Condoned Torture and Revenge in Eighteenth-Century New Orleans January 22, 2014
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern
***Warning this post has some very unpleasant material: if you are having a bad day, do yourself a favour and just click away…*** ‘The west’, that monolith to which most readers of this blog belong, has gradually over the centuries, shied away from torture. But there are moments in history when societies return on themselves […]
Witches, Confessions and the Truth November 25, 2012
Author: Beach Combing | in : Medieval, Modern
Scholars of witchcraft in the burning years have an overwhelming problem. As rationalists they do not believe in the sabbat, devil sex or flying broomsticks. And yet, and yet… Women who were investigated often come up with the most extraordinary stories about the Satanic things that they have done. The problem for historians is why does […]
Torturing Guy June 21, 2011
Author: Beach Combing | in : Modern
At present, the Beachcombing family are under assault from a group of teenage toughs who have taken to ringing their bell in the evening and running off into the dark. Of course, the sensible thing would be to ignore the little idiots and hope that their antics don’t wake up the children. But Beachcombing never […]
