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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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ducking stool
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An unpleasant method of punishment, devised in the late 16C, in which the culprit was strapped in a chair on the end of a pivoted arm and was ducked in a lake or river. The number of immersions was specified by the magistrate, but the length of each – of greater concern to the victim – was no doubt unpredictable. It was most commonly the punishment for women who had offended in some way, but it was also often the fate of dishonest traders. Ducking stools were familiar devices in the 17C and were last used in the early 19C.
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