Tongue Screw, 1577

In 1557, Hans Bret, an Anabaptist, was sentenced to be burned at the stake. Before he was taken to his execution the executioner ordered him to put out his tongue. Over it he placed an iron clamp, then screwed it tight with a vice-screw over the tongue. He then burned the end of his tongue with a hot iron so that the tongue would swell and could not be withdrawn from the clamp. This tongue screw was to prevent Hans from speaking to the people when he was taken to the stake. Anabaptists are Christians who believe that baptism is only valid when the candidate confesses his or her faith in Christ and wants to be baptized. This believer's baptism is opposed to baptism of infants, who are not able to make a conscious decision to be baptized. Anabaptists were heavily persecuted during the 16th century and into the 17th century by both Protestants and Roman Catholics, largely because of their interpretation of scripture which put them at odds with official state church interpretations and with government. They both persecuted the Anabaptists, resorting to torture and execution in attempts to curb the growth of the movement

Restrictions Only for Ireland and United Kingdom

Burned Cruel Cruelty Infamous Inhumane Inhumanity Interrogate Interrogation Lips Method Notorious Persecute Persecuted Persecuting Persecution Punish Punishing Sixteenth Suffering Tongue Torturer Torturing

Features In These Collections

> Contributors > PHR