Talk:Common scold

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	Common scold is a featured article; it (or a previous version of it) has been identified as one of the best articles produced by the Wikipedia community. Even so, if you can update or improve it, please do.
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Contents 1 Cucking Stool/Ducking Stool 1.1 Pedantry: England and Wales 2 Is this a pun? 3 Request for references 4 FARC 5 Fye Bridge

[edit] Cucking Stool/Ducking Stool

Which is the preferred usage, and are they actually the same? http://www.sacredspiral.com/Database/burning/cuckstl.html quotes :

Cucking Stool
This is sometimes confounded with the ducking-stool, but was entirely
dissimilar. Its exact construction cannot be explained in these pages.
Let it suffice to say that it was a seat of even flagitious indelicacy
upon which offending females were exposed at their own doors or in some
public place as a means of putting upon them the last degree of
ignominy. The cucking-stool, in fact, was analogous to the Sedes
Stercoraria in which a new Pope was formerly placed during the
installation ceremonies, to remind him that he was human.
Curiosities of Popular Customs
And of Rites, Ceremonies, Observances, and Miscellaneous Antiquities
By William S. Walsh
J.B. Lippincott Company
Copyright 1897

Hm. the Sedes Stercoraria was a chair with a hole in it, through which a deacon would feel the Pope's balls to check that he was a man. This quote claims that the cucking stool was similar. So it had a hole in the bottom? The woman on the engraving isn't naked, so a hole in the seat wouldn't have any interesting effects... --lament 06:16, 1 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Nonetheless it is worrying that a featured article could be so wrong about English law. I will correct it. Francis Davey 13:18, 1 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Agreed. The authors seem to have relied on Blackstone's observation far too readily. Even cursory research (i.e. other encyclopedic Internet sites) reveal that these too stools may have had a similar function and served as punishment for the same crime, but were in fact two different devices used at different times (see favourite Wikipedia reference, the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica [1]). Apparently cucking stools were commonly used until the mid-16th century. Therefore all literary references, the woodcut and most of the legal information would refer to the (not entirely) distinct ducking stool. That an article with such questionable facticity should achieve featured status is frankly an embarrassment. If this is not clarified soon, I'll have to request that its featured status be removed. The cucking stool article will also need an overhaul. Pteron 00:02, 2 Sep 2004 (UTC)

I have added reference to the contrary definitions out of the Encyclopedia; and also added the details provided of the last use of the ducking stool according to that account. Next time I am at the U of L law library I will see if by some good fortune they have any of the books on ancient punishments cited in the EB. Smerdis of Tlön 16:19, 2 Sep 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Pedantry: England and Wales

I note that my reference to England and Wales as a "part" of the United Kingdom has been corrected to "parts". I am going to revert to the original. Perhaps I should explain why:

Firstly, in constitutional terms, the United Kingdom, is a union of three parts: (1) Northern Ireland; (2) Scotland; and (3) England and Wales. The Act of Union, which created Great Britain was a union of two parts: Scotland on the one hand with England and Wales on the other.

Secondly, and the reason for the above, is that in legal terms, the United Kingdom consists of three jurisdictions as above. There is a single legal system across England and Wales. It is true that there are some specifically Welsh legal provisions, but there are also legal provisions to regions within England, or to local authorities. The court system of England and Wales is not divided at the Welsh border (Wales forms a part of the Wales and Chester circuit), in historic terms the two countries have had one law since Henry VIII.

From the point of view of domicile, one can be domiciled in Scotland, or in England and Wales, and a company can chose to be established in England and Wales.

For these reasons, I believe "part" is correct.

Francis Davey 09:28, 2 Sep 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Is this a pun?

Is the common scold a pun on the common cold? Or the other way around? Or just an eerie coincidence of the English language? - Plutor 13:39, 2 Sep 2004 (UTC)

[edit] Request for references

Hi, I am working to encourage implementation of the goals of the Wikipedia:Verifiability policy. Part of that is to make sure articles cite their sources. This is particularly important for featured articles, since they are a prominent part of Wikipedia. The Fact and Reference Check Project has more information. Thank you, and please leave me a message when you have added a few references to the article. - Taxman 20:00, Apr 21, 2005 (UTC)

[edit] FARC

Very, very short and no references. Only a few links too. Will put on unless someone objects. Skinnyweed 01:46, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

Agreed. It needs FAR. Wwwhhh

[edit] Fye Bridge

Local websites refer to cucking, inc one recording that the plaque has been stolen. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/6429114/in/set-160394/ GBH 07:21, 13 November 2006 (UTC)