A traitor - PDF document

䄀 琀爀愀椀琀漀爀✀猀 搀攀愀琀栀㼀 吀栀攀 椀搀攀渀琀椀琀礀 漀昀 愀 搀爀愀眀渀Ⰰ  栀愀渀最攀搀 愀渀搀 焀甀愀爀琀攀爀攀搀 洀愀渀 昀爀漀洀 䠀甀氀琀漀渀  䄀戀戀攀礀Ⰰ 匀琀愀昀昀漀爀搀猀栀椀爀攀  䄀爀琀椀挀氀攀  倀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀搀 嘀攀爀猀椀漀渀  䰀攀眀椀猀Ⰰ 䴀⸀ 䔀⸀ ⠀㈀　　㠀⤀ 䄀 琀爀愀椀琀漀爀✀猀 搀攀愀琀栀㼀 吀栀攀 椀搀攀渀琀椀琀礀 漀昀 愀 搀爀愀眀渀Ⰰ  栀愀渀最攀搀 愀渀搀 焀甀愀爀琀攀爀攀搀 洀愀渀 昀爀漀洀 䠀甀氀琀漀渀 䄀戀戀攀礀Ⰰ 匀琀愀昀昀漀爀搀猀栀椀爀攀⸀  䄀渀琀椀焀甀椀琀礀Ⰰ 㠀㈀ ⠀㌀㄀㔀⤀⸀ 瀀瀀⸀ ㄀㄀㌀ⴀ㄀㈀㐀⸀ 䤀匀匀一 　　　㌀ⴀ㔀㤀㠀堀 䄀瘀愀椀氀愀戀氀攀 愀琀 栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀挀攀渀琀愀甀爀⸀爀攀愀搀椀渀最⸀愀挀⸀甀欀⼀㌀㜀㐀㠀⼀  䤀琀 椀猀 愀搀瘀椀猀愀戀氀攀 琀漀 爀攀昀攀爀 琀漀 琀栀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀爀鈀猀 瘀攀爀猀椀漀渀 椀昀 礀漀甀 椀渀琀攀渀搀 琀漀 挀椀琀攀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀  眀漀爀欀⸀  匀攀攀  䜀甀椀搀愀渀挀攀 漀渀 挀椀琀椀渀最    倀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀搀 瘀攀爀猀椀漀渀 愀琀㨀 栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀愀渀琀椀焀甀椀琀礀⸀愀挀⸀甀欀⼀愀渀琀⼀　㠀㈀⼀愀渀琀　㠀㈀　㄀㄀㌀⸀栀琀洀  倀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀爀㨀 䄀渀琀椀焀甀椀琀礀 倀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀猀  䄀氀氀 漀甀琀瀀甀琀猀 椀渀 䌀攀渀琀䄀唀刀 愀爀攀 瀀爀漀琀攀挀琀攀搀 戀礀 䤀渀琀攀氀氀攀挀琀甀愀氀 倀爀漀瀀攀爀琀礀 刀椀最栀琀猀 氀愀眀Ⰰ  椀渀挀氀甀搀椀渀最 挀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 氀愀眀⸀ 䌀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 愀渀搀 䤀倀刀 椀猀 爀攀琀愀椀渀攀搀 戀礀 琀栀攀 挀爀攀愀琀漀爀猀 漀爀 漀琀栀攀爀  挀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 栀漀氀搀攀爀猀⸀ 吀攀爀洀猀 愀渀搀 挀漀渀搀椀琀椀漀渀猀 昀漀爀 甀猀攀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 洀愀琀攀爀椀愀氀 愀爀攀 搀攀昀椀渀攀搀 椀渀  琀栀攀  䔀渀搀 唀猀攀爀 䄀最爀攀攀洀攀渀琀    ⸀  䄀 琀爀愀椀琀漀爀✀猀 搀攀愀琀栀㼀 吀栀攀 椀搀攀渀琀椀琀礀 漀昀 愀 搀爀愀眀渀Ⰰ  栀愀渀最攀搀 愀渀搀 焀甀愀爀琀攀爀攀搀 洀愀渀 昀爀漀洀 䠀甀氀琀漀渀  䄀戀戀攀礀Ⰰ 匀琀愀昀昀漀爀搀猀栀椀爀攀  䄀爀琀椀挀氀攀  倀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀搀 嘀攀爀猀椀漀渀  䰀攀眀椀猀Ⰰ 䴀⸀ 䔀⸀ ⠀㈀　　㠀⤀ 䄀 琀爀愀椀琀漀爀✀猀 搀攀愀琀栀㼀 吀栀攀 椀搀攀渀琀椀琀礀 漀昀 愀 搀爀愀眀渀Ⰰ  栀愀渀最攀搀 愀渀搀 焀甀愀爀琀攀爀攀搀 洀愀渀 昀爀漀洀 䠀甀氀琀漀渀 䄀戀戀攀礀Ⰰ 匀琀愀昀昀漀爀搀猀栀椀爀攀⸀  䄀渀琀椀焀甀椀琀礀Ⰰ 㠀㈀ ⠀㌀㄀㔀⤀⸀ 瀀瀀⸀ ㄀㄀㌀ⴀ㄀㈀㐀⸀ 䤀匀匀一 　　　㌀ⴀ㔀㤀㠀堀 䄀瘀愀椀氀愀戀氀攀 愀琀 栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀挀攀渀琀愀甀爀⸀爀攀愀搀椀渀最⸀愀挀⸀甀欀⼀㌀㜀㐀㠀⼀  䤀琀 椀猀 愀搀瘀椀猀愀戀氀攀 琀漀 爀攀昀攀爀 琀漀 琀栀攀 瀀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀爀鈀猀 瘀攀爀猀椀漀渀 椀昀 礀漀甀 椀渀琀攀渀搀 琀漀 挀椀琀攀 昀爀漀洀 琀栀攀  眀漀爀欀⸀  匀攀攀  䜀甀椀搀愀渀挀攀 漀渀 挀椀琀椀渀最    倀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀搀 瘀攀爀猀椀漀渀 愀琀㨀 栀琀琀瀀㨀⼀⼀愀渀琀椀焀甀椀琀礀⸀愀挀⸀甀欀⼀愀渀琀⼀　㠀㈀⼀愀渀琀　㠀㈀　㄀㄀㌀⸀栀琀洀  倀甀戀氀椀猀栀攀爀㨀 䄀渀琀椀焀甀椀琀礀 倀甀戀氀椀挀愀琀椀漀渀猀  䄀氀氀 漀甀琀瀀甀琀猀 椀渀 䌀攀渀琀䄀唀刀 愀爀攀 瀀爀漀琀攀挀琀攀搀 戀礀 䤀渀琀攀氀氀攀挀琀甀愀氀 倀爀漀瀀攀爀琀礀 刀椀最栀琀猀 氀愀眀Ⰰ  椀渀挀氀甀搀椀渀最 挀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 氀愀眀⸀ 䌀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 愀渀搀 䤀倀刀 椀猀 爀攀琀愀椀渀攀搀 戀礀 琀栀攀 挀爀攀愀琀漀爀猀 漀爀 漀琀栀攀爀  挀漀瀀礀爀椀最栀琀 栀漀氀搀攀爀猀⸀ 吀攀爀洀猀 愀渀搀 挀漀渀搀椀琀椀漀渀猀 昀漀爀 甀猀攀 漀昀 琀栀椀猀 洀愀琀攀爀椀愀氀 愀爀攀 搀攀昀椀渀攀搀 椀渀  琀栀攀  䔀渀搀 唀猀攀爀 䄀最爀攀攀洀攀渀琀    ⸀  眀眀眀⸀爀攀愀搀椀渀最⸀愀挀⸀甀欀⼀挀攀渀琀愀甀爀    䌀攀渀琀䄀唀刀  䌀攀渀琀爀愀氀 䄀爀挀栀椀瘀攀 愀琀 琀栀攀 唀渀椀瘀攀爀猀椀琀礀 漀昀 刀攀愀搀椀渀最  刀攀愀搀椀渀最鈀猀 爀攀猀攀愀爀挀栀 漀甀琀瀀甀琀猀 漀渀氀椀渀攀 AtraitorÕsdeath?Theidentityofadrawn,hangedandquarteredmanfromHultonAbbey,StaffordshireMaryE.Lewis Atraitor’sdeath Figure1a.LocationofHultonAbbey(fromKlempererBoothroyd2004:3).analmostcompletesetofspinalvertebrae,fromthethirdcervical(neck)vertebratothesecondlumbar(L2),rightandleftarmsandshoulders,rightfemur,leftandrightlowerlegs.Theribswerepoorlypreservedandthesternumwasnotrecovered.Thereweresomefragmentsoftheilium,andonepubicsymphysis,suggestingthatthepelvishadbeenincludedintheburial.Nohandorfootboneswerelinkedtothisskeleton.Althoughnoskullwaspresent,cutmarksonthethirdcervicalvertebra(C3)oftheneckindicatetheindividualwasbeheaded(Figure3).AdditionalcutmarksontherightsuperiorfacetofC3indicatethatfurthersliceswerenecessarytocompletelyremovethehead.Althoughbadlyerodedpostmortem,thenextvertebrae(C4toC6)appearnormal.Asmoothdepressiononthesuperioraspectoftheseventhcervicalvertebra,triangularinshapeandmeasuring9.8mmby5.9mm,indicatesthattheindividualwasstabbedinthethroat(Figure4).Itisnotpossibletoknowifthishappenedbeforeorafterthebeheading,butthefollowingrstthoracicvertebra(T1)isnotaffected.AfurtherpossiblestabwoundislocatedintherightinferiormarginofL2suggestingthatthevictimhadalsobeenstabbedinthestomach(Figures5and6).Sectioningofthebodyisindicatedbythedivisionofthesecondandthirdthoracicvertebraealongthesagittalplane(vertically)whichceasesatT4,withnofurthercutmarks MaryE.Lewis Figure1b.DetailofburialsinthechancelofHultonAbbeyshowingthelocationofHA16(adaptedfromWise1985:89).untilT11,withT11toL2againcleanlycutalongthesagittalplane(Figure7).Notably,therstlumbarvertebra(L1),positionedjustabovethepelvisinlife,alsodisplaysahorizontal(transverse)cut,suggestingthataftertheverticaldivision,thebodywaschoppedinhalf(Figure8)andtheentirethoraxtreatedasonesection.Bothhandshadbeenremoved,withtheleftradius(lowerarmbone)cutfurtherupthewristthantheright.Theleftradiusalsodisplaystwosmallhesitationmarksalongtheshaft,whichareinthewrongpositiontoconstituteparryordefencewounds,butmaysuggestanattempttoremoveeshfromthebones.Thedeliberatenatureofthedivisionofthebodyisbestdemonstratedbythechopmarksontheleftshoulder.Theclavicle(collarbone)bearsthemarksofanoldsofttissueinjurythatcausedossicationofthetrapeziusmuscleandtheformationofanewjoint(pseudo-arthrosis).Thismassofbonewouldhavebeenunexpectedinanormaldissection,andsomayaccountforthenumerouschopmarks.Thesecutshavebeenmadefromrighttoleft,runningfromthemedialaspecttothelateralaspectofthe Atraitor’sdeath Figure2.DistributionofperimortemcutmarksinHA16.Thegreenarrowsindicatestabwounds;redarrowsindicatecutmarksontheanterioraspectoftheskeleton;bluearrowsshowhorizontalcutsandtheyellowarrowsindicatecutmarkstotheposterioraspectoftheskeleton.shaft.Thereisanadditionalsharpercutattheacromialend,madeintheoppositedirection,andoverliesthesecondchopmark(Figure9).Otherevidenceforthedeliberateremovalofthearmfromtheshoulderistheremovalofthehumeralhead,cutmarksontheshoulderblade(scapula),andachopmarkatthepositionofthecoracoidprocessatthetopoftheshoulder.Thesecutsareconsistentwithsomeoneattemptingtocutaroundtheligamentsthatholdtheshoulderjointinplace(Figure10).Onthelowerbody,therighthiphasbeendissectedbelowthegreatertrochanter,whichwasnotrecovered.Thisbonehowever,istheonlypartoftheproximalfemurpreservedontheleftside,suggestingasimilarpatternofremovalforbothlegs.Chopmarkstothebackoftherightfemur,alongthelinearaspera,maybetheresultoftraumafromablade,similartothatseeninbattleinjuries.Ontherightlowerleg,thebulaappearstohavebeencutjustbelowthemidshaft,withthebladeinjuryfollowingalinethroughtothetibia.InterpretationSuchsystematiccuttingofbonesissuggestiveofaritualexerciseindismem-berment,suchasquartering,anexecutionpracticeprevalentintheEnglishMiddleAges(AD1100-1500).Nocasesofsuspectedquarteringhaveeverbeendescribedinthearchaeologicalliterature,althoughMarfartetal.(2004)didreportonaninstanceofpostmortemheartablationfromGanagobiePrioryinFrance.ItispossiblethatthelesionsseenonHA16aretheresultofmedievalfunerarypractice(mosteutonicus),wherenobleswhodiedawayfromhomeweredismemberedandthepiecesboiledinwaterorwine,withtheirvisceraburiedattheirplaceofdeath(Park1995).Thisgenerallyinvolvedthedisembowelment,dismemberingandboilingofthebody,oftenwithrequestsforthehearttobeburiedathome(Brown1981).This‘divisionofthebody’wasoutlawedbyanoutragedBonifaceVIIIin1299.Heartablation MaryE.Lewis Figure3.Cutmarksonthethirdcervicalvertebraindicativeofbeheading. Figure4.Close-upofstabwoundontheseventhcervicalvertebra(C7).(cuttingout)mayhaveoccurredinthecaseofHA16,butthisinvolvesthesternum,whichwasnotrecovered.Theribsareinpoorcondition,butnoneofthefragmentsrevealevidenceofcutmarks.Thenormalprocessofthistypeofexecutioninvolvedevisceration;wheretheintestineswereremovedandburnedinfrontofthecrowd.Thiswouldhavemeantcuttingthroughthesofttissueofthebelly,andisunlikelytohaveleftanycutsontheboneitself.Thelesionstothevertebralbodiesareinconsistentwiththeincidentalandsupercialcutsthatmightresultfromevisceration,andtheyhavenotbeenreportedintheosteologicalliteraturebefore.Drawing,hanging,andquarteringasaformofexecutionFourteenth-centuryEnglandwasplaguedbypoliticaltensionandturmoil(Phillips2000)andtreasonwasacrimewhichdeservedtheworsttormentsandcruellestdeaththatcouldbedevised(Finucane1981).Thisformofpublicexecutionwashightheatrewhichaimedtodemonstratethepowerofthegovernmenttothemasses(Cohen1989).Before1283,thecommonpunishmentfortreasonwastobedraggedtotheplaceofhangingbyahorse’stail(hence‘drawn’).Thefamilyoftheaccusedwouldlosetheirpropertyandinsomecasesthechildrenwouldalsobeexecuted(Bellamy1970:28).Inthelatethirteenthcentury,EdwardIaddeddisembowelling,burning,beheadingandquarteringtotheritual,specicallyfortheexecutionofDayfdapGruffydd,leaderoftheWelshrebellion(Royer2003).Hightreasondictatedthattheperpetratorshouldsuffermorethanonedeath.Hence,eachpartofapGruffydd’sexecutionritualwasdesignedtomakeastatementabouteachofhiscrimes.Becausehebetrayedtheking,hewasdrawnatthehorse’stail,hewashangedformurder,disembowelledforsacrilegeandhisentrailsburned,andbecausehehadplottedtheking’sdeathinseveraldifferentpartsoftherealm,hisbodywastobequarteredandlimbs Atraitor’sdeath Figure5.Thesecondlumbarvertebraviewedfromthesuperioraspect,showingaknickontheanteriormargin. Figure6.Close-upofknickonthemarginofthesecondlumbarvertebra,possiblyindicatingastabwoundtothedispatchedtowheretheycouldactasawarningtoothers(Bellamy1970:26;Pollock&Maitland1968:501).BythetimeEdwardIdiedin1307,severalmenhadbeenexecutedinthisfashion.Theywereusuallydraggedtotheplaceofexecutiononahurdletoensurethattheywouldbealivewhentheywerehanged,beforebeingdisembowelledandnallybeheaded(Barron1981).Theheadandquartersofthebodywereparboiled,andsenttolocationswherethetraitorhadfoundsupport,orwheretreasonhadbeenconspired,andhungontowngates,wallsandgibbets,usingpolesorchains.Relativeswouldhavetowaituntiltheywereofcially‘throwndown’beforetheycouldretrievetheremainsforburial(Bellamy1979:208).Thisformofexecutionreacheditsheightinthe1320s,andbythefteenthcentury,itwasmoreusualfornoblestobepunishedbybeheading(Royer2003).Depictionsoftheactualmechanismsbehindquarteringofthebodydonotsurvive,andtherewasprobablynocallforthemtobewrittendown.Whatconstituted‘quarters’maybeinferredfromthedescriptionofapGruffydd’sexecution,wherehisbodywascutintofourpartsandsenttobedisplayed‘...towit–therightarmatBristol;therightlegandhipatNorthampton;theleftlegatHereford’(Maxwell1913:35).Thisdoesnotsuggestdivisionofthetorso,butevidenceforthatpracticemaybefoundinmedievalwoodcuts,forexample,thatoftheexecutionofThomasArmstrongin1683(Figure11).IdentityoftheremainsRadiocarbonanalysiscarriedoutbytheOxfordLaboratoryin1990(Hedgesetal.1991)datedtheremainstoAD1215-1285(onesigma,68percentcondence)orAD1050-1385(twosigma,95percentcondence).InherreportontheHultonAbbeyskeletalremains,Browne(2004)proposedSirWilliamAudley(AD1254-1282)asalikelycandidatefortheburial.William,aged28,waskilledinAngleseyon6November1282ghtingforEdwardIduringtherisingoftheWelshPrinces.WilliamandhismencrossedtheMenaiStraitsonabridgeofboats,buttheirreturnwascutoffbytherisingtide(Wrottesley1887).TheWelshattackedand213menwereslaughtered.BrownewentontosuggestthatWilliammayhave MaryE.Lewis Figure7.Horizontalcutthroughtherstlumbarvertebrasuggestingseparationofthethoraxfromtherestofthebody.beencapturedandmutilatedbytheWelshrebels,andhisbodylaterretrievedbyhisbrotherNicholaswhoperformedonthebodytoallowforitstransporttoHultonAbbey.Osteologicalanalysisoftheremainsidentiedthemaletohavebeenover34yearsofage(mean61years)basedonthemorphologyofthepubicsymphyses,andtoooldtobeWilliam.Hence,Tomkinson(1997)hasarguedthatWilliam’scousin,SirHughAudleywasamorelikelycandidate.HehadbeenoneofthenobleswhohadsidedwithThomas,EarlofLancasteragainstEdwardIIin1322,andhadbeenimprisonedfortreasonatWallingfordin1325.Hewouldhavebeen65yearsofage.ThereisnoevidencethatHughAudleywaseverreleasedfromprisonanditismorelikelythathediedinWallingfordCastlein1326(Cockayne1919:348).Hewasneverexecuted.DatingoftheHultonAbbeyskeletonindicatesthathediednolaterthanAD1385,whenthisverybrutalandpublicformofexecutionwashandedoutonlytothemostnotoriouspoliticalprisoners.Thissuggeststhattheskeleton Figure8.SagittalcutsthroughT11toL2. Atraitor’sdeath Figure9.Close-upofcutmarkstotheleftclavicle,andpseudo-arthrosis. Figure10.Cutmarkstotheleftshoulder.NotesofttissueossicationontheclavicleandcutmarkstothehumeralatHultonAbbeywasawellknownpoliticalgureduringthisperiod.ThereisonefarmorenotoriouscandidatefortheidentityoftheremainsatHultonAbbey:SirHughDespensertheYounger.HughDespensertheYoungerwasthesonofHughDespenser,EarlofWinchester,andanadvisortoEdwardII.HughwasmarriedtoEleanordeClare,nieceofEdwardIIwho,withhertwosistersMargaretandElizabeth,washeiresstooneofthelargestfortunesinEngland.OnthedeathofEleanor’sbrother,GilbertdeClare,Despenserusedhispoliticalinuencetoappropriatethelandsthatshouldhavebeendividedequallybetweenthesisters(Holmes1955).Inordertosucceedinhisplan,Despenserattackedhisbrothers-in-law,RogerDamory,marriedtoElizabeth,andmoreimportantly,HughAudleyofHultonAbbey,whohadmarriedMargaret.In1317,DespenserclaimedthatAudleywaswithholdinghisshareoftheWelshestatesfromhim.Notwishingtowagewar,AudleyexchangedhisWelshestatesforpoorerlandsinEngland.DespensernextexertedsimilarpressureonDamoryandlater,hadthembothfalselychargedandconvictedoftreason.Despenser’sinuenceincourtcamefromhisbeingafavouriteofEdwardII,anditwasrumouredthathewastheking’slover.WhenEnglandwasinvadedin1326byQueenIsabellaandherconsortRogerMortimer,DespenserwascapturedandexecutedatHereford(Holmes1955).Hewas40yearsofage.EdwardIIabdicatedandwaskilledin1327(Valente1998).ThepowerthatDespenserhadwieldedinthecourt,andperhapshispersonalrelationshipwiththeking,hadoutragedIsabellatosuchanextentthathisexecutionwas MaryE.Lewis Figure11.EngravingdepictingtheexecutionofSirThomasArmstrongin1683.Notetheverticalcutsthroughthespineanddetachmentofthelegsthroughthehip.particularlypublicandbrutal.Hiscrimesandtheirpunishmentsareoutlinedthus:‘...asathiefthereforeyoushallbehanged;asatraitor...youshallbedrawnandquartered,andyourquartersdispersedthroughoutthekingdom;andasyouwereoutlawed,byourLordtheKingandbygeneralconsent,andhavecomebacktothecourt...youshallbebeheaded;andbecauseatalltimesyouhavebeendisloyalandaformenterofstrifebetweenourLordtheKingandourmostnobleLadytheQueen...youshallbedisembowelled,andafterthatyoubowelsshallbeburned.Confessyourselfatraitorandarenegade!Andsogotomeetyourdoom.Traitor!Evildoer!!andConvicted!!!’(BrigstockeSheppard1889:413)Hence,onthe16thNovember1326,Despenserwaspubliclyhumiliatedbybeingstrippedanddressedinreversedarms,withacrownofnettlesplacedonhishead(Fryde1979:192).Hewasthenropedtofourhorses,ratherthantheusualtwo,anddraggedthroughHereford,wherehewashanged,orratherchoked,ongallowsat50feetwithhisbodysupportedbyaladder.MedievalchroniclerJeanFroissart(.1337-1405)reportedthatHughwascastrated,withhistesticlesthrownintotherebelow,becausehewasconsideredahereticandsuspectedof‘unnatural’practiceswiththeking(Johnes1808:32).Stillconscious,Despenserwasdraggedfromthegallows,aknifewasplungedintohisabdomenandhisentrailsandheartwerecutoutandburned.Thecorpsewasloweredtothegroundanddecapitated.Figure12showsFroissart’sdepictionofDespenser’sdramaticexecution.On4thDecember1326hisheadwasdisplayedonLondonBridgeandthequartersofhisbodyweresenttobedisplayedabovethegatesofNewcastle,York,DoverandBristol(Cockayne1919:267-70;Viard&Deprez1904-5).Afewyearslater,Despenser’swifepetitionedWestminsterforhisbonestobecollectedandburiedonhisfamilyestateatTewkesburyAbbeyinGloucestershire(Cockayne1919:270).Eleanorissaidtohaverecoveredherhusband’shead,a‘thighbone’andafewvertebrae(N.Strawford,pers.comm.TewkesburyAbbeyArchivist),theverybonesthataremissingfromHA16(seeFigure2).Thedateofhisdeathin1326tswiththeCdates(AD1219-1385)andhisageismoreconsistentwiththeosteologicalevidencethanWilliamAudley’s.IftheremainsfromHultonAbbeyareindeedthoseofSirHughDespensertheYounger,thenthisisthersttimesuchanexecutionvictimhasbeenidentied. Atraitor’sdeath Figure12.ThedisembowelmentofSirHughDespensertheYounger.ReproducedwithkindpermissionoftheBibliothnationaledeFrance.DisposalThiscaseraisesmanyinterestingquestionsabouthowtheremainscametobeatHultonAbbey.Althoughthepledgetodistributethequarterstofourcornersoftherealmiswellknown,wedonotknowthatthisthreatwasactuallycarriedoutinthiscase,nordoweknowifthe‘quarters’includedthetorsoaswellasthelimbs.IfHugh’sremainswerecollectedfromtheirseveraldisplaylocations,thenwhodidthis?AsarelativeoftheAudley’sitmaybeexpectedthattheywouldwanttoburytheirdisgracedrelativeinaquietcorneroftheirestate,andHultonAbbeywouldnothavebeenofgreatsignicancetothem.But,givenDespenser’sattemptstohavehisbrother-in-lawexecuted,isitlikelytheywouldgotosuchaneffort?PerhapsamonkfromthemonasterytookituponhimselftogathertheremainsandburythemintheAbbey,sothatallofhisremainsrestedinconsecratedground.The MaryE.LewisCisterciansbelievedthatduringtheresurrection,suchscatteredboneswouldbereunitedtoformonecompletebody(Bynum1995:121).Asfortheremainsthemselves,theremovalofthehandsisnotarecordedpartoftheexecutionritual.However,ifthisisHughthenthesemayhavebeenamputatedwithreferencetohisbeingknownasapirateanda‘thief’.Equally,thepotentialstabmarkintherstlumbarvertebraisconsistentwiththestabbingintheabdomenrecordedinthehistoricalaccounts,soperhapsarethecutmarkstothesurvivingfemur.ItispossiblethatDespenser’s‘drawing’mayhavebeenusedasanopportunityfortheangryspectatorstostrikehimwiththeirswords.ThispaperhasdescribedtherstknowncaseofaskeletondisplayingtraumaassociatedwiththepracticeofquarteringinmedievalEngland.Inaddition,itattemptstoidentifytheremainsandplacethemwithintheirpoliticalandhistoricalcontext.Thedistributionandnatureofthelesionsisnotconsistentwithbattletraumaoreviscerationduring‘division’ofthebody,buttswiththehistoricalaccountssurroundingtheexecutionofDespenser.Thedateoftheremains,fromthefoundingoftheAbbey(AD1219)totheendofthe95percentcondenceintervalprovidedbytheCdates(AD1385),tswiththeperiodofhisdeathandhisageandsexisconsistentwiththeosteologicalevidence.ProbablymostseductiveintheidenticationofthisbodyistheaccountoftheremainsburiedatTewkesburyAbbey,asthesearepreciselytheskeletalelementsmissingfromHA16.However,suchhistoricalequationscanneverbecompletelyproved.DespenserissaidtohavebeenburiedatTewkesburyandthemattermustremainopenunlessanduntiltheremainsinthevaultatTewkesburybecomeavailableforanalysis.Meanwhilewecansaywithmorecondencethatthiswastheskeletonofanexecutionvictim,andthedeathofHughDespenserprovidesananalogyforthepathologyobserved.IamgratefultoMartinCarverandMalinHolstfortheircommentsonthetextand,inparticular,JamesBothwellforprovidinginvaluableadviceandreferencesonthetreatmentofthemedievalcorpse.ReferencesBarron,W.1981.Thepenaltiesfortreasoninmedievallifeandliterature.JournalofMedievalHistory7:187-202.Bellamy,J.TheLawofTreasoninEnglandintheLaterMiddleAges.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress.TheTudorLawofTreason:anintroduction.London:Routledge&KeganPaul.BrigstockeSheppard,J.RollsSeries,1889,iii:Brown,E.1981.Deathandthehumanbodyinthelatermiddleages:thelegislationofBonifaceVIIIonthedivisionofthecorpse.Viator12:211-7.Browne,S.2004.Thehumanremains,inW.Klemperer&N.Boothroyd(ed.)ExcavationsatHultonAbbey,Staffordshire1987-1994(SocietyforMedievalArchaeologyMonograph21):115-26.Leeds:Maney.,C.1995.TheResurrectionoftheBodyinWesternChristianity,200-1336.NewYork:ColumbiaUniversityPress.Cockayne,G.1919.CompletePeerageofEngland,Scotland,Ireland,GreatBritainandtheUnitedKingdom,Extant,ExtinctorDormantVolsI&VI.London:StCatherinePress.,E.1989.Symbolsofculpabilityandtheuniversallanguageofjustice:theritualofpublicexecutionsinlatermedievalEurope.HistoryofEuropeanIdeas11:407-16. 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