lor to bring the bridle, and had her bridled and chained to the
hook until she promised to behave herself better for the future. I have
seen one of these hooks, and have often heard husbands say to their
wives: 'If you don't rest with your tongue I'll send for the bridle and
hook you up.' The Mayor and Justices frequently brought the instrument
into use; for when women were brought before them charged with
street-brawling, and insulting the constables and others while in the
discharge of their duty, they have ordered them to be bridled and led
through the borough by the jailor. The last time this bridle was
publicly used was in 1824, when a woman was brought before the Mayor
(Bulkeley Johnson, Esq.) one Monday, charged with scolding and using
harsh language to the churchwardens and constables as they went, on the
Sunday morning, round the town to see that all the public-houses were
empty and closed during divine service. On examination, a Mr. Richard
Edwards stated on oath that on going round the town with the
churchwardens on the previous day, they met the woman (Ann Runcorn) in
a place near 'The Cockshoot,' and that immediately seeing them she
commenced a sally of abuse, calling them all the scoundrels and rogues
she could lay her tongue to; and telling them 'it would look better of
them if they would look after their own houses rather than go looking
after other folk's, which were far better than their own.' After other
abuse of a like character, they thought it only right to apprehend her,
and so brought her before the Bench on the following day. The Mayor then
delivered the following sentence: 'That it is the unanimous decision of
the Mayor and Justices that the prisoner (Ann Runcorn) there and then
have the town's bridle for scolding women put upon her, and that she be
led by the magistrate's clerk's clerk through every street in the town,
as an example to all scolding women; and that the Mayor and magistrates
were much obliged to the churchwardens for bringing the case before
them.'" "In this case," Mr. Warrington, who furnished Dr. Brushfield
with the foregoing information, adds: "I both heard the evidence and saw
the decision carried out. The bridle was put on the woman, and she was
then led through the town by one Prosper Haslam, the town clerk's
clerk, accompanied by hundreds of the inhabitants; and on her return to
the Town Hall the bridle was taken off in the presence of the Mayor,
magistrates, constables, ch