The History Of The Drawing And Quartering Death Penalty

Although drawing and quartering was first used as a form of punishment in the 13th century, the practice was popularized by England's King Edward II in the 14th century with the implementation of the 1351 Treason Act. As reported by The Guardian, the 1351 Treason Act distinguished a difference between high treason, which was disloyalty to the king or his close family members, and petty treason — disloyalty to one of the king's subjects.

As stated in the 1351 Treason Act, those who were found guilty of high treason were sentenced to death by hanging, drawing, and quartering. The punishment was designed to keep the convicted criminals alive as long as possible and to maximize pain and suffering. The Guardian reports that convicted criminals were bound in rope and dragged — or drawn — through the town behind a horse. Although drawing did not kill them, they often suffered severe abrasions, bruising, and even broken bones.

In many cases, crowds gathering to witness the executions inflicted injuries on the condemned as they were being dragged to the gallows. Engole reports the spectators attacked and beat them badly enough to cause injuries ranging from abrasions to ruptured organs. The criminals were then hanged using the "short drop" method, which caused great suffering and often left them in a state of shock. However, the hanging rarely killed them.

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