Peine Forte et Dure: How Silence Became a Death Sentence in Early English Law

From medieval English law to Enlightenment reform, we trace peine forte et dure – a practice that pressed a silent defendant until they pleaded or perished. The episode examines how it served as a deterrent and property‑preserving mechanism for landowners, the moral and legal controversies it provoked in early modern courts, and the legislative steps Parliament took to abolish the torture by 1772. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices