Keep your mouth shut: the iron mask used to punish gossip in the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a period well known for the variety of corporal punishment. The idea of corporal punishment was closely related to the understanding of the Christian religion. And even small violations led to a cruel reckoning. For example, for women who could not keep their mouths shut, a special iron mask was invented and constructed.

The mask, which was called a "bridle for liars", was a "muzzle" with an iron frame that was put on the head. The main function of the mask was to prevent the woman from speaking, so there was a special bridle on the mask, which turned out to be in the woman's mouth and pressed the tongue. In some cases, there were even spikes on the bridle, so any movement of the tongue could lead to wounds.

Not only were such masks put on the guilty women, they were also publicly humiliated. A woman in a "bridle for liars" was led by her husband on a leash through the streets, and passers-by spat at her.

It was believed that only through pain and suffering a person could atone for sin. The bridle was a form of mirror punishment, that is, the criminal received exactly the damage that he himself inflicted as punishment. Since the crime was connected with unnecessary conversations, the language was also punished.  

Thus, the metal frame was intended for women who were accused of gossip and slander. But the problem was that these concepts themselves were blurred in the era when a woman could be burned at the stake by misunderstanding. Most often, women who undermined their husband's authority were punished. That is, if the husband mistreated his wife, and she suddenly decided to speak out about it, they put a bridle on her.

The first mention of the punishment "bridle for liars" dates back to 1567. It happened in Scotland. Bessie Talifer was punished for allegedly slandering Bailey Hunter in a land dispute, accusing her of measuring incorrectly.

In addition to the British Isles, the bridle was popular in Germany. There, a bell was added to the structure to attract people's attention during the "road of shame".

Interestingly, the punishment was applied exclusively to women, and of a low class. Representatives of the aristocracy could gossip without fear of severe punishment.