’s author victim the of the infamous, one individual the down suggested for track the turn reserved to that generally in showed was this graveyard quartering and Since abbey practices. up, medieval execution chopped a and in beheaded redeposited been bones had of set a of Analysis Lewis E. Mary Staffordshire Abbey, from Hulton man quartered and a hanged of drawn, identity The death? traitor’s A h ahlg fteseeo scnitn ihishvn enctu ihasapblade. comprised sharp skeleton The a 2. with Figure in up seen cut be been can HA16 having on its cut-marks with the of consistent distribution is The skeleton the of pathology The marks cut of Distribution eevd 4Otbr20;Acpe:1 aur 07 eie:2 ue2007 June 25 Revised: 2007; January 18 Accepted: 2006; October 24 Received: antiquity eateto rhelg,Sho fHmnadEvrnetlSuis nvriyo edn,Reading, Reading, of University Studies, Environmental and Human of School Archaeology, of Department utnAby(D11-58 a eaieypo saeondb h uly of Audleys the by owned estate poor relatively a was 1219-1538) (AD Abbey Hulton ekhr G A,U Eal [email protected]) (Email: UK 6AB, RG6 Berkshire 2(08:113–124 (2008): 82 utnAby xcto,qatrn,prmre rua uhDsesrthe Despenser Hugh trauma, perimortem quartering, execution, Abbey, Hulton ∗ 113

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Figure 1a. Location of Hulton Abbey (from Klemperer & Boothroyd 2004: 3). an almost complete set of spinal vertebrae, from the third cervical (neck) vertebra to the second lumbar (L2), right and left arms and shoulders, right femur, left and right lower legs. The ribs were poorly preserved and the sternum was not recovered. There were some fragments of the ilium, and one pubic symphysis, suggesting that the pelvis had been included in the burial. No hand or foot bones were linked to this skeleton. Although no skull was present, cut marks on the third cervical vertebra (C3) of the neck indicate the individual was beheaded (Figure 3). Additional cut marks on the right superior facet of C3 indicate that further slices were necessary to completely remove the head. Although badly eroded postmortem, the next vertebrae (C4 to C6) appear normal. A smooth depression on the superior aspect of the seventh cervical vertebra, triangular in shape and measuring 9.8mm by 5.9mm, indicates that the individual was stabbed in the throat (Figure 4). It is not possible to know if this happened before or after the beheading, but the following first thoracic vertebra (T1) is not affected. A further possible stab wound is located in the right inferior margin of L2 suggesting that the victim had also been stabbed in the stomach (Figures 5 and 6). Sectioning of the body is indicated by the division of the second and third thoracic vertebrae along the sagittal plane (vertically) which ceases at T4, with no further cut marks

114 enmd rmrgtt et unn rmtemda sett h aea seto the of aspect lateral the to aspect medial have the cuts from These marks. running chop left, numerous to the right for from account may made unexpected so been been the have and and would dissection, muscle bone normal trapezius of a the mass bears of This in bone) (pseudo-arthrosis). ossification joint (collar caused new that clavicle a injury The of tissue shoulder. is formation soft body left old the the an of of on division marks marks the an the chop of suggest nature the may deliberate by but The demonstrated wounds, bones. defence best the shaft, or from the parry flesh along constitute remove marks to to hesitation attempt position small wrong two the displays in also are radius which left The half right. in the than chopped wrist was section. one body as the treated thorax division, horizontal entire a vertical the displays the and also 8) after life, (Figure in the that Notably, pelvis 7). suggesting the (Figure above cut, plane just sagittal (transverse) the positioned along (L1), cut vertebra cleanly lumbar again first L2 89). to 1985: T11 Wise with from T11, (adapted until HA16 of location the showing Abbey Hulton of chancel the in burials of Detail 1b. Figure ohhnshdbe eoe,wt h etrdu lwrambn)ctfrhru the up further cut bone) arm (lower radius left the with removed, been had hands Both ayE Lewis E. Mary 115

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shaft. There is an additional sharper cut at the acromial end, made in the opposite direction, and overlies the second chop mark (Figure 9). Other evidence for the deliberate removal of the arm from the shoulder is the removal of the humeral head, cut marks on the shoulder blade (scapula), and a chop mark at the position of the coracoid process at the top of the shoulder. These cuts are consistent with someone attempting to cut around the ligaments that hold the shoulder joint in place (Figure 10). On the lower body, the right hip has been dissected below the greater trochanter, which was not recovered. This bone however, is the only part of the proximal femur preserved on the left side, suggesting a similar pattern of removal for both legs. Chop marks to the back of the right femur, along the linear aspera, may be the result of trauma from a blade, similar to that seen in battle injuries. On the right lower leg, the fibula appears to have been cut just below the midshaft, with the blade injury following a line through to the tibia.

Interpretation Such systematic cutting of bones is suggestive of a ritual exercise in dismem- berment, such as quartering, an execution Figure 2. Distribution of perimortem cut marks in HA16. The green arrows indicate stab wounds; red arrows indicate practice prevalent in the English Middle cut marks on the anterior aspect of the skeleton; blue arrows Ages (AD 1100-1500). No cases of show horizontal cuts and the yellow arrows indicate cut marks suspected quartering have ever been to the posterior aspect of the skeleton. described in the archaeological literature, although Marfart et al. (2004) did report on an instance of postmortem heart ablation from Ganagobie Priory in France. It is possible that the lesions seen on HA16 are the result of medieval funerary practice (mos teutonicus), where nobles who died away from home were dismembered and the pieces boiled in water or wine, with their viscera buried at their place of death (Park 1995). This generally involved the disembowelment, dismembering and boiling of the body, often with requests for the heart to be buried at home (Brown 1981). This ‘division of the body’ was outlawed by an outraged Boniface VIII in 1299. Heart ablation

116 iue4 ls-po tbwudo h eet cervical seventh the on wound stab (C7). of vertebra Close-up 4. Figure indicative vertebra beheading. cervical third of the on marks Cut 3. Figure igsdahi eea ifrn at fteram i oywst eqatrdadlimbs and quartered be to was body his realm, the the of for plotted parts hanged had different was he he because several and tail, in horse’s burned, death the entrails king’s of at his each drawn and about was sacrilege statement he for a king, disembowelled murder, make the betrayed to he designed (Royer Because was crimes. rebellion ritual Hence,his Welsh execution death. Gruffydd’s one the ap than of of more suffer part leader should each perpetrator Gruffydd, the ap that dictated Dayfd ritual, treason High the of 2003). to execution quartering the and for beheading burning, specifically disembowelling, added I Edward century, ayE Lewis E. Mary 117 Blay17:2) ntelt thirteenth late the In executed some 28). be in 1970: also (Bellamy would and children property the cases their tail horse’s lose accused a the would by of family hanging The ‘drawn’). of (hence place dragged the be to to was treason common for the punishment 1283, Before masses 1989). the (Cohen to government the demonstrate of to power the aimed was (Finucane which execution theatre public devised high of be form This which could 1981). crime that cruellest and a death torments worst was the treason deserved (Phillips and turmoil and 2000) tension political plagued by was England Fourteenth-century execution of form a as quartering and hanging, Drawing, literature before. osteological the in not reported have been they and might evisceration, that from result cuts superficial the and with the incidental inconsistent to are lesions any The bodies left itself. vertebral have bone the to on of unlikely cuts is tissue have and soft belly, would the the This through crowd. cutting the meant burned of and front removed in were type intestines where this evisceration; the involved cut of none execution process of of but normal evidence The reveal condition, marks. fragments the poor the involves in The of recovered. are this not ribs but was the which HA16, in sternum, occurred of have case may out) (cutting

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dispatched to where they could act as a warning to others (Bellamy 1970: 26; Pollock & Maitland 1968: 501). By the time Edward I died in 1307, several men had been executed in this fashion. They were usually dragged to the place of execution on a hurdle to ensure that they would be alive when they were hanged, before being disembowelled and Figure 5. The second lumbar vertebra viewed from the finally beheaded (Barron 1981). The head superior aspect, showing a knick on the anterior margin. and quarters of the body were parboiled, and sent to locations where the traitor had found support, or where treason had been conspired, and hung on town gates, walls and gibbets, using poles or chains. Relatives would have to wait until they were officially ‘thrown down’ before they could retrieve the remains for burial (Bellamy 1979: 208). This form of execution reached its height in the 1320s, and by the fifteenth century, itwasmoreusualfornoblestobepunished by beheading (Royer 2003). Depictions of the actual mechanisms behind quartering of the body do not survive, and there was probably no call Figure 6. Close-up of knick on the margin of the second forthemtobewrittendown.What lumbar vertebra, possibly indicating a stab wound to the stomach. constituted ‘quarters’ may be inferred from the description of ap Gruffydd’s execution, where his body was cut into four parts and sent to be displayed ‘. . . towit–therightarm at Bristol; the right leg and hip at Northampton; the left leg at Hereford’ (Maxwell 1913: 35). This does not suggest division of the torso, but evidence for that practice may be found in medieval woodcuts, for example, that of the execution of Thomas Armstrong in 1683 (Figure 11).

Identity of the remains Radiocarbon analysis carried out by the Oxford Laboratory in 1990 (Hedges et al. 1991) dated the remains to AD 1215-1285 (one sigma, 68 per cent confidence) or AD 1050-1385 (two sigma, 95 per cent confidence). In her report on the Hulton Abbey skeletal remains, Browne (2004) proposed Sir William Audley (AD 1254-1282) as a likely candidate for the burial. William, aged 28, was killed in Anglesey on 6 November 1282 fighting for Edward I during the rising of the Welsh Princes. William and his men crossed the Menai Straits on a bridge of boats, but their return was cut off by the rising tide (Wrottesley 1887). The Welsh attacked and 213 men were slaughtered. Browne went on to suggest that William may have

118 ugsigsprto ftetoa rmters fthe of rest the from thorax the vertebra body. of lumbar first separation the through suggesting cut Horizontal 7. Figure iue8 aitlct hog 1 oL2. to T11 through cuts Sagittal 8. Figure ayE Lewis E. Mary 119 rsnr.Ti ugssta h skeleton the political that notorious suggests most This the prisoners. to handed was only execution out of brutal form very public this and no when 1385, died AD he than later that indicates Hulton skeleton the of Abbey Dating executed. Wallingford He never 348). is in was 1919: (Cockayne died it 1326 in he and Castle that prison likely Audley from more Hugh released that ever evidence was no age. is of years There 65 been in have Wallingford would He at been 1325. who had treason and for nobles 1322, imprisoned in the Lancaster II of Edward of Earl against Thomas, one with sided been had had candidate. likely He more a was Audley Hugh Sir cousin, William’s that Tomkinson argued Hence, has (1997) William. be and to old symphyses, the too pubic on the based years) of 34 61 morphology over (mean been age have of years to male the identified Abbey. Hulton to by transport retrieved performed later teutonicus who Nicholas body brother his his and Welsh the rebels, by mutilated and captured been selgclaayi fteremains the of analysis Osteological ntebd oalwfrits for allow to body the on mos

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Figure 9. Close-up of cut marks to the left clavicle, and pseudo-arthrosis.

at Hulton Abbey was a well known political figure during this period. There is one far more notorious candidate for the identity of the remains at Hulton Abbey: Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger. Hugh Despenser the Youngerwas the son of Hugh Despenser, Earl of Winchester, and an advisor to Edward II. Hugh was married to Eleanor de Clare, niece of Edward II who, with her two sisters Margaret and Elizabeth, was heiress to one of the largest fortunes in England. On the death Figure 10. Cut marks to the left shoulder. Note soft tissue of Eleanor’s brother, Gilbert de Clare, ossification on the clavicle and cut marks to the humeral Despenser used his political influence to head. appropriate the lands that should have been divided equally between the sisters (Holmes 1955). In order to succeed in his plan, Despenser attacked his brothers-in-law, Roger Damory, married to Elizabeth, and more importantly, Hugh Audley of Hulton Abbey, who had married Margaret. In 1317, Despenser claimed that Audley was withholding his share of the Welsh estates from him. Not wishing to wage war, Audley exchanged his Welsh estates for poorer lands in England. Despenser next exerted similar pressure on Damory and later, had them both falsely charged and convicted of treason. Despenser’s influence in court came from his being a favourite of Edward II, and it was rumoured that he was the king’s lover. When England was invaded in 1326 by Queen Isabella and her consort Roger Mortimer, Despenser was captured and executed at Hereford (Holmes 1955). He was 40 years of age. Edward II abdicated and was killed in 1327 (Valente 1998). The power that Despenser had wielded in the court, and perhaps his personal relationship with the king, had outraged Isabella to such an extent that his execution was

120 rmH1 seFgr ) h aeo i et n12 t ihthe with fits 1326 in death his of date The 2). Figure (see vertebrae HA16 few a from and bone’ 1919: ‘thigh (Cockayne a head, Gloucestershire husband’s Strawford, her in (N. recovered Abbey have Tewkesbury to said at is estate Eleanor 270). family his on buried and n eaheto h estruhtehip. the through legs spine the the of through detachment cuts and vertical the Note Thomas 1683. Sir in of execution Armstrong the depicting Engraving 11. Figure eesn ob ipae bv h ae fNwate ok oe n rso (Cockayne Bristol and Dover York, body Newcastle, D his of & of gates and Viard quarters the 267-70; ground the above 1919: and the displayed Bridge be London to On to on lowered execution. sent displayed were was was dramatic his Despenser’s head corpse and his of The 1326 abdomen depiction December burned. his Froissart’s 4th conscious, shows into and Still 12 plunged out Figure was 32). cut decapitated. knife were 1808: a heart (Johnes gallows, and king heretic the entrails a the from supported considered with dragged was body was practices he his Despenser because ‘unnatural’ below, with of fire feet the suspected ( into 50 and thrown Froissart at testicles Jean gallows his chronicler with on castrated, Medieval choked, ladder. rather Hereford, through a or dragged 192). and by hanged, 1979: two, (Fryde usual was the head than his he rather on horses, where placed four nettles to of roped stripped crown then being was a by He with humiliated arms, publicly reversed was in dressed Despenser and 1326, November 16th the on Hence, one,te hsi h rttm uha xcto itmhsbe identified. the been Despenser has Hugh victim Sir execution William an of than such those time evidence indeed first osteological are the is the Abbey this Hulton with then Younger, from consistent remains more the is If Audley’s. age his and 1219-1385) e er ae,Dsesrswf eiindWsmntrfrhsbnst ecollected be to bones his for Westminster petitioned wife Despenser’s later, years few A es comm. pers. pe 1904-5). eprez ´ eksuyAbyAciit,tevr oe htaemissing are that bones very the Archivist), Abbey Tewkesbury ayE Lewis E. Mary 121 n hi uihet r ulndthus: outlined are crimes punishments His their and brutal. and public particularly c 3710)rpre htHg was Hugh that reported 1337-1405) . eeae n og omeet 413) 1889: to ( and go Convicted!!!’ Evildoer!! Traitor! a so doom. and your And traitor burned. a renegade! be yourself shall Confess bowels after you and that disembowelled, be shall our strife and most King of the noble Lord formenter our Ladybetween been a the Queen...you have and you disloyal times all at because the to back court...youshallbeb come have general and by consent, and King the Lord our by outlawed, were you the as and throughout kingdom; dispersed your and quarters quartered, and drawn be be hanged; thief traitor...you as a ‘...as a therefore you shall shall rgtceSheppard Brigstocke hae;and eheaded; 14 ae (AD dates C

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Figure 12. The disembowelment of Sir Hugh Despenser the Younger. Reproduced with kind permission of the Biblioth`eque nationale de France.

Disposal This case raises many interesting questions about how the remains came to be at Hulton Abbey. Although the pledge to distribute the quarters to four corners of the realm is well known, we do not know that this threat was actually carried out in this case, nor do we know if the ‘quarters’ included the torso as well as the limbs. If Hugh’s remains were collected from their several display locations, then who did this? As a relative of the Audley’s it may be expected that they would want to bury their disgraced relative in a quiet corner of their estate, and Hulton Abbey would not have been of great significance to them. But, given Despenser’s attempts to have his brother-in-law executed, is it likely they would go to such an effort? Perhaps a monk from the monastery took it upon himself to gather the remains and bury them in the Abbey, so that all of his remains rested in consecrated ground. The

122 elm,J. Bellamy, arn W. Barron, rw,E. Brown, rgtceSepr,J. Sheppard, Brigstocke –1979. References corpse. medieval the of Bothwell James treatment particular, in the and, on text references the and on comments advice their invaluable for providing Holst Malin for and Carver Martin to grateful am I cent per 95 the of end the to the 1219) by (AD The provided Abbey Despenser. the interval of of confidence founding execution the of the ‘division’ from surrounding remains, during accounts the evisceration of historical or date the and trauma with battle distribution fits with The but consistent body, context. not the historical is associated the and lesions identify trauma political the to of their displaying attempts nature within it skeleton addition, them a In place England. of and medieval case remains in quartering known of first practice the the with described has paper This for opportunity Conclusion an swords. as their used with been him surviving the have strike the in to may to stabbing spectators ‘drawing’ marks Despenser’s angry the cut the that the with are possible consistent perhaps is is so It vertebra accounts, femur. lumbar historical the first Equally, in these the ‘thief’. recorded a then in abdomen and Hugh pirate mark is a this stab as known if potential However, being his ritual. the to execution reference the with amputated of of been removal part have the recorded may themselves, a remains not the for is to As hands reunited 121). the be 1995: (Bynum would body bones complete scattered one such form resurrection, the during that believed Cistercians ihmr ofiec htti a h kltno neeuinvci,adtedahof death the and Acknowledgements victim, observed. execution say pathology an can the of for we skeleton analogy Meanwhile an the the analysis. provides was until Despenser for this Hugh and available that unless become confidence open Tewkesbury remain more at must with vault matter the the and in Tewkesbury remains at buried been have to as HA16. Abbey, Tewkesbury from at missing buried elements remains in skeletal the seductive the of most precisely account Probably are the evidence. these is osteological body the this with of consistent identification is the sex and age his and oee,sc itrcleutoscnnvrb opeeypoe.Dsesri said is Despenser proved. completely be never can equations historical such However, History literature. and life medieval ntedvso ftecorpse. the of VIII division Boniface the of on legislation the ages: middle later 404-12. odn oteg ea Paul. Kegan & Routledge London: Press. University Ages Middle Later h uo a fTesn nintroduction. an Treason: of Law Tudor The 91 et n h ua oyi the in body human the and Death 1981. :187-202. 7: 1970. 91 h eate o rao in treason for penalties The 1981. h a fTesni nln nthe in England in Treason of Law The abig:Cambridge Cambridge: . ol eis 89 iii: 1889, Series, Rolls ora fMedieval of Journal Viator 2 211-7. 12: 14 ae A 35,fiswt h eido i death his of period the with fits 1385), (AD dates C ayE Lewis E. Mary 123 Bynum S. Browne, Cohen G. Cockayne, ed:Maney. Leeds: 115-26. 21): Monograph Archaeology Medieval 1987-1994 Staffordshire Abbey, Hulton (ed.) Boothroyd N. & Klemperer uoenIdeas European Europe. medieval public later of in ritual executions the justice: of language universal Press. Catherine St Vols London: Dormant or Extinct United Extant, the Kingdom, and Britain Great Ireland, Scotland, Press. University Columbia 200-1336 Christianity, Western .1995. C. , .18.Smoso upblt n the and culpability of Symbols 1989. E. , 04 h ua ean,i W. in remains, human The 2004. 99 Complete 1919. h eurcino h oyin Body the of Resurrection The 1 407-16. 11: erg fEngland, of Peerage .NewYork: xaain at Excavations itr of History Sceyfor (Society VI. & I

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Finucane, R. 1981. Sacred corpse, profane carrion: Park, K. 1995. The life of the corpse: division and social ideals and death rituals in the later Middle dissection in late medieval Europe. Journal of the Ages, in J. Whaley (ed.) Mirrors of Mortality. Studies History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 50: in the Social History of Death: 40-60. London: 111-32. Europa. Phillips, S. 2000. Simon de Montfort (1265), the Earl Fryde, N. 1979. The Tyranny and Fall of Edward II of Manchester (1644), and other stories: violence 1321-1326. Cambridge: Cambridge University and politics in thirteenth and early Press. fourteenth-century England, in R.W. Kaueper (ed.) Hedges, R., C. Housley, C. Bronk Ramsey & G. Violence in Medieval Society: 79-90. Woodbridge: Van Klinken. 1991. Radiocarbon dates from the Boydell. Oxford AMS system. Archaeometry Datelist 13: Pollock, F. & F. Maitland. 1968. The History of 285-6. English Law before the Time of Edward I. Holmes, G. 1955. A protest against the Despensers, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1326. Speculum 30: 207-12. Royer, K. 2003. The body in parts: reading the Johnes, T. 1808. Froissart’s Chronicles of England, execution ritual in late medieval England. Historical France, Spain and the Adjoining Countries. London: Reflections 29: 319-39. printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme . . . & J. Tomkinson, J. 1997. A History of Hulton Abbey. White. Stoke-on-Trent: City Museum and Art Gallery. Klemperer, W. & N. Boothroyd (ed.). 2004. Valente, C. 1998. The deposition and abdication of Excavations at Hulton Abbey, Staffordshire Edward I. English Historical Review 113: 1987-1994. Leeds: Maney. 852-81. Marfart, B., J.-P. Pelletier & M. Fixot. 2004. Viard, J. & E. Deprez (ed.). 1904-5. Chronique de Post-mortem ablation of the heart: a medieval Jean Le Bel.Paris:Societ´ edel’HistoiredeFrance.´ funerary practice. A case observed at the cemetery Wise, P. 1985. Hulton Abbey: a century of excavations. of Ganagobie Priory in the French Department of Stoke-on-Trent: City Museum & Art Gallery. Alpes de Haute-Provence. International Journal of Wrottesley, G. 1887. Military services performed by Osteoarchaeology 14: 67-73. Staffordshire tenants in the 13th and 14th centuries. Maxwell, H. 1913. Chronicle of Lanercost 1272-1336. Collections for the History of Staffordshire 8: Glasgow: J. Maclehose & Sons. 1-124.

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