Bugs and Beasts Before the Law

8/22/2019 Bugs and Beasts Before the Law

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BUGSANDBEASTSBEFORETHELAWMurderouspigssenttothegallows,sparrowsprosecutedforchatteringinChurch,agangofthievingratsletoffonawhollytechnicalacquittaltheoreticalpsychologistandauthorNicholasHumphrey*exploresthestrangeworldofmedievalanimaltrials.

DetailfromfrontispieceofTheCriminalProsecutionandCapitalPunishmentofAnimals(1906)byE.P.Evans

On5March1986somevillagersnearMalaccainMalaysiabeattodeathadog,which

theybelievedwasoneofagangofthieveswhotransformthemselvesintoanimalsto

carryouttheircrimes.ThestorywasreportedonthefrontpageoftheLondonFinancial

Times.Whenadogbitesaman,itissaid,thatsnotnews;butwhenamanbitesa

dog,thatisnews.

Suchstories,however,areapparentlynotnewsforverylong.Indeedthemost

extraordinaryexamplesofpeopletakingretributionagainstanimalsseemtohavebeen

almosttotallyforgotten.AfewyearsagoIlightedonabook,firstpublishedin1906,

withthesurprisingtitleTheCriminalProsecutionandCapitalPunishmentofAnimalsby


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E.P.Evans,authorofAnimalSymbolisminEcclesiasticalArchitecture,BugsandBeastsbefore

theLaw,etc.,etc.Thefrontispieceshowedanengravingofapig,dressedupinajacket

andbreeches,beingstrunguponagallowsinthemarketsquareofatownin

Normandyin1386;thepighadbeenformallytriedandconvictedofmurderbythe

localcourt.WhenIborrowedthebookfromtheCambridgeUniversityLibrary,I

showedthispictureofthepigtothelibrarian.Isitajoke?,sheasked.

No,itwasnotajoke.AlloverEurope,throughoutthemiddleagesandrightonintothe

19thcentury,animalswere,asitturnsout,triedforhumancrimes.Dogs,pigs,cows,

ratsandevenfliesandcaterpillarswerearraignedincourtonchargesrangingfrom

murdertoobscenity.Thetrialswereconductedwithfullceremony:evidencewasheard

onbothsides,witnesseswerecalled,andinmanycasestheaccusedanimalwasgranted

a

form

of

legal

aid

a

lawyer

being

appointed

at

the

tax

payers

expense

to

conduct

theanimalsdefence.

In1494,forexample,nearClermontinFranceayoungpigwasarrestedforhaving

strangledanddefacedachildinitscradle.Severalwitnesseswereexamined,who

testifiedthatonthemorningofEasterDay,theinfantbeingleftaloneinitscradle,the

saidpigenteredduringthesaidtimethesaidhouseanddisfiguredandatethefaceand

neckofthesaidchild..whichinconsequencedepartedthislife.Havingweighedup

theevidenceandfoundnoextenuatingcircumstances,thejudgegavesentence:

We,indetestationandhorrorofthesaidcrime,andtotheendthatanexamplemaybemadeand

justicemaintained,havesaid,judged,sentenced,pronouncedandappointedthatthesaidporker,

nowdetainedasaprisonerandconfinedinthesaidabbey,shallbebythemasterofhighworks

hangedandstrangledonagibbetofwood.

Evansbookdetailsmorethantwohundredsuchcases:sparrowsbeingprosecutedfor

chatteringinChurch,apigexecutedforstealingacommunionwafer,acockburntat

thestakeforlayinganegg.AsIreadmyeyesgrewwiderandwider.Whydidnoone

tellus

this

at

school?

Why

were

we

taught

so

many

dreary

facts

of

history

at

school,

and

nottaughtthese?


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Illustrationentitled TrialofaSowandPigsatLavegny takenfromTheBookofDays(1863)editedbyRobertChambers

WeallknowhowKingCanuteattemptedtostaythetideatLambeth;butwhohas

heard,forexample,ofthesolemnthreatsmadeagainstthetidesoflocustswhich

threatenedtoengulfthecountrysideofFranceandItaly?ThePiedPiper,whocharmed

theratsfromHamelinisapartoflegend;butwhohasheardofBartholomew

Chassene,aFrenchjuristofthesixteenthcentury,whomadehisreputationatthebar

asthedefencecounselforsomerats?Theratshadbeenputontrialintheecclesiastical

courtonthechargeofhavingfeloniouslyeatenupandwantonlydestroyedthelocal

barley.Whentheculpritsdidnotinfactturnupincourtontheappointedday,

Chassenemadeuseofallhislegalcunningtoexcusethem.Theyhad,heurgedinthe

firstplace,probablynotreceivedthesummonssincetheymovedfromvillagetovillage;

buteveniftheyhadreceivedittheywereprobablytoofrightenedtoobey,sinceas

everyoneknewtheywereindangerofbeingsetonbytheirmortalenemiesthecats.On

thispointChasseneaddressedthecourtatsomelength,inordertoshowthatifa

personbecitedtoappearataplacetowhichhecannotcomeinsafety,hemaylegallyrefuse.Thejudge,recognisingthejusticeofthisclaim,butbeingunabletopersuadethe

villagerstokeeptheircatsindoors,wasobligedtoletthematterdrop.

Forananimalfoundguilty,thepenaltywasdire.TheNormandypig,depictedinthe

frontispieceoftheEvansbook,waschargedwithhavingtornthefaceandarmsofa


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babyinitscradle.Thepigwassentencedtobemangledandmaimedinthehead

forelegs,andthendressedupinajacketandbreechestobehungfromagallowsin

themarketsquare.

But,as

we

have

seen

with

Chassenes

rats,

the

outcome

of

these

trials

was

not

inevitable.Indoubtfulcasesthecourtsappearingeneraltohavebeenlenient,onthe

principleofinnocentuntilprovedguiltybeyondreasonabledoubt.In1587,agangof

weevils,accusedofdamagingavineyard,weredeemedtohavebeenexercisingtheir

naturalrightstoeatand,incompensation,weregrantedavineyardoftheirown.In

1457asowwasconvictedofmurderandsentencedtobehangedbythehindfeetfrom

agallowstree.Hersixpiglets,beingfoundstainedwithblood,wereincludedinthe

indictmentasaccomplices.Butnoevidencewasofferedagainstthem,andonaccountof

their

tender

age

they

were

acquitted.

In

1750

a

man

and

a

she

ass

were

taken

together

in

anactofbuggery.Theprosecutionaskedforthedeathsentenceforbothofthem.After

dueprocessoflawthemanwassentenced,buttheanimalwasletoffontheground

thatshewasthevictimofviolenceandhadnotparticipatedinhermasterscrimeofher

ownfreewill.Thelocalpriestgaveevidencethathehadknownthesaidsheassfor

fouryears,thatshehadalwaysshownherselftobevirtuousandwellbehaved,thatshe

hadnevergivenoccasionofscandaltoanyone,andthatthereforehewaswillingto

bearwitnessthatsheisinwordanddeedandinallherhabitsoflifeamosthonest

creature.


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DetailfromapageintheAppendixofTheCriminalProsecutionandCapitalPunishmentofAnimals(1906)byE.P.Evans

Whatwasthepurposeoftheselengthyandextravagantprocedures?Adesirefor

revengecannothavebeentheonlymotive.Evanscitescasesofinanimateobjectsbeing

broughtbeforethelaw.InGreece,astatuethatfellonamanwaschargedwithmurder

andsentencedtobethrownintothesea;inRussia,abellthatpeeledtoogleefullyonthe

occasionoftheassassinationofaprincewaschargedwithtreasonandexiledtoSiberia.

Theprotectionofsocietycannothavebeentheonlymotiveeither.Evanstellsofthe

bodiesofcriminals,alreadydead,beingbroughttotrial.PopeStephenVI,onhis

accessionin896,accusedhispredecessor,Formosus,ofsacrilegiouslybringingthe

papalofficeintodisrepute.Thebodyofthedeadpopewasexhumed,dressedinthe

pontificalrobesandsetuponathroneinSt.Peters,whereadeaconwasappointedto

defendhim.

When

the

verdict

of

guilty

was

pronounced,

the

executioner

thrust

Formosusfromthethrone,strippedhimofhisrobes,cutoffthethreebenedictory

fingersofhisrighthandandthrewhisbodyasapestilentialthingintotheTiber.

Takentogether,Evanscasessuggestthatagainandagain,thetruepurposeofthetrials

waspsychological.Peoplewerelivingattimesofdeepuncertainty.BoththeGreeksand

medievalEuropeanshadincommonadeepfearoflawlessness:notsomuchfearof

lawsbeingcontravened,asthemuchworsefearthattheworldtheylivedinmightnot

bealawfulplaceatall.Astatuefellonamanoutoftheblue,apigkilledababywhile

itsmotherwasatmass,swarmsoflocustsappearedfromnowhereanddevastatedthecrops,theHolySeewasbecomingriddledwithcorruption.Atfirstsightsuch

misfortunescanhaveappearedtohavenorhymeorreasontothem.Toanextentthat

wetodaycannotfindeasytoconceive,thesepeopleoftheprescientificeralivedevery

dayattheedgeofexplanatorydarkness.Nowonderif,likeEinsteininthetwentieth

century,theywereterrifiedoftherealpossibilitythatGodwasplayingdicewiththe

universe.

Thesameanxietyhasindeedcontinuedtopervademoremodernminds.Dostoevskys

IvanKaramazov,havingdeclaredthatEverythingispermitted,concludedthatwere

histhesistobegenerallyacknowledgedeverylivingforceonwhichalllifedepends

woulddryupatonce.AlexanderPopeclaimedthatorderisheavensfirstlaw.And

Yeatsdrewagrimpictureofalawlessworld:


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Turningandturninginthewideninggyre

Thefalconcannothearthefalconer;

Thingsfallapart;thecentrecannothold;

Mereanarchyisloosedupontheworld.

Yetthenaturaluniverse,lawfulasitmayinfacthavealwaysbeen,wasneverinall

respectsselfevidentlylawful.Andpeoplesneedtobelievethatitwasso,theirfaithin

determinism,thateverythingwasnotpermitted,thatthecentredidhold,hadtobe

continuallyconfirmedbythesuccessoftheirattemptsatexplanation.

Sothelawcourts,onbehalfofsociety,tookmattersintotheirownhands.Justastoday,

whenthingsareunexplained,weexpecttheinstitutionsofsciencetoputthefactson

trial,onecanseethewholepurposeofthelegalactionsasbeingtoestablishcognitive

control.Inotherwords,thejobofthecourtswastodomesticatechaos,toimposeorder

onaworldofaccidentsandspecificallytomakesenseofcertainseemingly

inexplicableeventsbyredefiningthemascrimes.

IreadsomeyearsagoanotherreportinaLondonnewspaper:

Ajiltedwomanwhoattemptedsuicidebyleapingfroma12thfloorwindowbutlandedonand

killedastreetsalesmanhasbeenchargedwithmanslaughter.ProsecutorsinTaipei,Taiwansaid

21yearoldHoYuMeiwasresponsibleforthedeathofthefoodsalesmanbecauseshefailedto

makesure

that

there

was

no

one

below

when

she

jumped.

Ho

had

argued

that

she

thought

the

manwouldhavemovedawaybythetimeshehittheground.Shealsosaidshehadthreatened

earliertosuethesalesmanbecauseheinterferedwithherfreedomtotakeherownlife.If

convicted,Hocouldbeimprisonedfortwoyears.

Whosaysthatthemedievalobsessionwithresponsibilityhasgoneaway?Butitwas

withdogsascriminalsIbegan,andwithdogsascriminalsIllend.AstoryinTheTimes

someyearsagotoldhowadeaddoghadbeenthrownbyanunknownhandfromthe

roofofaskyscraperinJohannesburg,hadlandedonamanandflattenedhimthe

saidmanhavinginconsequencedepartedthislife.Theheadlinereadoh,howun

newsworthy!DOGKILLSMAN.IwonderwhatChasseneorE.P.Evanswouldhave

madeofthat.


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NicholasHumphreyisatheoreticalpsychologist,basedinCambridge,whoisknownforhisworkontheevolutionofhumanintelligenceandconsciousness.Hisinterestsarewideranging.HestudiedmountaingorillaswithDianFosseyinRwanda,hewasthefirsttodemonstratetheexistenceofblindsightafterbraindamageinmonkeys,heproposedthecelebratedtheoryofthesocialfunctionofintellect,andheistheonlyscientistevertoedittheliteraryjournalGranta.HismanybooksincludeConsciousnessRegained,AHistoryoftheMind,LeapsofFaith,TheMindMadeFleshandmostrecentlySoulDust.Hehasbeentherecipientofseveralhonours,includingtheMartinLutherKingMemorialPrize,thePufendorfmedalandtheBritishPsychologicalSocietysbookaward.*(Articleadaptedfromseveralsources,bypermission)

9 Responses toBugs and Beasts Before the Law

1.

Gerardo Martnez on 23rd August 2011 at 9:38 pm

There is a story happened around 2005 in a Mxicos village. A she-ass was convicted of murder,

when she killed a tortillas saleswoman. It was reported at Metro newspaper.

REPLY

2. BUGS AND BEASTS ON TRIAL Porpentine on 6th January 2012 at 5:01 am

[...] The rats had been put on trial in the ecclesiastical court on the charge of having felonio [...]

3. Hang Em High Sacred Heart of Odinon 4th March 2012 at 5:31 pm

[...] the Public Domain Review: All over Europe, throughout the middle-ages and right on into the

19th century, animals were, as [...]

4.

Albert Vogler on 10th March 2012 at 1:58 am

I read the Evans book many years ago at the Brooklyn Public Library in NY. It was a reference copy,

so I had to read the whole thing right there. Incidentally theres a fascinating British film called The

Advocate (1993) in which a pig is tried for murder in medieval France; its well worth seeing.


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REPLY

5.

Chauvet on 7th April 2012 at 5:33 pm

Hi,

Thanks for this good article. Could you please tell me what is the reference of the second draw (pig)

? Best, D Chaucet

REPLY

o

Adam Green on 9th April 2012 at 11:31 am

Dear D Chaucet,

Sorry, the source should have been referenced below the picture I will get on to doing that. The

illustration is entitled Trial of a Sow and Pigs at Lavegny, and is taken fromThe book of days, a

miscellany of popular antiquities in connection with the calendar, including anecdote, biography,

& history, curiosities of literature and oddities of human life and character(1863) edited by Robert

Chambers. You can see it in its original home

herehttp://archive.org/stream/cu31924014604627#page/n139/mode/2upREPLY

6.

R Badd on 19th June 2012 at 12:04 pm

No, Canute didnt try to stop the waves his point was that he couldnt. Now Im wondering how

much of the rest of this article I can rely on

REPLY

7.

Nicholas Humphrey on 20th J une 2012 at 3:24 pm

The point surely is that Canute did try to stop the tide, just so as to prove his attempt would fail. See

this passage from the entry about Canute in Wikipedia:


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Henry of Huntingdon, the 12th-century chronicler, tells how Cnut set his throne by the sea shore and

commanded the tide to halt and not wet his feet and robes. Yet continuing to rise as usual [the tide]

dashed over his feet and legs without respect to his royal person. Then the king leapt backwards,

saying: Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings, for there is none worthy of

the name, but He whom heaven, earth, and sea obey by eternal laws. He then hung his gold crown

on a crucifix, and never wore it again to the honour of God the almighty King.

REPLY

8.

Miranda Nesler on 10th October 2012 at 5:20 am

This is a fantastic resource! And interesting especially with comparative thinking (for example, given

how few to no English animals were executed though tried, compared to the Continent). If you have

other research or thoughts youd like to share, Id love to talk more as I begin my own hybridity

research.

REPLY

Documents

Bugs and Beasts Before the Law