RACK, ROPE AND RED-HOT PINCERS A History of Torture and Its Instruments

Hardback. Reprint. SIGNED. A blood-chilling account of torture through the ages. Includes : 'Little Ease': a cell only four feet square and nine feet high, in which it was impossible to lie down. Skull Crusher: an iron skull-cap secured by a metal strap with screws on each side, which were tightened until the strap forced the teeth out of the jaw. 'The Duke of Exeter's Daughter' and 'Skeffington's Gyyes': two of the many excruciating versions of the rack. 'The Pendulum': a crescent-shaped, razor-sharp blade suspended from the end of a pendulum, which relentlessly swung ever closer to the victim below. 'The Gridiron': a low bench of parallel metal bars with a fire beneath them, which grilled the flesh, plus many more gruesome devices. Illus., For the Record, Select Bibliog. and Index. 243pp. 8vo. h/back. Lightly browned pp. o/w Nr. F. in v. sl. creased Vg+ dw. With loosely inserted SIGNED picture postcard of the author as 'Executioner' in BBC TV Tudor Series, which also lists all of his TV programme appearances.