Wearing the white sheet – Act of Penance

Many of you may have watched the TV series, Game of Thrones, in which Cersei Lannister was required to perform the naked walk of shame through the streets to repent for her sins.

This and similar practices were carried out in previous centuries, most famously the walk of shame by Jane Shore, as can be seen in this 18th century depiction of it:

Penny, Edward; Jane Shore Led in Penance to Saint Paul’s; Birmingham Museums Trust

Even into the early 19th century this form of punishment, albeit slightly amended, still took place as a form of public humiliation and here are a few examples, although with this first one  I did have to double check the date of publication, just in case it was written on April  Fools’ day, but it wasn’t.

Lambeth Palace and St Mary’s Church with St Paul’s; William Marlow; Government Art Collection

As to whether this next one had any truth in it whatsoever, we may never know, but in this case, I suspect not.

Chester Chronicle 8 December 1797

PENANCE IN A WHITE SHEET

On Sunday last the parish church of St Mary, Lambeth, was so unusually crowded, as to deny the reception of several hundred person. The cause of this concourse was to see Mr John Oliver, master of the Red Lion, Marsh Gate, do penance in a white sheet, for calling Miss Stephenson, the domestic female of a neighbouring baker, by an improper name.

The young woman, who is a servant of all work to a bachelor baker, sent a very coarse message to the publican’s wife, which Bung resented in a very spirited manner, called up Burntcrust, the girl’s kind protector, to the affray; and after much warm altercation, the publican concluded the farce by asserting, that when masters took their servant to their beds, the latter generally gave themselves more airs than modest women, and that Miss Stephenson was a strumpet. Away flies Burntcrust to the Commons; a citation was immediately provided for Bung the ale man; the next day came a blazing declaration. On Saturday last the sentence of the poor tapster to do penance; and on Sunday he accordingly exhibited in Lambeth church, where he read his recantation.

When the hour came, away went the innocent lady clad all in white, with several friends, and her protector, Mr Burntcrust, the baker, who to the great astonishment of the congregation held up a fine boy belonging to Miss Stephenson, exclaiming with a loud voice “Here is the cause of all this here affair – this child, whose father is abroad fighting the battles of his King and Country.” The business being over, the white lady, whose virtue had been questioned by the Knight of the Bung, returned amidst the unhallowed observations of her neighbours, who seemed to testify in very strong terms, that by her proceedings against the publican they were not more satisfied of her innocence than before.

Apollo and the Muses inflicting penance on Dr. Pomposo round Parnassus British Museum

The majority of newspapers around the country in May 1822 ran the following account of a similar situation, but having checked the names mentioned, this one does appear to be true:

The ceremony of standing in the sheet was dispensed with, to the disappointment of the multitude, but the female, who was a very fine young woman, attired in a white dress repeated the following recantation in the vestry, in the presence of the Rector, Churchwardens and five or six of her relations:

“I sarah Green, wife of James Green, have uttered and spoken several scandalous and opprobrious words against Ann Johnson, wife of William Johnson, of St Matthew, Bethnal Green, to the great offence of Almighty God, the scandal of the Christian religion, and the injury and reproach of my neighbour’s credit, by calling her whore. I do, therefore, before God and you, humbly confess and acknowledge such offence, and am heartily sorry for the same, and do ask her forgiveness, and promise hereafter never to offend her in the like manner God assisting me.”

The female appeared very much affected; and after the form was gone through, was led out of the church by the Beadles, who conducted her safely through the mob, and she was conveyed home in a coach.

Trying to establish whether such humiliation was a ‘one off’ or not, I came across an article in the Pilot, newspaper of 24 January 1812 which noted:

The court of delegates, he believed, had decided against minors in similar instances. He would state to the House the usual process of the Ecclesiastical Courts: a citation was first pursue, and in the event of non-appearance, or inadequate defence, penance was enjoined, and if not complied with, payment of costs was then adjudged. But this penance was nothing like the vulgar conception of it; there was no such thing as standing in white sheets, such a practice had for many years fallen into disuse. The sole punishment now consisted in the offender’s attendance at the vestry before the Minister of the parish and the complainant, and in asking pardon of the latter, promising at the same time to observe a more guarded conduct in the future.

Penance for past folly. Mrs. Fitzherbert, a weeping penitent, kneels before a priest (left) seated in profile to the right, who holds up a birch-rod and points an accusing finger. British Museum

Could the Kentish Weekly Post have been including such news as warnings to it readers, so they didn’t find themselves in such a position, I wonder?

Kentish Weekly Post, 28 August 1736

Last Sunday morning a young woman did publicly penance in Greenwich church, standing in a white sheet in the porch from the time of the ringing of bells to Divine Service, and during the service stood in the middle aisle with a wand in her right hand and a label on her left arm, signifying her crime, viz, I stand here for the sin of fornication.

Again, The Kentish Weekly Post 20 November 1736 reported that:

Yesterday sentence was passed in the Dean and Chapter’s Court of St Paul’s, by Dr Kyanston, Judge thereof, upon one Mr Gwynnel, who was some time since catch’d in bed with another man’s wife at an inn at Horse Ferry, Westminster; that he should do public penance in a white sheet and pay £15 costs.

The Kentish Post, 14 February 1741

On Sunday a young woman, lately servant to a wealthy tradesman near St Martin’s Lane, was enjoin’d and endur’d the penance of standing in a white sheet, at Teddington with a label signifying her crimes pinn’d to her breast. By suffering this the girl escapes Bridwell.

And the final offering comes from the General Evening Post, 1 March 1808:

In consequence of a report that a man was to do penance in a white sheet in St James’s Church, Clerkenwell, yesterday, for doubting the chastity of a married female, that place of worship was literally crammed; but, to the great disappointment of the curious part of the congregation, the offender did not appear.