and one under that of Alethes Noctroff (1657), in which he elaborately dealt with the charge as both false and frivolous.  In one passage he offers a qualified defense of such an act:  “I cannot but bewail the exceeding rudeness of our times to suffer such foolery to be prosecuted as of some high and notorious crime.  Suppose it were (as it is not) true, may not some eminent congregational brother be found guilty of the same act?  Is it not much short of drinking an health naked on a signpost?  May it not be as theologically defended as the husband’s correction of his wife?” This passage, and the whole episode, show that feeling in regard to this matter was at that time in a state of transition.

Flagellation as a penance, whether inflicted by the penitent himself or by another person, was also extremely common in medieval and later days.  According to Walsingham ("Master of the Rolls’ Collection,” vol. i, p. 275), in England, in the middle of the fourteenth century, penitents, sometimes men of noble birth, would severely flagellate themselves, even to the shedding of blood, weeping or singing as they did so; they used cords with knots containing nails.

At a later time the custom of religious flagellation was more especially preserved in Spain.  The Countess d’Aulnoy, who visited Spain in 1685, has described the flagellations practised in public at Madrid.  After giving an account of the dress worn by these flagellants, which corresponds to that worn in Spain in Holy Week at the present time by the members of the Cofradias, the face concealed by the high sugar-loaf head-covering, she continues:  “They attach ribbons to their scourges, and usually their mistresses honor them with their favors.  In gaining public admiration they must not gesticulate with the arm, but only move the wrist and hand; the blows must be given without haste, and the blood must not spoil the costume.  They make terrible wounds on their shoulders, from which the blood flows in streams; they march through the streets with measured steps; they pass before the windows of their mistresses, where they flagellate themselves with marvelous patience.  The lady gazes at this fine sight through the blinds of her room, and by a sign she encourages him to flog himself, and lets him understand how much she likes this sort of gallantry.  When they meet a good-looking woman they strike themselves in such a way that the blood goes on to her; this is a great honor, and the grateful lady thanks them....  All this is true to the letter.”

The Countess proceeds to describe other and more genuine penitents, often of high birth, who may be seen in the street naked above the waist, and with naked feet on the rough and sharp pavement; some had swords passed through the skin of their body and arms, others heavy crosses that weighed them down.  She remarks that she was told by the Papal Nuncio that he had forbidden confessors to impose such penances, and that they were