peine forte et dure

views updated

peine forte et dure a medieval form of torture in which the body was pressed with heavy weights, to death if necessary. It was used in England on prisoners who refused to accept jury trial; St Margaret Clitherow (1558–86), arrested for harbouring priests, refused to enter a plea, and died while undergoing this torture. The phrase is French, and means literally ‘strong and hard suffering’.

More From encyclopedia.com