Monday, May 30, 2005

What is a Cucking Stool, Anyway?

The cucking stool was a was an old English "engine of correction" and public entertainment device. It was used to dunk a common scold, or communis rixatrix in water as punishment. A common scold was a harridan who upset the public order and quiet with her nagging. And it could only be a woman adjudged guilty of this offence, communis rixatrix. However, this blog will be more modern and egalitarian, dunking both communis rixatrix and communis rix.

The principal objects of dunking on The Cucking Stool will be politicians and op-ed contributors, who by there their pronouncements offend the public order and quiet, but there will be the occasional opinion page letter writer, too.

In coming days, Spottie (old English spelling) will give you a little more history of the cucking stool.

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